Chapter 13
Julie was pleased with the results of her hard work on a special graphics project. She had laboured over it as hard as she would for any Junior Gazette centre spread, with the added bonus of it not needing approval from Lynda! She had stayed behind after most of the news team had left for the day, ensuring she could work without interruption. Best of all, Lynda was out rehearsing with Spike so there was no chance of being caught using Junior Gazette materials for unrelated work! Humming to herself, Julie put the finishing touches to the piece and sat back to look at it.
"Colin?" she called. Emerging from his office, Colin came into the graphics room, idly toying with the head of one of his knife-sheath teddy bears.
"What do you think? Did I get it right?" she asked.
"It's great, Julie. Total Playsville. Seriously, I'm talking Shakespeare City," said Colin. "We'll scale it down for the programme and people can get them signed after the show!" For a fee, of course, he thought. If only Sullivan hadn't baulked at the idea of a structured ticketing system. For a small margin, CM Enterprises had been willing to take on the ticket concession and Colin had devised grand plans including VIP seating and backstage access-all-areas passes, priced accordingly. The play was going to be wildly popular and it seemed such a waste to have a flat 2 pound entrance fee. It was practically a charity performance! Colin hated to think of the lack of profit margin.
"Colin, are you sure Lynda is okay with this?" Julie asked, dragging his thoughts momentarily away from the pursuit of pounds. "I haven't forgotten the serve I got for doing that Gaz poster for you. My ears still have blisters!"
Colin didn't reply but made a strangled yelping sound before exiting stage left at great haste. Julie leaned out to try and see what caused his rapid departure and nearly fell off her stool when Lynda appeared in the doorway.
"Julie, what are you doing here so late?" she asked.
"Lynda!" exclaimed Julie guiltily. "Er, nothing. Just a draft for the centre spread." She tried to cover it with a sheet of blank paper. "Just something I was playing around with. It's rubbish. Don't worry about it. Really. I thought you were out with Spike?"
"I was not 'out' with Spike and let me see," said Lynda in her patented 'I'm telling, not asking you' tone of voice. Julie sighed.
"I just want you to know, it was Colin's idea," she said resignedly.
"It usually is," replied Lynda and removed the covering piece of paper.
Revealed was a lavish poster, featuring an illustration of the balcony scene with "Romeo & Juliet" in elaborate script across the top. Star-shaped inset pictures of Spike and Lynda were lower down, with "Starring Norbridge High's Own Star-Crossed Lovers!" in similar script along the bottom. Below this were the date and venue details.
" 'A joint presentation of Norbridge High and CM Enterprises'?" Lynda asked.
"It was Colin's idea," repeated Julie, desperately. She had worked so hard on the poster, and now Lynda was about to run a red marker through it.
"Take out the 'star-crossed lovers' part and change my photo so I don't look as though I've been slapped with a wet fish," said Lynda crisply.
"What?" asked Julie in disbelief.
"Julie, you know how I feel about repeating myself," replied Lynda.
"You mean, that's it?"
"That's it," said Lynda and left the newsroom. Julie sat stunned for a moment before starting to peel off the "star-crossed lovers" script. Colin returned once the coast was clear.
"Told you she was okay with it!" he said brightly.