Cursed Popstar - 10

Waking Up

It had been three of the busiest weeks of Romeo’s life. Rachel had managed to pull together so many appearances for ‘Rosalind’ to make that they’d felt like they were on tour, despite being able to return to Toronto at the end of most days. If it wasn’t a music festival it was an appearance as a musical guest on a late night show. If it wasn’t singing the national anthem at a sporting event it was an autographing session. Volunteering at a soup kitchen at least gave them a day or two to rest their voice. Rachel had also managed to get them on a collab.

By the end of it, they’d gotten called ‘Rosalind’ so many times they were responding to that easier than their legal name. Especially on days like today, where they felt quite natural about being a girl.

Whether that was the social pressure to be feminine or the fact they’d had a nice pampering session at a spa before actually going home to their apartment last night, they weren’t sure, but… right now she was happy to laze about and paint her toenails while watching the news.

She’d painted her fingernails before all this plenty of times, though it had always felt at least partially motivated by shock value. A push to defy the gender norms of manhood. Put painting her toenails? When she’d be wearing socks and shoes when she eventually went out to the gym (her only plan on this, her first day off)? That was all for her. For embracing her feminine side.

“That’s right, the new single from The Fire Hearts with their replacement singer Rosalind Valenti is out,” the entertainment correspondent said. “And I have to say… Romeo had always banked on good looks at least as much as talent. Which isn't to say he was bad, but he wasn’t exceptional, artistically. His cousin, however… The Fire Hearts probably should have signed her from the start, because she’s something else. I can’t wait for everything she has in the pipeline, and hopefully a career stretching years after that. Definitely recommend they keep her on and not worry about getting Romeo back.”

Staring at the tv, brush for her nail polish still in hand, Rosalind didn’t know how to react. What was the normal emotional response to being told you were better than yourself? Or… worse than yourself?

It kind of felt like both. Like she’d been insulted and complemented in one statement.

Still, it was just one reviewer. Maybe some of the others liked Romeo better? She grabbed her phone, pulling up the major reviewers she’d put weight on. Nearly every one said something similar. That she’d been good as Romeo, but ‘he’ was getting by on charisma much more than talent. While one or two held that ‘she’ was similar enough, several others agreed that Rosalind was a better singer. Someone with that spark that separated a manufactured star from a superstar.

Her head was spinning a little with confused emotions. She… that…

She was getting dressed before she properly knew what she was planning to do. Where she was planning to go… she just had to go somewhere.

-

Logan’s place, that’s where she’d ended up. He had a loft in an older building on the other side of the Don River. In Leslieville, she was pretty sure.

Getting into the building was easy enough, she had keys to his place, but she decided to knock at the apartment door. It took a couple minutes before she heard the door unlock, it opening a crack to reveal Logan’s face.

“Ro? What are you doing here?” Logan asked, using the nickname he’d given her lately, short for both her real name and her alias.

“Can I come in?” she asked.

“Uh, yeah. Sure,” he replied, stepping back and letting her in.

She let him close the door before she let out her breath. “Have you read the reviews for the new single?”

“They seemed good?” he replied.

“Yeah, but… good in a weird way… they’re saying I’m better than myself?” she said.

“Ah. Well… it’s an older song that you covered?” Logan offered.

She shook her head and sat down on the sleek and modern couch Logan kept in his living room. “I’m pretty sure they were comparing my most recent stuff.”

He sat down beside her. It was still weird how he was taller than her these days.

“You stand out, now. That’s all. You were taught to sing like a guy, and a woman doing that is memorable, even if people can’t place why,” he said.

“Maybe, but… bleehhhh,” she moaned, slumping across his lap.

They’d always been a friend group that was relaxed with physical contact, and she was a girl right now, so she felt extra comfortable with platonic contact. Even if it was with a guy, since it was with a guy she’d been friends with for roughly forever. Plus, he was gay. And had never seemed interested in her, so… definitely wouldn’t have ulterior motivations right now.

Maybe that was why he’d never been interested in her before. Too many days where she was somewhere murky between masculine and feminine? That made sense… right?

Either way, she’d always been a sucker for physical contact and it helped her feel better.

