Like a Star, page 16
Just as Neverland told her, she used her imagination to create a character who loved ballet just as much as she loved acting. “If you want to be someone who excels at something, you have to understand their passion. You don’t have to excel in ballet. You are not a ballerina; you are an actress”, Neverland texted her the night after her adventure in the circle. This was his first time mentoring her. She felt honored. “But you must certainly know about ballet. Every position, every turn, the logic behind its posture, why they move the way they move. You must learn the name of every technique and then you must observe real ballerinas.”
She was taking Neverland’s advice to heart and beyond. Summer had always been a hardworking perfectionist. She knew from a young age that being perfect was the only way to obtain her mother’s love. So she made it a habit to try and try until she reached perfection. In the past, it was a painful practice, but years of not giving up because there was no other way had made her a natural at trying and succeeding.
She has lived her entire life believing there was only one way to do things, and that failure meant desertion. Experience taught her so. She overcame the frustration of that belief by accepting it was true and believing in herself. Summer had the confidence of achieving anything she set her mind to. And she would head to that goal with a smile in herself. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have been able to survive such an unhappy childhood. Mindset is a powerful tool.
What she wasn’t used to having—was someone who believed in her.
Look at them and don’t focus on just one, said Neverland’s message. Look at all of them and grab a singularity from each. Let your eyes pierce the secret of how they move. And create your own wonderful ballerina.
She had read it so many times that she knew it by heart now.
And she had been doing exactly that.
She was sitting quietly in her ballet class with Miss Layla. She was observing. Learning in a technical way and practicing balance. Neverland told her that even though actors have the power to create, they cannot create from nothing. They at least knew the basics of what made their character special.
Creating a character was especially fun. To be honest, she had never had so much fun trying at something. And she was loving acting more and more every day. From her classes, to hanging out with Suray and Carol Marie, to texting with Neverland, every day was an adventure for her. She was looking forward to tomorrow.
And the day came.
All this time, she had been doing the same ballet routine as her classmates. Though every day she was better, due to her practicing balance and flexibility nonstop, the gap between her and the others was still huge. The rest knew that, and that’s why what happened that day in the circle was so extraordinary. Actually, none of the students had experienced anything similar that quickly.
But Miss Layla had, and she had been expecting this moment since Jonas and Tony told her about Feline. Layla was finally going to witness the reason behind Frank’s decision.
And she saw her wings.
This morning, Summer rose like any other day. A little more than two weeks had passed since her first ballet class. She walked, still herself, to the center where every other student had performed. But when she reached the spot, she changed.
The Elite noticed it again. They shivered. It was the same feeling they got when she jumped to that circle and froze them all. But now it was even stronger. That time it was pure instinct, now it was her doing it intentionally. Now, just by looking at her standing still in the center, electricity filled the whole room.
Summer, the actress, closed her eyes and Summer, the ballerina, opened them to life.
Layla cried. Oh, how long had it been since she was directly exposed to that kind of natural magic? When Summer’s dancing routine finished, it was Layla’s applause that brought her back. Suray ran to her and hugged her.
“That was amazing, Summer!” she yelled, electrified.
Summer’s body was still shaking. She was barely conscious of how her body was moving in ways it had never moved before. Her heart was beating with joy. For a few minutes, Summer the Ballerina had existed in this room. She couldn’t wait to tell Neverland about it.
But while some of the students were impressed, others were fearful. Summer had displayed dancing skills she did not own, and it wasn’t like she suddenly became a talented ballerina. No, she wasn’t a dancer. What they saw was an act. The one who conquered the dance routine was not Summer, but a character she had created to perform in class.
And if the mere idea of someone capable of doing that was unbelievable, witnessing such a thing was even more terrifying than knowing there were people in this world like the Sun and the Moon who could do the same.
The Elite felt threatened more than ever. Clarissa’s dislike for Summer turned into envy.
Things got worse when Summer was accepted to be a production assistant in the play for the Actors Guild. After three days of being PA, she hurt one of her fingers with a door. For Suray it was clearly Clarissa’s doing.
Summer’s outstanding feat in the ballet class was repeated in her singing lessons with Madame Marie, and she had clearly become Gerard’s favorite student. Suray was scared of the moment Clarissa would discover Summer had been personally chosen by the Devil of Starland—she would send a hitman after her life.
Summer wasn’t blind to the ill intentions of Clarissa’s insecure personality, but she decided to view this as an accident. She was so used to hostility and bullying that she has mastered the art of the dignified blind eye. For she knew as sure as her love for acting, that there was nothing they could do to stop her growth. So, it didn’t matter how mean and unfair the Elite were to her, she would, every single time, give them the same triumphant smile and move on.
And that’s what she did when she hurt her finger. It was obvious to anyone that it was Clarissa’s fault, but Summer simply looked at her and smiled. “My bad”, she said with sarcasm in her tone, “don’t worry, I’ll be back very soon.” She said looking straight at Clarissa and she left theater practice with Carol Marie and headed to the Constellations Hospital.
