Soap Star Page 3

  Three

  After the party, Jessica went to Lila's house to spend the night. The two girls stayed up until the wee hours of the morning, composing exactly the right letter. By the time they were finished, they had created a company name, a fancy letterhead on Lila's father's computer, and two very businesslike paragraphs. The letter was sure to convince Elizabeth that the research group they had invented was legitimate.

  They mailed the letter on Saturday morning, before Jessica had to meet Sam to drive to Santa Barbara for his race. For the rest of the weekend, Jessica avoided mentioning auditions and soap operas in general. By Monday, Elizabeth was speaking to her sister again without a guarded expression on her face.

  "What are you doing after school today?" Jessica asked casually at lunch on Monday.

  "I'm stopping by the darkroom to develop some pictures for an article on Sweet Valley's extracurricular activities, and then I'm dropping off the story I finished yesterday at The Oracle office," Elizabeth said. "Why?"

  "I was just wondering if I was going to have a car to get home in since I have to stay after school for cheerleading practice," Jessica replied.

  "No problem. I'll come over to the field after I'm finished, and we can drive home together."

  "You know, Liz, our schedules are so complicated lately, we really could use that Jeep," Jessica said with just the right note of resignation in her voice. "Not as a replacement for the Fiat, but as an extra set of wheels."

  Elizabeth nodded and slung her backpack over her shoulder. "I'm beginning to think you're right. I don't think Mom and Dad would pay for the insurance on two cars, though. We'd be better off having one car that's totally reliable. Remember what happened to Enid when she was on her way to see Hugh a few weeks ago? They missed their date, and almost missed getting back together—all because of that car!"

  "Yeah. The Fiat has left us stranded too many times lately," Jessica said."I hope we make it home today. Yesterday it broke down again when Lila and I were coming back from the mall."

  "What happened? You didn't say anything or call. I was home all afternoon."

  "It happens so often lately it wasn't worth mentioning. I waited until the engine cooled down, jiggled a few wires, gave the tires a swift kick, and it all started up again. But it's definitely time for a new car," Jessica said solemnly.

  "Let's talk it over seriously with Mom and Dad tonight," Elizabeth suggested. "At least maybe we could go out and look at a few Jeeps and compare prices."

  That was exactly what Jessica wanted to hear. With both of them united in their quest for a Jeep, their parents were bound to be convinced.

  Jessica flew through cheerleading practice with more than her usual spark. She was closer now than ever before to getting a new vehicle—and there would be a very interesting letter waiting for Elizabeth when they got home.

  Two hours later, the twins opened the door to their split-level house on Calico Drive, only to be hit with a blast of music coming from the living room.

  "Steven must be home from college," Jessica said, momentarily forgetting to check the mail in the front hall as she ran to greet him.

  "Hey, Jess, Liz," Steven called from the kitchen as the twins headed for the living room, "I'm in here."

  "What are you doing home?" Jessica asked. "On a Monday yet?"

  "Thanks for the sisterly welcome," Steven said with a laugh. "I finished a big exam this morning, and I don't have any more classes until Wednesday. I thought I'd come home and do my laundry."

  "And down a few home-cooked meals," Elizabeth said fondly.

  "Can't argue with that," Steven said. "What's new with you two?"

  Elizabeth looked at Jessica and smiled. "I'll go check the mail," she said, heading back out to the hallway.

  "There's a chance we might audition for parts on a soap opera," Jessica whispered, "but Liz doesn't want to."

  "I take it you have a plan up your sleeve," Steven commented.

  "Who, me?" Jessica feigned innocence. "Nope, I've given up."

  Jessica was sure that Elizabeth had heard her last words as she came back into the kitchen and dropped the mail on the table.

  "Anything for me?" Jessica asked, bounding over to the table and shuffling through the stack.

  "No, but there's this official-looking envelope addressed to both of us."

  "What is it? A sweepstakes?" Jessica asked.

  Elizabeth shrugged and tore the flap open. "It's from California Research Associates, Incorporated," Elizabeth told her. She unfolded the inner letter as Jessica inconspicuously held her breath.

