A Monster and a Gentleman by Lila Dubois Page B

time, just to see what she could get from them. The second take was better than the third, so she called it.  
    “Cody, set us up for the shots of Seling following Luke. Javier, I want you to prep for close-up reaction shots.”  
    As her assistant directors jumped into action, she left the camera and walked towards her actors.
    “That was great, we got it.”
    Makeup artists ran up to Seling while production assistants gave him water. He wasn’t a handsome man, but a towering monster with red skin and acid-green wings. The fight called for them to start as humans and then change to their monster forms. They’d shot that scene and then the continuation of the fight in monster form.  
    Catherine would have her work cut out for her in post dealing with the way their special effects makeup flaked off as they changed, plus digitally adding in pants, bridging the gap between the real human-sized pants and the replica monster-size pants.
    Henry’s skin was fading to blue, his breath heaving.  
    “Henry, that was great.”
    “Yeah, it was.” He looked at Seling. “He’s pissed.”
    “No, he’s just in character.” Cali wasn’t sure why she tried to convince Henry that Seling wasn’t angry. He gave her an odd look, but she turned away.
    A few PAs were holding up a towel to preserve Seling’s modesty as he shifted to a human. They handed him baby wipes so he could clean off some of the cracked and peeling makeup that still clung to his human skin after the shift, and a pair of loose shorts to wear while he went back to makeup to have more—this time human-strength—applied. She waved her hand and the PAs dispersed.  
    Seling gave her a cold look and took a drink of water.  
    “That was good, a great shot. You’ll head back to makeup and then when you’re ready we’re going to shoot you—”
    “I know what I need to do.” Seling nodded to her and turned away.
    “Seling, wait.”
    He turned to look at her over his shoulder but didn’t stop. “I have to get to makeup.”
    Cali waited for Seling to enter makeup before following him. She peaked around the side of a nearby stack of boxes, watching the makeup trailer.
    “How’s it going?” Margo, looking tired but pretty, wandered up to her.  
    “Shhh.” Cali waved her hand at Margo, who raised her brows. Cali motioned Margo closer so she could whisper in her ear. “Better today.”
    “Everyone still tense?” Margo matched her whisper.
    “Yes, but the filming today went well. Three takes for the fight scene.”  
    “Great, so why are you hiding behind this trailer, and why are we whispering?”
    “I’m not hiding, I was trying to hear what they were saying in the makeup trailer.”
    “Who’s in the makeup trailer?”
    “Seling.”
    “Ohhh.” Margo wiggled her eyebrows and smiled.
    “No. It’s not like that.”
    “What’s it like then?”
    “I slept with him.”
    “Holy shit!”
    “Keep your damned voice down.”
    “You and Seling? Okay, I see that, but why are you eavesdropping on him?”
    “I may have pissed him off.”
    Margo closed her eyes and thunked her head back against the trailer. “Cali, what did you do?”
    “I didn’t do anything! We had sex once, that’s all it was.”
    “Does he know that?”
    Cali rubbed her arms nervously. “I thought so. I mean, what did he think we were doing?”
    “Did it occur to you that you shouldn’t sleep with one of our actors, and that he may want a relationship?”
    “He didn’t want a relationship.”
    “And you know that how ?”
    “Because…” Cali put her head in her hands. Had Seling thought they were starting a relationship? Did he want a relationship?
    “Cali. You know I think you’re great, and you know you’re my friend, but you can be a real bitch at times.”
    “I know.” Cali practically snarled the words. Her whole adult life, Cali had been struggling with relationships. She didn’t understand why people spent so much time and effort lying to each other