You're neither up nor down!
Two weeks later, Rita was still in a state of euphoria. She'd thrown herself into sightseeing as if she'd never seen a blade of grass before. Even Peggie, who had seen Rita obsessed with things many times before, was surprised at how totally Rita embraced the Italian way of living. None of the travelers were really surprised when Rita proposed that they stay in Italy for the rest of the summer. They didn't mind; Tuscany was the kind of place that sucked you in like comfortable quicksand. The people were friendly, the food was good, and the scenery was glorious. The only thing Peggie could find fault with was the music.
"I mean, come on!" she complained loudly to Rita from her seat in front of the television, "How old is 'Hit Me Baby One More Time?' I'll tell you, it was 1999! That was 6 years ago! They're playing it like it's brand new. It wasn't even that great a song to begin with..." Peggie trailed off.
"Where's Nicole?" Rita asked, folding a pair of pants and putting it in the drawer. She'd never been a hotel long enough to put clothes in drawers before. Peggie flapped her hand impatiently.
"Who knows. Off with Gaetano, I think. He was showing her where the hotel shops are. She keeps getting lost. It's pathetic. But what's more pathetic is that music video. We didn't even play this in America!" Rita tuned out another tirade against Italian MTV. If I stay, I don't think Peggie will. This is like a music vaccuum for her, she thought. Now where did that come from? I'm not staying. This is just a trip. We aren't even supposed to go home until August 20th anyway. The trecherous part fo her brain whispered August 2oth isn't that far from now. It's already June 20th. Rita shoved that thought aside.
"Oh, by the way, I thought I should mention that we're going to have to leave early, speaking of music. The band wants me back the beginning of August. I didn't think that would make such a difference, seeing as we're staying here the entire time rather than trying to see everything in the world." Peggie was tuning some strange lute looking instrument she'd gotten at one of the markets they'd shopped at yesterday. The tours had stopped a few days ago, but with their growing familiarity with the area and Gaetano's help they didn't need the tour guide anymore. Rita and Nicole were even learning to speak Italian from Gaetano, who Nicole seemed to trust more and more every day. Peggie refused, saying that she wasn't going to live here, why should she learn the language?
Rita looked at the pale girl an alarm. "What? That's way too early! We can't go back then! I mean, that's insane! A full month shorter than we planned on. Can't they wait?"
Peggie shook her head stubbornly. "There are a lot of people who want in. Death and the Angels are cutting a record deal, and they need me there if I'm going to be in the band. Before that, they want to make sure I'm good enough."
"Have they started talking with record companies yet?" Rita asked, stalling for something better to say. Peggie looked away.
"No. But I need to get back, okay? I didn't really want to come here that much, anyway. If you're a good friend, you'll come back with me." There was a little sarcasm in the remark, but Rita knew that Peggie meant it.
"I dunno, Pegs," Rita said, trying to sound distracted, "I'll think about it. Anyway, Gaetano wanted to see us in Theo's and his room. He said that since we're staying here for a while longer, he's got some great plan for us. I have no idea what he was talking about, but you know how when he's excited about stuff he starts speaking Italian? Well, he was doing that. Nicole's wary, of course. She still claims to think that he's a gold digger, even though he's been really great. He called from their room, so I guess he's got Nicole." Rita tried to forget the recently added blotch to her perfect happiness, and nudged Peggie. "Let's go. You don't have to put your shoes on, or anything." Peggie rolled onto her stomach.
"I'd rather just stay here. You can tell me about it when we get back, kay?" She gave Rita a fake smile, and turned her attention onto the tv again. Rita pursed her lips, and exited quietly.
Theo, Rita knew, was a slob. She'd been in his room in America, and she'd seen his habits. Apparently his mom did something about it there, though, because his slothful and slovenly habits had increased tenfold in the hotel room. This was thrown into sharp relief by Geotano's side of the room, which was spotless. Rita supposed that Theo's uncle had ground cleanliness into his son's mind because he was a hotel owner. She wondered what the Italian thought of Theo's mess.
Nicole was sitting on Gaetano's chair (Theo's was covered in dirty clothes, and his bed was even worse) looking uncomfortable about being alone with the "gold digger." Theo was nowhere in sight.
"He's down in the lobby. He'll be back in a minute," Gaetano said from behind her. Rita jumped.
