Better Than Revenge [Unedited - 2012 Version]

Chapter Ten

I had the first line in the script, so I got to start.

"Taylor!" I cried loudly. "Taylor, get up!" I paused, since I was supposed to run into Taylor's room at that moment. "Taylor!"

Savannah, the actress I hadn't recognized before, groaned. "I thought we were skipping today!"

I smiled. "We are! Don't you want to know the reason we're skipping?"

Savannah paused. "I'm listening."

"We're skipping because I managed to get us last minute VIP tickets to Paramore's concert tonight!" I smiled smugly.

"Nuh uh!" Savannah cried.

"Wait, wait, wait," Nora called from her seat. "Savannah, you're too stiff! You need to loosen up. Just because it's a read-through doesn't mean you should slack off."

Savannah sighed in annoyance. "Sorry, Nora."

"I think we should do a few exercises to loosen up," Nora said after a moment. "Come on, guys, we're all doing these."

I hated these exercises with a passion. I hadn't even tried any of the ones Nora had up her sleeve yet, but I already hated them. They were all similar to each other. I'd had to do some in theatre during high school, and they definitely weren't my cup of tea.

The first one we had to do was the animal exercise. Basically, Nora or Anne Holland, the assistant director, would list an animal and we would have to act like the animal.

Running around acting like a gorilla, a dinosaur or a dolphin wasn't my idea of fun.

The second was a little better, but not by much. It was an improv exercise. We needed a partner for this one and just as I was about to go with Jake, who was standing right next to me, Nora put a hand up and stopped me.

She grabbed my arm and looked around before saying, "No, Sophia, you go with Christian, please."

I couldn't help myself. I immediately protested. I knew I was too new to this business to protest about everything, but there was just no way not to. "What? Er... I'd much rather go with Jake, if you don't mind..."

Jake chuckled at my protests.

"Yeah, and I don't think Chris wants to go with her, either," Savannah added loudly. "He'd much rather go with me, right, Chris?"

"Honestly, I'm fine with anyone but her," Christian said, nodding towards me.

"So can he be my partner?" Savannah asked, hooking her arm into Christian's. "Please?"

"No, I want Christian and Sophia to be partners," Nora insisted stubbornly. "They're the two main characters and Sophia should go with her leading man. You need to go with Jake, Savannah."

"But—" she began, but her protests died short. "Fine..."

Nora nodded happily.

I grimaced, glancing over at Christian out of the corner of my eye. "Nora, are you sure? I really don't mind if Savannah goes with Christian. Honestly. I'm cool with it."

"Yes, I'm sure."

I sighed in defeat, slowly walking over to where Christian stood. He glanced over at me, looking at me like I was a bug on his shoe. I flipped him off in return.

"Okay, this little exercise is called 'Yes And'. The first person starts by establishing the setting and the plot and the second person goes with it. You have to keep agreeing with each other. Christian and Sophia, you go first as an example. Sophia, you start."