Chapter One- What's the Buzz?

I was sat in my apartment when the news came. I liked our little place. Having lived with my dad until I was 20, I was happy to have my own place and what's better was I was sharing it with the love of my life- Matthew Swan. Anyway, back to the apartment. It was small but it was ours. We had purple walls that had bits of art that I had done on them and various certificates and photos of us in shows. One of my Wicked! one's was up there which was one of my favourites. We also had photos from Dad's wedding day and Abi and Daniel's along with baby photos of my nieces and nephews, Anthony, Fliss, Phoebe and Rory. The rest of the flat was filled with Disney stuff- both Matthew and I were big fans of Disney.

So, one day I was sat curled up in my flat, reading 'Happy Mum, Happy Baby' by one of my friends and my phone buzzed in my lap. I picked it up and looked at it. It was my agent.

"Hello?" I answered the phone.

Hey Keira, I have some news for you. Remember the audition you did a few months ago?

"Yes?" I replied, sitting up in my seat. I really wanted this role. If I had got it, it would be my first lead role on stage.

I'm so very pleased to tell you that you have the role. You are playing Mary Magdalene in the UK tour of Jesus Christ Superstar.

I could hear her smiling down the phone but I just sat there for a few moments. This was huge. This was amazing. I never imagined that I would actually get the role- I knew there were more famous, more talented people than me going for it but they chose the underdog, they chose the nobody and I was Mary Magdalene!

Keira? Are you still there?

I snapped out my trance, "Oh yes, sorry Ameila, I'm here." I sighed happily, "That's amazing news. I can't quite believe it."

Well, you'd better believe it pretty soon. Rehearsals start in three weeks and then you go on tour four weeks after that.

"What are the tour cities?" I asked.

Off the top of my head, London, Southend-on-Sea, Brighton, Southampton, Plymouth, Bristol, Liverpool, Manchester, Leeds, Glasgow, Cardiff and Newcastle. Probably not in that order.

"Wow. Ok. That's a lot."

I know, but I also know, you'll be fantastic.

I smiled, "Thanks, Ameila."

No worries, Keira. I'll let you know more later but I thought I'd share the good news.

"Thanks. I'll let you get on now. Bye." And I hung up.

I just sat there on the sofa, still stunned. I had just landed my first major role in a musical and one that I had loved for ages. I had to tell someone but who? Matthew was at work, Mollie was at her studio, Abi would be at the clinic and Dad was probably at the Diogenes Club. But I had to tell someone. Luckily, I knew I could phone Matthew. He was in rehearsals for Phantom of the Opera. So I knew he would answered the phone. But then I thought the one person that I had to tell before everyone else and that was my twin sister. We had been through everything else together and we were inseparable. So I picked up my phone again.

It rang three times before Mollie answered.

Hey K, what's up?

"Hey, um can we meet for coffee. I've got some big news."

Sure. I can be at our usual Starbucks in 10 minutes.

"Yeah that's cool. See you there."

I grabbed my coat, keys and bag and left the flat. The nearest tube was a mere five-minute walk from the flat and the next train was in two minutes. I got off at Knightsbridge station. Having read Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere I still smiled every time I went here. I walked down the road and found the Starbucks. I ordered myself a Hazelnut Latte- my favourite and I went and sat upstairs, telling Mollie where I was. She wasn't far behind me.

As she sat down opposite me, her usual cinnamon latte in her hand, she smiled and reached for my hand.

"So, what's the news?" She asked.

"Do you remember when I auditioned for the role in Superstar?" I asked.

She nodded, taking a sip of her coffee.

"Well, I got it!" I said, smiling.

"Oh that's great K!" Mollie replied, smiling widely.

"I know right. I'm going to be Mary Magdalene! My first major lead role!"

"Keira, I'm so happy for you!" Mollie said, coming round and hugging me. "I really am!"

"It's a tour." I told her as she sat back down. "I'm going to be away for at least 8 months, if not more."

"But still, you can't turn an opportunity like this down. Have you told Matthew? What did he say?"

"You are the first person I've told!" I told her, "I'm scared to tell Matthew."

"Why?" asked Mollie, "He's going to be so excited!"

"But what will be being away for ages do to our relationship? We're in a really good place at the moment and I'm scared that this will ruin it."

"Keira, if Matthew is half the person you tell us he is, he will be so happy for you. He will want to drop everything and come with you. He came all the way out to America for half a year with you, for goodness sake. At least you'll be in the same country this time." She smiled. "I really wouldn't worry about Matthew. Just tell him. He'll be more annoyed if you don't."

I smiled back at her and squeezed her hand. "Thanks Mollie. What would I do without you?"

"I don't know." And she laughed and I laughed with her.

We left Starbucks half an hour later and went our separate ways. I headed straight to the heart of the theatre district to find Matthew. I walked in and made my way to the stage. Most people knew who I was so I could get through without a fuss. I opened the door to the stalls and found Matthew on stage. They were in the middle of 'All I ask of you' and Matthew was busy looking lovingly into the eyes of Harriet Jones who was playing Christine Daaé. She was very pretty but I knew they were both acting. I went and sat in the front row. When they finished the final note, I whooped and cheered. Matthew looked down and smiled at me. He jumped off the stage and gave me a hug.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, giving me a quick kiss.

"Nice to see you too!" I said, returning the kiss.

"You know what I meant!" he smiled. "What can I do for you?"

"Can we talk?" I asked.

Matthew looked at me, concerned.

"It's nothing bad. I've just got some news."

Still looking concerned, Matthew took me to his dressing room. It was light and airy and reeked of coffee. He had a sofa down one side, with a mirror and dressing table along the other. His costumes were just to one side of the mirror and dressing table. He cleared some space on the sofa and sat down. I sat next to him. He took my hands in his.

"Come on then, what's this news?" He asked.

"I got the part."

He looked at me blankly.

I sighed. "The part in Superstar! The one I auditioned for weeks ago."

"Oh!" he suddenly remembered, "Keira, that's fantastic!" and he kissed me again.

"It's a tour." I said smiling, "So I'm going to be away for a while."

He kept smiling. "I don't care. I'm so proud of you, baby. So proud!"

I smiled back. "Thanks. So we're ok?"

"Of course we're ok. Why wouldn't we be?" he asked, tucking a strand of my hair behind my ear.

"I'm going to be away for ages."

"Keira, I followed you halfway across the world. I can come and visit you but I'm also going to be busy with Phantom. You need this. You can do this."

I smiled. I had nothing else to fear. Mollie was on my side and Matthew supported me. I had my dream role and I was about to make my mark on the musical theatre scene. I told the rest of my family over the next week. All of them were so happy and proud and fully supportive, it was brilliant. Even dad was proud! And the best news of all was that Abi was going to be in the company for the London part of the tour. She was trading her scrubs for the stage. I knew that she had always had an interest in musical theatre but I didn't know she was serious about it. I couldn't wait to share the stage with my sister-in-law for a few weeks before going off and flying solo.