by Yuriko Hime
She sighed. That single sound told me everything. She still gave the verdict though. "No we didn't. Bianca went to the go-see and got the commercial. Hold on rookie, I need to take this call." I waited on the line and heard Kay answer her other phone- one of the few that she'd bring with her every day. I frowned while I tuned out her conversation. By now I was used to her talking to other people while I was on the line. It was nothing personal. Just her doing the job.
What I took personally, however, was Bianca stealing my girl's project. Every time my talent was supposed to audition for the commercial's, somehow Bianca would end up knowing about it and stealing it for her own by going to the audition first. This was the third project that she got. First was for a new phone brand that would be launched in China. Second was for a watch. And now she stole the noodles commercial that we were supposed to do. She didn't even eat noodles from what I heard. How desperate was she to smash the competition?
Kay finished her conversation and got back to me. "I have no idea how Bianca knew about those advertisements," she said. "Someone must have blabbed about it. The Chinese were really interested in Uno at first."
"It's okay," I said. "Do you have any other projects lined up?"
"Let me make a quick check." There were beeping sounds on the background. "I'm back," she said. "Based on my notes, the next audition is tomorrow, for the movie I was telling you about. This is the next big thing for the film industry. It's actually a book turned movie that belongs to a five part series. If Uno bags one of the lead characters, she'll be set for the next ten years. The book also has a large following worldwide. She needs to get this."
"What if Bianca. . ." I trailed.
"She shouldn't. Move heaven and earth to get this project, not only for Uno's sake but ours too. Shoot, two of my phones are ringing. Talk to you later, rookie." She ended the call. I placed my phone on the table and stretched. Hearing about the auditions and Bianca always stressed me. Maybe I should drink and walk around to get rid of this feeling. I left the workshop for the kitchen.
After pouring a glass of juice for myself, I swiveled around and came face to face with Uno. Okay I was exaggerating. It was face to chest because I was smaller, which made it worse because I couldn't take my eyes off her front. She cleared her throat. I glanced away quickly, my face getting hot. "What are you doing here?" she asked.
"Getting juice," I said. "You?"
"Same."
"Really? Ahh, sounds great." I moved to the left. She moved to her right. We almost collided. "Sorry," I mumbled as I stepped back.
"My navigation is off today," she said. Navigation? Who would use that term when walking in her house? From the look on her face, she was surprised that she said it too. "Anyway, I need to get that juice," she murmured. This time I moved to the right to give way to her. She moved to her left. We got in front of each other again.
"You know what?" I said. "I don't want mine anymore. Here, you can have it." I offered the glass to her. Uno stared from the glass to me, then back to the glass. Our skin touched when she took it from my hand. I heard her curse under her breath, while I simply lowered my head so she wouldn't see my face. This has been the norm for us since we almost kissed on the sofa. We became awkward with each other. "Enjoy your juice," I said.
"I will. In fact I'll drink it now." She downed it in one go. I watched the muscles on her neck move up and down while she drank. I bit my lip. She was sexy even when she was doing something simple. I wonder how it felt like to kiss her on the neck. Maybe suck it gently. I realized what I was thinking of and shook my head to rid of it. Uno lowered the glass and smacked her lips. "Yummy," she said.
"I can imagine," I squeaked.
She gave me a weird look as she placed the glass on the nearby counter. "Isn't it hot today?" she said. "I think I'll hit the gym to sweat it off."
I swallowed. Uno was in a talking mood right now. I didn't want it to end, but too many strange thoughts kept nagging in my head. I forced a smile and said, "Chest day? Sounds great." Oh no. I really needed to stop talking. "Uhh, catch you later," I said. "You do me while I do you." Her eyes widened. "I mean, you do you while I do me." I turned around and made a detour around the kitchen island so we wouldn't collide. I managed not to scream on my way back to the workshop.
