the blind side of love | chaennie

twenty-eight

Jennie stirred the cup of coffee in her hand, watching the spinning brown liquid briefly before looking up. Irene was looking at her and Jennie smiled, somewhat casually, somewhat awkwardly from across the room. Now that they were in the company of others, Jennie felt reserved. She dropped her gaze and returned to her seat, saying hello to the casting director as she passed by.

Though the previous evening had ended professionally enough, Jennie still worried about who might've seen them together and how it might have looked. She'd spent half the night berating herself for not being more careful and the other half wondering what kissing Irene might feel like. There had been other thoughts, too, mainly centered around Roseanne.

"You look tired," Yeri Kim said suddenly. "Rough night?"

Jennie took a sip of coffee and nodded. "Didn't sleep very well."

"Had a hot boytoy in your bed?" Yeri laughed and sat down beside Jennie. "Ah, to be young and beautiful."

Jennie glanced at Irene who was looking back at her, amused. She cleared her throat and turned back to the producer. "I'm afraid my bed was quite empty last night."

Yeri looked as if she didn't believe Jennie, then she laughed. "Well if that's true then I'm sure it wasn't for lack of offers, eh? I heard you and that studmuffin director broke up. Shame. You two made a beautiful couple. Don't you think?" She directed the question at Irene who'd taken a seat nearby. Not waiting for the director's answer, the producer continued, "Are you still single?"

"Quite so," said Jennie.

"You know, I have a brother. He's not a male model or anything, God bless him, but he's a sweetheart. I tried to set him up with that one over there," she said, motioning to Irene, "but it turns out she swings in an entirely different direction. First date didn't go quite as planned." She chuckled.

"Most awkward night ever," Irene mumbled.

Jennie bit her lip. "I'm kind of ... not really looking for anyone right now," she said, hoping that was enough to deter the woman, knowing, somehow, that it wasn't.

Yeri was digging into her purse. "I'll just give you his number. If you're feeling lonely when you move to New York, give him a call. He can give you a tour. You don't need to get married or anything."

Jennie accepted the piece of paper without looking at it. "Will do..."

"Okay, then," Irene said, rising suddenly, "if no one else has a son, brother or distant third cousin they want to try and set our lead actress with, let's get started."

Jennie put the guy's number away somewhere that looked like she wouldn't forget about it, though she knew she would. She missed the safety of her relationship with Kai, realizing just then how simple it had made things.

The door opened, catching Jennie's attention. A young woman stepped in, looking both nervous and confident as she walked to the center of the room.

Irene sat next to Jennie and handed her part of the script. To the girl, she said, "You may start when ready. Jennie Kim will be reading with you."

The girl took a moment and then began. From the second she first spoke it was clear that she wasn't right for the part, but Jennie read her lines as though the real Samantha stood before her.

The audition ended minutes later and Yeri Kim was the first to speak once the girl had exited. "My vote is still on our esteemed director for the role. We're wasting our time with these auditions."

"Seriously, Irene," said the casting director, whose name Jennie had entirely forgotten. "I told you from the beginning that part was all you."

Irene seemed thoughtful. "I'll do a screen test and then we'll see. There's always the question of chemistry."