Free Star Power by Zoey Dean Page B

name was called, Coco nervously gripped her guitar and walked slowly onto the red Persian carpet that was, apparently, the stage. The crowd gave her a few weak claps. No one seemed to notice, or care, that she was up there hoping to get their attention.
    â€œHello. I’m Coco,” she began timidly, looking into the crowd. A few tables in, a young woman pointed to the magazine she was reading and whispered something to her friend. From there it looked like a game of telephone, as she whispered something to the man behind her, who whispered something to someone else.
    Coco strummed the opening chord of her song, when finally someone said, “Coco Kingsley !?”
    â€œSing ‘On Fire for You’!” someone else yelled from the darkness.
    â€œâ€˜Forever Blue’!” another voice called out. It felt like a small hipster army was making fun of her.
    Coco looked down at her silver boots, wishing she could click them together and vanish. She wanted to cry out, But I’m not Cardammon and you never gave me a chance! But what was the point? These people— her people—thought she was a joke.
    To: Emily Mungler
From: Davey Farris Woodward Fan Club
Subject: Your membership
    Â 
    Â 
    We are sorry to hear that you would like to cancel your subscription to the Davey Club. After five years as an active member, we’d appreciate your filling out the following survey question:
    Â 
    Â 
    So we can do a better job for Davey fans, would you please let us know why you are canceling? (Please check all that apply)
    New star crush
    Didn’t hear back from Davey
    Didn’t ♥ Davey’s last movie
    Other (please explain): Ruining my career. ☹

CHAPTER ELEVEN
    becks
    Monday September 28
    B ecks and the Dixie Gals were sitting in a shady garden at Sloopy’s in Manhattan Beach. After getting Mac’s text at lunch, Becks had called Tully, who’d invited her to hang out without a moment’s hesitation. She’d insisted they go to Sloopy’s because they had the best burgers in SoCal. Even better than In-N-Out, apparently.
    So far, each girl had already gone through a cheese-burger, a basket of fries, and a milk shake, and there was an extra milk shake in the middle of their table. They had already covered the great long vs. short surfboards debate (short!), listed reasons why Huntington Beach was actually a better place to surf than Oahu (closer, fewer tourists, no coral), and why yoga was so important to their training (best way to stay limber on a board). Becks had never had these kinds of conversations with girlfriends before—the closest she got to talking about waves with the Inner Circle was whether wavy really was the new straight or if that was just what curly-haired magazine editors wanted you to think.
    â€œHey Becks, we need you to settle a little argument for us.” Tully tucked her starchy dry hair behind her ears. Becks could almost hear Mac’s voice, urging Tully to deep-condition.
    â€œOooh, I know what you’re going to ask her!” Lei took a sip of the chocolate milk shake in the middle of the table.
    Darby burped, and Becks smiled in surprise. Usually she was the one who burped in public. “Okay,” Tully said invitingly. “Our question is . . .”
    Becks tried to gulp down her nervousness with some of the communal milk shake. What if they were going to talk about kissing? Becks had never kissed a boy, and she wasn’t ready to divulge that tidbit. Or maybe they were going to ask her whether she preferred shopping on Robertson or Montana? Her Westside friends thought those streets were a true test of character.
    â€œWhere would you rather surf?” Tully asked seriously. “Puerto Escondido or San Onofre?”
    The answer was so obvious that Becks actually forgot to think before she replied. “Escondido, duh,” Becks answered. That beach had the best surfing in North America.
    â€œI tolja I