“Lola can do whatever she likes,” Bella says in a clipped tone, usually reserved for the likes of Sadie’s bro, Scottie-too-Hottie, who, FYI, she’s not a fan of AT ALL.
“Well,” Sadie says, as sarcastically as Sadie can manage, because sarcasm is not really Sadie’s ‘tude du jour, “thank you very much Bella, your support here has been totally invaluable!”
“Well, I mean it, it’s only a silly school production!” Bella shrugs, picking up her pace and muttering something about getting to band practise before Scott hogs the entire basement.
Ouch.
Bella is feisty, fun, fearless and fabulous 99% of the time, but there are times, like right now, when she could quite easily be a Negative Nina. Now, I know that no one is totally Think Pink perfect all of the time, and I know that we all get an attack of the Gloomy Grumps every now and again - f’rinstance, I definitely get them when I’m lacking in chocolate goodness - but it makes me all kinds of sad that when my very own gal pal Bella gets the Gloomy Grumps, and for no apparent reason takes it out on me. My aunt Lullah used to say that we often take out our Gloomy Grumps on the people closest to us, mainly because we know they’ll forgive us, but I’m not entirely sure that makes it okay.
“Look,” exclaims Bella, “are you two going to be getting your groove on anytime soon? We’ve got band practise in five minutes or doesn’t that matter anymore? Is your school production more important now?”
She pulls a just-bit-into-a-lemon face when she says the word ‘school’ and I’m just about to explain to Bella that of course band practise matters, it’s my most favourite part of the day - well, besides sleeping of course, because sleeping…well, sleeping really is the very best part of anyone’s day, isn’t it? But she quickens her pace to one with which only a marathon runner could compete.
“Lo-Lo,” Sadie soothes, squeezing my arm tightly, “don’t worry about Bella, you know how she gets when we talk about anything school-related.”
I nod because I do know how Bella gets when we talk all things school-related. She gets like this. Narky and surly and Negative Nina-like.
You see, Bella gets really funny about all things school because…well, she doesn’t actually go. Bella is home schooled by her bendy wendy, Yoga Dad. His job as a yoga guru-type takes him all over the world, so instead of enrolling at a different school every time they move, he teaches Bella from home, wherever home happens to be.
“Maybe I really shouldn’t audition,” I say to Sadie. “The last thing I want to do is upset Bella.”
“Lo-Lo, don’t be silly,” Sadie says, gripping my arm tighter in hers. “Bella’s just super-sensitive where the ‘school’ thing is concerned. Let’s make a vow, here and now, to include Bella in all things school production. She’ll try to resist, but we won’t let her, ‘k? For sure, she’s older, pretends she doesn’t know what Time to Shine is and has that whole rock-girl ‘tude thing going on, but she’ll want to be involved, I know it. Maybe I could ask Miss Elliot if she could come in and help with the music?”
“Yeah!” I agree. “Except, we’d better make it seem like Miss Elliot is looking for help - that way Bella won’t think we’re treating her like a charity case or something!”
“Good idea, Lo-Lo!” Sadie says, and we give a barely visible high five to each other so as not to raise any unnecessary Bella attention. Although we needn’t have worried: Bella’s way ahead of us now, and though Sadie and I try desperately to catch up with Bella’s speedy new pace, we ultimately fail, what with Bella having legs that go all the way up to her armpits and all. So instead we watch her do her speed-walk-of-stomp all the way to Sadie’s basement and trail behind singing the lyrics to ‘Adorability’ from Time to Shine at the top of our voices.
“Shut up!” exclaims Angel so loud that I have to hold my mobile, pink-natch, - away from my ear.
I was so upset by Bella’s reaction to my audition news, that as soon as band practise was over - which was when Bella had finished making a noisy, aggro guitar screech along to some shouty lyrics about the ‘90s - I came straight home to seek the opinion of Pink Lady and my all time BFF Angel, just to make sure I was doing the right thing.
“That’s amazing, Lo! You’ll be a totally kick-ass Lilly!”
Now this is the kind of reaction I’ve been looking for. Bella would do well to take a few lessons from the ‘how to react when your gal pal is about to do something super-exciting’ book of Angel, instead of pretending that Sadie and I had never, ever mentioned a school production and playing her guitar really, really loudly anytime it looked like someone might want to speak.
Now, all the Pink Ladies have something in their Think Pink vanity case that will help deal with a messy, stressy head, and making hurty-ear noises on a guitar is Bella’s.
FYI: mine is writing in my journal, Sadie’s is bashing on her drums and Angel’s is flicking through fashion magazines - all are Pink Lady tried and tested methods that can help to cure an attack of the Gloomy Grumps.
I’m totally okay with Bella screeching out to chase away the GGs, but I’m still a teeny, tiny bit miffed that she didn’t talk to me about how she was feeling or at least say ‘sorry’ or ‘good luck’ or ‘way to go, girlfriend!’ She could have even offered up a high five if words were too much of a problem, and they sometimes are for someone who is susceptible to moments of stubbornness like Miss B, but she didn’t, and I know she’s upset, but now I’m a bit upset too. I really want to tell Angel, but I don’t want her to make a drama where there isn’t one, because between you and me, Angel, as adorable as she is, LOVES a drama. So, instead of entering into a goss-fest about beautiful Bella, I pull on my metaphorical pink wellies and paddle in the love my BFF is sharing via phone link.
“Just like America Ferrara is the only person that could ever play Ugly Betty, you, Lola Love, are the only person that can play Lilly!” Angel informs me as if it is cold hard fact.
I love her for that.
“Well, besides Farah Grant obviously,” I remind her, “what with her playing Lilly in the movie and all.”
“Deetails, schmeetails, Lola!” Angel tuts. “This is awesome! I’ll be there on your opening night, I’ll throw roses at the stage and whoop until you come back for an encore!”
See what I mean about her being a drama queen? While my life is the pink-tinted blockbuster movie Livin’ La Vida Lola, Angel’s is nothing short of a full-blown Broadway production, with belt-out, show-stopping numbers and over-the-top theatrics.
“I haven’t got the part yet, Angel!” I tell her, knowing that in Angel’s world, this is a mere technicality. A minor smudge on the bigger picture. In Angel’s world I’ve already got the part. I like Angel’s world. A lot.
“I’ll coach you through the audition, Lo,” Angel informs me. “There’s no way you won’t get that part!”
After Bella’s reaction to the school production, I was worried about mentioning anything to Angel in case she got an attack of the Gloomy Grumps about it too, but I really needn’t have worried. Angel is a cheerleader of fantastic fabulousness. Not only is she totally ruling out any possible doubt or fear-like wobbles that she knows I’m prone to with her über-confidence in me, she’s going to be my audition coach too! I feel like I’m starring in my very own episode of MTV’s Made or something.
I should have known Angel, queen of all things dramarama, would be excited for me, not just because I’m her BFF, and both of us have over-active imaginations, but Angel and I, well, we we are no strangers to a