The Entertainment

The Entertainment Ch 6 part 2

. : Lead Actress : .

The crew began filming early Saturday morning. Most of the movie took place in the 'borrowed' high school, leaving them two days every week to film the shoots they needed.

“Why don't they just build a set if their so worried about running out of time?” Salina asked Gavin over her cup of steaming coffee. They both sat on the benches of the school playground.

“Realism,” answered Jordan from the next bench over. “The class rooms are used by real students, acting is easier in an authentic environment like this.”

“Also a lot cheaper to rent out the school. Principal get's free advertisements, director gets a real school for a small charge,” added Gavin browsing his black berry for emails.

“Ah.” Salina blew against the hot coffee watching as more vans pulled up with more crew and actors. Director Jackson appeared through the school doors with the Principal and other school staff to welcome them inside. Holding the bull horn to his lips the director gave brief instructions as to where the equipment crew needed to head followed by a copied layout pass around to the acting crew.

The front steps of the school became instantly chaotic as more the thirty some crew began lugging in the equipment and cameras. Gavin left Salina to pick up the schedules Director Peterson was handing out, the formidable woman seemed invulnerable to the heavy equipment that swerved to avoid her.

Beneath her warm jacket and shivers, Salina could barely hold back the building excitement. This was going to be the first real day of her acting career. The creased and highlighted script tucked under her arm helped ease the sudden panic that came with this excitement. 'I'll be fine. I have the whole script memorized, and we'll be filming in sections. I'll be just fine.'

Jordan suddenly descended into the bench beside her. Leaning back, his shoulder lightly brushed against her coat as he yawned.

“Nervous?” he asked after stretching his long legs.

“Of course,” Salina admitted sipping at her cup of coffee, which was finally cool enough to drink.

“Just do what you did for the audition. Don't stress over getting it right the first time. They'll expect a few retakes since it's your first gig.” Jordan assured her with a smile.

It was starting to puzzle her, his sudden change of attitude. Even more puzzling was the absence of Natalie who usually burst in to save Salina from actually having to form a reply.

“I – I'll” Salina could feel her cheeks redden at the sudden loss of words. 'What is wrong with me? Just say .. thanks or something.'

A blaring horn, followed by excited calls of “She's finally here!” broke the increasing weird silence. Salina tore her eyes away from Jordan to the parking lot where a large white van painted with red hears and pink feathers pulled up. The vehicle parked across three spaces while excited members of the acting crew streamed towards it. Just as the doors opened Jordan stood abruptly, walking past Salina to disappear inside the school. Salina stood curious, hoping to catch a view.

“She finally showed up. Just like her to be fashionably late.”

“I heard she was in Paris.”

“I'm such a fan – think I'll get a chance to ask her for an autograph?!”

Gavin returned finally through the mess of excited fans, brushing split coffee from his sleeve with a sigh. Salina took the schedule before asking. “Do you know who that is?”

“That would be Ariana Hughes, the lead actress playing Tammy,” Gavin answered guiding her up the steps away from the crowd.

'I wonder what she's like? She certainly seems popular.' Salina mused.

~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~

“First scene starts in twenty minutes. Room 201-B.” Came Mr. Jackson's booming voice over the school loud speaker.

The acting girls had been given the female locker room for costumes changes. Trying not to blink as the make-up assistant finished her eyeliner, Salina ran the script through her mind.

“There nothing to grand, but it looks nice on you.” The hurried assistant patted Salina's shoulder, draping the school uniform into the girls lap. “Just need you to change into this then head to room 201-B. Quick as you can.”

Taking the hanger and uniform Salina stepped into one of the stalls and undressed. She heard the assistant leave, followed shortly by voices entering the locker room.

“He's not yours to do with as you please.” The simple white shirt half way over her head, Salina paused recognizing Natalie's voice.

“Well he's certainly not yours,” answered another girls voice with a laugh. “Are you even dating?”

“We go out -” Natalie answered quickly.

“But just as friends right? Ah, I knew he wouldn't be over me yet,” the other girl cooed.

'This is ridiculous, why am I listening?' Salina picked up the skirt, hoping the sound of the materiel would alert the girls of her presence.

“You broke his heart. There is no way he'll go back to you.” Natalie's voice was rising in anger.

“If that's true then why tell me to back off?”

'Broke whose heart? Shit..Enough of this.' Picking the hanger from the hock of the stall door Salina dropped it loudly to the floor. The metal clatter seemed to do the trick, both girls ceased their conversation and promptly left the room.