“Were you wanting me to offer you ice cream or something?” Logan asked, looking down at her with a smirk.

“That might help a little… cheesecake sounds better, though,” she replied.

“Mhm… though you’re going to complain about its effects on your abs tomorrow,” Logan said, shifting to nudge her off his lap.

“I’m a girl now. I need fat for my boobs,” she countered.

“Ah. Who’d have ever thought you’d get less worried about your diet as a girl,” Logan replied with a laugh. “Alright, but if you want cheesecake I’ll have to get some delivered. I don’t have any.”

-

The next day had been all about recording. Which did mean there was less need for Rosalind to present a part to strangers. They could just be. Sure, they had to dress fairly nicely, for the Instasnap photos being taken, but they didn’t have to act like anything but themself. No need to pretend they weren’t Romeo.

It was nice to just be themself. Just talk music, without having to build up any lies and secrets.

Unlike what they’d had to do too much the past month… they still cringed a little at the memory of lying to Teddy, saying that the ‘truth’ was that they’d grabbed their cousin’s wallet instead of their own, and that was why they actually had a health card for ‘Romeo Valenti’ that night. That they’d lied to be able to get into the ER, and to keep from causing trouble for Romeo. An explanation tied to an apology for not having been able to meet up, being too busy with the band.

An apology they’d also had to send to Mario, promising that next week they could show him some sights in Toronto and Hammer City.

For the moment, though, they’d finished recording for a bit and were back in their change room. Sitting there and staring blankly at the mirror. It wasn’t about a disconnect from their face. Just a matter of being tired.

The sort of tired where their brain felt dead, but they didn’t quite feel ready to take a nap. Nor did they want to risk that, considering it was barely 5 pm, but they felt tired enough to sleep for the night. So they risked napping too long and not sleeping right that night.

“Where am I?” a voice asked, causing them to jump slightly.

The door hadn’t opened, and the room was empty… or, at least, this version of the room was empty. Across the mirror, they saw Hermaphroditus, though the deity looked about as out of it as they felt.

“My dressing room?” Rosalind offered.

“Your… who are you?”

Rosalind stared at them. They stared back. Nothing was said for a few moments as both parties remained deeply confused by the situation.

“I’m… I’m the one you cursed? That you’ve shown up to annoy from time to time the last few weeks?” Rosalind replied.

Hermaphroditus stared for another few moments, before their face scrunched up. “Salmakis!?”

Their face shifted and softened. “G—good morning.”

The face scrunched again. “What is going on, Salmakis?”

“Umm… well… it was Cupid’s fault you fell in love and then had your heart broken,” they replied to themself, face soft once more. “So… I figured I should get some vengeance by cursing his son?”

The back and forth continued for a few minutes after that, as Rosalind slowly pieced together what was happening. The myths had said that Hermaphroditus and Salmakis had fused into one being… sure, they’d all acted like the fusing was physical and Salmakis’ mind had been completely wiped from existence, but it seemed that was not the case. She was still there, though seemed to be a bit of a junior partner. Which Rosalind supposed made sense. One of them was a deity while the other was ‘merely’ a nymph.

As they listened, they worked out that it was Salmakis who had cursed them, acting on behalf of Hermaphroditus and impersonating them. She had specifically had it out for Romeo, as a way to get back at Eros. Hermaphroditus, meanwhile, had seemed to just want to pout in the back corner of their mind for a bit as a way of getting over a broken heart. They’d only just decided their mood was improved enough to face the world again.

What, precisely, had happened to break their heart, Rosalind wasn’t sure. They decided it was probably best not to ask an Olympian deity questions they weren’t likely to enjoy, however. There were probably worse things than their current curse they could be hit with.

Finally, Hermaphroditus shook their head and turned to Rosalind. “I am sorry you were dragged into all of this, but I will see what I can do to do right by you. I try to behave better than the rest of my family, after all.”

With that the winged deity then disappeared from the mirror, leaving Rosalind more than a little confused just what they were up to.

-

The next day Rosalind tried to keep the strange surprise appearance of the real Hermaphroditus off of her mind as she headed to the meet up point with Teddie. She just wanted a normal day, free from being a star. Those few days after being cursed where she’d been able to blend into crowds had reminded her how much she missed it.