The tension between us continued the next day on our way to the audition. I finally managed to convince her about it. She grudgingly went to the passenger side while I drove. Uno didn't want to touch the wheel, saying it didn't feel right. I smiled despite her initial sour mood when I remembered her using the Hummer on that rainy day. The same day she hugged me in the elevator.
"You're looking creepy," she muttered beside me.
"Don't mind me. And I've been meaning to ask. How is Doctor Sanders?"
"She's healthy and fine during our sessions," Uno said. "Do you still speak to her often?"
I took my eyes off the road momentarily to glance at her. "No, I do not speak to Doctor Sanders often," I repeated.
"Hmm. . . Eyes darting to the left. Presenting my question as your answer. Touching your face. All of these are indications that you're lying Riri." Damn you and your analysis, I thought to myself. "Now I have a follow-up question," she said. "Why did you lie?" This woman wanted me to die. I just knew it.
"Because I've been talking to her about you," I said. "Happy?"
"Not unless you tell me what it's about."
My skin turned from cold to hot real quick. "That's none of your business," I said.
"Really now?" She turned to the window. "Doctor Sanders told me that you've been calling her because you wanted advice about me. Because you liked me in a different way."
I gasped. "She said what?! We agreed that she wouldn't disclose that! What a snitch."
"I lied. She never said anything." Uno was still looking out the window, so I couldn't see her reaction. However, I did notice that she was gripping her jeans tightly. She relaxed when I courageously reached for her hand. In some bizarre way, she felt the same as I did. I'd stick by her even she didn't demand my commitment. The comfortable silence continued as we traveled to the audition together.
"You've studied the character well, right? You read the sides that the casting director sent?" I said as we walked on the lobby of the building. Due to the possibility of getting spotted and causing a racket, we had to take the back entrance earlier. I was in manager mode as we walked side by side.
Uno was in a simple black v-neck t-shirt and blue jeans. Auditions, contrary to what I thought, didn't require much preparation except in the acting department. She didn't even wear heavy makeup. Just a dash of lipstick to remove the paleness. "We've been through this," she said. "You've asked me the same question thrice since we got here. Don't be nervous." God, she sounded just like Blaze when she said that.
"Don't blame me," I said. "I feel like your mother seeing you for the first time on stage."
"Except I don't want to do it with my mother." I gasped at her bluntness. "There's the staff," she said. "I'll ask where the room is."
The whole floor of the building has been converted to an audition area. Some staff were here and there to guide people to the right room. I could feel everyone's eyes on us as Uno approached a door where some people were lined up. "Uno," a male staff said, immediately recognizing her. "We were told that you'd show up."
Uno gave him a pleasant smile. She has become good at acting in Blaze's stead, and even better at smiling, though the genuine smiles were reserved for me. "Good morning. Can you tell me where I can see the casting director? I was told to come at 8:30, and it's almost time."
The staff pointed to a room down the hall. "That's the right room, but we still have to inform the director that you're here. She can't talk to you immediately because the audition for the support has been moved today. We have a lot of people to handle. Why don't you go down that room." She gestured to our back. "And stay put. I'll call when we need you."
"Thanks," Uno replied. "After you," she said
to me. I made a discreet thumbs up for her effort to be civilized. She made a face when no one was looking.
It didn't surprise me to see Bianca seated on the lounge-like room when we arrived. She was running over her sides. Sides was the term they used for the script that was given for auditions. Ours was emailed to me by the casting director. I printed it so Uno could prepare. There were only two sofa's, and since Bianca was seated in the middle of the first one, Uno and I took the sofa opposite hers.
"Good morning," Bianca greeted politely. We ignored her. I conveniently kept my conversation with Bianca a secret from Uno. I didn't want her to worry.
I was in the middle of giving Uno the sides when Bianca said to no one in particular, "I got this part."
"Delusion is a serious mental psychosis," Uno murmured. Bianca's ears turned red while I kept my eyes down to avoid laughing.
