Chapter One
"Questions"
�Kate? Kate, are you home?� Kelly O�Shaughnessy called as she opened the door to the Princeton dorm suite she shared with Kate Bosworth.
�She�s not back yet,� came a male voice from Kate�s room. Kelly jumped, surprised to receive such a response. She smiled when she realized who it was�Orlando.
�Orlando, is that you?� she asked, opening Kate�s door. Orlando Bloom, world-renowned British heartthrob and boyfriend of budding actress Kate Bosworth had apparently come in for a visit�much to Kelly�s astonishment.
�The one and only! Hey, Kelly,� he said with a grin as he reached to give her a hug. �It�s been a while!�
�Yeah, a few months at least�poor Kate!� Why is he hugging me? �Where is she, by the way?�
�I have no idea. She didn�t know I was coming. Actually, want to know my real purpose here?�
Kelly smiled nervously. �Um� Sure?� she ventured. Being around him made her so completely wobbly.
�Don�t be nervous, man! It�s nothing bad! I�ve come to sweep her off her feet and take her away to LA for a giant birthday celebration!� he finished, with a grand gesture. Kelly just groaned and shook her head.
�I appreciate the hopeless romantic in you,� she said, leaning against the wall, �but that might not play out how you expect it to. This is a really busy time for her�besides, it�s only December! Her birthday�s not for a good three weeks!� Orlando�s giddy face fell along with his arms. He sighed. Kelly echoed, and hurried to backpedal. �Look, what do I know? Don�t listen to me. She�ll love it. I�m sure. You can just hang out here for a while until her exams are over!�
�And when is that?� he asked, his eyebrows perking slightly.
�Well, I think she had one today. See, the rest of us have them in January, but she�s taking them early so she can go back to Berlin or something� That Kevin Spacey movie. She�s been in and out for weeks�looks really exhausted. In fact, I have no idea where she even is right now, but hopefully she�s sleeping�� Kelly laughed at Orlando�s blank stare. �Sorry, I know I�m far from helpful. I hardly talked to her this morning, but I think she has to meet with Professor Jameson this afternoon, and then she might have rehearsal.� God, what an idiot am I, she thought. But he just had the bad habit of making her tongue wag. In more ways than one, came a nagging voice. Kelly pushed it aside.
�Um, OK. So she�s in a meeting with a professor and then rehearsal? That�s all?� he looked at Kelly quizzically.
�Yes� Except no.� She rubbed her temple in frustration. �I�m sorry, I�m an idiot. I completely forgot that she�s off to New York after rehearsal. She has to meet with a producer from the Kevin Spacey movie. I think. But she should be coming home by Thursday, or I think that�s what she said.�
Orlando made a noise that sounded like a half-laugh half-sigh. �So basically, what you�re telling me, Kelly, is that you don�t know anything at all.� He grinned, though Kelly could tell he was frustrated.
�Well, basically yes. Alright, obviously I�m still a little flummoxed by the presence of one movie star, so two of you is just a little too overwhelming.� She smiled, suddenly aware of her complete idiocy. To her surprise, Orlando just smirked.
�Well, Flummoxed Kelly, seeing as my huge romantic birthday surprise has completely and totally backfired, what do you say you swear to never let me do such a thing again. Deal?� He extended his hand. She took it.
�Orlando, it really was a good idea. But come on, man, let�s get some more planning involved next time! I swear, I�ll get better at memorizing her schedule if you promise to run things by me a little in advance�don�t want this mistake to repeat itself!� she grinned stupidly.
He agreed vehemently. Then came the obligatory silence. He cleared his throat and broke it. �Well, Kel, what are we to do now? It�s Tuesday, she gets home Thursday, and there�s no way in Hell I�m going home before I see her.�
�Well, the drive to New York is only a few hours long, and you could get up there late tonight then rent a room and try to track her down in the morning. Or I can drive you if you want, so you don�t have to rent a car. I guess I could call her manager, she probably has the number written down somewhere�� Kelly began to reach for Kate�s address book sitting on her desk.
�Whoa. Slow down, turbo.� He grabbed her wrist. �I didn�t come to go on a manhunt in New York. What are you doing?�
�Well, I was going to look for her manager�s number, but��
�No, I mean what are you doing right now? Can we hang out?� he asked, gesturing between the two of them.
�Oh. Oh! Well sure, I guess!� Kelly was shocked, and couldn�t help but notice his hand still grasping her wrist. She paused, contemplating. �I don�t know what kind of company I�ll be, but I�m up for whatever.� She was dismayed to feel her heart rate rising as he grabbed her wrist tighter, pulling her into Kate�s overstuffed chair. She collapsed with a thud, and Orlando perched himself on the bed, facing her.
�Spill your guts. I have no idea who this strange woman that spends so much time with my Kate really is. You�re about to be interrogated.�
Kelly smiled sheepishly. �That�s really OK, Orlando. There�s nothing interesting about me at all. We can go do something fun if you�d like.�
He feigned offense. �Kelly, I am outraged that you would insult my plan. Seriously. We�re doing this. Everything I ask, I�ll also answer, fair deal?�
�OK, fair deal. Shoot away.� This would be interesting. Kelly drew her legs up under her, and leaned towards him intently.
�We�ll start off easy. Full name.� he stated.
�That�s not a question, dear Orlando,� she chided.
�Fair enough. What is your fully name, Kelly?� he asked with drawn-out exuberance.
�OK. Kelly Miranda Marie O�Shaughnessy,� she said triumphantly. �Same question.�
�God, that�s a mouthful, man! Mine�s just Orlando Bloom!�
�What? No middle name? That�s an outrage! You must have one of mine�I insist!� she felt insanely childish, but to her utter delight, he laughed, a big hearty laugh.
