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I head over to the living room set we’re using today. The set design team has been working hard to make it look perfect and consistent with what we filmed yesterday. I’ve only read a few lines so far today on the outside set we have. There’s a lot of waiting around when you’re filming a movie.
“Beatrice!” the director yells. Candy comes running over in her sundress, a staple for her character.
“I’m here,” she says.
“Me, too.”
“Get over there by the couch. You remember your lines?”
I fight not to roll my eyes again. This director is a dick. No one has forgotten any lines in the couple of weeks we have been filming, yet he assumes the worst of us.
Candy and I take our places and film a scene where we’re starting to fall in love. Candy is extra touchy-feely, which I guess makes sense considering our characters are attracted to each other, but it feels wrong to me. I almost feel like I’m cheating on Leila, which is extra crazy. My relationship with her is just as fake as this on-screen romance with Candy.
“This is weird, isn’t it?” I ask in character. “I mean, we’ve been friends for so long …”
Candy runs her hand down my chest, and I fight the urge to shiver. “I know, but it feels right. They say the best relationships come from friendship …”
“Cut!” the director yells, and I immediately jump away from Candy. “That was good, but I’m not liking the lighting in here. Can we fix it?”
I walk off the set while they bring in and move around some lights. It’s always something with this director. We manage to finish the scene, where our two characters decide to give it a try, and we get a few minutes to break for lunch.
“I thought you’d never get through that.”
I sigh when Randy corners me near the lunch cart. I just want to enjoy a delicious sandwich that has been sitting out all day, not deal with my annoying agent.
“Yet here we are.”
“You and Candy have such great chemistry on screen. That’s why you should be with her. Think of how far you two could go together. You can be the next Bennifer! What do you think of Spendy? It’s cute, and I’ve got presses ready to run it.”
“Randy, stop. You know I’m dating Leila. I’m not ending things with her because you think Candy is good for my career. Can’t you see how weird that is?”
Randy throws up his arms. “You’re making my job more difficult than it has to be. Besides, I’m not buying your relationship with that plain girl.”
Anger bubbles inside me. “Leila is far from plain. She’s absolutely beautiful. And we’re dating. I don’t know what you need to do to get over it, but you should hurry up and do it.”
“You expect me to believe you were together for six months and didn’t get snapped in public once, but now suddenly you’re seen together all the time? Come on, man, you’re a good actor, but are you that good?”
“We hardly ever went anywhere before because Leila wanted the privacy. Once it got out, she realized we had no choice. She’s more comfortable being seen with me.”
Randy laughs. “So some nobody from Massachusetts is fine being plastered all over tabloids? How long is that gonna last?”
“We’re handling it. She’s not being pictured that much. It slowed down after the first few days.”
“So what you’re saying is you haven’t talked about it. Good, that means there’s still a chance that she’ll dump your ass. Just remember, the relationship with Candy is still an option. The second Leila leaves you, I expect you to grovel until I make it happen.”
“That’s not ever going to happen, even if Leila and I do break up, which we won’t.”
Randy throws up his arms once more. “You’re impossible!” He storms off without saying anything else.
I’m starting to wonder if I need a new agent. Randy always said no one would take me because I’m not a big enough star, but I book consistent work, even if it’s not in blockbuster movies or a long-running TV show. Maybe he was just saying that to keep me.
I sigh. This isn’t a big enough reason to kick Randy to the curb. He has stuck by me, and I genuinely believe he’s trying to help me by pushing the Candy thing. I’m still not going to let him talk about Leila like that, though. He crossed a line when he called her plain. Has he seen her? She’s the exact opposite.
Someone runs a hand down my arm as I’m finally choosing one of the warm sandwiches. I turn and find Candy next to me. I step away.
“Please don’t touch me like that.”
“Just staying in character. You know the director loves it.”
“Yeah, well, I don’t.”
