Chapter Nine
Jealousy Will Drive You Mad





The next day, Jade had slept late -missing breakfast
and morning rehearsals. Not that there was much to rehearse except a few lines; she didn't
feel too bad about missing them. She was, however, upset about missing breakfast; upset and
hungry. Jade climbed out of bed and trudged into the main part of the club, sure to find
Christian, Roxanne or Alex there. Roxanne was sitting at "their table" her breakfast plate
still in front of her, some food still remained. When she heard Jade enter, she turned
around. "Hey, you over slept so I saved you some breakfast." Roxanne said and motioned to
her plate.
Jade smiled and joined Roxanne at the table. "You also missed rehearsals, not that there
was anything too exciting. Oh, Alex came by during rehearsals but I told him you were still
asleep. He said he would come by later." Roxanne told her.
Jade nodded, acknowledging that she heard what Roxanne had said and cared.
"Oh I forgot, today at rehearsals this girl showed up. She looked your age and had black hair
and fair skin. She seemed interested and rehearsals and filled in for your role." Roxanne
said.
Jade looked up, angry now that she had over-slept; angry that some girl
could just come in and take her roll, even if it was just for stand-in.
"Don't worry, she won't be as good a Hindi Goddess as you will be;
Christian and Alex didn't think so either." Roxanne said, reassuring her friend.
Jade frowned, no longer felt like eating. "What was her name?" She asked, looking at Roxanne.
"It was Tiffany or something. All the guys -except Alex and Christian, that
is- seemed interested in her. She just walked right into the rehearsal and sat down. Nini
-remember the Diamond Dog- suggested to Harold that 'since our leading lady has over slept
maybe we should let her stand-in'. Harold thought the idea was great; Alex left then."
Roxanne said, relaying the events of the day.
Jade frowned. "Where is she now? Did she leave?" Jade asked.
Roxanne shrugged. "Oh, by the way, she seemed pretty 'interested' in Alex,
I'd watch it if I were you." Roxanne suggested.
Jade stood up. "Where are you going?" Roxanne asked.
"To find Alex or that girl or Christian or someone." Jade announced.
She walked out of the club doors. Roxanne raised an eyebrow. "Always." She muttered and
began to eat the unfinished food on the plate.
As Jade left the club, she ran into a girl. Just as Roxanne described
about her age, black hair and fair skin. Jade and the girl, Tiffany, looked at each other.
"You must be Jade, if you're headed to rehearsal, you're a little late."
She said, scornfully.
It was all Jade could do to keep herself from slapping the girl. "Yes,
I am Jade and I was just looking for you. My friend tells me you were my stand-in today at
rehearsals." Jade said.
"Yes, it's a rather nice show once the writer finishes it.
It's a shame there weren't auditions for it, you might not have gotten the leading roll."
Tiffany said, giving the fakest grin Jade had ever seen.
Jade's face went pale as she thought about what Tiffany had said; she
hadn't auditioned for the part either maybe Harold would give the roll to Tiffany instead.
No, he wouldn't do that would he? After all Roxanne had said Tiffany wasn't as good as she
was.
Seeing the look on Jade's face, Tiffany smiled. "What's the matter,
afraid that you might lose your part? Jealous?" Tiffany teased.
Jade almost couldn't stop herself from slapping Tiffany; however as
if to save Jade from getting into a fight, Alex came running up beside her. He kissed her
quickly on the lips. "I was looking for you earlier but Roxanne said you were still asleep."
Alex said and embraced her.
Jade nodded and cuddled into Alex's arms; at least if Tiffany got her roll in the show she
would still have Alex. Alex turned to look at Tiffany, who looked bored.
"You're that girl from rehearsal today." He muttered.
Tiffany nodded, smiling at him clearly flirting. Jade narrowed her
eyes and buried her face in Alex's chest. "Come what may, I will love you until the end of
time." She muttered. Remembering what Christian said, "No matter how bad things get,
whenever you hear this song it will remind you of everything." Later, Jade would have to
show Alex the words to the song -which were resting under her pillow.