“Really does feel like I'm back in high school,” Salina muttered to herself hurriedly slipping into the rest of the uniform. Pausing to glance in the mirror and make sure her wig was in place, she hurriedly left the locker room for room 201-B.

~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~

“Ah, Selina White. You'll be seated behind Jordan Cruz please,” one of the acting crew members informed her. Leaving her script with Gavin outside the class room, Salina stepped inside. Most of the desks were filled, but she easily spotted her's behind Jordan. For once he did go out of his way to smile or say hello as she walked past him and took her seat.

'Odd. Wait. When did I even like that he did that?'

Clearing her mind of everything but the script Salina glanced around the room. A pretty blonde haired girl to Jordan's right turned with a friendly smile.

“So your Salina White. I've so pleased to meet you. I'm Ariana Hughes.”

“Oh. Nice to meet you too,” Salina quickly took the offered hand. 'Wait, her voice sounded familiar.'

“Take One starting in 5, 4, 3..”

'Time to focus. You're not Salina White, you're Tabitha now.' Salina closed her eyes allowing her inner emotions to empty out with her thoughts.

~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~

With Thanksgiving holidays coming up, most of the students were busy cramming in homework during study hall, in order to free up their four day weekend. Tabitha glanced nervously over her literature book at Daniel. True she could only see the back of his head and his broad shoulders, but she had long since memorized every detail of his beauty. The subject of her dreamy stare was gazing out the window to their left, mind no doubt lost in thoughts of sports and the coming turkey and stuffing meal.

Daniel sighed, turning more towards the window. Tabitha's eyes fell on his lips and she blushed ducking behind her book once more. She needed to focus on this report so her weekend would be free for the trip to her aunts.

'But he was just so beautiful.'

A sigh escaped her own lips. Startled she blushed, nearly pressing her nose into the text in order to focus properly.

The familiar sound of Tammy's cell phone vibrating under the girls notebook roused the attention of a few class mates. Tammy who was leaning half way out her seat, working on math with Jessica tensed in alarm as the contraband items buzzed its way off her desk onto the floor. The clank of the phone hitting the bottom of her desk before it hit the carp alerted their every eager 'Punisher', Mr. Krunch.

With spider like senses he raised his brushy eyebrows from his book, eyes zoning instantly on Tammy.

Tabitha bit her lip behind the book. If Tammy got caught with her cell phone one more time her parents were going to hear about it. Casually scooting forward at her desk, she tried reaching out a foot towards the still buzzing cell phone. In her hurry she bumped her left knee into Daniel's seat. He glanced from the window towards her, eyes quickly noticing the cell phone inches from Tabitha's purple shoes, and the rising teacher heading towards them.

Stretching his arms above his head Daniel reached out a long leg, snagging the cell phone under his shoe and pushing it quickly towards his desk. Tabitha watched as he dropped his arms lazily, easily grasping the cell phone between his finger tips and just as causally slipping the phone inside his sports jacket.

“Miss Whiticar,” Krunch was marching down the desks, standing between Daniel and Tammy who turned to face him only faintly aware her cell phone had disappeared. “Did I hear something...over here?”

“Mr. Krunch? I'm not sure what you mean?” Tammy glanced past his bulk to Tabitha who gave her a brief thumbs up. “What did you hear?”

“Stand up Miss Whiticar. I believe I heard your cell phone again.” Krunch scowled indicating a spot a few feet back for her to stand. Silent class mates watched as he searched helplessly through her desk and the floor around it. The bell rang just as he reached to open Tammy's back pack.

“Umm Sir.” Tabitha called out quickly. Well aware of the numerous contraband items Tammy carried inside. “We have to get to our next class.”

The girls escaped study hall, Tabitha pulled Tammy to a halt near science class. Eyes searching the crowd for Daniel who wandered casually over to them. Pulling Tammy's cell phone from his pocket he winked.

“You dropped this.”

“Thank you,” Tammy smiled with relief accepting it. “Really, you saved me there.”

“Enjoy your Thanks giving,” he smiled back at them both before walking away to join a waiting group of friends.

“He's so wonderful,” Tabitha breathed, following his tall figure with dreamy eyes once more.

“Yea. He's not bad.” Tammy answered checking her messages, and quickly sending an angry 'you almost got me detention bastard' text back.

“Not Bad?!?” Tabitha repeated with a gasp. Linking arms with Tammy she guided the distracted girl into Chemistry whispering of a list of wonderful things about Daniel.