Larger Than Life

Chapter One

Stage Name

~*~

She's so lucky, she's a star

But she cry, cry, cries in her lonely heart, thinking

If there's nothing missing in my life

Then why do these tears come at night?

- Lucky - Britney Spears

Inhaling a lung of air, Sally opened her eyes as she felt the makeup brush on her cheeks. The makeup assistant was chewing gum, glancing at Sally plainly as if she did this for the hundredth time. The lady's hair was dark with thousands of curls on her head. She was a little bit plump, but her overall outfit made her look appealing.

"We're almost done, Bianca, sweetie," said the woman, carrying a thick Brooklyn accent. "Once the eyebrows are done, you're good to go."

Bianca.

Bianca Fierce. That was her stage name. Her real name was Sarah Amelia Ragdaul. Her manager, Robert Finklestein, was about to pick a name for her, but Sally wanted it to be more personal. "Bianca" was the name of her late mother. "Fierce" was a quality that she severely lacked, but wished she had. She was proud of the name, and felt that it stated her identity.

"All done!" smiled the assistant. "Good luck with the video."

A weak smile was across her face and she nodded towards the woman.

"Thank you..."

Once she appeared on the set, the director took notice of her arrival and welcomed her. "Alright people! Places! Places! We're about to film!"

The set mimicked an outdoor roller skating arena, graffiti on the walls and cinder blocks. The dancers were dressed in attire appropriate for rollerskating, making the area authentic and realistic.

She took her place on the stage with the dancers, smiling at them as they greeted her.

"What A Girl Wants, Bianca Fierce. Take one...!"

Dancing the choreography, she put on a big, bright smile and looked at the camera. Music began to play, and she started to mouth the words to the song she spent many hours recording.

"I wanna thank you for giving me time to breathe, like a rock, you waited so patiently. 
While I got it together... 
While I figured it out 
I only looked, but I never touched. 
'Cause in my heart was a picture of us. 
Holding hands, making plans, and it's lucky for me you understand... What a girl wants, what a girl needs. 
Whatever makes me happy sets you free, and I'm thanking you for knowing exactly 
what a girl wants, what a girl needs, whatever keeps me in your arms, and I'm thanking you for giving it to me."

A shrill ring from the bell meant that it was time to stop.

"Cut! Okay, people, let's try that again. From the top!"

A muffled groan was heard and everyone rushed back to their positions, posing in the beginning of the dance.

A slow, painful sting was stabbing at Sally's heart. Even though people surrounded her, Sally couldn't help but feel isolated.

"Do I have to be an intern at the studio, dad?" Jack Stephenson sighed as he sipped his coffee at the table.

Jack was planning a hockey trip with friends who were teammates on a professional hockey team, but it seems that his father, head security guard of pop singer Bianca Fierce, had other plans. He was looking forward to this trip for a long time. He hadn't seen some of his friends for a while, since they went off to separate high schools before junior high ended.

"The other intern just got injured," said Mr. Stephenson, stirring the "less-than-edible" stew on the stove top. "It's only for a week, and we really need someone to replace him."

Zero, the family's German shepherd, went to Jack's side and began to pant at his feet. Jack smiled and went to the kitchen cupboards to get him a treat. The family named him Zero for being the unofficial member of the security team. Jack thought it was a cleaver idea. His father would sometimes bring Zero to work, but nothing at the studio was too serious that needed Zero's assistance.

Turning back to a frown, Jack looked at his father.

"I mean... Bianca's just another blown up pop star," began Jack, plugging his noes from the smell of the stew. "Seen one you've seen them all. You know how these types are... Snobby... arrogant."

"From what I heard around the studio, Bianca seems polite," mused Mr. Stephenson. "She seems like a decent human being."

Jack smirked in amusement. To him, "polite pop star" is an oxymoron.

"Tell you what," began Mr. Stephenson, poking at a chuck of something that was formally a potato. "How about you come over to the studio in the morning, then once you're done, you can go with your friends? That sounds like a win-win situation."

Jack went back to the table, feeling mortified for serving an acclaimed "good natured" pop star.

Mr. Stephenson showed Jack the pot, and the contents looked completely unappetizing to describe. Jack's stomach cringed with uneasiness.

"You hungry?"

Author's Note

Hey there, people! This is my first "The Nightmare Before Christmas" fic. Beware... THIS IS AU. VERY VERY VERY AU 8)

For the sake of laziness, I'm going to use songs from other artists. I might write original songs, but I am very writer's blocked right now... haha! I don't own "What A Girl Wants" by Christina Aguilera. Nor NBC.

I will try my best with Jack's character. Hope I made him IC enough... 8( If not, so sorry! He's usually enthusiastic and stuff, but if he was like that in real life... it wouldn't work out. So some modifications were made. So sorry!

Peace!