�I�m moved by your generosity, Kelly Miranda Marie O�Shaughnessy.� Her name sounded so much more interesting with a British accent� �I think I�ll take Marie, if it wouldn�t offend you too much.�
�No, my mother�ll be glad it�s gone�Miranda�s her name!�
�Well who is Marie?�
�My Dad�s mom. But this is not a salient detail of my life. Your new name is Orlando Marie Bloom, and we should be happy with that and move on. Next question!�
Orlando laughed and tossed a pillow at Kelly. �Fine. Random question: First crush.�
�Ooh, good one� Marshal Banks. Kindergarten. And you, Marie?�
�Christopher Reeve in Superman.�
Peals of laughter erupted from Kelly. �That�s amazing. I give you a girl�s name and you�re already a woman!� She covered her mouth as a snort escaped.
�I�m being serious! I loved him. He�s what made me become an actor!�
�Well I guess the world can be eternally grateful!� she pronounced with a deluge of sarcasm. �You�d better hope I don�t leak this story to the tabloids, though. What a hellish day for Kate it would be!�
He looked at her with a cockeyed grin. �Yes, for Kate. But not for me, right?� Kelly just giggled. �Fine. We�re moving on. Favorite song. Ever.�
�No fair. I can�t choose. Can you? I mean, it�s probably the Love Theme from Superman, but you probably shouldn�t tell me that just now��
He pondered a moment. �Well, that�s actually it.�
Jaw dropped, she stared. �You have GOT to be kidding me.�
He held her stare, then laughed. �No�that�s not it. No, not at all.�
�Thank God. I was about to have Kate dump you right now!�
�Oh right, because that�s fair! Goodness love, if I�d have known my answers were so important, I�d have lied a little bit more!�
�Orlando, we�ve hardly scratched the surface. I hope I can expect complete honesty from this point out?� she asked with mock solemnity.
�I solemnly swear. Unless it�s too embarrassing,� he said, raising his hand in a salute.
�Hmm� If those are the terms, I guess we can proceed. Next question.�
***
Two hours later, the pair had migrated next door to Kelly�s room. They sat next to each other on her bed, a half-empty bowl of popcorn lying in between. Kelly�s CD book was strewn open, and her stereo was blaring �The Very Best of Sting and the Police.� Orlando was belting �Roxanne� at the top of his lungs, while Kelly smothered herself with a pillow.
�Stop, STOP, I beg of you! I�ll take more questions, more interrogation, anything but this!� she cried, beating him with the pillow.
�Fine. Good. I knew you�d see things my way!� he said, stopping mid-crescendo.
�I just can�t believe you�ve stayed interested this long. What time is it? We�ve been talking for about two hours�� Kelly looked at Orlando with a puzzled gaze.
�Well, I never get to sit down and ask people questions. It�s always the other way around nowadays. Sometimes I just want to connect to a normal person, you know?�
�Well, if you�re looking for normal, I think you�ve taken a wrong turn.� Kelly paused. �It must be hard for you, yeah? All the publicity and stuff?�
�See, there you go with the questions. It�s my turn.� He winked. �Keeping in the same vein as my stellar performance, favorite Sting and/or Sting and the Police song?�
She grimaced. �Well, it used to be �Roxanne,� but that�s been ruined, thank you very much.�
Orlando laughed. �OK. No more singing. Favorite Beatles song?�
��Yellow Submarine.� You?�
��Eleanor Rigby.� Favorite Beatle?�
�John Lennon,� Kelly stated after a moment�s hesitation.
�Oh, come on, Kel! Everyone chooses Lennon!�
�Well, who�s your favorite, then?�
�Easy! Ringo! Nobody appreciates the drummers.� Kelly was overcome with a fit of giggles. Orlando looked personally affronted, his eyebrows creased into a frown. �What? It�s true!� he protested.
�I just think it�s cute that you�re rallying for the plight of the drummers, that�s all!� she snorted. She waved her arms in a grand gesture and said, �Orlando Bloom�Crusader for the Underappreciated Millionaire Rock Star Drummers� Has a nice ring to it, yeah?�
�Well, he�s always been a humanitarian, right, Orli?� said a voice from the door. Kelly jumped and turned. Kate was there, leaning against the wall, backpack on back, keys in hand. Kelly sat up straight for no apparent reason as she saw the gleam of happiness come over Orlando�s face. He got up from the bed and raced towards Kate, sweeping her up in a giant bear hug and planting a huge kiss on her forehead.
�What are you doing here?� he asked as he squeezed her again.
�Well, I live here. What are you doing here?� said Kate, laughing gaily and embracing him back. �Hey Kel,� she said, peering over Orlando�s shoulders.
�Hi Kate. What happened to New York?� said Kelly nonchalantly as she turned down the stereo and began to clean up the popcorn crumbs that littered her bed.
�Oh, John called and said he had to reschedule. Frozen airstrip in Buffalo, or something. I don�t really know. But I don�t have to go until Friday now. Want to make a weekend of it?� Orlando still hadn�t let go.
Kelly shrugged. �Well that would be fine with me, but you should really spend time with Orlando while he�s here.� Kate giggled something in agreement and shrieked as Orlando swept her away into the next room. Kelly couldn�t help feeling a little slighted as she heard their laughter through the walls. Not that there was any reason, of course�it was cute how excited Orlando was to see Kate. But still, did he really just have to toss her to the side like that? Oh come on, Kelly, she thought. Be realistic, you idiot. Orlando hadn�t seen his girlfriend in 2 months; of course the roommate would be less significant. But still, here she was, suddenly relegated to cleanup detail. It didn�t seem right�
The laughter had stopped next door. Kelly didn�t want to stay and find out what sounds came next. She grabbed her backpack and headed out the door.