Congrats guys! I’m happy to inform you that if you’re reading this right now, you’ve officially made it halfway through The Spotlight. Please pat yourself on the back, pop open a bottle of champagne (if you’re over the age of 21) and hug your loved one. Your suffering is almost done…just a few more weeks of this are left.
For anyone who hasn’t read the previous chapters or did and promptly tried to erase them from their memory, here’s a recap: Rebeca got fired from her acting job by Brittney, the director’s spoiled daughter who had the mentality of a 3-year-old, but landed an unrealistic job interview, after which she learned that she was being sent to a fashion school in Paris to fulfill her dream of becoming a fashion designer/model. If you’re also wondering how you go from job interview to fashion school, I am too. Just go with it for the plot; 10-year-old me had some weird ideas about how people got jobs and what went down during job interviews.
Chapter 5: Paris
“Oh, that’s great, honey!” said Mrs. Richardson, embracing her youngest daughter.
“Boy, will it be hard to see my youngest daughter leave to jump into the fashion industry. Especially with the loss of your sister in Iraq,” said Rebeca’s dad. The thought hurt. Rebeca had had so much fun with her sister when they were kids. They were so close. But then she chased after her dream of being in the Army. She was sent to Iraq to serve, but a man threw a bomb at her and killed her. It had been a tragic loss for the Richardsons, but at least she had died for a cause.
[Author’s Note: Why? Why was this necessary? It feels like 10-year-old me said to myself, “This character needs some trauma,” and then decided that this was a good idea.]
Rebeca didn’t sleep well that night. The excitement she had experienced earlier gave her a migraine and the remembrance of her sister’s death hurt. Rebeca got up and took some Tylenol to sooth her migraine. The she walked to bed. Even though the headache had diminished, she still couldn’t sleep. It was only 4:30 in the morning. Well, I guess I’ll take a shower. I do need to look presentable for my first day of school, thought Rebeca.
[Author’s Note: Doesn’t she still have to fly to Paris? Does she start school the minute she gets there?]
It was 6:00 when she was done getting ready for Paris. Then she switched on the news. “Roads are going to be bad today, especially if you’re going to the airport,” said the newscaster. “What’s that? Oh. The latest news says that there should be a 3-hour delay.”
Yikes! I better leave now if I’m going to get there in time, thought Rebeca.
Rebeca wrote a note to her mom and dad telling them “Goodbye!” and explaining why she had to leave so early. Then she jumped in the car and drove off. Grrr grumbled her stomach. Guess I’ll have to stop by the vending machine at the airport, Rebeca thought.
When she got there, it was 9:30 A.M. She bought the healthiest protein bar she could find. Then she went over to the payment area. “Hello! How may I help you?” asked the girl in front of Rebeca.
“I’m going on a 10:00 A.M. flight to Paris,” replied Rebeca.
“Okay. Just scan your card and you’ll be on your way.”
Just as Rebeca was about to scan her card, the lady she had spoken with pushed her way through the crowd, saying things like, “Excuse me, please!” and “I’m with the lady in front!” When she finally got to Rebeca, she said, “Rebeca, darling, I’ll pay for you. After all, I AM the one sending you to Paris.”
“Thanks!” exclaimed Rebeca, clearly ecstatic to go to Paris.
“You’re welcome!”
With that, they were off to Paris.
[Author’s Note: What about TSA? Flight delays? Passport checks? Checking your ID to make sure you’re who you say you are? What card is she scanning…her credit card? I’ve never been on a flight, international or otherwise, but from what I do know, it’s better to get there several hours before your flight just in case things take longer than they should.
Also, who’s the woman that scans the card for Rebeca? Is she the job interviewer? Why’s she going with Rebeca? Doesn’t she have other things going on?]
It was a rough ride. There was lots of turbulence knocking the plane around. When they finally got to Paris, it was clear that Rebeca had never once rode on an airplane. She was green all over! But after a while, she felt good as new.
“Hello, dahling!” said the woman coming towards them. She was clearly talking to Morgan, not Rebeca. Then, they kissed each other on the cheeks (it’s a French custom to kiss someone on the cheeks as a way of greeting each other). “Have you brought my new apprentice?”
“Yes, I have,” said Morgan. “Madam du Boa, this is Rebeca. Rebeca, this is Madam du Boa.”
