Jade

Chapter 11

Jade walked in the meeting space with a mix of nerves and excitement sitting in the pit of her stomach, fashionably late but relieved that the table read didn't start yet. Today was the second and final day of the table read for "Threads of the Past," the project Messiah was directing where Jade would be playing the lead role. They've been at it since ten in the morning and it was now reaching one in the afternoon.

Paris was her companion today, aggressively eating the Starbucks Puppuccino Jade ordered for her.

"Where are your manners Paris? That is so unlady like and you are embarrassing me." Jade whispered to her, wiping Paris' nose now coated in whipped cream.

The long table is set up in the middle of the open studio space, around it sit a mix of actors, writers, and producers, all reading through their scripts. Messiah sat at the head of the table, exuding a quiet confidence as he looked around the room.

Jade found an empty seat to place Paris before sitting next to her a few seats down from everyone else behind her name card. Her eyes meet Messiah's as she glanced up, fighting the urge not to roll them.

"Alright, everyone," Messiah said after clearing his throat, addressing the room. "Let's take it from page 23, where Aaliyah finds the journal for the first time. Jade, you ready?"

"Ready." Jade said with a nod.

Jade began reading, slipping effortlessly into the role of Aaliyah, delivering her lines and bouncing off the energy of the other actors in the movie.

"I thought I knew her, you know? My grandmother always had this way about her so composed, so untouchable. But this... this changes everything." Jade read, getting into character.

She was really trying to lock into her work, but could feel Messiah's eyes burning a hole through her face.

"So unprofessional." She thought to herself still  determined not to let him distract her.

"What does it say? What could possibly make you think differently about her?" Jessica Moran, an upcoming actress was playing Lanae, Jade's characters friend.

"It's not just the words, it's the... the life she lived. Look at this." Jade read.

She motions as if holding a journal, her voice full of emotion.

"She was in love, but not with my grandfather. With someone she couldn't have. And now... I think I know why she had to keep it a secret." Jade continued.

The room was silent for a minute, captivated by her delivery.

"Beautiful. Let's stop right there." Messiah said.

As the table read wrapped up, Jade felt Messiah's eyes lingering on her. She gathered her things, determined not to let him get under her skin, but he approached her before she could leave.

"Jade." She heard him call out.

"Yes Director?"

"Good job today, you killed that shit." He said with a smirk.

"Thank you Messiah." She calmly stated before brushing past him to leave. She hated how much he still had control over her emotions.

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It was almost five in the afternoon when Jade finally got home from her Friday classes, now seated cross-legged on her living room couch, nervously refreshing her email on her phone. The late afternoon sun streamed through the windows, casting warm light across her minimalist space, but she was too anxious to take her daily golden hour picture. Her mind was restless ever since Miles told her to expect the script for "Blood Bound" today.