The Role

by A. B. Wilson

  She growled in disgust as she waved off the plume of smoke. “Can you, like, not do that? Gross.” I quickly stubbed out my cigarette and swigged some hot tea to replace the nicotine with caffeine, burning my palate in the process. As usual, she rescued me with a water bottle from the holster on her belt and I desperately gulped it down. I needed a chance to save her soon or this was going to be the most lopsided arrangement in history.

  “Oh, the extra thing. Michael has it in his head that you need female backup in your big fight scene with Ethan.”

  “Ah.”

  “Yes, that. Gender equity. Which is a great thing for him to finally be considering with casting choices, but I also think maybe you—or we—should take this as an opportunity to revisit the whole fight scene with Michael. We can’t kill you off if you’re hoping to stick around. I found his Precious, let’s go track him down,” she said as she impatiently shook a plastic container containing only green M&Ms like a maraca.

  “C’mon, do you want this or not?” she asked when I didn’t immediately take a step toward Michael. “You told me you need the job, and we really could use you given the network’s waffling about renewing us. We’ll sedate him with his favorite candy and drop the news. You in?” Her hands were raised in the air like Rocky Balboa as she finished her pep talk, the candy threatening to fly away with the emphatic gestures she’d used to punctuate her words. I couldn’t help but laugh—she was too adorable.

  “Sorry, distracted and hungover. You’re right, let’s do this.” I pulled her in for a hug and she squeezed me back. We were getting incredibly comfortable with each other. Possibly too comfortable, as I noticed a bunch of avid looks directed our way. Dangerous. The last thing Alina needed in this sexist industry was a reputation as a star-fucker. She was the furthest thing from it but I didn’t think I could stand being responsible for her getting knocked off the ladder.

  Chapter Nine

  Alina

  “Michael, do you have a second? I’ve got your green M&Ms and Markus needs a word.” I watched as Michael’s face contorted from, “I will set you on fire if you come at me with something stupid,” to “My Precious,” then somewhere halfway between with “Oh, yes. My super important guest star who I love like a brother and would like to please if at all possible.”

  He snatched the container from my hands and shoved a handful directly into his mouth. “Sure, shoot,” he said through the crunchy green-and-brown goo.

  I looked at Markus in encouragement and he stood there, staring at Michael’s open-mouthed chewing in absolute revulsion. I nudged him, hard, in the arm and he jumped a foot in the air.

  He began with flattery, an excellent choice. “Um, yes. Michael. Have I mentioned that I’ve really enjoyed being a part of the cast even for this short time?”

  Michael shoved another handful of candy into his mouth and nodded genially.

  “Anyways, I was thinking that the plot could use another villain, no? Keeping on a member of the enemy faction could be a really interesting juxtaposition, a subtle play on American politics, the fox in the henhouse—”

  I snorted and cut him off. “What he means is that he’d be down to stick around for next season if you want him to,” I said, while Markus glowered at me for interrupting his flow.

  Michael looked back and forth between us, fascinated, his face smeared with chocolate around his mouth and in his patchy facial hair. “Seriously? Shellenberg, is she kidding?”

  Markus hemmed and hawed for a moment before finally saying, “No, she’s not. I’d like to stay on. That is, if there’s room for me in the next season’s arc.”

  Michael was stunned. “Really? This might be the best news I’ve heard since I found out that the McDonald’s down in Los Feliz was going to keep the McRib around through March. Fuck yeah, I’d like to have you. I’d love to have you!”

  I smiled, mission accomplished. “Okay, Michael, Markus. How do we do this? Make it happen?”

  Michael spun in a circle and threw the remainder of his container of candy in the air, and I cursed silently—those were the only M&Ms I’d been able to track down after sending three assistants on a wild goose chase around Studio City. “Oh yeah, this is going to be great. Network’s gonna shit their pants. Listen, I’ll get on the horn with them and we’ll set up a meeting for…” He looked at me, his human calendar.

  “Tomorrow should work,” I helpfully supplied.