Today was a special rehearsal, the day everyone was waiting for. The famous director J.K. Wales, an eminence in the art and one of the fathers of American Theater, was finally coming with the main cast for rehearsals. That also meant the Sun was coming and no one could hide their excitement. Even Summer was looking forward to meeting the famous Joe Starlex.
For the past three days, the students had been working with Antonio Rossi, the main choreographer, and Madame Marie, the vocal coach. They had met the assistant director, Ralph Sanders, who had recruited Summer on Gerard’s recommendation. But they had all been waiting for the professional actors, the great J.K. Wales, and mostly for the young Sun to finally join them.
For years, Summer had disliked, ignored, and resented the famous actor. For it was Matt’s dream to be the Sun, and Joe, the youngest Sun, was his main rival. The mere mention of his name was taboo in front of Matt. So Summer had actually spent her whole life ignoring the brightest star of Constellation Studios. But recently, and for professional reasons only, she had started watching his movies. And although she had developed an honest admiration for his work, she wasn’t yet on a fan level, much less a devoting fan. Having been hurt by her idol, a part of her believed all superstars must be as conceited and narcissist as Matt, or maybe even worse. He was the Sun after all, and the Sun title was still awfully connected to her memories of Matt.
Once they reached the hospital, Summer told Carol Marie that she should go back to the stage. She was one of the main singers and Summer knew how much she wanted to meet Joe. Summer was surprised to know that she had the best medical insurance thanks to her benefactor. Another good reason to like Neverland. She wondered if she should tell him about her little incident. She didn’t want to worry him, but she did want to thank him for the insurance.
She was in the waiting room when a nurse came for her. She felt special; the nurse guided her as if she was a star and took her to the doctor’s office. Summer was a little nervous, but the shyness vanished when she saw the young doctor.
“Hello, Summer.” He smiled kindly. “Nice to finally meet you.”
He was young, in his early twenties, she thought. Young for a doctor. And he was handsome. Very handsome. His face was manly, but his smile was that of a happy boy. There was a warmness about him that made her feel she had seen this person before. A connection that she couldn’t explain, but she instinctively understood that he was someone worthy of her trust. And when she looked at his caramel eyes, she liked him immediately.
The doctor was feeling exactly the same. He had been eager to meet the storyteller since he learned from Lionel that Joe had a protégé.
“Let me see your finger,” he said with a gentle tone.
Summer wasn’t used to such gentleness. He treated her as if he knew her very well, and maybe he did, for when he touched her, she felt something familiar. The good doctor said Jazz had told him about “the storyteller” and that he would love to hear her Peter Pan tale. Summer blushed a little bit. He was a friend of little Jazz, she thought.
His name was Gael, and he was one of the main doctors for the Hills family. He was still a medical student, but someday he would be the doctor in charge of Frank, Jazz, the Sun, and the Moon, if there were to be a Moon in Constellations.
“Thank you, doctor,” said Summer.
“Call me Gael.” He smiled. “We are not that distant in age, you know.”
“I assumed,” Summer said with a grin. They laughed.
“Well, your finger is not broken, but I’m going to put a bandage on it, and you won’t move it until tomorrow. So, no working as a PA today.
Summer looked at him with begging eyes. She was looking forward to going back to the theater. There was so much she wanted to learn by observing the actors, especially the Sun. Gael seemed to read her mind.
“Don’t worry, you can go back and watch,” he said. “But no working. Sit in the back row so the urge to jump on stage will be easier to control.”
Summer shook his hand excitedly and then lamented the pain of her finger. Gael laughed and gave her some painkillers.
“Take care, storyteller. I’ll be here if you need anything.”
“Thank you, doctor.” She exclaimed.
“Gael!”
“Gael,” she replied and smiled at him genuinely.
Summer left his office and Gael sat on his chair. He read her medical file and her Constellations profile. The girl didn’t know, but the doctor had wanted to meet her so badly that once or twice he had gone undercover to her class just to watch her perform. That was how he saw her ballet performance. He was also watching from afar the day Madame Marie complimented her for the first time.
Gael stood up. “You got a pretty sweet protégée there, Joe.” He grinned as he opened the curtains, where Joe was lying on a stretcher. “She is even cuter than you told me.”
“It seems so,” the Sun said coolly.
“I’ve gotta tell Frank I want to be a benefactor as well,” he joked. They both chuckled.
“She calls me Neverland,” added Joe.
Gael smiled. “It does suit you, Captain.” They looked at each other conspiratorially and there was undeniable brotherhood as their fists clasped.
“Thanks, Nibs,” said Neverland. Among his small crew, Gael was the one he’d known the longest.
The doctor’s phone rang. “I bet Lionel’s looking for you,” he said, glancing at his watch. “Frank is going to the practice today. I’m afraid you are running a little late, pal.”
“Tell him I’m coming.”
“Yo, Slightly, he’s on his way!” said Gael when he answered the phone.
“Bullshit! Tell him to get up off your stretcher and get his ass to the theater right now!” Lionel hung up the phone. Gael and Joe laughed; Lionel knew them too well.
