Page Six – January 2, 2004

I hear it from a very reliable source that one of the now famous hobbits from ‘The Lord of The Rings’ was caught being in a very ‘comfortable’ situation with the music industries new ‘it’ girl herself, Michelle Schrade. While Schrade’s camp won’t comment. A kiss is just a kiss and for a hobbit to be even noticed by the likes of Schrade must make him feel ten feet taller.  I’ll be sure to keep you updated—this could be the next well, Justin and Cameron.

Speaking of which….
 

     She sat down with her note book in hand and studied the area around her. She wondered if anyone else would go to the airport to write their material. The last two years had been so damn hectic that she hadn’t even had any real life stories to put to lyrics, music and/or finally a top 20 hit. OF course being the gossip girl she’d always been, she was always looking at each and every gossip magazine, newspaper, and internet site she could get her hands on. Everywhere she went one of ‘her peers’ was in some type of drama. For the first time in her life she wished she had their problems, at least then she would have something to write about.

     That said she was being sent on vacation. Amy told her to fall in love and break up with him soon. Jules told her to get laid, and then let him dump her. They both agreed with their plans, saying it would give her more material. She would have argued with them but was presented an all paid vacation to some la-de-da spa resort. She desperately wanted a massage like every other celebrity wanted their own reality show- dreams were coming true. So there she sat in the LaGuardia Airport in New York waiting for her flight to board. But, she had purposely come early just to watch the people’s interactions. She found that sometimes a whole song could be written just by a smile, a look, a grim, tears…so much emotion in one place. Why was she the only one looking there for her inspiration?

      She sat there jotting down in her notebook, her pen scrambling across the page at a speedy level. Her eyes covered with concealing sunglasses, her head covered with a large ‘trucker’ hat. He was sitting there trying to figure out how she could contort her body into such a pretzel like shape, yet be comfortable. He wasn’t listening to the conversation going on around him. He was entranced with her obsession with the couple not ten feet away from her. Did she know them? Was she some freaky person who liked all the airport sadness and over joy? He, himself, had spent far too much time with such airport goodbyes and hellos. His relationship was lovely, but it was taxing on his emotions to be so far away from someone he truly loved. Kate. He missed her just thinking about her. Sad wasn’t it, what love did to a full grown man. 

“Orli, did you hear that?” 

Slowly he turned his head and looked at his co-star, his best friend, his brother. “No you idiot I didn’t, what’d ya say?”

Dom rolled his eyes, used to Orlando’s space cadet dazes. ‘We’re making a bet, you in?”

“Depends on the bet?” Lord had known they had made far too many ridiculous bets to pass the time where it came to a lull or exhaustion overcame them.

“If she really is Mikey, or not,” Elijah said with a smile and glance over at the girl Orlando had been studying for the past hour.

“Who the hell is Mikey?” Orlando asked completely unsure of what he was getting himself into.

“Mike Schrade?” Billy said as if it was common knowledge.

Then again it was.

     Mike Schrade had taken on and conquered each part of the World. She was renowned as the newest talent that would make a difference in the music industry. Her tracks were everywhere from Radio, TV, movies, etc… She was a hot commodity, yet there was never too much spice about her. He’d seen only one interview with her where she laughed, joked and seemed so at ease with the camera he wondered why she didn’t act for a living. There was no way a girl could be so down to earth after all the praise she had gotten. Then again, the writing made sense. Was it possible that the sloppy make-out couple was inspiring lyrics?  Truly sad indeed. Apparently her sophomore cd would not compare to her first.

“She’s fucking gorgeous, isn’t she?” Dom said with his English burr coming through clearly. Then again Dom had been speaking non stop of the American Diva who was graced on his wall at him in poster size, and was in every CD player he owned.

“So talk to her, idiot,” Orlando said with a laugh.

“Are you fucking kidding me? I can’t talk to her, she’s like, nah. Then again, it might not even be her. So it’s grand.”

Billy laughed and smacked his friend upside the head, “yeah, pussy, it’s freaking grand.”

Peeling into laughter, their bet was momentarily forgotten.

     She had always had a bad habit of biting her lip when she was thinking. Every make-up person she used would always complain that she needed to stop; especially for her image. Chapped lips didn’t look well glossed and even they weren’t miracle workers. Then again she didn’t think they were that bad. The way they had talked about it, it seemed that her lips were swollen red or with craters of skin missing. They could get a little dry, more easily than anything else. She used Chap Stick, but it still wouldn’t stop the habit.

Old habits die hard, isn’t that what they say?

And a good old habit was watching people in the airport. She had become quite fascinated with the couple quite near to her. The guy, theoretically she’d called him ‘John’ had been standing waiting for the girl of his life to come through those doors.  Dozens of roses in hand and a nervous smile plastered over his face. She had been was sure that John’s story would remind her of the beauty of love. She could have even maybe gotten lyrics to one those monster ballads that came along and transcended generations. It had always been a dream of hers.  But then his lady had come through the doors and it had been nothing like she’d expected it to be. She hadn’t look happen to see ‘John’ at all. No, in fact she looked down right upset to see him. Sure, tears ran down her cheeks and she let herself be swept up in his arms. But, when he was wrapping her in his strong arms, Mikey got to see her expression, and she looked guilty. 