  “Tomorrow. Alina, set it up.” I nodded and he continued, “This is going to be amazing!” He started doing his version of a happy dance, wiggling his ass with his hands in the air as he jumped up and down. “Oh my god, I cannot wait for this meeting! Shellenberg, I could kiss you right now!”

  “That won’t be necessary, just a contract please. And it doesn’t need to be a big role, whatever you’d like me to do is fine.” Markus grinned at Michael.

  “Well, when you put it that—” Michael started to respond, and the sparkle in his eye warned me that whatever he was about to say was going to be highly unprofessional and probably sexual in nature.

  I interrupted, “Okay, we’re settled? Great, let’s get back to filming. Michael, where did you need Markus for the afternoon?”

  “Stage three, my lovelies, stage three. Alina, get that meeting scheduled and call the writers. They’ve got work to do.”

  “You got it, boss. Markus, see you later.” It came out like a half-question. I had no plans for later, but I suddenly felt like celebrating—with my new best friend who I had increasingly inappropriate feelings for. Shit. I need to get my head back in the game and focus on work. Not fucking around with an actor.

  “Of course. Later.” He bowed and winked at me.

  Michael raised his eyebrows at both of us and I ran before my stupidly pale skin could give anything else away.

  * * * *

  “Alina, girl, get your ass over here,” Candace sang in that voice that friends only employ when they think they’ve caught you out in an enormous lie. She was vibrating with excitement. “You, my friend,” she whisper-shouted, “have been keeping a big German secret, have you not?”

  “What the hell are you even talking about? And do you think you could keep your voice down a little?” The last thing I needed was gossip about Markus attaching to me. The absolute last thing. Squashing rumors about Michael and me was bad enough.

  “You know exactly what I’m talking about. Markus. Shellenberg. Rory and I saw you hanging out this morning. Lots of touchy-feels. Anything you’d like to share?” Her voice still remained in the too-loud-for-this-chat category, but shushing her further was going to be impossible, given her level of excitement.

  I managed to pull her off to the side of a trailer, but she wasn’t even letting me respond and her super high-pitched voice was getting louder. “I mean, the news broke this morning that he and Kate broke up, the usual publicity crap—but her team is spreading the rumor that he ended things because he was cheating on her. With someone from this show. Any chance that could be you? Also, I thought you said they broke up a while ago?”

  “They did, but both sides wanted to keep it quiet till Markus was done with the Sellers film. I have no idea why—nor do I have a clue why her team is starting that rumor. There’s nothing going on between us,” I said.

  The problem was, Candace was my only friend in L.A. I didn’t want to lie to her, but really, bar our exceptionally friendly wake-up call that morning, nothing had happened with Markus. And nothing ever would. Not that she needed to know about any of that nothing-ness.

  “Look, Candace. I know you want to see something that’s not there, but we’re not involved. Just friends. I really can’t say anything else, okay?” I waited for her reluctant nod before continuing. “Now, let it go. Seriously. Let’s not feed the rumor mill.”

  She sighed dramatically and bowed her head in pretend shame, then peeked out through the tight curls that hid her face. “Of course, lady. But if something does happen, I get to be the first to know, right?” I nodde
d and she hugged me tightly. “I’m sorry. I got a little carried away imagining double dates.”

  I hugged her back and laughed a little. “It’s fine. Let’s drop it, okay?”

  She agreed, and I walked off to find Michael and let him know that the execs were good for meeting with him and Markus the next day. Looking wasn’t really necessary, as it turned out, because Michael strolled around the corner of a trailer almost simultaneously with my last words to Candace.

  “Alina! There you are. We finished one of Markus’ last scenes for the last day and I wanted to make sure that you’d had a chance to send that email. I can’t even believe this, did you know anything?” He was practically violent in his paroxysms of delight as he attempted to hug and pat me on the back at the same time.

  I ducked away and hedged, “I did, a little. I mean, we’re kind of friends and we run lines together sometimes. He sounded me out about it, at least.”