Fifteen minutes passed in silence. A soft knock on the door made the three of us look. The staff we've talked to earlier poked his head in. "Uno, you're up. Don't take your manager with you. The casting director is there with the producer and writer. They want to see you alone," he said.
Uno stood promptly when the door closed. "I don't want to say break a leg," I told her when she glanced at me. "So instead I'll say, break their hearts with your acting."
She smirked. "With pleasure." She was about to go when she turned back and leaned to me. "This is out of character," she whispered. "But I'm more nervous of saying this than my audition today." Uno took a deep breath. "I can't wait for you to turn eighteen. Then you can wish me good luck properly." She licked her lips as she leaned away. Bianca didn't seem to notice that two of her companions were flirting. I nodded to Uno before she left the room. That girl could make me irritated to dizzy with want in a heartbeat.
Sure that Uno was gone, Bianca focused on me. "You should have said yes to my proposal," she said. "I'm going to get this role and prove that you've made the wrong choice."
"There's no reason to do this just because you feel hostile towards her," I said. "What did Uno ever do to you?"
Bianca stared indignantly at me. "She's a creep. We worked years ago and was introduced for a project." Bianca was gripping the sides so hard that it began to crumple. "Can you believe that the next time we met, Uno told me that she didn't know me at all?" Her nostril flared. "The nerve! There are other things after that I don't want to mention. Bottom line is I don't like her. People I don't like should vanish from my sight."
Though I understood where she was coming from, there was no need to be vindictive. Bianca ended our small talk by wearing a headset and putting the music on full blast. I could hear some of the beat. Uno got back after thirty minutes. "You're up," she said to Bianca without looking in the latter's direction.
"What happened?" I said when the competition was gone.
Uno shrugged. "It was pretty quick. The director, producer, and writer of the book knew me. They were thrilled to see me deliver the lines, so they had me do it over and over with different scenarios they came up with."
"Looks like you did well."
"Maybe," she said. "What happened between you and sweetie pie while I was gone?"
She wanted to destroy your career, I wanted to say. Instead I said, "Nothing much. Boring talk."
The door opened again. Bianca came in to our astonishment. It hasn't been five minutes yet. What was she doing here so soon? The girl was grinning from ear to ear. "I got the part," she said. "Go home guys. They confirmed that I'm the lead they're looking for." I frowned. But if she got the lead, then that meant that Uno didn't get a part for the movie. There were five leads in total for this film, and Uno was auditioning for the character closest to her age group. It was the last lead to be cast.
"Can't say I told you so," Bianca said to me. Uno looked upset as she turned from me to Bianca. The door opened again. "Did the casting director want to talk to me?" Bianca asked the male staff.
The staff shook his head. "Actually, the director wants you back in the room with Uno."
"Huh?" Bianca frowned. "Why?"
"Boss' orders," the staff said before leaving. Bianca glared at us, then followed after the staff.
"Why do you think they're calling you back?" I said to Uno.
"Beats me." She moved for the door. I jumped from the sofa and yanked her to me. I kissed her on the cheek before I got cold feet.
"Do your best," I said. She touched her cheek and swallowed.
I collapsed on the sofa when I was alone. Oh my God! That was a bold move Riri. Where did I get the strength to do that? Loving someone this much never crossed my mind. Cupid must have hit me, not only in the heart, but the head too since my head was spinning because of Uno.
I had to wait for twenty minutes more until they got back. By then, Bianca was fuming mad. She refused to look at me as she grabbed her bag and stomped to the door. She didn't say goodbye. "What's her problem?" I asked Uno.
She sat on the sofa excitedly. "The director told me to run the lines with Bianca. We did it for about three minutes when they told us to stop." She leaned back on the sofa and put her arms behind her head. "They said that their initial choice for the role was Bianca. They had their minds set even before the auditions, but since they loved my acting so much, they decided to insert another character for me."
