Chapter 3 #2
“Oh,” Hank says. “And everybody, this is Arabelle Quill. She’s our comedic relief in this dramedy.”
Well, I don’t love that introduction.
A chorus of half-hearted greetings makes me feel like an idiot for being late.
As I scan for a place to sit or stand, I make eye contact with a pretty blonde who pats the table next to her where there’s an open chair.
I see Crispin head toward it, so I put on some speed and slip into the chair first. She invited me, bucko.
A gal with headphones and an electronic tablet slides a script onto the table in front of me with my name in fancy font on the front page. I smile and nod at her.
“It’s great to meet you, Arabelle. I’m Sally Garza. I’m playing your big sister.”
Kill. Me. Now.
She’s gorgeous. Drop dead gorgeous. And though she doesn’t actually speak with a southern accent, that’s what I hear.
Maybe some bluebirds chirping around her head, as well.
She could carry a revival of Gone with the Wind on her own by bringing sweet Melanie Hamilton back to life.
How did that talent scout think I looked like her?
“Call me Ari. It’s great to meet you, Sally Garza.”
She erupts into a peal of overly pleased giggles that makes me shift away from her a little. Then she looks around as if to make sure no one is listening and leans toward me. “That’s one of my big dreams. To become so famous that everyone refers to me as SallyGarza. You know, like it’s one name.”
Dang it. She’s adorable too. I’m going to have to like her, and she’s probably going to make me feel like crap about myself the whole time without even meaning to.
“Crispin,” Hank says. “I was just telling everybody how you did us a huge favor by stepping in last minute.”
There is a chorus of enthusiastic appreciation from around the room as some guy vacates his seat for Crispin. The other guy who walked in with him – Trent, I guess – he does look familiar – slides into a seat next to Chandra Miracle.
Oh my gosh. There she is in the flesh. Wait a minute.
I look between her and SallyGarza. They could be mother and daughter.
Oh, duh. Those are the roles they’ll be playing.
Wait! I’ll be Chandra Miracle’s other daughter.
Why did I not put that all together? She’s so famous, I figured I’d be a nothing character compared to her, but I’ll be her youngest daughter.
What on Earth have I gotten myself into?
“Hey, are you okay?” Sally asks. “You look a little green all of a sudden.”
My gaze floats to her, and I want to let all my thoughts spill.
About how I’m just realizing I’ve made a humongous mistake.
I’m not cut out to do this. I act out five-minute scenes that Dad and I rewrote, not a full part in a motion picture.
How am I supposed to remember all my lines and cues and direction?
How can they expect the world to accept me as Chandra Miracle’s daughter? And Sally Garza’s sister?
I hear Dad in my head say, “We’ll take it till you make it, baby girl,” while he claps his hands together like he’s a Hollywood clapboard. It makes me swallow my panic and blink away my terror. I roll my eyes and laugh. “I’m sorry. I’m just a little starstruck sitting here with all these people.”
“Oh, my goodness, I know!” Sally whispers. “Trent Darby! Wasn’t he amazing in When the Sun Rises? I can’t believe he didn’t get a nomination from that. I wonder what happened to Daniel Harlen. But Crispin Moore is a good substitute. I can’t believe he has the time. He’s always working.”
“I heard him say he had to work it in between projects.” I look over at him, talking to the man next to him.
I have no idea if the man is in the movie, on the crew, or some important executive.
All I know is that Crispin strikes me as a total poser.
Like he knows he’s always being looked at, so he makes sure to always present his best side.
“Okay, people,” Hank says. “Let’s get this going.”
The room quiets down. A gal standing off to the side with a huge pair of earphones says, “Table reading for Much Like Me. Full cast present.”
I mimic Sally as she situates her script so that she can follow as people read their lines and the director reads the stage directions.
Well, she’ll have to read a lot because she and Chandra are the two main characters.
I don’t come in until page thirty-two. I follow along and mark any changes that are mentioned, even if they have nothing to do with me.
My stomach starts to knot as my first line approaches.
When we turn to page thirty-two, I skim the page and silently freak out when I don’t find my character’s name on it.
I flip forward a page and relax at the sight of my part.
I quickly hop back so as not to get lost.
When we flip to the next page, I’m feeling a little confused because it doesn’t feel familiar.
I’ve read my part a million times, and I know all the scenes leading into each line.
I squint, trying to stay focused on what’s going on and not skip ahead.
I have to deliver the part well, so I want to be in the same mind frame as everyone else.
Hank reads my cue. “Stella stumbles through the door, covered in grass stains and mud.”
I frown and read. “Has anyone seen Gnawshuss? He’s not in his cage.”
Laughter fills the room, but I’m just glaring at my script. This is not the same line in the script they sent me to study. I open my mouth and look up at Hank. “Who’s Gnawshuss?”
The room goes quiet, and that’s when I realize they had continued reading, so I just interrupted. Of course, now everybody is looking at me. I want to crawl under the table as my cheeks flame. I grimace.
“Your pet rat,” Hank answers.
“It’s just that this isn’t the same script as what I was sent.” I feel like I have to explain my behavior.
“Scripts change a lot. You’ll probably get several new scripts throughout the shoot.” Hank talks between clenched teeth. “Let’s save these sorts of questions for another time. Keep notes and ask Jenny later.”
I nod. I catch a glimpse of Crispin who is leaning back in his chair, a leg crossed over his knee, his script resting in his lap like he’s reading a novel on the beach while catching some sun.
He chuckles and leans to the guy next to him and whispers something.
I shift forward in my seat until I’m hovering over my own script and completely focused on it.
“Okay, let’s start from Christa’s line, “Back when Daddy…”
Sally, who plays Christa, reads effortlessly, adding the perfect inflections to the story her character is telling. Maybe she’s only done a one-line walk-on in a movie, but she’s definitely an actress.
Crap. I’m so screwed.