drawl and lazy nod to his words.
Erica laughed and clapped her hands.
LACEY: “As I was saying. I’m your new neighbor.”
PAYTON: “I’m guessing there’s no chance of us bumming hits off you then?”
I donned a sour smile.
LACEY: “Not a single one, duuude.”
PAYTON : “Well, I’m Payton.”
LACEY: “Nice to meet you. I think...”
PAYTON : “This is Mitch.”
Lyle nodded. “Good. Now as you all know from reading the book, Mitch is bi-sexual. Erica?”
“Yes,” Erica said. “But Mitch keeps that close to the vest, posing as a straight advocate for homosexual rights rather than a member of the community itself.”
Lyle gestured to Shane. “Shane, how would you describe your character?”
Shane looked like a deer caught in a fence for a moment, but answered slowly and clearly. “From what I’ve read? He puts on a brave face when a situation calls for it, but he still feels like a coward or a fake. He suffered from abuse as a child. He’s all smiles on the outside, but he’s hurting pretty bad inside.” Something resembling distress flickered across Shane’s face just then, though I was probably imagining it.
“Nailed it,” Erica said. “Each of your characters has some significant hurdles they’ll have to overcome throughout the show. We’ll focus more on Payton and Lacey in the first half of the season.” She looked at Garrick and me.
Lyle picked up where Erica left off. “The second season will focus on Mitch’s history of abuse and Ben’s drug and alcohol addiction.”
From the corner of my eye, I sensed movement. I looked up. Shane’s face looked blank. And even though he was still looking at his script, it looked like Tyler’s fists had tightened a bit when Erica mentioned Ben’s drug and alcohol addiction. That’s when I vaguely remembered hearing the word addiction connected to Tyler Tapia’s name. He didn’t look like a junkie, but outward appearances meant nothing in this business. Actors were called actors for a reason.
Diffusing the tension, Shane lifted his script an inch off the table. “The first book covers Lacey’s first year, right?” he asked, and everyone seemed to relax. “And the band’s rise to the top?”
“That’s right.” Erica sat back and swiveled in her chair. “If the show does well, I’m hoping they’ll renew the contract for the second season, which we’ll base on the second book.”
“Speaking of the band. I should probably warn all of you that I can’t sing a lick,” Garrick mumbled. “Friend of mine will be dubbing my singing parts.”
He glanced at me, as if expecting me to make a snotty comment. It made me frown. I couldn’t sing a lick either and even if I could, I hated to think that he or any of the others expected me to be so catty. Obviously, however, in voicing my concerns yesterday, I’d given them reason to think that. My shoulders drooped slightly but I straightened them. I’d made the mess. I’d have to clean it up.
“Yes, yes,” Lyle said. “We’ve got a great band connected to the show. Can’t wait to hear them. Now, moving on.”
We spent the next two hours reading through the season’s episodes with Erica dictating, explaining, and correcting anything mispronounced. I was hoping my tension with Garrick would dissolve after a good, bonding read-through, but in fact, it thickened. With every scene that was filled with wit and rancor between Lacey and Payton, the animosity between us escalated.
When the morning was finally over, Lyle called lunch. Thank God. “That wraps up Episode Three. You’re all free to break for lunch now. We have catering in the lobby. Meet back here in thirty. Or forty. Did I allot forty for lunch?” he asked Erica, but Erica had already scuttled from the room, and Lyle was left guessing what was on the agenda.
His voice trailed off, as we all filed out into the hall.
Garrick strolled by me, and I caught him by the arm, as Shane and Tyler ambled on ahead of us.
Erica laughed and clapped her hands.
LACEY: “As I was saying. I’m your new neighbor.”
PAYTON: “I’m guessing there’s no chance of us bumming hits off you then?”
I donned a sour smile.
LACEY: “Not a single one, duuude.”
PAYTON : “Well, I’m Payton.”
LACEY: “Nice to meet you. I think...”
PAYTON : “This is Mitch.”
Lyle nodded. “Good. Now as you all know from reading the book, Mitch is bi-sexual. Erica?”
“Yes,” Erica said. “But Mitch keeps that close to the vest, posing as a straight advocate for homosexual rights rather than a member of the community itself.”
Lyle gestured to Shane. “Shane, how would you describe your character?”
Shane looked like a deer caught in a fence for a moment, but answered slowly and clearly. “From what I’ve read? He puts on a brave face when a situation calls for it, but he still feels like a coward or a fake. He suffered from abuse as a child. He’s all smiles on the outside, but he’s hurting pretty bad inside.” Something resembling distress flickered across Shane’s face just then, though I was probably imagining it.
“Nailed it,” Erica said. “Each of your characters has some significant hurdles they’ll have to overcome throughout the show. We’ll focus more on Payton and Lacey in the first half of the season.” She looked at Garrick and me.
Lyle picked up where Erica left off. “The second season will focus on Mitch’s history of abuse and Ben’s drug and alcohol addiction.”
From the corner of my eye, I sensed movement. I looked up. Shane’s face looked blank. And even though he was still looking at his script, it looked like Tyler’s fists had tightened a bit when Erica mentioned Ben’s drug and alcohol addiction. That’s when I vaguely remembered hearing the word addiction connected to Tyler Tapia’s name. He didn’t look like a junkie, but outward appearances meant nothing in this business. Actors were called actors for a reason.
Diffusing the tension, Shane lifted his script an inch off the table. “The first book covers Lacey’s first year, right?” he asked, and everyone seemed to relax. “And the band’s rise to the top?”
“That’s right.” Erica sat back and swiveled in her chair. “If the show does well, I’m hoping they’ll renew the contract for the second season, which we’ll base on the second book.”
“Speaking of the band. I should probably warn all of you that I can’t sing a lick,” Garrick mumbled. “Friend of mine will be dubbing my singing parts.”
He glanced at me, as if expecting me to make a snotty comment. It made me frown. I couldn’t sing a lick either and even if I could, I hated to think that he or any of the others expected me to be so catty. Obviously, however, in voicing my concerns yesterday, I’d given them reason to think that. My shoulders drooped slightly but I straightened them. I’d made the mess. I’d have to clean it up.
“Yes, yes,” Lyle said. “We’ve got a great band connected to the show. Can’t wait to hear them. Now, moving on.”
We spent the next two hours reading through the season’s episodes with Erica dictating, explaining, and correcting anything mispronounced. I was hoping my tension with Garrick would dissolve after a good, bonding read-through, but in fact, it thickened. With every scene that was filled with wit and rancor between Lacey and Payton, the animosity between us escalated.
When the morning was finally over, Lyle called lunch. Thank God. “That wraps up Episode Three. You’re all free to break for lunch now. We have catering in the lobby. Meet back here in thirty. Or forty. Did I allot forty for lunch?” he asked Erica, but Erica had already scuttled from the room, and Lyle was left guessing what was on the agenda.
His voice trailed off, as we all filed out into the hall.
Garrick strolled by me, and I caught him by the arm, as Shane and Tyler ambled on ahead of us.
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