  "Well, read it aloud," Jessica finally said.

  "OK." Elizabeth cleared her throat and began to read. " 'Congratulations, you have been chosen to participate in a unique discussion group. Our marketing research company has been asked to conduct information-gathering sessions all over California, specifically targeting the likes and dislikes of identical twins. We would be pleased if the Wakefield twins would participate. The discussion group will be held in Los Angeles on Friday . . .' et cetera. They want us to reply by phone to let them know if we can come," Elizabeth said.

  "That's this Friday!" Jessica said, pretending surprise. "That doesn't give us much time. They should have given us more notice. I mean after all, it's a school day and all."

  Elizabeth reread the letter, then looked up. "I don't know, Jess. It could be interesting," she said finally. "They're offering to pay our travel expenses plus fifty dollars apiece to participate."

  "Really?" Jessica said, leaning over to take a look at the letter. "Well, I can always use fifty dollars. But I don't know," she said hesitantly. "Sam and I were going to go out on Friday night."

  "Oh, come on, Jess. It will be a good experience," Elizabeth insisted. "I'm sure we could get special permission to get out of school a bit early on Friday. And we'll get to visit L.A. We haven't been there in a while."

  Out of the corner of her eye Jessica could see Steven munching thoughtfully on an apple. He knows, she thought. He knows it's a scam, but he won't say anything.

  "Why should I do this with you?" Jessica asked. "You wouldn't try out for The Young and the Beautiful, and that would pay a lot more than fifty dollars if we got the parts."

  "Oh, c'mon, Jess. This is something totally different," Elizabeth countered. "Something reasonable. Something that doesn't compromise your principles or mine. I might even be able to write an article about it for The Sweet Valley News."

  Elizabeth was so predictable. It was all Jessica could do not to laugh. Especially when Steven took Elizabeth's side to persuade her.

  "Once in a while, you could do something that isn't wild and crazy, Jess," Steven said. "And just think. Mom and Dad would consider taking this job as very responsible—a way to help pay for the Jeep."

  "OK, OK," Jessica said, pretending to finally concede. Lila's plan couldn't have worked more perfectly, she thought. "Are you sure you won't consider a trade?" she added. "I go to the discussion group for you, you go to the audition for me?"

  "Not a chance," Elizabeth said with a laugh. "You know," she added, "maybe, if the article about this discussion group is good enough, I could submit it to the Los Angeles Times. I've always wanted to be published in the Times. . . ." Her voice trailed off as she headed up to her room, the letter still in her hand.

  "California Research Associates, Inc.?" Steven remarked as soon as she was out of earshot. "Pretty good, Jess. But, don't you think you're being a little too sneaky—"

  "Shh! You realize that I had no choice," Jessica said melodramatically. "This is my whole future we're talking about here."

  Steven raised an eyebrow. "I don't know what you're worried about, little sister. You're already quite an actress."

  "I don't know, Todd," Elizabeth said as they sipped chocolate shakes at the Dairi Burger after school on Thursday. "I'm beginning to feel guilty."

  "About what? Standing up for your principles? Is Jessica still trying to talk you into going to that audition?"

  Elizabeth took a long, contemplative sip. "No. She hasn't said a word. I heard her tell Steven that she's given up."

  "That's probably Jessica's way of trying to make you give in. Arguments didn't work, so now she's trying creative guilt-building. Remember the routine she pulled on you during the Miss Teen Sweet Valley Pageant? She had you convinced that you were being the least supportive twin in the history of the world."

  Elizabeth giggled. "I know what she's trying to do, and it's working. And she has done a lot for me lately. She even helped get us back together." Elizabeth laid her hand on top of Todd's on the table. "If not for her, we might still be stuck in one giant misunderstanding. Now she's going to the twins research group with me, even though I know she doesn't really want to. What do you think?" Elizabeth asked.

  Todd chuckled. "It wouldn't matter to me one way or the other. In fact, it might be kind of cool to see my girlfriend on TV. But I'll stand behind you, whatever you decide."

