The Mobster's Girl

Chapter Thirty-Five

Chapter Thirty-Five

Stella and Will had spent the last hour going over the beginning of the script. Right as Stella began to feel like she was immersed in the character and the plot, the writer, Christopher, would stop them to give his honest, and harsh, feedback. Stella thought he was a bit harsh on Will, who made it very easy to get lost in her role, but he was even more rough with Stella, which only made her feel more insufficient.

"Scarlett, honey," Christopher began as he interrupted Stella for what felt like the hundredth time. "Just as you start to show me that you are competent enough to play this role, you do something to disappointment me. Do you know what you did wrong?"

Stella, who had thought she'd delivered the line perfectly, had no idea. She was also beginning to get quite tired of being called the wrong name.

"Actually," Stella began with a large smile. "My name is Stella, and I'm sure you'll be kind enough to tell me how I can improve?"

She heard Will try to hide a laugh from beside her, and could see Daniel Alden smiling in the audience. It was clear that everyone else in the room was growing tired of Christopher's negativity as well.

Christopher didn't like being corrected, which was apparent by the sour look on his face.

"Right. Stella," he said grumpily as he stood from his spot in the audience and climbed the stairs onto the stage.

He stood inches from Stella and Will, examined the two, then put his hands on Stella's shoulders and maneuvered her a few inches to her left.

"I didn't like your movement in this scene. It just...didn't feel organic. Y'know what I mean?"

Stella could hear Daniel sigh from his spot in the audience.

"Christopher, you have to stop nitpicking every little thing. Should you decided to cast Stella in this role, we can go over all of this during rehearsals. It doesn't matter right now."

Christopher turned his angry gaze towards Daniel.

"It matters to me, as the writer of this play. Without me, this wouldn't even exist."

It was Will's turn to step forward to console Christopher.

"As an actor, I know how important this is, I do," Will began with a charming smile. "But this main meeting between Stella and I was to see if we had chemistry; not to focus on the movement."

Christopher visibly relaxed.

Stella was quiet as she watched everyone else try to console the writer. She didn't know the man well enough to try to step in.

"And, now that I mention chemistry, I'd say that Stella is the person I've been most comfortable with thus far."

Again, that same frown appeared on Christopher's face. It was true, Will did seem more comfortable with Stella, but he didn't want some novice playing the character that he wrote. He was certain she'd mess it up, and he was constantly trying to prove this, so they could tell her she wasn't right for the role, then move on.

"We haven't done the kiss yet. That'll be the real test."

He turned and looked at Stella, who had become noticeably paler, a smug smile on his face.

Stella, certain that he hated her, returned the smile, although hers looked nervous.

"Well then, let's get to it," Daniel called from his seat in the audience.

Stella locked eyes with Will, her stomach suddenly full of butterflies. She didn't feel right thinking about kissing a man other than Jack, and felt like she was being unfaithful.