Free Confessions of a Backup Dancer by Tucker Shaw Page A

it’s like she just hasn’t really gotten that far around the block. she goes from acting like a grownup to acting like a little kid without any kind of notice. like one minute she’s arguing with Eileen about who her “demographic” is like a total Man in Black, and the nextminute she’s on the phone to darla, all “mom can you come to brush my hair the way I like it?” like she’s 7. it’s weird. but I’ll admit she’s kind of charming. so far.
    but I guess she doesn’t really have any friends her own age or anything so I guess it’s normal to be weird. (how funny: “Normal to be Weird” … that should be the name of her biographical tv movie of the week.) anyway, she has no friends, so maybe that’s why she’s been totally glommed onto me for the last day and night. or maybe it’s just because jesse (her “friend”/boyfriend, still not sure) isn’t around. or maybe she does this to everyone she meets. well whatever. even if I’m suspicious about it I’ve been having a good time hanging out with her. we actually get along!
    ok wait I said I was gonna back up didn’t I. ok. yeah. after basically hardly seeing her since getting here (except from behind, in rehearsals), darcy dove headfirst into my personal space last night and only now just left.
    she came to my room at like midnight. I was in bed with the lights out. she didn’t even knock, she just came right on in, threw on the lights (all of them. which, if I can just say so, is way, way too many), and bounced over into my bed. not just onto my bed, but actually into it. like she bounced up and slid under the covers in one smooth move. I was kinda like um, after age 12, you’re not allowed to just get in bed with me unless you
really
know me. but I didn’t say it out loud. I’m just glad I was wearing my pj bottoms.
    anyway she was waving this random newsletter thing, Pop Star Tour Report Weekly or something, which I’d never heard of before. she goes “K.K.! Check it out! You’re famous!” and sure enough, there I was.
    MOVERS AND SHAKERS
    Hollywood Hustle Wire Service, Los Angeles-The It’s Darcy!! tour announced today that K.K. Kimball will replace Shania Johnson in the Darcy Barnes “It’s Darcy!!” lineup. Eileen Wang, tour manager, explained how she found this newcomer, rumored to also be in the running for the coveted “lead dancer” spot: “We wanted a fresh face, someone with no dance experience whatsoever. We found her in a San Diego teen nightclub. Even though she’s never had a dance lesson, her raw talent and energy are a great addition to the company.” Darcy Barnes commented, “It’s great! Me and K.K. are totally like best friends now! We do everything together!”
    that’s where the “how’s it feel to be my new best friend” part comes in.
    I didn’t answer. I didn’t know what to say. I mean I don’t feel like her best friend. how could we be best friends? we’d barely met!
    but when someone tells you that you’re their best friend, you can’t say sorry, nice try, but you’re not. Especially when it’s your EMPLOYER … not to mention the biggest pop star in the universe! I looked around to see if there were cameras on us, like this was Punk’d or something …but I realized she was kind of serious. I mean like I said, it’s not like she has any friends her own age.
    besides, maybe to her a “best friend” is just another person on the payroll. like, manager, agent, publicist, stylist, best friend … hey, I’m not going to argue, this could be fun. let’s just be clear that it’s K.K. who’s the best friend. not Kelly. Kelly’s best friend is and always will be the one and only, the lovely, the fabulous, the sorely-missed-especially-right-nowTito.
    At that point it kind of sank in