Transcript for Chapter 11B
Opens with Jade surrounded by Justice and several girls. She has just learned that these girls are the members of Bouquet, and she's surprised. The word "Flower" is still written on her forehead, although it's mostly obscured by her hair.
Jade: Really?
Justice looks disappointed, or maybe desperate. After all those Bouquet videos he watched with Jade, after everything they talked about, she's still basically a dunce about the girls. Justice, too, still has marker on his forehead.
Justice: Yes.
Jade: But Bouquet has eight people in it.
Justice: Had eight people. Nadia and Bobbi left, remember? We talked about this. Two left, so two are coming in.
Jade's face finally shows understanding, if not interest.
Jade: Right, right.
Justice gestures to the girls, most of whom are smiling amiably at Jade.
Justice: These are the members we have now.
The girls are shown one at a time, in individual panels, as Justice introduces them.
Justice: Madeline; Charlotte, but we call her Cherry; Sophia; Kaitlyn; Lucy; and Riley. Riley was the winner of the last audition.
Madeline is the oldest member. Her short hair is mostly pulled up into a messy little updo, but the fringe hangs loose in the front. She is smiling benevolently. Cherry's eyes are heavy-lidded and her smile is unintentially sultry. Her hair is also short, although it is lighter than Madeline's. Sophie is a blond with her hair half-up in curlers. Kaity is also a blond, and she wears her hair on one side in a ponytail. They both have pleasant smiles. Lucy has dark, straight hair, and Riley, the youngest, is grinning. Her hair is mid-toned and worn in two ponytails.
Jade doesn't look all that interested in this information.
Jade: Gotcha. So, what are they doing here?
The Bouquet girls stare at Jade, surprised. Only Riley is still grinning, although a drop of sweat on her head proves that it's kind of a strain.
Madeline: Bouquet always makes an appearnace during the Final Round. The current members get to mentor the contestants.
Cherry looks at her askance, smirking.
Cherry: Get to?
Riley grins.
Riley: So that means one of us will be mentoring you, Jade!
She runs up to Jade, excited.
Riley: If it's me, I can show you all my cute poses. Like this!
Riley stops in a cutesy idol pose with her knees together, her hands by her face and her tongue sticking out. The background bursts with happy dots.
Jade is unmoved.
Jade: That's a good one.
Riley doesn't release the pose.
Riley: I know.
Kaity grabs Justice's arm. He looks down at her.
Kaity: Are you going to hang out with us for a while? We missed you.
The girls crowd around Justice, looking adorable.
Sophia: Yeah, we missed you!
Lucy: Hang out with us.
Cherry: Yeah, Juss, be a sport.
Justice looks regretful.
Justice: I wish I could, but I have to help get Jade ready for the round. But we can all hang out tonight, okay? I'll order take out.
The girls celebrate in the bcakground as Justice waves behind himself and walks away.
Girls: Yay! Date with Justice!
Justice: See you in a bit.
We can still see the Bouquet girls being cute and energetic on one half of the makeup room as Jade and Justice walk away. Jade smirks at Justice.
Jade: Aren't we popular with the ladies?
Justice: We're not. But I am. Didn't anyone tell you?
Justice takes her into the other half of the makeup room, an area that is darker and less used.
Justice: Have a seat.
He puts alcohol onto a cotton swab and hands it to her.
Justice: Take care of that ink.
Jade sits on a stool in front of one of the large, lighted mirrors, and being to rub at the ink on her forehead. She grins.
Jade: I guess every group of girls needs a token gay pal.
Justice is sitting on the next stool, facing the mirror adjacent to Jade's. He's preparing his own cotton ball with alcohol. His face is mild.
Justice: Very true.
Theu scrub for a moment. Justce is standing up, leaning foreward into his mirror so he can see what he's doing. Jade is more laid back, still just sitting on her stool. Finally, though, Jade looks up and contemplates Justice as he scrubs at the ink on his face. Her own head is clean.
Jade smiles.
Jade: You're not though, right?
Justice grins down at her, a little cheesy.
Justice: Not what?
She frowns. She doesn't like it when he plays with her.
Jade: You're not.
Justice keeps cleaning.
Justice: Why not?
Jade thinks for a moment.
Jade: I don't know. I mean, I know you're kind of flamboyant, but I just thought that was the Hollywood thing.
Justice keeps his eyes on himself, in his mirror. He's still smiling.
Justice: Uh huh.
Jade: And I guess you have been pretty-
Justice fakes an embarrassed and humbled smile.
Justice: Why, thank you.
Jade gives him a stern look.
Jade: I was going to say, pretty detached. You're obsessed with girls, but I can't tell if it's because you're horny, or because you're they're fabulous.
Justice seems to be talking to himself in the mirror.
Justice: It's true, isn't it? Gay or straight, every guy on earth is obsessed with pretty girls.
Jade: Why do I feel like you're dodging my question?
Justice is done with the cotton ball; he takes aim, and then chucks it with decent form into a trash can across the room. He looks up thoughtfully.
Justice: I'm "detached" because I have to be. I couldn't do this job if I wasn't.
Jade: Why not?
Justice: Because they're off-limits.
Jade: Who? The Bouquet girls?
Justice finally looks at her.
Justice: Every girl that works for us.
He sits on the counter.
Justice: My dad is very serious about that. "We profit from their youth, so it's our job to protect their innocence." That's his official position on getting involved with the girls.
He closes his eyes.
Justice: We me he's not that diplomatic.
Jade swivels her head.
From here, she can still see the Bouquet girls goofing off on the other half of the room. Lucy is tossing a teddy bear to Madeline, and Kaity is pulling off her shirt. They all seem to be having fun, and no one is very completely dressed.
Jade: And here you are, surrounded by all these hot ladies in hot pants.
She grins to herself.
Jade: Poor thing.
Justice looks at her, a little surprised.
Justice: Don't feel sorry for me. I feel sorry for you.
Jade frowns, suspicious.
Jade: Why?
Justice: I can't date the girls. You can't date anybody.