Star of the Show Read Free Page A

and padded behind Tessa, keeping his distance.
    The rose garden was surrounded by clipped hedges. There was a pretend stone arch and a wrought-iron seat made of painted wood. Thick cables trailed across the ground and there were huge bright lights and cameras all over the place.
    Tessa noticed that Fay went and stood all by herself. She was threading her fingers and looking very pale and tense. For the first time Tessa wondered if Fay’s seeming unfriendliness was really just a bad attack of nerves.
    A tall young man dressed in an old-fashioned dark suit and a shirt with a stiff, high collar walked through the stone arch.
    â€œLook! That’s Donny Jenton!” Tessa said excitedly.
    â€œWow! He’s much better looking in real life!” Kelly gushed.
    Tessa bit back a grin. Kelly was obviously too busy thinking about Donny to think up one of her usual mean comments!
    A man got up from a canvas chair which had “Director” on the back and started giving Donny instructions. While they were all waiting for the scene to begin, Tessa saw a woman with a fat little dog on a leash. It had short fawn-colored fur, bulging brown eyes, and a dark muzzle, and wore a collar with “Lady” in sparkling jewels. The woman doled out doggy treats and Lady chomped them all up with a slobbering noise.
    Storm licked his lips and gave a hopeful little woof.
    Tessa smiled. “That must be Donny’s dog. The way Lady’s devouring those treats, she’ll eat them all in a minute. It looks like Hollywood pooches get the star treatment, too, doesn’t it?” she whispered to him. “Don’t worry. You won’t get left out. I’ll get you a treat later.”
    Everyone watched in silence as Donny’s scene was filmed. He had to say his lines over and over again, while the director shouted, “Keep rolling!” to the cameras.
    The director seemed really strict. Tessa began to feel nervous and started fidgeting.
    â€œAre you all right?” Storm barked worriedly.
    â€œI’m worried about messing up my lines,” Tessa whispered.

    â€œI will help you,” Storm yapped eagerly.
    â€œThanks, but it’s just stage fright. Everyone gets it,” Tessa said, smiling. It was sweet of Storm to offer to help. But what could he do? After all, he was just a helpless little puppy.
    An assistant came up to Tessa and handed her a gold-colored pocket watch to hold. “When he tells you to, the director wants you to walk over to Donny and give this to him. Okay?” she asked with a kind smile.
    Tessa nodded.
    â€œHow come you get to give Donny the watch?” Kelly complained after the assistant had left. “I’ve got more lines than you. It should be me who does it!”
    â€œDon’t blame me. I’m just doing what I’m told,” Tessa said, wandering away before an argument started. It hadn’t taken long for Kelly to go back to her old self.
    â€œYour laces are untied.” Storm leaped forward and started snapping at Tessa’s boot lace, which was trailing on the ground.
    â€œThanks, Storm, I could have tripped over that,” Tessa said, horrified by the idea of falling in front of everyone.
    She found a low wall to sit on and carefully placed the watch beside her before crossing one leg over the other to retie the boot.
    To her annoyance Kelly dashed over and sat down on the wall next to her. She really hoped Kelly wasn’t going to start teasing her again. But instead Kelly smiled warmly. “Break a leg, Tessa!” she said, which was something actors often said to each other. It meant good luck for acting in the coming scene.
    â€œEr . . . thanks,” Tessa said, wondering why Kelly was being so friendly all of a sudden.
    â€œSee you on the set,” Kelly said abruptly. She got up and hurried away, her long skirts swishing.
    Tessa frowned, puzzled. “What was that all about?” she said to Storm.
    â€œI do