[2] Spirit of Hollywood || Julie and the Phantoms ✔

CHAPTER 2: Looking at Me

Willie says L.A. is just how I remember it. The bright fluorescent lights that keep the city from sleeping, the busy street corners with vendors, the rush hour traffic that makes drivers use every explicit word known to mankind.

Ah, yes. This is what I've been missing so badly.

Okay, so maybe not so much the city and more so the people in the city. Lifers and ghosts.

"Hello new esteemed club members!" Caleb announces. "We are happy to give you an insider to the other side of Hollywood! Of course, Hollywood wouldn't be Hollywood without the drama."

The magician snaps his fingers and I find myself by the stage in another glamorous outfit. I send Willie a concerned look. He hides a frown and attempts an encouraging smile.

"Here we have Miss Adelaide Cooper," Caleb says with a sweep of his arm.

I know this is my cue to walk on stage so I obey. I strut around and give a wave, showing off my dress. The crowd murmurs at the beauty of the sparkly dress. I'm suspicious about what he's planning, but put on a smile.

"We are having an impromptu sing and dance off!" Caleb announces into the microphone with flair. The crowd goes wild. "Me versus Adelaide. Oh, but here's the best part, the audience decides who wins."

"Why should I try?" I mutter to him through my teeth. "This is totally rigged."

"How could you accuse me of that?" Caleb asks. "Everyone make sure that you give your honest opinion."

The audience begins to clamor.

"Adelaide, you'll want to put in your best effort with this one," Caleb tells me. "If you win, I'll let you explore the city with Willie."

My eyebrows go up. There has to be a catch.

"Who's getting axed tonight?" I ask, slipping a hand onto my hip.

"No one!" Caleb chuckles. "I thought it would be nice to mix things up."

"Sure," I reply.

"Hit it!" he commands the band. They strike up a song by Bruno Mars that's pretty egocentric.

Strangely enough, I even miss Carrie Wilson. Ugh.

As he finishes up, I make a last minute decision about my song choice. I whisper to the band the song name and start dancing.

"Oh, oh, yeah. Did I catch your attention? You look like you lost your breath, huh," I sing, jerking my head up like wassup? "When I circle the room, you an owl, you gon' twist your head."

This time I direct my attention to the female dancers.

"Don't you come at me green with an attitude when my lips and my soles are red. If I leave you behind, you can look for the broken necks," I continue glancing over at them in a demeaning manner. "No, no. 'Cause I've been here once or twice. Never worry 'bout the eyes, come on!"

"Don't just stand there staring, honey," I say as I tap the bottom of a guy's chin. His jaw is dropped at my confidence. "Try to move your feet. If you think they looking at you."

I scoff. "They looking at me. I can make it nice and easy."

I snatch the scarf of one of the nearby girls, wrapping it around the guy's waist flirtatiously. "I'ma take the lead. They ain't even looking at you, baby...they looking at me."

"They looking at me," I whip the scarf away and swing it around my neck like a diva. "Yeah, yeah, they looking at me. May be young for a teacher, I'll teach you what you don't know. I could teach you the things that you wanna know. But I can't give it up all at once, you would overdose."