"You scared me!" She smoothed her hair with one hand. "Peggie isn't coming. She's in a comatose state in front of the boob tube. I can't get her away from that thing. Yesterday I even offered to take her out for some gelato, and she said no thanks."
Gaetano nodded sagely. "She's homesick," he said. "I see it in people here all the time. Usually they're the ones who take their homes for granted. When they leave, they are forced to face the fact that their homes and family aren't there for them. I thought your Peggie was one of those the moment I laid eyes on her." He pointed a darkly tanned finger to his own deep brown eyes.
"Yeah. I have something to say about that as soon as Theo gets here." Gaetanto's ever present smile disappeared as he saw the obvious concern on Rita's face, but he didn't ask her anything. Rita crossed the room, and shoved Theo's clothes off the chair with a grimace. Why can't he be more cleanly? she thought with a little anger. She couldn't help feeling a shiver of nervousness that she was touching his clothes. Her cheeks flushed, and she sat down quickly, hoping there was nothing gross under the cushions. Before she could say anything to Nicole about finding the hotel store, Theo burst into the room.
"Hiya, folks! Where's the Pegster? Is she in there watching Spice Girls' music videos?" He jerked his head at the wall, and tsked. "Silly girl. D'you want me to go get her?" He stopped when he looked at Rita's face. He knelt by her chair, only half in jest. "Hey, are you okay? You look upset?" Rita didn't dare look into his eyes for fear that she'd never return.
"Yeah, I'm fine." She managed to look up, and when she saw the concern written on his face looked back down again. "No. Rita wants to go home at the beginning of August. She says it's because of that band, but I think she's homesick. She didn't really want to come along that much anyway, and I don't think what we're doing is what she thought we'd be doing. We're practically living a new life, and I think she thought it would be a vacation. See a few sights, but mostly hanging out in our hotel room eating pizza. She hasn't been coming with us, in case you haven't noticed." Rita took a deep breath. "I think we should go home right away."
Nicole gasped, and Gaetano looked saddened, but unsurprised. Theo put a rough finger under her chin, and lifted her face to his. She looked away, but his gaze pulled her eyes to his.
"Do you want to go, Rita?" he said so quietly that only she could hear.
"No," she said in a whisper. "I don't want to go, but Peggie-"
He cut her off. "Peggie wants attention. She's really possesive of you, Rita. Everytime Nicole or I talk to you she tries to turn the conversation to some memory that you two share but we weren't there for. Yesterday you stayed home with her, even though all you did was watch tv. I know you want to stay friends with her, but does she really want a friend, or does she want someone to order around?" Rita pulled away from him.
"Peggie is my friend, and I don't want you to talk about her like that," she said sharply. She stood up, leaving Theo on the blue carpet. "What did you want to talk to us about, Gaetano?" She tried to sond chipper, but it was fake.
"Oh, well," he rubbed his chin, trying to find his train of thought, clearly still worrying about Theo and Rita. "Yes." His face lit up. "I have a friend who is a director. You know, for plays, musicals and such. He likes English plays, and he's quite successful. He's rewritten a play, I don't remember what it's called, but it's short, and he needs people. He wants people who speak English well for the parts, and I told him that I know two American actors, and he wanted me to set up a time for you to try out. Since I know our schedule, I arranged the auditions myself. You don't mind, do you? It will be over by the time you wanted to leave, since it's such a short play. You might not even make it in." He laughed. "It's on Friday, so you have five days to get ready. You don't even need to bring anything but yourselves. It's perfect, yes?"
Rita couldn't help herself. She listened to Gaetano's eager proposition. She knew that she should say no, knew that Peggie would kill her, but she hadn't been in a play since the Christmas before last, and her parents had had a fit. They thought their daughter should grow up to make something of herself, whether she was happy with the job or not. The performance hadn't even been very good. It was only for school, and as the drama teacher was no writer, the script she'd written had been cliche and dumb. Rita and Theo had many laughs at Mrs. Krupinka's expense, and it had been fun, but it hadn't been gratifying. Rita needed one last fling with her muse before heading off to college and being shoved into the too tight identity of a law student.
She'd tried many times to tell her parents about artists and writers who'd nearly been lost to the world as mediocre lawyers, but they were deaf to her warnings. If she was in a play in Italy, though, what coud they do? Fly over and kidnap her?