Teddie was leaning against a tree, wearing a baggy hockey jersey (for the North York Furies), and looking quite dashing. Quietly, Rosalind felt a bit disappointed in the incompatibility coming from Teddie being a lesbian, but… hey, they could still be friends.

Realising that Teddy hadn’t noticed her, Rosalind strolled up with a grin spreading across her face as she approached.

“Hey,” she said, struggling not to giggle.

Teddie jumped slightly as she realised it was Rosalind in front of her. “I—you’re wearing a wig?”

“Mhm. An advantage to having such a distinctive haircut is that tossing on a wig goes a long way to having no one recognise me,” she replied, lightly patting the long dark wig on her head.

It was a high quality one, and matched to her natural hair colour, so it looked quite natural. Adding in mildly dated sunglasses that covered a good chunk of her face and that second hand sundress she’d bought before and she was pretty sure no one would guess who she was.

“You look pretty adorable like that,” Teddie said, taking in her current appearance.

“Thanks!” Rosalind replied. “So, where are we going today?”

“Uh, well, I was thinking we’d grab some shawarma, then maybe stroll down Roncesvalles avenue to see if there’s any cute and quirky shops?” Teddie said with a slight shrug. “I’ll admit that my social life is usually a bit more nocturnal than this, but I thought you might like a little quiet.”

“Quiet sounds nice,” Rosalind said with a grin. “As does shawarma.”

Teddie gave a smile and then led the way to a nearby little takeout oriented shawarma joint. There were seats, though, and so the pair sat down at one of the two tables, beside a large mirror. Teddie was mentioning how the place had her favourite falafels when movement caught Rosalind’s eye.

Glancing over at the mirror, she realised Hermaphroditus was sitting in the reflection, having pulled a chair up beside the table. Rosalind stared at them, not sure if they should say anything with someone else here.

Could other people see Hermaphroditus? She really wasn’t sure…

“Not going to at least say ‘hello’?” the deity asked.

“I…” Rosalind started to mutter.

“What are you—” Teddie started to ask, before turning to the mirror and jumping. She then whipped her head back around, to see there wasn’t anyone else at the table on their side of the mirror. “Who th—how is… what in the…”

“Oh, good. You can see them,” Rosalind said, letting out a sigh of relief.

“I don’t think she can hear me, though, but seeing me is still pretty good,” Hermaphroditus replied. “Must have some good spiritual abilities and affinities.”

Teddie moved a hand to whisper to Rosalind, while keeping Hermaphroditus from seeing her mouth. “Please don’t tell me that’s an angel… I don’t want to know what my dad would say if I said I met one.”

“They’re an Erote,” Rosalind replied. “A type of ancient Greek love deity.”

Teddie nodded a few times. “Ok… and you don’t seem surprised to see them…”

“They cursed me… well, one of them did…” Rosalind explained.

“And I think I know a way to relieve the curse,” Hermaphroditus said. “To make up for Salmakis’ impulsive actions.”

“Y-you do?” she asked, turning to them.

“Mhm. There is a witch currently living over in Hammer City. She should be able to help you with it,” they said.

“There’s… that close? I… I need to go catch a train,” Rosalind said.

“A train? To where?” Teddie asked.

“Hammer City.”

“Stoney Creek, specifically,” Hermaphroditus explained.

“Uh, well, we can take a streetcar down to Roncesvalles Station?” Teddie offered.

“That sounds good,” Rosalind said, hopping to her feet. “Oh gosh… I’m going to be free from being cursed!”

As she bounced around excited, it did not pass through her mind just what being ‘uncursed’ would mean. At some point in the last month or so the ‘need to undo her curse’ had separated as a concern from thoughts about exploring her gender and connecting to her femininity. As such, she was simply too giddy about the idea of getting her old face and career back to stop and assess the situation.

Poor Teddie, who was quite confused about it all, had chosen to not ask about the specifics of the curse. If Rosalind wasn’t telling her then she assumed it was something private and embarrassing. Definitely not something to pry about on what was (sort of) a first date.