“Nice to…to…to…ahh….” sputtered Rebeca as she fainted. She couldn’t believe that Madam du Boa, the greatest fashion designer in the universe, was teaching her! HER! It was almost too much for Rebeca to handle.
[Author’s Note: Almost too much?
I think that’s an understatement. I mean, she just lost consciousness. I think that’s a little more than “almost”.
There’s also the question of: Where is Madam du Boa coming from? Is she on the plane and was just walking through the aisles to talk to Rebeca and Morgan? Did the plane land and they’re walking through the airport? I don’t know what’s happening.]
Chapter 6: First Day of School
The next morning, Rebeca was racing around her dorm, getting ready to go to class. She did this and she did that, constantly moving from one place to the other. Did she have this? Did she have that? Was her makeup smudged? These were the questions she kept asking herself. But finally, she was ready!
The halls were bright with pictures of fashion stars and supermodels. There were prizes for most creative dresses and best catwalk rewards. Oh..I hope I win one of those someday, thought Rebeca. She walked down the hall, wearing her signature shoes, two-inch leopard-print high heels. Her clothes matched her shoes. She was wearing an orange vest with an orange and black checker patterned skirt with pink eyeshadow, rose red lipstick, and a leopard print scarf. She was looking very smart, indeed. “Ohh la-la!” exclaimed her teacher, Madame du Boa. “Why dahling, you flatter me with your fashion senses!”
[Author’s Note: Apparently, Madame du Boa is a great liar as well since already the mental picture of Rebeca’s outfit is making my eyes burn.]
“Why thank you, Madam. I got these heels offline. Quite expensive actually; $892.59!” replied Rebeca.
“Sadly, that’s what we must pay for the best things. But, anyways, we must be off! Where are you headed?”
“I’m headed to the fashion art class. Do you know where that is?”
“Do I know where that is? Ha! I know exactly where it is! In fact, I teach that class.”
Well, it took a while for them to get there, due to all the fashion talk and planning the perfect entrance, but finally, they got there.
Madam du Boa made a stunning entrance for a 44-year-old. She slammed the doors open with a flourish of her hands, drawing all the attention to herself. Then, she did a stunning catwalk on the red carpet that spread to the teacher’s desk. Du Boa finished with a 90 degree turn on her heel and plopped daintily into her desk chair. Like a cheering audience, the students clapped in applause. “That you, that you! Mmauh!” said Madame du Boa, “Now, first off, I would like to thank you for your heaty applause. Second, I would like to introduce a new student who I see plenty of something you all lack: Potential.”
[Author’s Note: Wow…this lady just roasted her entire class. Why’s she giving me the vibes of the boss from The Devil Wears Prada? I haven’t seen that entire movie – I’ve only seen Cinema Therapy’s breakdown of it – but I feel like Madam du Boa would fit into that role.]
With a small bow, Rebeca got seated. It was time for lessons to begin! “As most of you know, this is an art class. I will be teaching the art of motion and putting it on paper. Any questions?”
“Oh, oh. I have a question,” said the girl next to Rebeca, her bug eyes wide with anticipation.
“Yes.”
“So…um…what does movement have to do with fashion?”
“Everything on the catwalk. You want the judges to see the outfit as sleek, skinny, and better than anything else, worth selling to people around the world, people that would scream for you, who would pay a million dollars just to have that piece of fashion. That’s why it’s so important!”
“Oh, okay, I get it now.”
“Good!” replied Madam du Boa sharply.
After class, Rebeca was walking towards her dorm when she bumped into the girl who asked what movement had to do with fashion. “Oops! Sorry! I wasn’t watching where I was going, and then I bumped into you and…” she said.
“No, no. It’s okay. Seriously. It was just an accident. It happens,” replied Rebeca.
“I’m Briana.”
Briana. The name felt like a wasp had stung Rebeca in the head. “I’m Rebeca. Nice to meet you,” she investigated Briana’s eyes. “Do I know you from somewhere?”
“What?! No, silly. I’m new here. Well…new-ish. I applied last week.”
“Oh. I applied yesterday, so I’m a newbie.”
“Ah.”
“I was just going to my dorm room to study. Want to come?”
“Sure. I don’t have any friends anyways.”
[Author’s Note: Keep an eye on Briana. She’s going to be important later.]
Until next time,
M.J.
The Tanuki Corner 
Love this! Very well-written and interesting to read. Thanks for sharing 🙂
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