Whitney didn't exactly expect a big banner saying Welcome, but she didn't expect to see her roommate making out with a random guy in the middle of her living room on the day of her arrival.
"Hey, girl!" Darcy exclaimed as she saw Whitney and broke apart from the guy, talking to her still in her undies. "I didn't think you would be here so soon!"
"Yeah, I wanted to get here as fast as I could," Whitney replied, trying not to blush as she saw the guy behind Darcy begin to gather up his clothes.
"I see that. Well, welcome! Sorry about this."
"I'll just...leave now," the guy behind Darcy said as he put his clothes back on.
"Yeah, just call me," Darcy replied, not even looking at him.
The guy finished dressing and hustled out the door. Whitney was sure she heard him grumbling something about interruptions as he left.
"Who was that?" she asked Darcy, who began putting her own clothes back on.
"Just some guy I met at a bar."
"You don't even know him? He isn't your boyfriend?"
"Hell, no. I won't let myself get tied down. I want fun, not a commitment."
This was a side of Darcy that Whitney hadn't known about - she was very flighty. Who knew how often she'd have guys over? Not to mention the two shared a bedroom, so that would be very awkward. Even more so since the beds were singles and right next to each other.
"Here, let's get you unpacked," Darcy said as she grabbed some of Whitney's belongings and carried them to the bedroom. The apartment was pretty small, and not very high-end, but Whitney was determined to make it as comfortable for her as possible while she was here. In time, she'd probably be able to afford her own penthouse.
"This is your bed," Darcy said as she indicated the bed on the left. In between the two beds was a wooden partition that didn't offer much privacy, but Whitney would have to get over that.
"That'll be fine," Whitney replied as she set down her guitar.
"Hey, that's a neat looking guitar," Darcy said as she looked it over. "Where'd you get it?"
"My dad got it for me when I was thirteen. When I was twelve, I told him I wanted to be a singer, so he got it for me."
"You're a daddy's girl, huh?"
"Yeah, my dad just wants me to be happy. My mom though..."
"She doesn't care?"
"No, it's just that she wishes I'd do something more 'important', like become a doctor or something. Probably because she doesn't want me to end up like her, which is lazy and complaining about having to work all the time and wishing her husband made all the money."
"You sound a little bitter."
"I guess I'm just tired of hearing about it."
"Well, you won't have to hear about it for a while now. You're in Bridgeport, home of the stars!"
Whitney smiled. She was finally in Bridgeport, and one day, she'd also be one of the stars that would call this place home.
********************
Whitney had planned to begin her song writing right away, but Darcy insisted on going out on the town for her first night in Bridgeport.
"Plus, it's open mic night at some of the low-end places," she said as she put on a slinky dress. "You can show off your skills."
"Tonight? Already?"
"Why wait? You have to be ready for Bridgeport, because it won't wait for you."
"Yeah, I guess you're right."
So Whitney threw on an outfit and grabbed her guitar, and the two headed out to Eugi's, one of the dive bars in town, since they wouldn't be able to get into an exclusive lounge. Not without a celebrity status anyway.
The place wasn't very crowded, but Whitney figured she should still get her voice out there. The stage was empty and a few people were gathered around the bar while some played games. Whitney carried her guitar to the stage, cleared her throat, and began playing.
Whitney had written songs for as long as she could remember, though she'd recently written new ones that she felt were better. Some were based on her personal life, some were inspirational, and some were just for fun. She chose to play an inspirational song for her first performance, thinking her own words would give her the confidence she needed to succeed.
A tip jar was placed at her feet so she could hopefully make some simoleons while playing the guitar. She strummed the chords perfectly and her voice carried out over the crowd. But not many people stopped what they were doing to pay attention to her. They seemed to be enjoying the music, but not enough to give Whitney any tips or their full attention.
Whitney tried not to let this bother her, but she was trying to do her best from the very start, and if it wasn't good enough, how would she ever succeed?
She finished one song and began playing another. One more after that and she decided she needed a drink, even though she'd never been much of a drinker before. She ordered a Cherry Casanova and saw that Darcy was drinking a Stomach Churner.
"Giving up already?" Darcy asked before taking a gulp.
"No," Whitney replied as she took a sip of her own drink. It tasted fruity and strong. She hoped she wouldn't wake up with a hangover. "I just didn't expect this. I thought it would be easy to attract a crowd."
"Well, you have an agent, don't you?"
"Uh...what?"
"An agent. You have to have an agent if you want to make it by being famous. That's why I'm not an actress, at least not yet. I can't find any agents that are impressed enough with me to take me on. So I have to mix drinks to make a living. At least for now."
"No, I don't have an agent. I don't even know how to get an agent."
"Oh boy, you really aren't a city girl, are you? Okay, well the best way to get an agent is to show off your skills. You're doing that here, but this isn't where the best agents hang out. You'd have to check out a higher up place than this."
"Like where?"
"Well, that's the thing. The best ones hang out in the Prosper Room. Which is pretty stupid since you have to already be a celeb to get in there, so why would you need an agent?"
"So what should I do?"
"I'd check the want ads in the paper, and check online for any agents that need new talent. And make sure to note where they'll be so you can show off your stuff."
"Oh great. And here I thought I was ready and I haven't even started."
"Hey, don't worry about it. It happens. You can start looking tomorrow. Why don't we go down to The Grind and dance the night away?"
"The Grind? I'm not that big on dancing."
"So what? If you're gonna be performing in front of people, dancing's a part of that. You have to have the talents, the looks, and the moves. Come on."
Darcy grabbed Whitney's hand and dragged her to the elevator. Whitney was feeling a little down but figured no harm could come from dancing at The Grind. As long as she didn't order any more drinks.
********************
The Grind was surprisingly packed, since, according to Darcy, most people went to The Brightmore, which was more exclusive and formal. The Grind was this night's hot spot.
After dancing for a little bit, Whitney got thirsty and ordered herself a Neon Breeze, promising herself to take it easy so she hopefully wouldn't get sick the next day. Darcy got a Spotlight Polish.
It was almost 2am before Whitney and Darcy headed back home. They both washed off their makeup, changed into their pajamas, and crawled into bed.
Darcy fell asleep instantly, but Whitney's mind was full of thoughts. How could she not have realized she'd need an agent to get anywhere in Bridgeport? She was glad Darcy was such a good friend and was helping her out, but now she'd have to spend the following day searching for an agent and hoping one would be interested in her.
With that thought in mind, Whitney fell asleep, bracing herself for the day that was to come.
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