director like Sidney Willis was known to draw the best performances out of anyone.
But just as she was about to complete her thought, the next girl stepped in. Gemma turned to see a familiar blonde curtain of hair draped down a perfectly toned figure. Before the girl even brushed her mane back to reveal her signature megawatt smile, Gemma knew exactly who had stepped into the room.
“Madison Lennox?” the producer asked, stepping forward to shake her hand. A big smile spread across his face, a sight that had yet to be seen in the past hours of screen testing. Gemma stared in awe. Of all the girls who had stepped in earlier, the producer had never greeted them by name, let alone greet them at all. “So happy you’ve made it this far.”
“As am I,” Madison said. Gemma watched as her eyes flitted to Tyler. To her dismay, his eyes were fixed on Madison.
“This is the actor playing Colby Hawkins – Tyler Chase, as I’m sure you know,” the producer walked Madison in front of the camera. Tyler held his hand out to shake Madison’s. She lowered her lashes, blushing as she took his hand.
“I’m familiar,” she said, sweetly. Gemma could barely keep from scoffing. She swallowed as she crossed her arms, staying hidden in the shadows of the studio. Madison looked as stunning, if not more so, than she had in high school. In a ribbed white tank top and a pair of ripped, faded jeans, she looked exactly as Dakota was described in the script. Gemma recalled Madison’s celebrity crush on Tyler and her lofty claims that she could make him fall in love with her if they could ever be in the same room. She could feel her face grow hot as she watched Tyler hold Madison’s gaze for longer than he had with the other girls. She wished that she hadn’t been vague when Tyler had asked who the girl in her Kick Bullying speech was. Gemma had given him the shortened version, saying simply that a Beauford girl once had the power to make her utterly miserable. Once, Gemma tried to tell herself. Had once had the power. Not anymore.
“We actually found Madison on YouTube, would you believe that?” the producer asked, patting Sidney on the shoulder.
“That’s how people are doing it these days, so I hear.” Sidney shrugged.
“Well, let’s get started!” the producer said, clapping his hands happily. It was clear he had chosen a favorite from the start.
“Don’t you want to do your thing?” Sidney asked, pointing at Tyler before gesturing behind him. Gemma had originally planned to skip the cutesy kisses between actresses in order to keep from further annoying the producer – but she couldn’t pass this opportunity up. Gemma marched right into the light, giving a breezy smile as she watched Madison’s face drop.
“This is Gemma… uhh… I don’t remember your last name, sorry,” the producer said. “She’s known as Queen Bee, anyway. What a treat for you today, huh? Two major celebrity sightings and you haven’t even gotten the part yet.” Gemma batted her eyelashes to keep from rolling her eyes. He’d gone from sour to suddenly delightful. It was the Madison Effect.
“Hi,” Gemma said, displaying no emotion that indicated she knew Madison. Madison nodded in response, opening her mouth to say something but stopping herself. There was an unfamiliar fear in her eyes as she studied Gemma. Her unwavering confidence seemed to have momentarily failed her.
“Starstruck,” the producer chuckled, completely clueless to the tension that had suddenly filled the room. “You’ll get used to it.” Tyler stepped forward quickly and grabbed Gemma to give her the usual kiss. She let her eyes linger for a moment on Madison before turning her full attention to him. Gemma slipped her hands from his back down to his waist, knowing full well Madison was the only one who could see the gesture. But Tyler had noticed it as well. She could feel him smile as she held his kiss for a little longer than she had before.
“You just
But just as she was about to complete her thought, the next girl stepped in. Gemma turned to see a familiar blonde curtain of hair draped down a perfectly toned figure. Before the girl even brushed her mane back to reveal her signature megawatt smile, Gemma knew exactly who had stepped into the room.
“Madison Lennox?” the producer asked, stepping forward to shake her hand. A big smile spread across his face, a sight that had yet to be seen in the past hours of screen testing. Gemma stared in awe. Of all the girls who had stepped in earlier, the producer had never greeted them by name, let alone greet them at all. “So happy you’ve made it this far.”
“As am I,” Madison said. Gemma watched as her eyes flitted to Tyler. To her dismay, his eyes were fixed on Madison.
“This is the actor playing Colby Hawkins – Tyler Chase, as I’m sure you know,” the producer walked Madison in front of the camera. Tyler held his hand out to shake Madison’s. She lowered her lashes, blushing as she took his hand.
“I’m familiar,” she said, sweetly. Gemma could barely keep from scoffing. She swallowed as she crossed her arms, staying hidden in the shadows of the studio. Madison looked as stunning, if not more so, than she had in high school. In a ribbed white tank top and a pair of ripped, faded jeans, she looked exactly as Dakota was described in the script. Gemma recalled Madison’s celebrity crush on Tyler and her lofty claims that she could make him fall in love with her if they could ever be in the same room. She could feel her face grow hot as she watched Tyler hold Madison’s gaze for longer than he had with the other girls. She wished that she hadn’t been vague when Tyler had asked who the girl in her Kick Bullying speech was. Gemma had given him the shortened version, saying simply that a Beauford girl once had the power to make her utterly miserable. Once, Gemma tried to tell herself. Had once had the power. Not anymore.
“We actually found Madison on YouTube, would you believe that?” the producer asked, patting Sidney on the shoulder.
“That’s how people are doing it these days, so I hear.” Sidney shrugged.
“Well, let’s get started!” the producer said, clapping his hands happily. It was clear he had chosen a favorite from the start.
“Don’t you want to do your thing?” Sidney asked, pointing at Tyler before gesturing behind him. Gemma had originally planned to skip the cutesy kisses between actresses in order to keep from further annoying the producer – but she couldn’t pass this opportunity up. Gemma marched right into the light, giving a breezy smile as she watched Madison’s face drop.
“This is Gemma… uhh… I don’t remember your last name, sorry,” the producer said. “She’s known as Queen Bee, anyway. What a treat for you today, huh? Two major celebrity sightings and you haven’t even gotten the part yet.” Gemma batted her eyelashes to keep from rolling her eyes. He’d gone from sour to suddenly delightful. It was the Madison Effect.
“Hi,” Gemma said, displaying no emotion that indicated she knew Madison. Madison nodded in response, opening her mouth to say something but stopping herself. There was an unfamiliar fear in her eyes as she studied Gemma. Her unwavering confidence seemed to have momentarily failed her.
“Starstruck,” the producer chuckled, completely clueless to the tension that had suddenly filled the room. “You’ll get used to it.” Tyler stepped forward quickly and grabbed Gemma to give her the usual kiss. She let her eyes linger for a moment on Madison before turning her full attention to him. Gemma slipped her hands from his back down to his waist, knowing full well Madison was the only one who could see the gesture. But Tyler had noticed it as well. She could feel him smile as she held his kiss for a little longer than she had before.
“You just
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