Jade leaned up to whisper in Alex's ear. "Let's go, there's something I want
to show you." She whispered. Alex nodded. Saying short good-byes, Jade and Alex left Tiffany
in front of the Moulin Rouge.
Jade and Alex entered the Moulin Rouge; Roxanne was gone and no one else
was inside. Jade and Alex took a seat at "their table".
"What is it that you want to show me?" Alex asked.
Jade remembered the paper was under her pillow. "Hang on, I have to get
it. It'll only take a second." She told him and hurried into the back room of the club. She
pulled the paper out from under her pillow and hurried back to where Alex sat. She sat back
down beside him and unfolded the paper.
"Do you remember that song I was telling you about?" Jade asked, being careful not to rip
the paper.
"Yes, 'Come What May' right?" Alex answered.
Jade nodded and finished unfolding the paper. "Last night I found this
in Christian's room; these are the words to the song. All of the words." Jade said.
She handed the paper over to Alex; he read the words then looked at Jade.
Jade looked back at him. "Christian wrote this song for the person he
loved; I was thinking that we could make this 'our song' and even when we're not together
whether ever you think of this song or hum it or whistle it or anything it will always
remind you of me, and me of you." Jade said.
Alex leaned over and kissed her; he broke the kiss and nodded. "Come what
may." He said. She kissed him and wrapped her arms around his shoulders.

Later that day, Harold had scheduled another rehearsal for
Spectacular Spectacular because Christian had written more in the script. Jade, Roxanne,
Alex and Christian all arrived together; most everyone was already there. Jade looked around;
standing over by Harold was the girl Tiffany. Jade narrowed her eyes and whispered to
Roxanne, "There's that girl again, the one that was my stand in. What's she doing here?"
Roxanne looked in the direction that Jade had motioned to; Roxanne
frowned when she saw Tiffany talking with Harold like they were old friends.
Jade took her eyes away from Harold and continued to look around
the room; sitting in one of the chairs near the front was Peter, waiting for her. Jade
frowned and her shoulders sagged. "Peter's here." She said to Roxanne, motioning with her
head.
Roxanne and Christian both turned to look. "What are you going to do?" Christian asked;
Roxanne had informed Christian on the whole "Alex/Peter" thing last night.
"Sit with him I guess, I don't have a choice." Jade answered, looking
over at Alex.
Jade and Roxanne took their seats by Peter; Christian sat off to one side to talk to Harold
and Alex sat behind Jade.
In a few minutes rehearsal had begun; costumes were being fitted and
dance movements being taught. Jade, Roxanne, Alex, Christian and Harold were all seated
together to talk about how the story would go. "Now, here's the scene when the singer sings
the song for the sitar player and he falls in love with her." Christian said and showed
everyone the script.
Jade looked up at him. "How does the singer fall in love with the
sitar player?" She asked.
Christian thought for a moment. "Well, before she sings her song for
him maybe he could sing something for her; after all he is a sitar player, he should be
able to sing." Christian suggested.
"Or, the sitar player can fall in love with the singer even before she
sings her song; he can sing something to her. Then right as she is about to sing her song
she finds out that he isn't the Maharaja because the real Maharaja shows up. She can try to
hide the sitar player and sing the song for the Maharaja." Jade suggested, pleased with
herself once again.
Roxanne nodded. "I think that's a good idea because it would show that the sitar player is
really in love with singer and not because of her song." Roxanne noted.
Jade and Alex nodded, as did Christian and Harold. "Alright, I'll
write the scene where he sings to her and then we can rehearse it, it shouldn't take long."
Christian said and began to write on the paper in his hand.
Christian did quickly write the scene; soon everyone was on the
makeshift stage and in their places. Both Jade and Alex held paper with their lines written
on them. Alex had already begun to sing the song; Christian noticed that if he and Jade
were to duet their voices would match perfectly.

"And you can tell everybody this is your song! It may be quite simple now that it's done.
I hope you don't mind; I hope you don't mind that I put down in words: how wonderful life
is now you're in the world!" Alex sang.
He took Jade into his arms and they began to dance; he twirled her
around and caught her in his arms.
"Sat on the roof and I kicked off the moss; well some of these forces,
well they, they got me quite cross. But the sun's been kind, while I wrote this song.