  “You run lines together?” he asked incredulously.

  “Yeah, sometimes. When he asks. It’s fun and he’s really an amazing actor,” I answered, gushing perhaps a little too much about how great and wonderful Markus was at pretty much everything.

  “Hmm. I didn’t realize you were into that. Well, whatever you did worked, and he was even better today than usual. So, are the execs good to meet with us?”

  “Yes, they’re excited. I have the two of you meeting them at Nobu at eight-thirty for dinner and drinks. Will that work? It was open on your calendar so I took a chance—they didn’t give me many options.”

  He threw his arms around me and picked me up, twirling me in a circle. “It’s perfect,” he crowed. “Alina, we’re saved, the show is saved! And you’re coming with us tomorrow. They need to get to know you, the woman who saved the show,” he enthused as he dropped me like a sack of potatoes. His little arms were not made to hold up an almost six-foot woman who’d very much enjoyed Georgia’s foodie scene.

  I cleared my throat and asked, “So, not sure how this affects the fight scene, but we need to figure out a way to make it ambiguous so he can come back from it. What are we doing with this extra? Do we really need her?”

  “Yeah, I think we do. It might be interesting for him to have a love interest if he’s sticking around, but I don’t know if this girl will be the one. So we’ve got to hint at his sexuality and create that atmosphere, but she doesn’t have to be endgame. Got it?”

  I nodded, loving how far ahead Michael’s brain was working, how many different scenarios he was planning.

  “For what it’s worth, you’re really doing well with production work, and I’m excited to see how you take on directing next season. I know that’s your goal. Do you think you’d like to do more, though, than just production and direction?” Michael asked, seemingly genuinely curious.

  “Are you seriously handing out compliments and asking questions about my personal goals? Before noon and without a drink in your hand?” I was skeptical. Michael’s mentoring had been more or less of the tough-love variety. “Uh, well, cinematography and maybe editing are also things I think I’d be interested in—but that’s more craft to support my ultimate goal of directing.”

  “Hm,” he hummed, looking at me strangely. “You’ve never thought about acting? I feel like there’s a natural ability in you.”

  “Hard pass. I prefer being back here, behind the camera.”

  “Well, if you ever change your mind, I might have the perfect role for you.”

  I laughed. “Will do, boss. Will do.”

  “Great, now go herd some cats. Quickly. We’ll be rolling shortly, and I need your inspiration with me today. I’m feeling depleted.”

  I walked away, rolling my eyes. Michael’s ridiculousness had reached critical levels.

  Chapter Ten

  Markus

  “Alina, hey!” I poked my head out of the door and whisper-shouted as I saw her messy pony-tailed shadow walk past my trailer.

  She slowed and came to a halt, turning back. “Yeah?”

  “Yeah, so, you said something about seeing me later?” I took a deep breath to try to slow down my heart rate, catching a whiff of her sandalwood and gardenia shampoo in the process.

  “Oh. Totally, um, I don’t really have any plans. You?” She looked a little surprised as she hugged her clipboard to her chest.

  “No, I was actually wondering if you might want to hang out. I’m not feeling like going home. We could grab a drink? I could call my security team, have them meet us somewhere to keep the looks down.”

  “Security? Is that necessary? You were out the other night without anyone.” She seemed confused but, then again, she had never traveled in the circles that I usually did and I seriously still had no idea how we hadn’t been spotted the other night.

  “Yeah, we got lucky. I don’t usually do that. But it’s not a problem to call them. Where do you want to go?”

  “Honestly? It’s been a long day and I feel gross and want to go home. You’re welcome to come over, I guess, but I’m not going out looking like this.” She gestured up and down her body, drawing my attention to the way her shirt pulled tightly across her chest—never mind the sweat stains around her collar.

  I grinned at her. “Sure. I can do that. Do you want to meet there? David isn’t here yet. I could come with you?”

  “Whoa. I mean, okay? Aren’t you worried about someone seeing us and talking shit?” she asked nervously.

  I shrugged. “Haven’t most people left already?”

