BLOOM [OHSHC]

Chapter 17 - Feral

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The movie began filming my scenes the next day.

I woke at five to go meet my stunt coordinator, Renee, dressed in athleisure and ready to sweat. We'd been video chatting for months - well, ever since I signed onto the movie - in preparation for my role. She'd been sending me YouTube videos of stunts to practice, guiding my nutrition and meal prep, and she'd been the one to insist I take kendo as one of my electives last semester.

Plus, Renee knew everything: krav maga, judo, kendo, karate, MMA, boxing, parkour, and even a bunch of stuff I couldn't name or remember.

In a nutshell: Renee's badass.

We hugged for the first time ever after Ellis escorted me into the proper studio, squealing and giggling like we'd known each other our whole lives. To be honest, I kind of saw Renee as the older sister figure I'd never had but always wanted, or maybe the cool wine aunt that I could go to for advice or an extraction from an uncomfortable situation. I'd called her more than once at an inappropriate hour of the night to ask for help in sticky predicaments, so it was a teensy bit surreal finally meeting this wise mentor of mine after only knowing her online for so long.

"Michi, I cannot believe you're real," Renee laughed, playing with my hair, "And this hair is fire, girl. Absolutely immaculate." Her tan, freckled skin read as trademark Californian, as did her sun-bleached blonde hair, despite it being pulled back into two boxer braids.

I smirked and said, "You're the one who wouldn't fly out to Japan to train me, so it's a little bit your fault that we haven't met earlier."

She gaped, a smile pulling at the corners of her mouth so I knew she wasn't actually mad, and propped her hands on her hips like she was surprised I was so sassy this early in the morning. To be honest, I was a little surprised too. "Oh, so that's how it's going to be? I'm hearing you loud and clear, kiddo. We're starting with laps, then."

Fuck my life.

"Got it, boss lady," I sighed, miserably jogging in the direction she pointed.

"Faster!"

"Yes ma'am!"

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After a grueling morning with Renee, Ellis drove me over to the set.

I finally shook hands with all of the important people, shmoozed the folks that needed shmoozing, and tried to make friends with my costars. The fun was short-lived though. After maybe an hour on set, someone forced me into a makeup trailer, where a peppy pink-haired girl got to work on me, layering me in movie magic and mysterious expensive stuff.

Someone popped in to fix my hair, but it didn't take nearly as long. They teased and sprayed my hair until it looked thoroughly bedraggled, more apocalypse-chic than bedhead rogue, how it had been.

Then, just as my makeup lady, Ayla, finished up, a costumer traipsed in with my suit. The two of them helped me wiggle into my hero suit - a black-and-white, one-piece, neoprene-and-spandex number - before forcing me into some wedge-heeled boots and matching gloves.

"Record time, I think," Ayla hummed, circling me to look for imperfections. "I think you're the most low maintenance person we've had through the trailer."

I laughed. "I'm taking that as a compliment."

"You should."

Ellis escorted me over to the proper part of the set, his eyes flicking in every direction, like someone would pop out from a shadow with a gun at any second. Paranoid weirdo.