The travelers were exhausted by the time they piled into the SUV Sunday evening at the airport and headed for Sparta. As Paula drove, Steve spoke on the phone with Clyde Davis for quite some time. When he finished the call, he related his conversation to the group.
"True to his word, Clyde has the completed screenplay in his possession. Now he's concerned about our schedules. I have to be in Annapolis in late June for Induction Day. Then football practice will take up any possible spare time I might have. He thinks we're going to have to record our songs while we're still in school. I guess you all know that the songs we sing in the movie will be recorded in a studio, for quality assurance," grinned Steve. "Clyde's looking around to find a studio that we can reach fairly quickly. He wants to do the recordings over a few weekends."
"When do we start filming the movie, where will we film it, and what will our parts be?" asked Gwen.
"We'll do a lot of it in a studio, but some of it will be on location. He just hasn't decided where. We'll do what we can before school's out, and then really push after graduation, especially for my parts.
"Here's the interesting part of the story. Jordan is going to be the sweet thing I'm enamored with. Gwen will be the tough, willful, conniving bitch that's out to land me at all costs. It's going to be shot in a beach town, and either coast is a possibility right now."
"Don't I wind up with the hero?" asked Gwen disappointedly. "This isn't going exactly the way I thought it would. They probably wanted a beautiful blonde to be the heroine and Jordan fills that bill. I have to admit that."
"Clyde also mentioned our gig in France. Apparently he kept a close eye on things. He wants to market posters of you in your Wonder Woman outfit. He said he has some great photographs of you. He thinks they'll be big sellers and help promote the movie and our music. He mentioned he saw my jungle panties, but never said anything about trying to sell posters of me wearing them. I wonder why?"
Kate quickly raised her hand, but Gwen and Steve studiously ignored her. "There's another thing. It involves Jordan and I think she'll want to hear this. Clyde likes the sound of Charlie's band. He's going to audition them to play for Jordan when she goes on tour this summer after the movie's done. If they're as good as he thinks they are, he'll sign them to a contract."
"Really? That would be great! It would be nice to tour with people I like and can trust. Could you guys meet me on the road and play with me a time or two? I told Clyde that I was going to try to go to college this fall, but I'd be willing to play weekends and holidays. It wouldn't be Stanford or anything. I was thinking the local state school or even a junior college for a couple years. Does that sound pathetic to you two?"
"Jordan, I'm so proud of you I can't stand it. You've come a long way from the swearing, smoking, obnoxious, drug addled little trouble maker we met a couple months ago. There's nothing wrong with a junior college. Just keep working and learning and you'll do great! You're smart and very talented. That's a real good combination."
"Gwen's right. There's no shame in improving yourself and working for a degree. You know you can sing and make money, but how about investing your money? What if you lose your voice, or get into an accident and can't perform? You're being very smart by going to college and I'm proud to have you as my friend," praised Steve.
"It was only a few weeks ago that I made a fool of myself with Steve at that hotel party. It's still all over the internet, but it helped me smarten up, so I consider it a good lesson. It didn't seem to hurt my popularity or Steve's, for that matter. I guess mistakes are forgiven by people, if we try to do better and learn from them. Meeting you both is the best thing that could have happened to me. I'm going to be on TV, in a movie, and on tour. I have a big hit song and I've done some modeling. I've met the presidents of the US and France. Who'd a thunk that rehab would have worked out so well for me?"
"There's more. We've been pretty busy, and out of the country, so Clyde's been handling a few things for us. Some kids in a high school in Becton, Georgia made a YouTube video asking us to perform at their prom. The band they had scheduled broke up a few weeks ago. Clyde agreed to their request. He told them that we'd play at their prom in two weeks. He thought we'd get some great publicity. He had Charlie's band, 'The Rising Tide', in mind, but he felt he could hire some studio musicians if Charlie's guys couldn't make it.
"Then things went to hell in a hand basket. The school was hit by a tornado yesterday. The town of Becton had a fair amount of damage and a couple dozen people were badly injured. We're going to play the nearby Laredo County fairgrounds instead. It's going to be a fund raiser and a night of healing. The place will seat seven thousand and that doesn't include the show ring. They're going to put a dance floor down on part of it and the kids will have their prom while everyone in the stands can watch and listen, or dance on the other end of the arena. We'll need enough material for two full hours or more! And a lot of it has to be slow stuff so the prom kids can dance up close and personal," chuckled Steve.
