Single Wide Female: The Bucket List Mega Bundle - 24 Books (Books #1-24)

by Lillianna Blake

  “Listen up, people. My name’s Cheryl and I’m going to be asking for your cooperation as we get you all organized,” a woman said. She waved a clipboard toward a large folding table. “Extras over here!”

  At least half of the crowd inside the lobby began walking in her direction. She looked slightly horrified.

  Despite her initial look of terror, she soon had us divided up according to the needs of the movie. Men were lumped together in one section of the lobby, women were grouped together in another. Then she took it a step further and divided us by general age.

  I knew that the chance of actually scoring a role as an extra was going to be slim to none. Tons of people always showed up to the set in hopes of getting the chance to show their faces on the big screen. Of course, even if I did land one of the spots, there was still a good chance that my scene would end up edited out.

  That didn’t matter much to me. I wasn’t there for the fame. I was there because I wanted to push myself as far out of my comfort zone as possible.

  There was a time in my life when I despised being photographed. I claimed to be camera shy, but it was mostly because I hated the way I looked in pictures. It was always a big shock to see a photo of myself and realize that I’d gained even more weight. I guess one could say that I’d been in a bit of denial back then.

  Since my slow transformation had begun, I was trying to break free of all of the little hang-ups that had once held me back about my body. What better way to truly overcome that hesitation of putting myself out there, than the possibility of being filmed?

  As the minutes ticked by, it seemed to me that the women standing all around me were closing in more and more. I tried to edge my way out of the group, but there wasn’t an easy exit.

  “I can’t wait to see him,” one of the women said.

  I watched as the group clustered close together. They were discussing the celebrity that was starring in the movie. I didn’t want to show it, but I was excited too. He had played in several of the romance movies that I enjoyed watching.

  “Attention, attention,” a man said. He was carrying a clipboard and tapping it lightly against the outside of his thigh. “I need some extras for a scene. I only need three.”

  Everyone rushed forward to volunteer. I ended up behind a wall of perfect and beautiful young women chomping at the bit to be on screen.

  “Okay ladies, if I say no, you can either go back into the pool in case a replacement is needed or you can go home.” He looked up at the group and swept his eyes back and forth across them.

  “No, no, no, no.” He pointed at each woman he dismissed with his pen.

  I found it a little annoying that he was acting like we were cattle, but none of the other women seemed to mind in the least. The ones that were dismissed just sighed and stepped back behind the white line of tape.

  Soon there were only five of us left. I was a little surprised that I was still there. I started to wonder if I had missed him pointing the pen at me. I waited for a moment. He was staring down at his clipboard and ignoring us.

  “Sir, am I supposed to still be here?” I asked.

  He glanced up from his clipboard and looked at me. Then he looked back down at his clipboard. He jerked the cap off his pen, made a mark on the paper, then recapped the pen. He looked up at the five of us.

  “No, no, no, no.” He pointed the pen at the other four women around me.

  They all retreated behind the white line, leaving me still standing there. I felt awkward, as if I’d missed some signal that I should have understood. When he looked back down at his clipboard, I decided that he must have dismissed me too. I started to step back behind the white line. He looked up the moment I moved.

  “Where are you going?”

  “Oh, I thought you were done with me.”

  “I chose you.”

  “You what?” I looked at him with disbelief.

  “I need a real woman for the part. Are you a real woman?” He narrowed his eyes as he studied me.

  I balked at the question. I wasn’t sure if he meant it to be rhetorical or if he was asking me if I was transgendered.

  “Yes, I am.” My voice halted with each word.

  “Then you are who I need.” He tapped his pen lightly against his clipboard.

  “Okay, thank you.” I smiled with excitement.

  I couldn’t believe that out of all of the women he had selected me. Of course it was not like I would win a prize, but it was nice to be noticed. As soon as I was feeling good about it, I started to feel paranoid. Why had he chosen me? What did he mean by a real woman?

  I walked over to Cheryl, who was wiping away a smear of jelly. The donuts smelled very good and looked even better.

