Junior Year Box Set

I looked at Halle, and she smiled. I followed her into the family room and found Rita James waiting for us. She was a vision. Rita wore cream-colored silk slacks and a white long-sleeved button-up blouse with mother-of-pearl buttons. Her hair was pulled back in a French braid and then put into a bun on the back of her head to show off her exquisite neck. I noted her makeup was perfect. I don’t think I’ve ever been in the presence of anyone more poised or put-together while not on a set of some kind. I understood why Rita was compared with the old-time actress Grace Kelly. When she smiled at me, I would have done anything for her.

“Who’s your friend?” Rita asked, and I could see by the recognition in her eyes that she already knew who I was. She was simply being polite and allowing her daughter to introduce us.

“Mother, may I introduce you to my close friend, David Dawson,” Halle said as a formal introduction.

Rita reached out and shook my hand.

“My son and daughter speak highly of you. I’m looking forward to working with you,” she said.

I looked confused.

“Aw, my daughter didn’t tell you. I’m the financial backer, producer, and will be acting in The Secret Circle,” Rita said.

The light bulb came on as I figured out why I hadn’t needed to audition for the role.

“I want to thank you for taking a chance on me. I’ll work hard to show my appreciation,” I said.

Both Halle and Rita laughed. They laughed even harder when I was utterly bewildered by their response.

“If we were in Hollywood, your offer to show quote-unquote ‘appreciation’ would have meant something different,” Rita clued me in.

“Oh, OOOOHHH,” I said, late on getting it, and joined them in laughing. “I guess if that’s a job requirement …”

“David!” Halle complained.

“I’m sorry, I was just teasing. If I stepped over any lines …” I started.

“Are you sure he can play a stuck-up jock?” Rita asked.

“Hey, cheerleader-type, go get me a Coke while I hit on your mom,” I told Halle.

Halle’s eyes got big, then she realized I was playing along with her mom. I told them my parents were out of town, and they took pity on me and fed me. Rita turned out to be a lot of fun. She told me stories about the famous people she had met and worked with.

Halle gave me a quick kiss and sent me home. I was almost to my car when Fritz appeared out of nowhere. I mean literally, one minute he wasn’t there and the next he stood next to me. I almost hit him; he surprised me that much. Fritz asked me where I worked out, so I told him about Shiggy’s Dojo. That reminded me I needed to get my butt back to training with Cassidy. It was like anything else, you only got out of it what you put into it.

◊◊◊

When I got home, Mona was in my apartment. I was starting to wonder if I should just get a new lock because every girl I knew must have the code to get in. I had to let Duke out and take him for a walk, or he’d be up all night. I also needed to run off some of his adolescent energy. We decided to head to the park.

“Where were you?” Mona asked.

“Halle needed a ride home, and I got to meet her mother. I found out she’s involved in the next movie I’m doing.”

Mona looked nervous. I think we both knew how fragile our dating alliance was, especially after the Mike incident. I handed Mona the tennis ball I had grabbed before we left. She let Duke off his leash and threw the ball. Sucker! He, of course, came back with it and it was slimed with puppy mouth. Mona was a champ, though, and threw it again.

“Halle and I met during the shooting of Star Academy and became friends. We were the only ones the same age, so it made sense,” I said.

“Bullshit, you’re not fooling me. She’s hot, and I saw the tabloids. There was more there than just you two being friends.”

“Can I tell you something and it just stays between us?” I asked, and she nodded. “Halle and I only kissed. I don’t think she has ever, you know…”

“Are you telling me I have two virgins on varsity?” Mona asked.

It took me a second, but then I realized she was talking about Zoe, which caused me to smile.

“Shhhhit! You’re going to be the death of me,” Mona said.

“Why, what did I do?”

“Oh, let’s see,” she said as she threw the ball for Duke and started listing off my problems. “You get your heart handed to you by probably the dumbest smart girl I know in Tami. You have my resident crazy girl in Tracy, who thinks you hung the moon and is secretly in love with you. I have a surfer girl in Pam, who thinks you two are just friends, but everyone knows there’s more. Zoe and Halle, my two virgins, would give it up to you. Then I have my problem child, Brook, who’s determined to steal you from me.

“When you finally get your head out of your ass and quit singing the blues, I might have actual bloodshed during a game. They’ll be clawing each other’s eyes out to see who gets first shot at you,” Mona explained.

I gave her a leer.

“You mean Brook wants to do something naughty with me?”

“If I hadn’t had a talk with her, she would have moved in with you by now.”