"Wow! That doesn't leave us much time to learn some more songs!" worried Gwen. "At least we'll be able to fall back on this benefit so when we play our prom, we'll have some new material under our belts."
"Clyde's going to have us work on the songs we're doing in the movie. We have to get them down so we can record them, as well as be believable when we use them in the movie. We just won't tell anyone that they're getting a sneak preview of our sound track. It'll be interesting. That's for sure.
"Clyde's arranged for Charlie and his band to come to Sparta for the next two weeks so we can work on our music after school. He said that the TV movie with Nick Fallon will be out a few days before the fund raiser. Our first TV show will play Sunday, the night after the fund raiser. The advertising for it is ramping up on CBC. It should ensure a full house in Georgia, so we'd better be ready to rock that town."
"I've played that county fair a couple years ago," revealed Jordan. "We performed in a big arena that they used for rodeos, team penning, and 4H horse shows. They set us up in the middle of the show ring and the fans were all around us in every direction. It was exciting, and a bit daunting. I'm ready to roll up my sleeves and give those folks the best possible show we can. We can make this a great opportunity."
Gwen, Steve, and Jordan returned to school Monday determined to accomplish their studying and complete their homework assignments in school to free up their time to practice their songs in the evening. It was Wednesday morning when Charlotte met them in homeroom with surprising news.
"Have you guys heard that Mrs. Gillow and her group of old hags are complaining to the school board about you? She's telling them you shouldn't be allowed to attend school. You three are 'immoral and a bad influence of the rest of the student body'. She's seen the posters from France and some of the commercials you made there. I heard that your old buddy, Bill Hardy, was at her place with a film crew. He was the one that showed her group the pictures and asked their opinion."
"No! That comes as a complete surprise! What will my parents think? I've placed them in an awkward position. My dad's clients live around here. He'll be upset, and with good reason. His daughter's showing off her body to sell swim suits, music, and movies. I must look like some kind of cheap tramp."
"You certainly do not!" insisted Steve. "You're in the entertainment business and you look great. Jordan looked great in that music video we did. There's no reason for anyone to complain about what we've done. Every picture and every poster can be shown in family settings. You both look amazing and sexy as hell, but never did any of us cross the line."
"That would've been true, if I hadn't danced topless on that table. Those pictures of you carrying me with my boobs exposed that are all over the internet probably are what started all of this. I screwed up and I'm taking you both down with me. I'm so sorry!" apologized Jordan with real emotion.
"That was a mistake caused by some jerk giving you liquor and telling you it was punch," reasoned Steve. "Anyone can make a mistake. I wonder if those old ladies ever had a picture taken when they were young and partied too hard? I'll say this to you both. If they try to discipline either, or both, of you for any reason, I'll be gone from here in a flash whether they toss me out or not. I won't stay in a school that would treat such wonderful students, and really nice girls like you two, with anything but respect and consideration."
"The school board meets next Tuesday and it's going to be discussed. Billy's dad heard it from Tyler's father, who's on the school board. He said he didn't like it, but all complaints have to be heard by the board at a public meeting."
"I couldn't help but overhear you kids talking about this situation you're now facing," interrupted Ms. Walker. "This seems preposterous to me. I'll attend that meeting and make my opinion heard. You're among the finest students this school has ever seen. What you've done for the hospital building fund is phenomenal. I'll back you as far as I possibly can."
Gwen worried about the situation all day. Jordan was upset as well. She felt that she was the cause of the problem and had betrayed her friends. Charlotte caught up with the trio as they prepared to drive to practice after school.
"I've been making some calls and talking to some people. I need Clyde Davis' phone number. I want to talk to him. I'll to go to the board meeting Tuesday as your friend and representative. I expect you guys to go to your practice that night, like nothing's wrong. Billy's dad and Tyler's dad know everyone in town and they've been a lot of help. This is a fight I'm looking forward to!" grinned Charlotte.