My eyes widened. "Seriously?! How will that work?"
"It turns out that the book where the movie was derived from was originally self-published. In the original plot, there was another female lead. When the book was picked up by a big publisher, they decided to drop the character. It made a lot of fans mad, but the author couldn't do anything about it because of the publisher." She winked at me. "And that's where I come in. They are bringing the character back in the movie through me. The fans will love it!"
She was so happy that she hugged me tightly. I closed my eyes. "When did you get back?" I said. "I missed you Blaze." I shove away the need to cry for Uno's disappearance. Blaze was here now. That was what's important.
She leaned away and tucked loose hair behind my ear. "I woke up while walking with Bianca on the hallway," she said. "When I saw the script in my hand, I knew that I'd be in for an audition. They explained what I had to do anyway, so I had no problem following through. I've read the book that would be used for the movie before. I had a hunch that it would be a film."
"Either way, I'm glad you're here."
"So am I Riri," she said sincerely. "I'm ready to make your heart beat fast again."
Chapter 24. Request
A lot of work went into a single film. Long and grueling shooting hours were upon us. But before that, there was the character development. It involved physical, emotional, and mental preparation wherein the actress chosen for a particular role should not only study the character, but try to embody her in every way. And so my journey with Blaze in the movie industry formally began.
Aside from preparing her breakfast, I had to wake her at six in the morning sharp so she could do her one hour workout. Sometimes she'd hit the gym at the house. Other times she'd run around the property. The meals should also be fixed accordingly so by the time the shooting period came, her abs would be more defined. Blaze liked to stay in the living room after eating to read the script. I'd catch her making faces or sometimes laughing silently, as if she was playing the role of her character.
In the meantime, I'd give her space so she could memorize her lines. My destination would always be the workshop to do what I needed for my budding designing career. Though I was doing it at the side for now, it seemed promising. A client recently emailed me. He was interested in most of the designs and would like to collaborate for a company he'd be establishing here in L.A. If all went well, I'd get the capital I needed, plus be one of the designers for his business.
Right now, I was neither in the workshop nor preparing Blaze's needs. We were in her spacious bathroom in front of the mirror. "Do you think it will be a good color for me?" she asked curiously. Blaze turned to look in m
y direction.
"Stop squirming around," I said, holding her head in place. "I'm trying to even out the color. You should have really let people at the salon do this." I lathered her hair with the colored cream. After the auditions, we got a call from the casting director saying that Blaze would play the role of a woman named Blue. Blue had blue hair, go figure. Upon learning that, Blaze had me buy all the materials needed to change her hair for the character, and begged me to do the transformation for her.
"I don't want to go to the salon," she said with a pout. "I want Riri to color my hair."
"Oh you want Riri do you?"
"Yes, I want you." She touched my hand and stared at me in the mirror. If Blaze used to be touchy before, she was in overdrive now. She used every excuse to rub her skin to mine. Most of the time it was alright, but sometimes the feeling was bothersome for me. It made my stomach protest and other parts of me damp. I didn't want to think about the latter too much. That was out of the question for now.
I inhaled deeply and said under my breath, "I want you too." Our relationship or lack thereof was strange. I knew that she loved me, and she must have understood what I felt for her by now. But neither of us said it in each other's faces. Everything I needed to know was seen in her eyes and was felt through the heart. We were like a looming storm, threatening in the distance. Though we could see the flashes of lighting through our gazes, and the thunder through the pounding of our heartbeat, the rain refused to fall.
"I wish you're eighteen," she murmured.
"Everybody wishes I'm eighteen." I lathered more cream near her forehead. This had to be done right. I even bleached her hair so the blue would come out properly once we were done. Due to her silence, I glanced at Blaze in the mirror and saw her frowning at me. "What?"
"Does Uno wish you're eighteen?"
"Yes," I admitted. Her frown turned to a scowl.
"Whatever," she said. "What's the schedule for today, Manager?"