  She looked thoughtful, like she was weighing the pros and cons of being seen with me by anyone else on the set, especially with the news about me joining the show for the next season not being out yet. “I guess, but I still don’t want people getting the wrong idea. Like we’re together or something.”

  I leaned against the doorway. “Would that be so bad? I mean, what would happen?”

  Her eyeroll was so extreme it looked like she was in danger of giving herself brain damage. “Stop playing dumb. Nothing would happen to you, but I’d get a rep and I don’t need that. I’m trying to climb the ladder, not hump my way to the top, and I don’t want any questions about that when I’ve already moved up pretty quickly.”

  I raised my hands and backed off. “Sorry, yeah, totally get it. I’ll call David and have him drop me at your place, good?”

  She sighed deeply. “Thanks, I’m heading out now. I’ll leave the door open for you in case I’m in the shower and don’t answer the door when you arrive.”

  “Cool, I’ll see you in a bit.” We both hesitated for a second, but then I leaned in and kissed her cheek, smoothing her hair away from her face, and booped her nose. “Drive safe.”

  * * * *

  Alina

  I was running a brush through my wet hair when the doorbell rang. My stomach immediately lit up with nerves as I ran to open the door. Markus was leaning against the frame, grinning at me like he knew the sinful secret to a perfect sex life. I immediately transposed that first glimpse of him to a life size poster that I wanted to permanently paste to my ceiling like a lovesick teenager with her favorite Tiger Beat photos.

  “Sorry it took me a while, had to run home first to grab something for you,” he said as he waved a wine bottle in my direction like I was a skittish dog he had to treat to get within touching distance.

  I snatched it from his waggling fingers and examined the label. “Oh, nice! Hey, is this from your family’s winery?”

  “Yeah, my brother sent me a case of it. It’s supposed to be good.”

  I was tracing the letters of his family’s name on the label as he followed me into my tiny kitchen, where I pulled out a wine key and pointed him at some stemless glasses on one of the floating shelves. “Grab those and we’ll head outside. Are you hungry? I can order something for you—I ate back at the studio.”

  “No, I’m good. Just the wine, then. And the company. Quite the celebration for my new job.” His smile broke through again and it was blinding. I couldn’t help bu
t return it.

  “It’s very exciting, and I’m selfishly glad you’ll be sticking around. What are you going to do between now and when filming for next season starts?” I asked as he sliced off the wrapper over the cork.

  “I’m going back to Germany for a bit. It’s been too long since I’ve spent time with my family. So I’ll do that, but only for a couple of days rather than the few weeks I’d planned.” He opened the bottle with a flourish, passed the cork over for me to sniff and poured us each a glass. We toasted wordlessly and stared out at the beach beyond my back gate. The silence was peaceful as we lounged, but Markus seemed a little antsy. He motioned toward the beach. “Do you want to go for a walk?”

  “No, it’s late and I’m physically exhausted, but my brain won’t turn off. Want to watch a movie?”

  “Oh, sure. Your choice. I’m only here for the celebration,” he joked.

  I smiled and my nerves finally started to calm. “Ah, perfect. Can we watch shitty nineties teen rom-coms?”

  He groaned a little then surprised me with his accepting nod. “Heath Ledger is my idol. Always wished I could have worked with him,” he said as he held out a hand to pull me up. The minute our palms connected, a mini electric charge pulsed outward and up my arm, leaving a trail of goosebumps in its wake.

  Reflexively, he yanked me toward him and I stumbled into him, grabbing his bicep to keep from falling over completely. He steadied me carefully with one hand curled loosely around my waist, trapping me against his chest.

  We were too close. I could smell the wine on his breath—the bouquet had expanded and threatened to overwhelm me with its heady scent. His heart rate pounded faster against the back of my hand and I watched in amazement as tiny gold flecks started to pop from his usually solid navy irises. His pupils dilated and he swallowed hard, his eyes dropping to my mouth, then drifting lower to the gaping V of my shirt’s neckline.