It's for people like you that keep it turned on. So excuse me forgetting, but these things
I do, you see I've forgotten if they're green or if they're blue. What I really mean,
you've got the sweetest eyes I've ever seen!" Alex serenaded her; meaning every word he sang.
"And you can tell everybody this is your song! It may be quite simple
now that it's done. I hope you don't mind, I hope you don't mind that I put down in words:
how wonderful life is now you're in the world!" Alex finished the song and they stopped
dancing.
Jade smiled and looked into Alex's eyes. Roxanne began to clap; everyone followed in suit.
Christian stood up and walked over to the makeshift stage. "That was really good, I think
this scene will work out really well in the show." He said, taking the scripts from them.
Jade stepped off the stage and followed Christian back to where he sat. "Christian, I think
that Alex and I should sing 'Come What May' in the show, since the song is about love and
the show is too I think we should sing it together." Jade suggested, looking at Christian;
waiting for his answer.
Christian thought for a moment. "You're right, I think you should. I'll
write that scene now so you and Alex can go ahead and practice it." He answered.
Jade smiled and headed back to tell Alex.
Minutes later, Christian had written the scene and Jade and Alex were
back on the stage. Christian had also written lines for them to say before they started to
sing the song.
"The Maharaja knows, we have to end it." Jade was saying, reading off her script.
"Fear not, we will write a song and whenever you sing it or hum it, it will remind you -us-
of each other. The Maharaja will not know." Alex read, looking from the script to Jade.
"Listen to my heart can't you hear it sing, telling me to give you everything." Alex began to
sing. "Seasons may change; winter to spring. But I'll love you until the end of time. Come
what may, I will love you until my dying day." He sang, looking at Jade.
"Suddenly the world seems such a prefect place; suddenly it moves with such a prefect
grace." Jade said, looking back at Alex.
"Suddenly my life doesn't seem such a waste, it only revolves around you. And
there's no mountain too high, no river too wide; sing out this song and I'll be there by
your side!" Jade and Alex sang together. Christian had guessed right, their voices did
match perfectly. "Storm clouds may gather and stars may collide but I'll love you-"
"I love you"
"Until the end of time. Come what may; come what may. I will love you until my dying day. Oh
come what may; come what may! I will love you-"
"Oh I love you.. Suddenly the world seems such a prefect place."
"Come what may; come what may! I will love you until my dying day!"

Everyone in the audience began to clap; Peter, however, was not clapping. Once the clapping
had stopped and Jade and Alex had gotten off the stage, Peter walked over to Christian.
"Does the song have to be in the show? Can't the show do without them singing that song
together?" Peter asked, clearly jealous.
Jade walked up beside Christian. "What's the matter?" She asked, seeing
Peter's face.
"Peter doesn't think you and Alex should sing the song in the show."
Christian explained.
Jade turned to look at Peter. "What's the matter, jealous?" She asked,
not unkindly but with false confusion.
"I don't like the way you spend more time with me then you do with him!"
Peter cried and without another word walked away from the two.
Jade's eyes were wide with surprise; if Peter went back to London and
told her father that she was seeing someone else then her family would be "forever shamed".
Jade walked away from Christian and went to Alex. She pulled him over
to a corner to talk to him. "Peter knows, Peter knows. I can't see you anymore." She
whispered to him. "We have to end it." Tears were brimming her eyes.
"No, no what about the song? Our song?" He asked, his face had gone pale.
Jade didn't answer; she could feel tears falling down her cheeks. For the
first time in her life she was in love -truly in love- and now she would have to pretend
like she had never felt that way.
"Come what may; I will love you until my dying day." Alex said, taking
Jade's face in his hands and making her look at him. "Not matter how bad things get.." He
said, letting it trail.
Jade looked into his eyes. "I must spend the night with Peter, the jealousy
will drive you mad." Jade said, taking her gaze off his face.
"I don't care, I love you Jade; I can't bare to be without you for one second.
How wonderful life is now you're in the world." Alex said and kissed her.
Jade broke the kiss. "Come what may." She said and smiled. She kissed
Alex, wrapping her arms around his shoulders.