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Totally gross I know, but uh, I was desperate.
Anyway, it worked.
Fifteen minutes later, I arrived at Trevor’s office, peeled my backside from my car seat and headed inside. As I mentioned, the audition was at Trevor’s studio office instead of the studio itself. For a production that’s already underway, that’s pretty unusual.
Even more strange though, was the parking lot was nearly empty. I counted barely a handful of cars, including my own. Walking inside, I confirmed my suspicion. I was the only one there for the audition. Even though Trevor mentioned he’d be able to have a good deal of influence on whether or not I got the role, I found the fact there were no other girls well, really bizarre.
As I walked in, Trevor greeted me.
“Maddie, hey!”
“Trevor,” I said, as I scanned the office. “Where is everyone?”
“Hmm?” he began, as he swung around behind me and placed his palm in the small of my back. He started to guide me down the hallway towards a conference room at the end of it. As we walked, he continued, “What do you mean?”
Something didn’t seem right. Not at all. I stopped walking and as I did, Trevor’s momentum carried him past me.
“Maddie? What’s wrong? Is everything okay?”
I grimaced at him. “Trevor. Why aren’t there any other girls here for the audition? And why aren’t we at the studio for it?” I paused and looked around. “And where is everyone else? Are we the only ones here?”
“Maddie, just relax, would ya? Now, come on. Let’s go in the conference room and get this going.”
With his right hand, he gestured for me to follow him. As he spoke, I studied him for any signs of deception. But for now anyway, he appeared to be sincere. So, with reluctance, I did as he asked and followed him into the conference room.
Once there, we sat on either side of a large computer monitor and I performed my reading, alone, with Trevor and the only other person present during it — one of the Assistant Directors via video from his home in Malibu.
I’m just saying, the whole situation was about the weirdest thing I’d ever experienced.
Twenty minutes later, we’d finished the reading. Trevor seemed pleased, but I’d be lying if I said I was. I started out nervous and even though having him there calmed me down a bit, I still wasn’t certain how I’d done.
This was made doubly confusing by the strange circumstances surrounding the whole situation. So as we exited the conference room, I didn’t know how to feel about any of it. This was in spite of Trevor’s assurances that things went better than he hoped.
MADDIE
In fact, as we exited the conference room, Trevor moved in my direction as if he were about to hug me. I straightened my arms, locking them in place, and pressed them against his chest.
“Whoa there,” I began. “What do you think you’re doing?”
“Well, congratulating you, of course. What else?”
I wrinkled my brow at him. “I don’t understand. Why are you congratulating me?”
“What do you mean?” he said with an excited tone in his voice. “What else should I do? You got the part, Maddie!”
What started as confusion a moment earlier turned into downright bewilderment as I stared at him.
“How do I have the part? None of the execs are here. No one else even auditioned.” I gestured back towards the conference room. “The only other person involved at all was the Assistant Director and that was by video chat. I’ve been holding my tongue since I arrived Trevor, but something strange is going on here and I want you to tell me what it is.”
“What’s strange?” he replied. “I called you up for the audition. You came in and nailed it. As the decision maker, I make the final choice about who to recommend to the Executive Producer. And Maddie, I’m saying that it’s you!”
Horror swept over me. Was this the other studio Harvey mentioned? The one where I had to sleep with the Executive Producer to get the role?
“Wait, so you’re going to recommend me to the Executive Producer, Trevor?”
A grin spread across his face. “Yep.”
It couldn’t be. Even Trevor wouldn’t stoop to such a level just to get in my pants. If he thought he could convince me to have sex with both him and the Executive Producer to get the role, he was crazy. Yet, as I looked at him in silence, he stood in front of me rubbing his hands together and smiling like a hungry cat looks at a canary cage.
“Well? Time to get down to it. Wanna go to my office, Maddie? I’ve got a couch in there. We can get started right away.”
“What!” I exclaimed.
Primal urges welled up from deep within me. If I could have willed him to spontaneously combust, I would have. Instead, my jaw clenched, my hands balled together into fists and I marched straight up to him, ready to unleash hell.
