~*~
Amy was rinsing out her bowl and setting it in the sink when the phone rang. Amy shook the water off her hands, wiping them on her flannel trousers as she hurried to the phone on the end-table by the couch. “Hello.”
“Hey you. How’s it going?”
Amy arched an eyebrow at the male voice. “It’s going fine. Thanks. What can I do for you?”
“I thought maybe we could get together and rehearse some of the scenes. I’m bored, and I think I’ve got them memorized enough for us to work on timing and stuff.”
Amy sat in the couch with a smirk. “Mark, how in the world did you get this number?”
“I looked it up in the phone book. How else? You think Shepherd’s going to give me the phone number of the best looking girl in the flick? Hell no!”
Amy shook her head as she pressed a hand up against her forehead. She released a deep breath. “Well as a matter of fact, I was wanting to get some pre-shooting rehearsal in.”
“Great! Where do you live?”
Amy gave a shrug of her shoulders with an expression of ‘sure, why not’ and gave him her address and apartment number. “Just don’t forget your script.”
Mark laughed. “Of course not. That’s the only reason I’m coming over.”
Amy arched an eyebrow. “Whether that’s the case or not, that’s all we’re going to be doing.”
“Alright. We’ll see you in a few.”
Click
Amy replaced the receiver very slowly, staring at it as her instinct told her what she’d agreed to was a very bad idea. Mark was likely just as much – or more of – a wolf than Garret had turned out to be. Amy sighed and looked away from the phone. She hated thinking of anyone that way. Especially when they’re usually always plugged into that category anyway. So why wouldn’t Mark and Garret and anyone else continue to act that way? It was expected of them. And it’s definitely easier than trying to be in a relationship with someone.
Amy sighed again, resting her head back on the couch as she stared at the ceiling. “‘Love what art thou? A vain thought / In our minds by fant’sy wrought. / Idle smiles did thee beget, / While fond wishes made the net / Which so many fools have caught.’“
Amy shook her head. Then, refusing to be pathetic and miserable, she stood and went to change.
The knock announcing Mark’s arrival sounded after Amy had finished her shower, changed, and brewed a fresh pot of coffee. She set her honey-covered spoon into her mug before making her way to the door. Mark looked very sexy in his black Tommy Hilfiger jeans and same-brand T-shirt with the American flag across the front.
Amy stepped back with a “Come on in” and then closed – but not locked – the door behind him. She motioned to the couch. “Have a seat. Coffee?”
“No, thanks.” Mark set his script on the coffee table as he looked around. “Hey. You’ve got a nice place. A little small, but nice.”
Amy smirked as she finished making her coffee. “Thanks. Ren and I like it.”
“It kind of reminds me of the first apartment I had in L.A..”
Amy returned from the kitchenette with her coffee and sat beside him – not too close – as she set the coffee onto the waiting coaster. “Yeah, those first apartments hold a lot of memories, don’t they?”
“Sure do. Good and bad.” Mark spread his arms along the back of the couch, as Amy knew he would. “So, how long you been in New York?”
“About five years,” Amy told him as she gathered her script and leaned back.
“Really? I’ve only been here about 18 months. You should show me around and tell me what’s what.”
“Oh. Doesn’t Vanessa have the time to do that?” Amy plugged without looking over at him.
Mark laughed. “Oh no. Don’t tell me you believe those gossip rags. Vanessa and I are… friends.”
“Uh-huh,” Amy said in a tone that clearly said ‘suuuure’.
“Oh come on, Amy. You know I only have eyes for you.”
Amy shook her head with a chuckle. “And every other pretty girl that walks just the right way.”
“Ouch. That hurts.”
Amy laughed as she looked over at his feigned expression of pain. “Don’t try the smooth works on me, Mark Frasier. I’ve seen and heard them all, and I’m not moved or in the least bit atwitter. Let’s just be friends and do the best we can as the roles we have. Deal?”
Mark’s expression melted to a smile. “Sure, but you can’t blame a guy for trying, can ya?”
“Sure I can, because you used less than unique material,” Amy teased, laughing.
Mark’s smile vanished as he stared at her, open-mouthed. “That’s so mean,” he said in a hushed voice.
Amy laughed harder, her eyes watering as she leaned forward with a shake of her head. “It’s the truth, and you know it,” she accused when she could speak. She reached for her coffee. “Now come on. We’ve got to get some work done.”
Mark crossed his arms with a surprisingly boyish and cute expression of pouting. “I don’t want to anymore.”
Amy set aside her script and moved back into the corner of the couch, tailor-style. “Fine. I’ll just enjoy my coffee and stare at you, all the while making funny faces.” It was like hanging out with her younger brother.
One of Mark’s lips twitched, and then he changed his gaze to Amy’s, who was performing one of the silly faces promised. He laughed. “I wish I had a camera. I’d post that on the internet and get Bo coup bucks from the tabloids for the story.”
“Fine. I don’t care in the least. After all, I’m going home after this.”