  “Hungry?” she asked.

  “No, I’m fine.”

  “They’re free.” She held the box out to me.

  “No thank you.” I forced my eyes away from the temptation. I was there to expand my comfort zone, not my waistline.

  “Okay, then let’s get started. Follow me.”

  Chapter 3

  I followed Cheryl down a corridor to the back of the warehouse. One of the doors was marked Dressing Room. From the nondescript exterior I was expecting nothing more than a broom closet. Once I stepped inside behind Cheryl I was stunned. The dressing room was absolutely fascinating. Not only was it filled to the brim with some of the most beautiful gowns and outfits that I’d ever seen, there were also several outlandish costumes. I smiled at a monkey costume hanging in one corner. There was a beautiful set of angel wings perched right beside it.

  “This is amazing.” I brushed my fingertips lightly along the smooth surface of a reptile tail.

  “Ah, you’re a first-timer, huh?” Cheryl began sorting through some clothing that was hanging on a rack.

  “Yes. Honestly, I didn’t expect to be chosen.”

  “The director likes fresh faces. Many of these extras are so mired in the business that they try to act their way into the role. The thing is, the director has already chosen the actors that he wants. When he’s looking for an extra, he’s looking for someone who will pass as a real person, not a fictional character. I guess he thought you were human enough to play the part.” She held up a tiny nightgown in front of me. “Put this on.”

  “Uh? On which part?” I smiled to show that I was joking, but I was partially serious. The nightgown was more like a strip of material with spaghetti straps.

  “It’ll fit you. Trust me. I have an eye for this.” Cheryl turned back to the rack and began sorting through some even skimpier options.

  I stepped into a narrow booth to try the nightgown on. I wondered if I would have to pay for it if I ripped it in the process. With such a sexy garment, I wondered exactly what part I would be playing. To my surprise, as I slid the nightgown on, it did fit. It was snug on my chest and just loose enough around my hips for me to be able to move in it.

  “Is there a robe or something to go over it?” I stepped out in front of Cheryl.

  “Oh, honey, you look wonderful.” Cheryl nodded her approval. “I have an eye for sizes. Don’t worry about a robe. You’re going to be under a blanket most of the time. The nightgown is just there in case the blanket shifts or something else happens during the scene that exposes you. The role you will be playing is of a very seductive and powerful woman, so we can’t exactly have her in flannel pajamas.”

  “That sounds like a good role. Do you know anything else about it?”

  “I think that it’s better if you let the director fill you in.” Cheryl opened the door for me. “You had better get out there before he selects a replacement.”

  She practically shoved me out into the long corridor. When the door snapped closed behind me, I realized that I felt very self-conscious about what I was wearing. It was a long walk from the dressing room back to the set. I made it longer by walking as slowly as possible. I was dreading walking out in front of a crowd of people in the skimpy nightgown. Eventually I did make it to the end
of the hallway.

  “Where is my extra?” The director’s voice boomed over the din of the chattering crowd.

  “I’m here, I’m here.” I raised my hand in the air to draw his attention, and the nightgown pulled right up along my thighs. Luckily I noticed the breeze before anyone else did and dropped my arm.

  “What’s your name?” The director walked over to me.

  “Samantha.” I looked past him at the set. It was set up as if straight out of a romance.

  I was excited by the idea of being involved in a film about my favorite genre of movies. Well, my favorite movies unless I was feeling sullen and lonely, then I wanted noting to do with romance.

  “Okay, Samantha, get on set please.” He nodded his head toward the set.

  I stepped forward awkwardly.

  As soon as I was officially on to the set, I noticed that there were some things amiss. For a romantic movie, there were some odd items lying around. On the bed beside the pillow was a fake gun. On the fake wall a portrait of a man in silhouette hung. The positioning of his body in the picture was quite odd, if not a little morbid. The king-size bed with a luxurious quilt spread across it certainly looked romantic enough, but when I looked more closely at it, I noticed a few fake bloodstains on the crisp material.

  “Alright, let me hear you scream.”

