A/N: Glad you enjoyed that KAIJU of a chapter! Took a time writing it but now we're going to get rolling with the next one.
"Alright!" clapped Geoffrey.
He pointed at his two stars.
"THIS WAS WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT!"
Then he glowered at his remaining cast.
"Now, what am I going to do with the rest of you. Why can't you all step up your game?"
He stepped toward the girl he made cry last week, Becky. She was portraying a loyalist to Kelly's father's old group. Her character, Thea, discovers the affair between the German girl and the ambassador's son, both who she feels betrayed the Fatherland.
But like with a lot of sinister characters, the one playing her couldn't be any nicer in real life. That's the way it goes sometimes. You're a good person but when acting, you gotta go to la-la-land and become somebody else.
Ironically, being unreasonable with her wasn't bringing out her antagonist side. Instead, Becky would freeze up or worse, begin tearing up.
"CRYING? AGAIN?!"
Geoffrey rubbed his face, pacing around.
"Someone please give me the strength to deal with these...these...amateurs!"
"Maybe we should take a break?" suggested Kyle, another actor.
The director turned back to his people.
"Maybe I should recast the thing!"
Kyle and the rest of the students clammed up after that.
Jenna whispered to Billy, "I'll hold him down, you work him over."
He chuckled.
"What's so funny, Billy?" asked Geoffrey.
He closed his mouth tightly and shrugged.
Tori was on the phone with one of the students' parents regarding a family emergency and how his assignments needed to be put on hold.
Superintendent Spiner knocked on the open door.
She looked up and silently acknowledged him with a smile and gestured for him to take a seat.
"Yes, that's no problem, Mr. Collins. Alright, you take care and my condolences for your...dog."
Tori sighed after hanging up the phone and turned her attention toward ostensibly her boss.
"Hi, Tori" the older man smiled. "How's the semester treating you?"
"Definitely more work than they let on but I'm surviving."
Spiner chuckled.
"Well, that first year or two is always a little shaky. Trying to find your footing and whatnot."
"Oh, did you receive my proposal? For that new class?"
He sat down.
"I have it on my very big pile of...things to do," he smiled. "Would you mind giving me the gist?"
"Remember back in the day, you had home economics? Teaching kids life skills like balancing a check book? I was proposing something similar but for those setting out into the entertainment industry."
The superintendent folded his arms with a nod. He was considering this.
Tori elaborated.
"There are too many stories of fresh young talent getting scammed or worse. It would benefit the entertainers and artists of tomorrow to know how to negotiate a contract or find representation or how to copyright their work."
"I would assume that the majority would refer to their parents regarding business or legal matters."
The principal nodded.
"I have two words for you, sir: Jamie Spears."
"I see your point."
She then produced a file folder.
"I mapped out the curriculum and we have enough to cover half a semester. This could be valuable to our seniors."
He accepted the folder and perused through it briefly.
"This is very interesting, Tori. I will definitely bring this up at the next board meeting. I trust you could be in attendance?"
Tori smiled and nodded.
"You bet, sir."
He waved is hand.
"Let the students call me sir. Call me Don."
"Oh, okay, Don."
"Listen, Tori...while this course of yours has my attention...it's not why I'm here today."
Alice walked backstage and saw Becky crying.
"You okay?"
"Oh, prefect" she replied, hiding her face. "I know he's the director but why is he like this?"
She was joined by Billy and Jenna.
"I don't know," the taller one said. "It's taking everything I got not to give him an atomic wedgie."
Becky grunted.
"I know the lines and everything...I just can't crack this part. Every reading I do he hates!"
"I know!" said Billy. "Why doesn't Alice help you?"
Alice whipped her head to the blond boy.
"Huh, what?"
"Yeah, you were a big help for us!" added Jenna.
"First of all, I only agreed to help you that time. You ambushed Billy on me."
Jenna winced.
"Sorry I did that, forgive me?"
Alice sighed.
"You know I do," she smirked. "Second, if I help any more people, I feel like I'm stepping on Geoffrey's toes."
Billy smiled, looking at the ceiling.
"Now I'm picturing stepping on that guy's toes."
"You'd really think she'd help me?" asked Becky.
"Did wonders for us," Billy said.
Jenna nodded.
"You saw us out there," he added. "We're a lot more comfortable."
Jenna smiled back at her co-star.