Frank was a little mad at Joe for being late. His manager knew he was with Gael. Most people, when they heard the Sun was visiting his doctor, tended to worry, but Tom knew he was just lazing around in his best friend’s office. Since the first time Tom met Joe, when the Sun was twelve, he had always surrounded himself with the same group of boys. Lionel was one of them, that’s why he looked more human and less robotic whenever Joe was nearby. But the closest to him had always been Gael.
Most of Joe’s childhood friends had chosen Starland-related jobs. He believed it was because they wanted to be close to Joe. Lionel worked nonstop to get where he was because he thought that was the more strategic place to protect his friend. Miguel became Joe’s personal fashion stylist and designer. Abel worked on every musical score of Joe’s movies. They all liked to stay close to him. But Gael had chosen a different path.
The first time Tom met Gael, he was eleven and he was holding Joe’s hand. He looked scared, and so did the rest of the boys. They were all together in Frank’s white house. The one with a fierce look on his face was the twelve-year-old Joe. He looked like an alpha ready to protect his pack. He could even pass for a lion protecting his cubs. He was in front of the boys, making Tom feel a little intimidated by his cold stare, and the one hand he was holding was Gael’s. His reasons for becoming a doctor were still a mystery to Tom and Frank. But because of his chosen career, Gael was the one Joe saw least often, and the one he tried to reach the most.
When the Sun arrived, the main cast was waiting in the cafeteria with Frank and J.K. Wales. Joe had worked with the great director once when he was a child. He was his first director and he felt very grateful to him, for it was under his wing that Joe first tasted the joy of the stage. Joe gave him a subtle bow as a sign of respect. The director did the same. He was very fond of the young Sun and it was no secret how much he wanted to work with him again.
They were going to perform a musical adaptation of The Ingenious Gentleman Don Quixote of La Mancha. Frank has gathered a cast of six Constellation Stars to work with the Sun. The most famous one was Sophia Draxl in the role of Dulcinea, Don Quixote’s love interest. Sophia had been Joe’s first girlfriend when he was nineteen.
When the main cast arrived on the stage, everyone applauded them. They all sat in the front row. Behind them sat the Elite, who made up the ensemble of dancers and singers. Joe noticed Summer sitting in the back.
Frank took the stage and introduced J.K. Wales, who was welcomed with an ovation from the whole cast. Summer was beyond excited. One month had passed since she’d begun her adventure at the Constellations School, and now here she was, in the same room as the Sun and six other stars she recognized from movies and TV shows. She wasn’t familiar with directors yet, but she could see the respect and admiration all the cast harbored for that man.
On the other hand, J.K. Wales had an excellent view. The sixty-seven-year-old director was an old friend of Frank’s. He was an independent director, so he didn’t belong to any studio. If he were to choose one, he would probably go with Milky Way, for he had worked with the Warner family for the longest time. But he liked Frank. He had always liked Frank. That’s why ten years ago when Frank brought him the prodigy child, he agreed to direct Peter Pan even when it cost him James Warner’s wrath at the time.
J.K. could see the talent flowing in the room. The six stars chosen by Frank were indeed excellent, they all emitted beautiful lights. Colored lights were the way his director’s eyes identified talent. The lights in the Elite, the future generation, were very bright as well. J.K. had been going incognito to watch their lessons. He liked to work on every actor who stood on his stage, be it a leading character or a supporting one. And he believed in the power of a good ensemble.
Of course, no light shone brighter than the Sun’s. And when he stood in the center of the stage and opened his act, J.K. could see the light of his wings. But what had been bothering J.K. for the last few days, ever since he saw the circle exercise, was the quiet girl sitting in the back.
Ralph told him she’d hurt her finger, so she would only watch for today but tomorrow she would continue helping as a production assistant. J.K. was intrigued by the girl. She’d piqued his interest like none other when he saw her perform a piece of Feline in that circle exercise. He knew her being here was no accident; it was Frank’s doing no doubt. Her light was captivating, it went on and off as she watched the rehearsal, and sometimes, just by sitting in the back, her light overcame that of the ensemble. What a girl, he thought. She was watching the play with unbelievable concentration.
The practice went just as expected from Frank’s casting. And after two hours, the stars left because of their busy schedule. Frank and his right-hand man left before that. Joe came to talk a little with J.K. before leaving. He was working on an epic war movie and he was really excited to play a soldier. For J.K., Joe would always be Peter Pan. He saw his potential before any other director, and now he had become the youngest Sun in history. J.K.’s chest swelled with pride for his actor.
* * *
The director left for a dinner appointment he had been waiting for all week. He had no sons nor family as he had devoted his life to the performing arts and so, with age, he felt lonely. But if he could have chosen a son, he would have picked Nathan. Having Joe Starlex as a son was tempting as well. But he felt a good director was more necessary than a genius actor. And even if he met Joe when he was a boy, he had known Nathan since he was in his mother’s womb.
Calling Joe Starlex a prodigy was common among directors. He embodied the person they imagined when they first read the script. He brought life to the character that once belonged only in their imagination. Finding someone like him was a dream come true for every director. But Nathan’s talent was even more terrifying.