  I spun around to find the director standing behind me. I stared at him with wide eyes.

  “Excuse me?”

  “I need to hear you scream.”

  “Uh, what kind of scream?”

  “A scared scream.”

  “Okay.” I cleared my throat.

  I didn’t think protesting the idea of being afraid would be a good way to land the role. I took a deep breath and then screamed as if I was terrified. I wasn’t timid about it. After all, it isn’t every day that an adult gets to scream as long and loud as they want without consequences.

  “Enough!” He covered his ears and grimaced.

  I wondered if I had gone a little too high-pitched.

  “Okay, we do have microphones, so you don’t have to be that loud.”

  “Sorry.”

  “Don’t be. You’re the first extra I’ve had that actually screamed instead of pretending to be just cute, but frightened. As long as you can work with the actor, you can fill this role. But remember, you have to remain professional. Do you think you can do that?”

  “Yes, I can.” I tried to hide my grin of excitement.

  I forgot all about the bloodstains on the bed and the guns lying around the fake room. I was proud of myself for being bold enough to be chosen by the director.

  Chapter 4

  As he walked away, I noticed a crowd of extras glaring at me. I was a little surprised by their animosity. We were all there for the same reason. There were other spots to get. Why would they be so angry with me?

  “So, I guess we’ll be working together on this scene.” The voice was smooth in a way that only came from absolute confidence and the bankroll to back it up.

  I looked over my shoulder to see Liam Roderick standing in the doorway of the fake bedroom. Liam Roderick. Now, I’m not a superfan. In fact I’m not even a little bit of a fan. But when someone who has been in just about every big hit movie recently is standing right in front of you, it will make your heart beat a little faster.

  “Oh, um, I guess.” I stumbled over my words.

  Now I knew why all of those women were angry at me. I was going to get to work one on one with Liam. It was something most women would dream about. It only made me even more nervous. He seemed to notice the strain in my expression.

  “Don’t worry. It’ll be over before you know it.”

  The way he winked at me made me want to promise him my firstborn child. But the moment he turned away, the spell was broken.

  I had to wonder what in the world I’d gotten myself into. Not only was I working with a huge movie star, I was also going to have my impending epic failure recorded on film. I started to move towards the edge of the set. I was sure that there would be plenty of other women who would jump at the opportunity to take over for me. Before I could get all the way off of the set, the director stepped up beside me. He was looking over a stack of papers on his clipboard.

  “So when Liam comes in, you have to scream. You’re terrified. There’s a strange masked man in your bedroom, and you have no idea what will happen next,” the director said. He was still looking down at his paper.

  “Okay. But what will happen next?”

  “Let’s just see how you do with this step, and then we’ll move on to rehearsing the next portion of the scene. I really like to get that authentic anxiety in a person’s eyes, so the best way to do that is to keep you in the dark.” He smiled at me. “Just don’t overthink it. React as you naturally would.”

  “Okay.” I tugged at the hem of my nightgown.

  The more I learned about the film, the more nervous I was becoming. The director was about to walk away, when I caught him lightly by the arm. “I’m just wondering, what kind of film is this?”

  “You don’t even know what film you’re working on?” He looked at me with a funny expression on his face. “How is that possible? Everyone in this whole town knows what movie we’re filming. But not you, huh?”

  “Not exactly. I just came here today on a whim.”

  I glanced around the set again. I was starting to feel unnerved by the assortment of weapons I saw. “Maybe it would be better if you used someone else.”

  “No, I don’t think so. Your ignorance will make your reaction even more authentic. I think you’re perfect.” He nodded as if the decision was made. Apparently only his opinion mattered in the situation.

  “Are you sure? I’ve never done this before.”

  As soon as I spoke the words I remembered Max’s lecture. Why even try if you’re only going to doubt? He was right. I wasn’t giving it my all. I was letting my fear get the better of me.

  “I mean, I’d really like to do it. I’m excited about it. I just want to be sure that I’m right for the part.”