"That's perfect," she breathed dispite the fact she knew Peggie would be very angry. "I'd love to help your friend." She looked at Theo, all animosity gone for the moment. "Are you going to?"
"Are you kidding?" He cocked his head and looked for all the world like a puppy. "I wouldn't miss this chance for a million bucks!"
"I mean, come on!" she complained loudly to Rita from her seat in front of the television, "How old is 'Hit Me Baby One More Time?' I'll tell you, it was 1999! That was 6 years ago! They're playing it like it's brand new. It wasn't even that great a song to begin with..." Peggie trailed off.
"Where's Nicole?" Rita asked, folding a pair of pants and putting it in the drawer. She'd never been a hotel long enough to put clothes in drawers before. Peggie flapped her hand impatiently.
"Who knows. Off with Gaetano, I think. He was showing her where the hotel shops are. She keeps getting lost. It's pathetic. But what's more pathetic is that music video. We didn't even play this in America!" Rita tuned out another tirade against Italian MTV. If I stay, I don't think Peggie will. This is like a music vaccuum for her, she thought. Now where did that come from? I'm not staying. This is just a trip. We aren't even supposed to go home until August 20th anyway. The trecherous part fo her brain whispered August 2oth isn't that far from now. It's already June 20th. Rita shoved that thought aside.
"Oh, by the way, I thought I should mention that we're going to have to leave early, speaking of music. The band wants me back the beginning of August. I didn't think that would make such a difference, seeing as we're staying here the entire time rather than trying to see everything in the world." Peggie was tuning some strange lute looking instrument she'd gotten at one of the markets they'd shopped at yesterday. The tours had stopped a few days ago, but with their growing familiarity with the area and Gaetano's help they didn't need the tour guide anymore. Rita and Nicole were even learning to speak Italian from Gaetano, who Nicole seemed to trust more and more every day. Peggie refused, saying that she wasn't going to live here, why should she learn the language?
Rita looked at the pale girl an alarm. "What? That's way too early! We can't go back then! I mean, that's insane! A full month shorter than we planned on. Can't they wait?"
Peggie shook her head stubbornly. "There are a lot of people who want in. Death and the Angels are cutting a record deal, and they need me there if I'm going to be in the band. Before that, they want to make sure I'm good enough."
"Have they started talking with record companies yet?" Rita asked, stalling for something better to say. Peggie looked away.
"No. But I need to get back, okay? I didn't really want to come here that much, anyway. If you're a good friend, you'll come back with me." There was a little sarcasm in the remark, but Rita knew that Peggie meant it.
"I dunno, Pegs," Rita said, trying to sound distracted, "I'll think about it. Anyway, Gaetano wanted to see us in Theo's and his room. He said that since we're staying here for a while longer, he's got some great plan for us. I have no idea what he was talking about, but you know how when he's excited about stuff he starts speaking Italian? Well, he was doing that. Nicole's wary, of course. She still claims to think that he's a gold digger, even though he's been really great. He called from their room, so I guess he's got Nicole." Rita tried to forget the recently added blotch to her perfect happiness, and nudged Peggie. "Let's go. You don't have to put your shoes on, or anything." Peggie rolled onto her stomach.
"I'd rather just stay here. You can tell me about it when we get back, kay?" She gave Rita a fake smile, and turned her attention onto the tv again. Rita pursed her lips, and exited quietly.
Theo, Rita knew, was a slob. She'd been in his room in America, and she'd seen his habits. Apparently his mom did something about it there, though, because his slothful and slovenly habits had increased tenfold in the hotel room. This was thrown into sharp relief by Geotano's side of the room, which was spotless. Rita supposed that Theo's uncle had ground cleanliness into his son's mind because he was a hotel owner. She wondered what the Italian thought of Theo's mess.
Nicole was sitting on Gaetano's chair (Theo's was covered in dirty clothes, and his bed was even worse) looking uncomfortable about being alone with the "gold digger." Theo was nowhere in sight.
"He's down in the lobby. He'll be back in a minute," Gaetano said from behind her. Rita jumped.
"You scared me!" She smoothed her hair with one hand. "Peggie isn't coming. She's in a comatose state in front of the boob tube. I can't get her away from that thing. Yesterday I even offered to take her out for some gelato, and she said no thanks."