“You mother fucker!” I yelled as I waved my arms. “You sneaky, vile, disgusting… creep! You’ve done some lowdown dirty shit to me, Trevor, but this… this takes things to a whole other level of depravity.”
As I scolded him, Trevor’s eyes widened and he began to back away from me, holding his arms up in a gesture of mock surrender.
“Maddie,” he began. “You don’t understand. You’ve got this all wrong.”
“Shut up!” I screamed. “Shut up, shut up, shut up!”
I’d gotten so upset screaming that I bit into the side of my cheek by accident. He fell silent as I seethed. The salty hint of blood in my mouth penetrated my awareness. Swallowing my pain and traces of thick liquid down, I continued to berate him.
“You know how much this meant to me and for you to say the things you did and use this as nothing more than an opportunity to fuck me? Jesus, Trevor! What the hell has happened to you? Your mother would be disgusted at what you’ve become.”
Bewildered, he interrupted. “Fuck you? Maddie, what are you talking about?”
“Just spare me, Trevor. Okay?” I gestured in the direction of his office and continued, “Uh! Go to your office? You’ve got a couch in there? Get started right away? I see right through your pathetic charade, Trevor. Let me save you the trouble, as well as my own breath. God, I can’t believe I trusted you when you said you were sorry. I am not having sex with you. Not now, not ever! Do you understand me, you bastard!?!”
By now, my breath had reached a cadence that bordered on panting. As I paused for air, Trevor jumped in to fill the silence.
“Maddie,” he pleaded. “Look, you’ve got this all wrong. I am not trying to have sex with you, okay? I mentioned my office and the couch so we could sit somewhere in silence and comfort and talk about the part. That’s it. I promise.”
My rage slipped. My guard didn’t.
“What about the Executive Producer?” I scoffed. “The one I have to sleep with? And why aren’t we at the studio? Like, what the hell is that all about?”
“Maddie I don’t know anything about the producer, all right? Maybe it’s another studio or something. I couldn’t say. As far as why we aren’t at the studio. It’s being painted right now, so we’ve shut down production for a few days until it’s completed. Look, all I do know is that I am not trying to do anything of the sort to you.”
I broke my gaze on him as his words sunk in. The heat I’d built up during my outburst remained, but now as shame instead of anger. Balling my fist, I raised it to my mouth and felt a sudden swell of emotion rise up inside, causing me to shake as I fought to restrain it.
“Maddie?” Trevor said, as I stood in front of him, unable to speak. “What is going on? This isn’t like you.”
It took everything I had to hold back the tears. I wasn’t even upset at Trevor as much as I was at myself. Trevor was right. What the hell was happening to me? I didn’t just go off on people like this. With a hard swallow, I managed to stifle my frustration and disappointment with myself long enough to muster a well-deserved apology to him.
“Trevor,” I began. “I don’t know what to say, except thank you and I’m sorry.”
“Hey, it’s okay, Maddie,” he said, as he reached towards me and placed his hand on my shoulder. With a soft squeeze, he continued, “Are you sure you’re okay? Do you want to sit down for a minute? Can I get you anything?”
A few minutes later, I sat in Trevor’s office as he returned with a glass of water.
“Here,” he said, as he came in and handed it to me.
“Thanks, Trevor.” I replied, taking the glass from him. It was cold to the touch and soothed my palms as I wrapped both hands around it. As I took a sip, the clear liquid ran down my throat. In the heat of our argument, I hadn’t realized how thirsty I’d gotten. It was just what I needed. Exhaling, I leaned back into the soft fabric of his couch and closed my eyes.
As I rested, I heard a stack of papers crinkle on the edge of Trevor’s desk as he sat down on them.
“Wanna talk about it?” he asked. “Is it your business?”
I exhaled, lifted my head forward and looked in his direction. “No, it’s nothing. Really. I am so sorry, Trevor. You didn’t deserve that from me.”
Placing his palms flat, Trevor gripped the edge of his desk and nodded.