  “Hey, I’m the director and if I say that you’re right for the part, then you’re right for the part,” he said, shaking his head. “Besides, it’s not going to take much acting. I just need an honest reaction from you—nothing forced or rehearsed.”

  “It might help just a little if I had some idea of the genre of the movie at least…”

  “It’s an action thriller.” He walked toward the cameras.

  The words action thriller repeated through my mind. Was there a chance that I was going to have to act out a murder scene? My stomach churned at the idea. Most of the time I refused to watch the thrillers that Max enjoyed.

  Once in a while I would watch a scary movie with him or he would refuse to watch my romances. But I always made sure to avoid any gruesome scenes. If there was violence, I’d get up to refill our glasses or pop more popcorn. I just didn’t like to see people die—even if it was fake. Max teased that I was a wuss for it, but I didn’t feel the need to defend myself. To me, entertainment was for the purpose of making someone feel good, not making them feel horrified.

  However, I seemed to be in a position where I was about to be murdered.

  “Okay, Samantha, I need you to get in the bed,” the director said.

  I looked over at the bed. Already in the tiny nightgown, I felt embarrassed to be in such a vulnerable position in front of a crowd of people. But this was what I’d signed up for. The point was to get as far out of my comfort zone as possible, and I was determined to do just that.

  I took a deep breath and reminded myself of all of the women that had missed out on this part because it had been given to me. They would give anything to be in my position, so I needed to find a way to be grateful for it.

  Carefully I lifted the edge of the blanket. I did my best to avoid the patches of fake blood. I rested my head against the pillow and stared at the ceiling.

  “You have to pretend to be asleep.
”

  I closed my eyes. I was so nervous that I was gripping the blanket very tightly.

  “Try to relax.”

  Chapter 5

  I tried to relax. I focused on peaceful thoughts. I imagined fluffy bunnies, wide-open skies, and the rush of ocean waves. I did such a good job that I started to feel sleepy. My mind began to drift. I wondered briefly whether the scene was ever going to begin. As I waited, and waited and waited, I began to get even more sleepy. Soon I was in an almost trance-like state of peaceful thoughts and near sleep.

  All of a sudden I heard a loud crash—then what sounded like gunfire. I sat up swiftly and screamed. Only it wasn’t the scream I had practiced. It was a real scream, as I had completely forgotten where I was. I saw the man in the black mask and grabbed the lamp on the bedside table. I hurled it straight at him.

  “Hey! Watch it!” He ducked to avoid the lamp and it crashed into the floor.

  “What the hell?” the director demanded.

  “She tried to kill me!” the man in the mask said. He ripped off his mask to reveal that it actually was Liam Roderick. I had just thrown a lamp at one of the biggest movie stars in Hollywood.

  “Oh dear, I’m sorry. I must have fallen asleep.” I jumped quickly out of the bed and began picking up the pieces of broken lamp. “I’m so sorry, really. I didn’t mean to.”

  I didn’t dare to look up at Liam, who was standing beside me. I could feel him watching every move that I made.

  “So you’re not trying to assassinate me?”

  “No.” I still didn’t look up.

  “I guess that’s a good thing.”

  “I’m sorry. I’ll just get out of your way.” I let the janitor take over cleaning up the lamp and hurried off the set.

  I was halfway down the hallway toward the exit when I realized I was still dressed only in a skimpy nightgown.

  “Hey!” The director was chasing me down the hallway.

  “I’m sorry! I forgot to change. I’ll just go change. I can pay for the lamp too if you want. I’m sorry.” I couldn’t stop apologizing, I was so embarrassed.

  “Don’t be sorry. That was great work you did in there. You know it really gave me some perspective on the situation. When I direct these types of scenes I always have the woman screaming, or frozen in fear. Maybe she tries to run. But I never really saw it from the woman’s point of view. What you did by grabbing the first thing that was in your reach and hurling it at the intruder, really gave the scene some reality. The part might be for an extra, but you really gave the character dimension by showing that she wasn’t going to go down without a fight. I think that you really depicted how a modern woman would react.”