Gaetano nodded sagely. "She's homesick," he said. "I see it in people here all the time. Usually they're the ones who take their homes for granted. When they leave, they are forced to face the fact that their homes and family aren't there for them. I thought your Peggie was one of those the moment I laid eyes on her." He pointed a darkly tanned finger to his own deep brown eyes.
"Yeah. I have something to say about that as soon as Theo gets here." Gaetanto's ever present smile disappeared as he saw the obvious concern on Rita's face, but he didn't ask her anything. Rita crossed the room, and shoved Theo's clothes off the chair with a grimace. Why can't he be more cleanly? she thought with a little anger. She couldn't help feeling a shiver of nervousness that she was touching his clothes. Her cheeks flushed, and she sat down quickly, hoping there was nothing gross under the cushions. Before she could say anything to Nicole about finding the hotel store, Theo burst into the room.
"Hiya, folks! Where's the Pegster? Is she in there watching Spice Girls' music videos?" He jerked his head at the wall, and tsked. "Silly girl. D'you want me to go get her?" He stopped when he looked at Rita's face. He knelt by her chair, only half in jest. "Hey, are you okay? You look upset?" Rita didn't dare look into his eyes for fear that she'd never return.
"Yeah, I'm fine." She managed to look up, and when she saw the concern written on his face looked back down again. "No. Rita wants to go home at the beginning of August. She says it's because of that band, but I think she's homesick. She didn't really want to come along that much anyway, and I don't think what we're doing is what she thought we'd be doing. We're practically living a new life, and I think she thought it would be a vacation. See a few sights, but mostly hanging out in our hotel room eating pizza. She hasn't been coming with us, in case you haven't noticed." Rita took a deep breath. "I think we should go home right away."
Nicole gasped, and Gaetano looked saddened, but unsurprised. Theo put a rough finger under her chin, and lifted her face to his. She looked away, but his gaze pulled her eyes to his.
"Do you want to go, Rita?" he said so quietly that only she could hear.
"No," she said in a whisper. "I don't want to go, but Peggie-"
He cut her off. "Peggie wants attention. She's really possesive of you, Rita. Everytime Nicole or I talk to you she tries to turn the conversation to some memory that you two share but we weren't there for. Yesterday you stayed home with her, even though all you did was watch tv. I know you want to stay friends with her, but does she really want a friend, or does she want someone to order around?" Rita pulled away from him.
"Peggie is my friend, and I don't want you to talk about her like that," she said sharply. She stood up, leaving Theo on the blue carpet. "What did you want to talk to us about, Gaetano?" She tried to sond chipper, but it was fake.
"Oh, well," he rubbed his chin, trying to find his train of thought, clearly still worrying about Theo and Rita. "Yes." His face lit up. "I have a friend who is a director. You know, for plays, musicals and such. He likes English plays, and he's quite successful. He's rewritten a play, I don't remember what it's called, but it's short, and he needs people. He wants people who speak English well for the parts, and I told him that I know two American actors, and he wanted me to set up a time for you to try out. Since I know our schedule, I arranged the auditions myself. You don't mind, do you? It will be over by the time you wanted to leave, since it's such a short play. You might not even make it in." He laughed. "It's on Friday, so you have five days to get ready. You don't even need to bring anything but yourselves. It's perfect, yes?"
Rita couldn't help herself. She listened to Gaetano's eager proposition. She knew that she should say no, knew that Peggie would kill her, but she hadn't been in a play since the Christmas before last, and her parents had had a fit. They thought their daughter should grow up to make something of herself, whether she was happy with the job or not. The performance hadn't even been very good. It was only for school, and as the drama teacher was no writer, the script she'd written had been cliche and dumb. Rita and Theo had many laughs at Mrs. Krupinka's expense, and it had been fun, but it hadn't been gratifying. Rita needed one last fling with her muse before heading off to college and being shoved into the too tight identity of a law student.
She'd tried many times to tell her parents about artists and writers who'd nearly been lost to the world as mediocre lawyers, but they were deaf to her warnings. If she was in a play in Italy, though, what coud they do? Fly over and kidnap her?
"That's perfect," she breathed dispite the fact she knew Peggie would be very angry. "I'd love to help your friend." She looked at Theo, all animosity gone for the moment. "Are you going to?"
"Are you kidding?" He cocked his head and looked for all the world like a puppy. "I wouldn't miss this chance for a million bucks!"
confabulated by Bard at 12:04 AM
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