"But only if Alice agrees."
(Yeah, don't put me on the spot or anything.)
She did feel for Becky, watching time and again getting just destroyed verbally by Geoffrey.
(Hey, we all need a little help sometimes. I'll do it!)
"Okay, Becky" Alice nodded. "I'll help you out."
"Thank You-Thank You-Thank You!"
Becky nearly squeezed the life out of her.
"It's okay. My house tomorrow after school."
The girl nodded with a smile.
Alice noticed the time and quickly gathered her things.
"Hey, Jen" said Billy. "Can I see you over here for a second?"
"Uh, sure" she replied.
Becky was left to pack up her bag. She wiped her face with her sweatshirt, feeling a little better.
"Becky?"
She looked up at saw Kyle.
"Hey, Kyle."
"Got a minute?" he asked.
"But sir..."
"Relax, Tori" Don said. "Nothing is set yet."
"But I can't pull Mia out of Hollywood Arts!" Tori protested. "She's made friends, she's really thriving."
Don shifted in his chair.
"Don, please. She's been through so much and now I feel like for the first time her life is turning around."
"I sympathize Tori, I do."
Tori sat back and folded her arms.
"Don't think I don't know what this is about. I know Mr. Gilmore has the ear of that school board."
Don stood up.
"If you're suggesting I'm on Ted's payroll, you're got another thing coming!"
Tori sighed stood back up, shoulders relaxed.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to..."
"No, I understand. It's not an easy position. For either of you."
The Latina shook her head.
"It's just that if it were ANY other kid, we wouldn't be having this conversation."
Don looked down at his wingtip shoes.
"Look, Tori, being a teacher is one thing. But the principal? Perhaps that places a big target on Mia's back."
"That's bull, Don!" she shot back. "It's not like the school is piling up on her. It's just Savannah and her friends."
"So, we expel four students instead of relocating one?"
Tori folded her arms.
"This just isn't fair to her."
"You're not wrong," he sighed.
Her phone dinged and she checked the clock.
"I'm sorry, Don. But I need to head home."
"Alright," he said, extending his hand. "Please don't conflate my visit with a witch hunt. When someone in the faculty is worth a damn, I have their back."
She accepted the handshake.
"I know, thanks."
Tori and Don walked out of the principal's office before going their separate ways.
(I'll tell you this much. I will sooner step down before I let them kick out my daughter!)
The doorbell rang and Alice bounded to the door and opened it.
Her eye twitched when she saw Becky along with Jenna and Billy again. And behind them were Kyle and Ross, also from the play.
"What are you doing?" she asked through gritted teeth.
"Didn't you get my text?"
Alice fished out her phone and refreshed her messages. Indeed, eight unread texts from Jenna appeared.
"What the F-Mobile!?"
"I wanted to give you the heads up," Jenna said. "Sorry I messed up again."
"Alice?"
The teens all looked back to see a very confused Jade.
"Mom!" she blurted out.
"What's going on here?"
Her daughter sighed and pinched her brow.
"Mom, remember Jenna?"
The taller girl waved.
"Hello again Jenna," said a very deadpan Jade. "And you also have another friend."
Becky made a nervous smile.
Jade then sipped her coffee slowly and methodically.
"Anyone care to explain the three boys?"
The guys exchanged concerned looks, preparing for the eventuality that they would have to run.
"They're also in the play," Alice explained. "They...uh...need some additional help."
Jade looked at all of the walking-talking bags of hormones loitering in her doorway.
"As a former actor, you kids are playin' on my sympathies here."
Billy and Kyle cleared their throats in unison, wisely staying out of the negotiations.
The tired mother rolled her eyes and stepped to the side.
"Okay, okay, come on in eve-ry-bo-dy..." she said, dragging out the last word.
The teens shuffled into the house and followed Alice to the living room.
"Let's get a couple things clear!"
They were all rapt with attention at Jade.
"No bedrooms, no upstairs period! Any and all activity stays right down here! Anyone hungry, Alice will provide snacks."
She nodded.
"Bathroom's down the hall to the right. Please leave it looking nice," Jade smiled for effect.
Did it look friendly? Did it look menacing? She really didn't give a damn at this point.
"I'm going to repair to my lair," Jade pointed, indicating the floor above them. "Let's not be too loud, are we all clear?"
The "yes's" and head nods were satisfactory to Jade.