  "I just feel as if maybe I should do this for her. She seems to want it so much." Elizabeth grinned and struck a dramatic pose with one hand behind her head, her chin held high in the air. "Who knows? Maybe I could bring new depth to a shallow profession!"

  "Hold that pose!" Todd aimed and clicked an imaginary camera. "It sounds as if you've made up your mind to go to the audition."

  "I haven't completely decided. I don't even know when it is. I think I'll tell her after the twins discussion group tomorrow that I'll do it. After all, it's only an audition. We probably won't even get the parts. Then I won't have anything to worry about, will I?"

  Four

  "Ready to go, Liz?" Jessica asked, bounding up to her during lunchtime on Friday. "I turned in the note from Mom, and it's all set with the office for us to leave e
arly."

  "I need to do one more thing at The Oracle office, but we should have plenty of time to get to Los Angeles if we leave right after that."

  Jessica's smile wavered as she looked at her sister's peach chinos and matching big shirt with its floral appliqué on the pocket. "But I was hoping we'd have time to go home and change. Put something flashy on—you know, to make a good impression."

  Elizabeth looked down at her outfit. "What I'm wearing should be fine. After all, it's just going to be a bunch of people sitting around a room and talking about what it's like to be a twin."

  Jessica twirled around. "Don't you think it would be nice if we looked alike?" she coaxed as they walked along the hallway toward The Oracle office. "Besides, we should look our best, because of—uh . . . because you should take your camera, and maybe we can have someone take a picture of us for you to submit with your article," she added quickly.

  Elizabeth checked her hair as they passed the glass display case that had just been hung outside The Oracle office.

  "You're probably right. My hair needs combing, and my makeup could use a touch-up." Her eyes twinkled as she sped down the hallway with Jessica close behind. "I'll hurry, OK?"

  "That's the spirit," Jessica said, following her through the door of the office with a little skip. "Just get what you need, and let's go!"

  A few minutes later, they were out the door and practically jogging to the car.

  "Hey! Slow down, Jess!" Elizabeth said as she lugged her heavy backpack, her camera, and the layouts for the spread on student activities that she was working on for next week's issue.

  "I just don't want us to be late, that's all," Jessica said. She opened the door for Elizabeth and helped her stow her stuff in the trunk.

  "You're awfully excited about this discussion group," Elizabeth commented, glancing sideways at her twin as she started the car.

  Is Elizabeth beginning to suspect something? Jessica worried silently. She had to be more careful—at least until they got to L.A. Maybe she should tell her the truth now? No, that would be the worst thing she could do. It might ruin everything. Jessica hesitated only a second, then had the perfect answer. "I already know what I'm going to spend my fifty dollars on," she quipped."I saw this great sweater at the mall."

  "Figures," Elizabeth said, laughing. "So much for saving money toward the Jeep."

  "That, too," Jessica told her. "I'll save part and spend part. Saving for a rainy day is one thing, but depriving yourself along the way won't make the rainy day much fun."

  "May I quote you on that?"

  "Of course."

  Twenty minutes later, they were well on their way to Los Angeles. It didn't seem long at all before they were entering the business and professional district.

  Elizabeth turned right on Bates and left onto Lompock. Palm trees lined the broad avenue. "What's the address?" she asked.

  "Fourteen ten," Jessica said with hardly a glance at the letter on the seat beside her. "That's it up there on the right."

  "This looks like a movie studio," Elizabeth remarked as she drove through the gates and stopped to tell the guard that they were going to Building B.

  "Maybe they're going to film the discussion group," Jessica suggested as she looked around.

  "Maybe," Elizabeth said thoughtfully.

  They parked outside the large building marked with the letter B.

  "Oh, I see some of the other twins for the discussion group over there," Elizabeth said, nodding toward two gorgeous, blond teenage girls lounging against the side of the building. "Good, I'm glad we're not late."

  "Me, too." Jessica led the way toward a door on which was posted a typewritten sign. Jessica blocked Elizabeth's view as she scanned the paper.

