A/N: Cute li'l Max/Wade stuff. Was that last chapter any better? Really enjoying this so far! I want to put more about Marc's crush on Carmen. I think I could make that part really funny, not just a running gag. Also, in the last chapter, Max says "Nothing's going right" when he's talking with Wade; she doesn't say it. I just unnecessarily separated two sentences. (Waaaaaah….)
"I'm sure you don't." Wade deepened her voice so she wouldn't sound familiar. "I'm Glimmer Stareagles, because I'm as free-spirited as an eagle." Was that what Marc told her to say? She couldn't remember.
"Max Bialystock," Max smiled, "Broadway producer."
"I know. I'm very excited about your new play, A Streetcar Named Murray. The girl, Wade DeBris, what do you think of her?"
"Very funny. Good company." He thought for a minute. "Beautiful. Just a little too shy and dresses too plainly."
Wade almost burst out laughing. If only he knew. "So why are you here?" She asked, hoping to start a conversation she'd already been through once, but what else was there to talk about?
"Supporting Roger DeBris. He's the one dressed as Pippa Middleton. He's trying for first place."
She cleared her throat.
"Of course, you look amazing, but…what the hell am I saying? Of course you're going to win. It's just a force of habit. I know he'll rip me to shreds if I don't say he'll win, the lousy fruit." He shrugged.
"Sounds like him." Wade muttered under her breath, rolling her eyes.
Unfortunately, Max heard her. "You know him?"
"Oh, no, I don't, I was just saying—"
Suddenly and unfortunately, Marc rushed in, smiling at Max in a way that made Wade angry and sick.
"And who are you?" He asked Marc.
"I am Elliot St. James," Marc smirked, "Miss Stareagles's common-law assistant."
"All right," he looked to Wade, "now I'm convinced that you know them."
"Yes, but if you tell them our names, they won't remember us." She glared at Marc, a piercing stare he couldn't see. "And we're not in a relationship, if you must know. Elliot was just teasing. Weren't you, Elliot?" She elbowed him in the ribcage.
"Of course I was." Marc gasped for air, holding his stomach, looking like he was about to throw up.
"It was very nice talking to you, Mr. Bialystock." Wade turned to Max, a sugary sweet smile on her face.
"I didn't say we were done yet." He smiled smoothly at her.
Damn him! Why did he have to be so charming?
"Excuse me, Miss Gaga?" A man in a suit tapped her on the shoulder. "You are dressed as Lady Gaga, aren't you?"
"Yes, I am," Wade replied haughtily, loving every minute of it, "and who are you? Do we know each other?"
"I'm the person in charge of the prize for the best costume. And I think we have a winner. What's your name, darling?"
"Miss Glimmer Stareagles." She paused. "And when my name is announced, please mention a Mr. Elliot St. James."
Marc beamed.
"Okay, we will." The man nodded. "Please, come with us." He took her hand.
Before she left, Wade turned to Max. "Mr. Bialystock." To Marc. "Elliot, darling."
"Glimmy, baby," Marc replied saucily, "show 'em what you got."
She beamed at him and walked off with the man.
[Setting: The Schubert Theatre…]
Marc and Wade walked into the Schubert, both tired after last night.
"Gonna ask him the big question?" Marc whispered.
"If I didn't, my life would be complete." She replied, walking over to Roger. "Did you win the contest, big brother?"
Marc snickered behind her.
"Sadly, no." There was sadness and a bit of anger in her eyes, but Wade knew that it was something he'd get over quickly…but if Glimmer ever ran into him in a dark alley, she should be very afraid. "Some irritating little tramp dressed like Lady Gaga. Glimmer Stareagles, she calls herself."
"Outrageous." Carmen rolled his eyes.
"Speak for yourselves." Max boomed. "I talked with Glimmer and Elliot St. James that night. They're very nice people. Glimmer's not irritating, she's interesting. She asked about you, Wade."
"Was she as amazing as me, Maxi?" Wade, in a high-pitched voice, batted her eyelashes to seem like she was flirting with him, but in reality, behind the cutesy attitude, she was. She did want to know whether or not he thought Glimmer was better than her. If he did, she was in big trouble.
"Well, she was a lot more extravagant and a lot more confident," Max began, "but I'd have to say that I enjoy your company a small bit more. And I told her that."
"Did you?" Wade smiled, trying not to seem like she knew everything.
[Setting: The Hotel…]
Wade laid down on her bed, thinking, enjoying the silence she rarely ever got now that she lived with Marc.
Was she happier was Glimmer Stareagles than she was as Wade DeBris? Was Max right? Should she change her name?
Rachel Michiko DeBris. She liked that.
But what would Roger think? He'd think she was ashamed of her name and consequently would think she was ashamed of her family. Carmen would hate her. Then Marc would hate her.
No. Marc could never hate her, even when his little crush on Carmen Ghia got in the way.
She wondered if Max had ever been in love. She knew he wasn't married or in a relationship.
Max had kind of been the first guy she'd had feelings for. One time, in early high school, she'd felt some feelings for Marc, but he eventually came out to her (the first person he'd told; he trusted her that much) and she decided that she didn't really have feelings for him and just needed to support him in this time of vulnerability.
After he told his parents, let's just say that New York wasn't the first time they'd had to share a room.
Now that she thought about it, Roger had helped Marc out too. And maybe it was Marc's endless optimism that encouraged him to come out. Or maybe he hadn't known at that time. Whatever the case was, Marc can't say that he didn't get help from Roger.
It came to her. She was proud to be a DeBris, but she was also proud to be a Stareagles.
No. She was proud to be the only Stareagles.
Wade Michiko DeBris. Glimmer Stareagles.
Wade thought a little more.
Wade Michiko Bialystock. Rachel Michiko Bialystock. Glimmer Stareagles-Bialystock.
They all sounded good to her.