She nodded in return and went up the stairs.
(This is my fault. I manifested this. I wanted Alice to make friends and now my home's become headquarters.)
Tori came through the door and collapsed on the sofa beside Mia.
"Bad day?" she asked her mom.
"It could have ended better," Tori replied.
She looked at her daughter for a bit.
"What?" asked an exacerbated Mia.
"Are you happy?" Tori asked. "With school and everything?"
Mia shrugged.
"It's fine."
Tori was overcome with emotion from today and hugged Mia tightly to herself.
"MOOOOOM!" the teen groaned. "Too...tight!"
"No, it isn't," her voice cracked a bit.
Jade looked in the mirror, mild murmurs audible from downstairs.
She regarded the strand of grey that hung in front of her face. On a good day, Jade could say it made her look like Rogue from The X-Men. On a bad day, she would say it made her look like a skunk.
Ironic that throughout her youth, especially during her goth phase, Jade had a highlight in the exact same spot. Usually, it was a neon color, but this shiny grey wasn't any less contrast to her black as night hair.
Jade knew the day when she woke up and it was there.
How could she forget? Not after what happened the previous day.
[FLASHBACK]
"JADE! JADE! WHAT'S HAPPENING?!"
A frantic Harry rushed to her gurney that was being wheeled through the maternity ward. They informed her that she was being carted out of her room and taken to the O.R.
She was too sedated to respond as they had to get her prepared for the operation.
"Mr. West?" asked one of the nurses.
"Doyle, actually," he said out of breath. "What's going on with my wife? Is the baby okay?"
The nurse put held his hands to calm him down.
"Try not to panic, Mr. Doyle. We discovered that the baby had the umbilical cord wrapped around her neck."
His blood ran cold when he heard this.
"I know it sounds bad, and it's an emergency to be sure, but this happens more often than you think."
"There was a blood condition..." he started. "On my mother's side... and Jade...was found to have preeclampsia."
The nurse nodded.
"We will take care of her."
Given all these factors, Jade was a high-risk pregnancy, so a cesarean (or C-section) was always on the table. The majority of her labor weighed heavily on Jade's mind, but she did her darndest to remain calm physically so as to not agitate the gestation of her baby. She had already picked out a name after discovering it was a girl, but Harry was hesitant against her naming the baby before she came out.
He had it in the back of his head that she might not make it. And he knew a miscarriage would destroy Jade.
But Jade was determined that her daughter would make it. She even drank peppermint tea to replace most other teas she tolerated, and of course, coffee because she found it was safe for the baby.
Jade was crying from the moment they told her what had happened all through her sedation until she was in outer space.
When she came out of it, Jade had the vague sense of something small beside her. The doctor was holding the healthy baby girl close to mom the moment they cleaned her up and swaddled her. But it was only that, a faint memory. When she woke up some time later, after dark, she saw Harry standing over a bassinet.
"H-H-Harry?" she said.
"Jade?" He turned around. "Jade!"
He hurried over to her and felt her forehead.
"Are you thirsty?" he asked.
"Yes," she groaned in a raspy voice.
He picked up the ice water beside her bed and helped her raise her head.
"They told me not to raise the bed just yet. You need to stay flat at least until tomorrow."
She swallowed the water and sighed.
Jade's eyes then widened.
"Where's the baby? Is she alright?"
Harry smiled and walked over to the bassinet and carefully lifted up the newborn.
"Alice," he whispered. "There's someone who wants to meet you."
He sat in the chair beside Jade and lowered Alice so that she was right next to her.
Jade started bawling all over again only now she was smiling.
"Hi, baby. Welcome to the world, Alice."
She was still asleep, but the sound of her mother's voice made her stir into a relaxed expression.
The next morning, after having a nurse assisted her with going to the bathroom, Jade looked in the mirror for the first time in 24 hours. Something was different. She had a streak of silver in her hair. It was brighter than the blonde highlight she had already done last month at the salon.
Eventually, Jade allowed the blonde to fade but the silvery line remained. A permanent highlight.
All the stress and anxiety culminated into that one day at the hospital and she made it to the other side with her precious baby.
Now she had a daily reminder of how much her life would change forever. It wasn't just her anymore. She was responsible for the health and safety of another human life.
Old Jade died when she found that grey hair.
Life can be funny sometimes.
[END OF FLASHBACK]