  "What does it say?" Elizabeth asked, trying to peer around her sister.

  "Nothing. This is the place, that's all," Jessica said, opening the door quickly, taking Elizabeth's arm, steering her in front of her, and pushing her through.

  "Hey, Jess! Don't shove!" This is getting weird, Elizabeth thought.

  Jessica marched up to the receptionist at the front desk and told her their names.

  "Down the hall, and it's the first door on your left. Good luck!" the woman said, smiling at the girls.

  "That was an odd thing to say," Elizabeth said. She had a funny feeling, the funny feeling that she always got when Jessica was up to something.

  Elizabeth heard Jessica's deep breath as they reached the door. "This is it!" Jessica whispered excitedly.

  The girls opened the door, entered the large waiting room, and took seats. Elizabeth smiled at two girls about their age who were sitting across from them on a mauve couch. Then she glanced around the room. There were a lot of girls their age there. She looked to her right and her left and saw literally dozens of girls their age. There were at least twenty sets of twins in the room. And they were all their age.

  Every set of twins looked as if they had just stepped out of the pages of SuperTeen magazine. Next to Elizabeth and Jessica, two tall and lanky blondes were reading magazines, their legs crossed identically and their feet bouncing in perfectly synchronized rhythm. Next to this pair were two petite, pretty girls in designer jeans, talking animatedly with another set of girls who looked as if they had just blown in from the beach. This set was wearing matching shorts outfits with coordinated sandals and beach bags.

  "Hi." The girl sitting across from Elizabeth greeted her with a perfect smile. "The waiting is horrible, isn't it? You're lucky you arrived just now. The tension in this room has been pretty thick."

  "Really?" Elizabeth asked. For a discussion group? Elizabeth was becoming more and more suspicious. She turned to mention the strangeness of it all to Jessica. After all, the letter had said there would be a cross-section of participants for a diversity of opinions, but this was about the most nondiverse group Elizabeth had ever seen.

  Jessica's attention was on a woman who had just entered the waiting room from another door in the far wall.

  "Good afternoon, girls," the woman said.

  Elizabeth opened her eyes wide. The woman had the most amazing hairdo she had ever seen. It was twisted into a single, unicorn-type horn on the front of her head and wrapped in multicolored ribbons. More ribbons dangled from her ears and blended with her blouse, which was also a kaleidoscope of ribbons. Her pants were skintight white leather, and her shoes were sequined. Sequins in the daytime! Elizabeth resisted the impulse to burst out laughing.

  "All right, girls," the woman announced. "I'll call your names, one set at a time, and you can read for the selection committee in the other room. When you're finished, just go on home and we'll call you with the news."

  The crowd nodded and murmured. The petite blondes fidgeted in their seats, anticipation lighting their eyes.

  Elizabeth glanced over at Jessica's enraptured face. And suddenly the awful truth hit her. This wasn't a discussion group at all.

  This was the Young and the Beautiful audition!

  Jessica had tricked her again!

  And just when I was about to give in and agree to go to this stupid thing! Elizabeth thought, her face growing hot. This is the last straw. If she thinks I'm going to just roll over and play dead, she had better think again!

  "Excuse me, sister dear," Elizabeth nudged Jessica. "May I have a word with you? In private?"

  "Not now, Liz. We don't want to miss our names being called."

  "You didn't really think I would go along with this, did you?" Elizabeth hissed.

  Jessica smiled sheepishly. Then she turned her attention back to the woman with the unicorn horn.

  Elizabeth fumed. Jessica really thought she had gotten away with this! She had sent the letter from the research company herself and dreamed up this elaborate scheme to drag her to the television studio. Elizabeth wanted to kick herself for being so gullible.

  With each moment she sat silently, the madder she became. It wasn't just a matter of principles anymore. Now her honor was at stake! There was no way she was going to let Jessica get away with this.

  Elizabeth suddenly stood up, drawing the attention of everyone in the room. "I'd like to speak with you, Jessica," she said.

  Jessica ignored her and concentrated on the woman, who was addressing the group. The girls around them began talking in hushed tones.