     So interesting what a face can show with just a few different expressions. She wondered if the woman had cheated. Had the woman decided to break up with ‘John’? Had she told him a million times before to get out of her life and she was just tired of fighting him?

     So many questions for her creative brain! She had been swamped in my own thoughts when a tap on her shoulder brought her out of her reverie.

“Excuse me,” the voice said with a soft burr she placed in a short time. “You wouldn’t happen to be Mikey Schrade, would you?”

Closing her eyes, she turned towards the voice and plastered her best smile on.  She never wanted to let down a fan, no matter how much her jaw muscles hurt from smiling. She took off her glasses and then she knew from his face that recognition was apparent on her own. “You’re a hobbit aren’t you?” It was the stupidest thing she could have possibly said, but there it was. 

Laughing he nodded, “and you're not sadly. It could have been a love much. Ain’t it a shame?”

“Isn’t, ” she said and then grimaced. “Sorry, the writer in me is coming out. Now, back to your original question.” She slipped her sunglasses into her bag. Grinning with her green eyes sparkling she answered, “yes, I’m Mike Schrade.”

He took her hand and softly let his lips slip over her knuckles. “Beautiful, really, freaking gorgeous I just won a hundred Euro.” Grinning like an idiot he said nothing more. Just sat there, grinning at her.

“Now, if only I could know why just knowing me got you money?” Eyebrow raised and humor in her eyes she waited for his answer.

“Oh, it’s simple really. I looked over and noticed you. I turned to the lads and said, hundred Euro that’s Michelle Schrade. They are a sorry lot and took the bet. Really, Dom’s wetting his pants over there hoping it’s you. He’s a fan.”

“And you’re not?”

“Well of course I’m a fan. I just don’t see the problem with coming to talk to you. Now, if you were someone like Catherine Zeta-Jones, Dom would be over her before me. You’re beauty is grand, but to Dom it’s blinding.” He nodded his head at the end of his sentence to clarify the truth of his words.

“Wow, is Dom single?” She said with a soft giggle.

“Why yes he is.” He leaned in closer to her, “but do you really want to date a man who can’t even see you? Now, me, I can see you.” With a wink he looked over at Dom and waved. 

Her eyes strayed towards his friends and she laughed with a sigh. “Well I’m glad I could help you win a bet by doing nothing really. I love helping out fellow starving artists.”

“You, starving, while you may be skinny miss I know that your bank accounts must be as fat as a heifer before the killing. Now me, I am just so happy to have won the hundred Euro. Really, simply lovely money for just tricking that lot. Young boys, they never learn.”

“Well I’m glad you won the money, but can I ask you a question?”

“Of course you can, ask away. It’s the least I can do; I’m a rich man now. But if you’re asking for a bit of the money, I’m afraid I can’t do that. I’m a rich man.”

Laughing she shook her head, “No, I don’t want the money. But, I do wonder… I mean, you all did a movie together and you're friends, but are you always together? Because, well I see a few other people I recognize over there. Though sadly not the hot one. I would have paid you over a hundred Euro for an introduction.”

“But surely, you would have handed over the money any way- I’m the hot one. Strange isn’t it how we travel together? It’s really an annoyance. Anytime I try and travel somewhere the three of them follow. Now, again- say you didn’t mean me as the hot one.” He frowned at her and batted his blue eyes. “That’s a lot of money you’re offering, I could pull some favors. Just who is the hot one Ms. Schrade?”

She was about to answer when her cell phone went off with the tell tale ring that meant either Jules or Amy on the other end. Reaching into her bag, she pulled it out.   She flipped it open and quickly said to him, “Just a moment, and no one beats the King walking through those doors.” Feigning fanning herself off, she started to speak into the phone. He sat patiently and watched as she dug through her bag, and a pen and paper later, started scribbling something. Quickly she handed it to him with a big smile. She told the person on the phone to hold on for a moment. “I’m really sorry, it’s my manager. And while I’m supposed to be on vacation, work always interrupts. It truly was a pleasure to meet you. I’m a big fan of the movies. That,” she nodded towards the paper, “is for you and congratulations on the Euro.” Winking she grabbed her bag and stood up.

“The pleasure is all mine.” With a grin he watched her walk away and walked over to the guys, his smile ear to ear. “Oh lads, you’re such bullocks. She’s a beauty she is.”

“Well, what did she say?” Dom asked impatiently. 

“Silly, it’s not what she said, it’s what she wrote.” Handing the paper over the three friends stared with amazement.

Chapter 2
Page Six Menu
Back To Main
Stories Menu
Send Feedback