“Not much.”
“Well, if you ever need any recommendations, let me know.” He grabs his script off the bed and starts flipping through it. “Let’s get started.”
I take mine out of my bag, and then notice three missed calls from Carlton. Another one comes through as I pick up my phone, so I answer. “Hello?”
“Where are you?” Carlton asks. “Why haven’t you been answering?”
“Sorry.” I contemplate telling him the truth but blurt something else out on a whim. “I’ve been helping Beau with math homework. My dad is still at work.”
He pauses. “Oh. Alright. Well, call me when you’re done, then.”
“I will.” I hang up and look at Zayne.
He looks right back at me. “Why did you lie?”
“Nosiness is a very unattractive quality, you know.”
“It’s because of me, isn’t it?” he guesses easily. “Your boyfriend hates my guts, doesn’t he?” And then he does something that makes heat spark in my veins. Hesmiles.He actuallysmiles.
“You seem very pleased by that sentiment.”
Zayne just rolls his shoulders. “I don’t like your boyfriend much either.”
“He’s not technically my boyfriend. And of course you don’t like him, because he’s so much more talented and…intimidating than you.”
Zayne looks appalled. “Intimidating?Carlton?”
His disbelief sounds so genuine that it irritates me. “You’re just jealous.”
“Not really. Why would I be? I got the part I auditioned for. Can’t say the same for him.”
“Only because you tampered with his script!” It takes more effort than I’d like to admit to keep my voice level. “You stole the part from him. You made him stumble to make yourself look better.”
Zayne glares at me with his eyebrows pulled together. “You still believe that?”
I cross my arms. “Don’t even try to deny it.”
“You know what?” He shakes his head. “I’m not surprised it was so easy for you to get cast as someone as cold and heartless as Catherine Earnshaw. It’s perfect for you.” He takes a step closer to me and lowers his voice. “It’s no wonder Mr. Saltzman asked me to run lines with you on top of rehearsals. He probably realized he mistook your real personality for acting and thought you had talent. ”
I gape at him, at a complete loss for words. I hate to admit it, but his insult stings. I can’t let him know that, though, so I scramble for a retaliation. “Funny. I was thinking about the irony of you playing Heathcliff. It’s completely unrealistic that you’d be considered a love-interest by anyone with even half a brain.” I gather up my materials, stuffing them back into my bag with harsh, jerky movements.
“Don’t forget this.” Zayne retrieves my phone from his bed and holds it out to me.
As I snatch it from him, our fingers brush and a thrill goes through me. It’s like by accidentally touching me, he zapped me with dopamine. I stuff my phone in my open bag. “I don’t know why I thought running lines with you was a good idea.”
“Apparently, we havechemistry.” Zayne says it like it’s a foreign concept without meaning.
“Well, whoever decided that is an idiot.” I sling my bag over my shoulder and glare at him one last time as a farewell. As I rush downstairs and out the front door, I can’t help but wonder why I didn’t just quit the play and save myself all this trouble. Doing so would make my life a thousand times easier. I wouldn’t have to learn how to act. Little Birdie would leave me alone. And best of all, I wouldn’t have to practice with Zayne ever again.
Mr. Saltzman would have to search for a new actress to replace me with. That wasted time could potentially hurt Zayne’s chances at getting into Underwood.
I imagine it all as I walk home. It’s a tempting outcome. One I could easily make happen.
One Ishouldmake happen.
But I can’t ignore the tiny seed of interest newly planted within me. The thought of simply returning to my linear plan of studying topics that don’t excite me, stressing over my grades and attendance, and joining the ocean of sterile individuals desperate to achieve the exact same thing makes my spirits deflate.
Acting is different. Acting is straying from the plan I’ve been promising to accomplish since I was seven. I know that should terrify me, but it does the complete opposite.