Joking and teasing vanished from Mark’s expression. “Are you serious about that? I know you said it before but… Why not make the most of the fame and--”
“And do what?” Amy interrupted with a slight wide-eyed expression. She watched him from over her coffee cup. “Dread reading the paper and the magazines because of the newest bit of untrue or exaggerated gossip printed about me and a friend? Put up with the droves of newspaper reporters, photographers, and overzealous fans that’ll track me wherever I go? Sacrifice my privacy to the fickle world of film and screen?” Amy shook her head. “Sorry. I’m not going to do that. Sure, all the attention is great at first. But year after year, month after month?” She shook her head again. “I don’t want to lose who I am to that.”
Mark studied her with a thoughtful expression. “Then why the movie? Why even start the ball rolling if you weren’t going to pick it up?”
Amy shrugged as she changed her gaze to her coffee. “I only went to the audition because Ren asked me to. I figure there’s a reason I got picked, so I might as well follow through. I’ve never quit anything in my life.”
“So even if you make it big, and win awards, and get instant recognition, you’re still going to go back home to teach?”
Amy smiled and met his gaze again. “Hey, if I get all that, maybe the kids will actually listen to what I have to say and learn something? Maybe that’s why I’m here? Maybe a kid needing purpose and direction will get that when he or she enrolls in my class?”
Mark smiled. “You know, you and Nessie think a lot alike.”
Amy arched an eyebrow. “Nessie?”
He laughed. “Whoops. I wasn’t supposed to say that. She’s going to kill me.”
Amy’s mouth dropped open. “You’re talking about Vanessa Heron, aren’t you? You are more than friends!”
Mark grimaced. “Stop. You’re giving me the creeps.” He sat forward and grabbed his script. “Let’s just rehearse.”
Amy chuckled as she unfurled herself from the couch and set her coffee on the table. She took up her own script. “Okay. What scene did you want to do? You want to read through them all, in chronological order?”
“Sure. Let’s see… Scene 10 is the first one. No, wait. The first one’s earlier, in Scene 3 after I bomb the Reactor.”
“You’re right. There’s only a couple lines, though.”
“We should s
till make sure they flow.”
And that’s what the two did most of the morning. They decided to pass the scenes where she only had one or two lines, focusing instead on the bulkier ones that would be more pivotal to the movie. Amy laughed and teased Mark during the rehearsal of the scene titled ‘Miss Cloud’. Then Mark was able to get a little back at her when they did their best to rehearse the scene titled ‘Midnight Date’, opting to kiss the non-existent Evil Dragon King rather than her as the Princess. All in all, they had a blast.
Amy glanced at her watch as they neared the ‘Temple of the Ancients’ scene. “Shoot. It’s already noon.”
“I thought I was getting a little hungry.” Mark set aside his script. “Let’s go grab a bite.”
Amy shook her head. “Sorry, Mark. I can’t. I’ve got errands.”
“I’ll drive ya.”
Amy smiled. “Thanks, but I like having the time to myself. You’d just be bored to tears anyway.”
Mark and Amy stood, and Amy followed him to the door. She opened it. “Thanks for the fun, Mark. It was like hanging out with Adam again. My brother.”
Mark grimaced. “Brother? Damn. Not a chance in hell, huh?”
Amy laughed. “Sorry, Mark. Save that for ‘Nessie’.”
“Don’t you dare say that in front of her. She’ll skin me alive.” Mark gestured down the hall. “Why don’t I escort you to the front at least?”
“Okay.” Amy grabbed her purse and the mail from the knickknack table beside the front door and then scooped up her keys. Then she closed and locked the door behind her.
They chatted about the scenes they rehearsed, which lines needed to be changed to make it easier to say, and which ones should be scrapped altogether as they descended in the elevator and proceeded through the lobby to the entry. Amy dropped her and Renee’s mail off with the desk clerk and then exited the building. Mark bid her farewell, but only after telling her he’d call her that evening to tell her whether or not they’d be able to rehearse the following day. Then he jogged across the street, piled into his red Corvette, and squealed away. Amy watched him with a shake of her head and a slight smirk before exchanging pleasantries with the doorman and turning away toward the dry cleaners.
Rehearsing with Mark had been fun, but she had really looked forward to rehearsals with Garret. After all, he was only in one or two scenes with her throughout the entire movie. One of which happened to be the scene where his character killed her. Amy had even hoped to persuade Garret to rehearse some of his more dramatic scenes for her, with her reading for whatever other character was involved. At least I’ll be there to see them during shooting. I guess that’s better than nothing. Better than nothing, yes. Better than reciting plays and poetry with Sir Garret Harrison? Amy sighed. No.
Amy gave a shrug. Oh well. It wasn’t like I was in his league or anything. Apparently I was just the newest thing. But she had truly hoped that hadn’t been the case. In fact, yesterday she had really felt the click. She had even thought that he had spoken to her with respect. Now she didn’t know what to think.
Amy released a slow breath. Well if he calls to bow out of tomorrow’s rehearsal, I’m going to ask him what the problem is. Honesty and communication was always the best policy in any kind of relationship. Even in friendship… Shoot. Amy knew she needed to tell Renee. Alright. I’ll do it tomorrow after I’ve had a chance to talk to Garret. Amy gave a nod and then turned into the dry cleaners.
Of Damsels & Dragons Page 6
