Off Camera

Chapter 15

Tee POV

I walk into the studio with a wide grin on my face and a spring to my step, even though my body still slightly aches. No matter what. I'm not letting anything damper my mood today.

I head straight for the makeup artist and the empty chair in front of her table. "Good morning. It is time to make look amazing." I flash her a brilliant smile before I sit down in the chair.

She pulls some tissues from a box and gives me a side glance. "Someone is happy this morning. Did something good happen to you?"

I playfully raise my eyebrows. "I don't know. Maybe."

She giggles and tucks the tissues around the top of my shirt. "At least you are in a good mood. Yesterday, you looked like you were going to rip someone apart or blow up if anyone talked to you." She leans closer to me. "I like this side of you much better. To be honest, you look like you're glowing. Whatever you did, I hope you keep doing it. You are more handsome with this look."

I bite my lower lip. If she only knew what I did, she would be shocked, but I'm going to keep seeing Tae. Everyone around me can see how he makes me happy. They just don't know he is the reason for my cheerful mood.

I chuckle and nod. "Okay. I'll keep doing what I did last night, especially if I'm glowing the next day."

She reaches behind me and grabs some more tissues. "That is good. I hate seeing people looking down. If we were closer or friends, I would have asked what happened yesterday to make you spit daggers at everyone. You had to redo several scenes quite a few times too, which I'm sure only compounded whatever the issue was."

I choke down my snort. There is only one person who soured my mood, and she will do it again if she shows up.

Thinking of her, my smile falters a little, and I scan the studio. My grin widens again when I don't see any sign of the annoying woman. My conversation with Tae about her replays in my head. He isn't any happier about having to deal with her, as I am having to watch her advances on him.

My blood boils just thinking about it.

I push it out of my mind and go back to my happy mood.

"Tee, I need to roll your collar down. The director said he wanted me to cover further down your neck and upper chest. I'm not really understanding why, though, but I do what I'm told."

I mentally run through the script. Is there something within it which would call for it? I haven't seen my clothes for the upcoming scenes yet, but usually I'm wearing a white button-down collared shirt. The uniform for every college student in the drama.

He has never requested to have makeup down that far down on me before, and we are over halfway done with the filming. Why is he requesting the change?

A guy darts up to me. He hands me a stack of papers. "Tee. Here are the changes for today's script. Look through them, and if you have any questions, ask the director about them."

He goes to dash off, but I grab his arm. "Is the schedule still the same? Or has the schedule changed too? If so, I need to know the updated times."

He shrugs his shoulders and shakes his head. "I don't know. They didn't tell me anything about that. They only handed me the stack of changes and told me to give them to you. You need to ask the director." He shakes his arm out of my grasp and dashes off.

I look down at the stack of papers and sigh.

The young makeup artist pats my shoulder. "Don't worry. You can do it. This isn't the most changes they have done. Was it at the beginning of filming when they almost completely rewrote all the scenes for the day? That is something to be concerned about. This isn't nearly as bad as then."

She is right, but it is still frustrating.

I flip through the stack of changes while she continues to get me ready for the next step.

After a few minutes, she taps my shoulder. "I need you to look up so I can apply the makeup."

I nod, set the papers on my lap, and look straight ahead. On the other side of the studio, the director walks by. I wonder if Tae has talked with him yet.

The young woman walks in front of me with a few brushes in one hand and a container of foundation in her other hand. "Close your eyes. I don't want to accidentally get any of this in your eyes."

I nod and do as she says. My mind goes back to the director.

Tae and I talked about his problem with the witch. We have come to the conclusion he would talk to the director and ask for help in keeping her at bay. Hopefully, when we are done filming, she will have forgotten about Tae and has moved onto her next target.

***

"CUT!!!" The director marches onto the set. "Tee! Didn't you read through all the changes? That line is wrong. It has been changed."

He waves his hand out to his side as steam rolls off him. A younger guy scurries up to the director with a stack of papers, which I already know is today's changes.

I'm starting to really hate the stack of paper. I've read through all the changes and have worked on memorizing them, but my mind keeps getting distracted, and I can't focus. Then I end up saying the lines from the original scene or something not even remotely close to either the original or the changed script.

My shoulders drop. "Yes. I looked at the changes, but I forgot. Sorry."

The director flips through the papers and soon finds the scene. He pokes his finger at the papers. "It is right here. Now, look at the correct line and let's try it again, but I'm giving everyone five minutes to collect themselves before we film it again."

I breathe a small sigh of relief.

My eyes dart around the studio, looking for the one person who can make this all melt away, but I don't see him.

Where did he go? He was here about an hour ago.

I walk off the set and to my pile of things along the far wall. My eyes roam around the area during my short jaunt.

I pick up both the script and the changes, flipping to the right spot for the current scene. My eyes hover over the words and my scribbles, putting the changes in the original document. The revised lines roll off my tongue, even though only moments ago they wouldn't come to me no matter what I did.

Mentally, I scold myself for losing my train of thought and not performing like I should.

I look away from the papers and focus on the floor. Just like before, the lines come to me and roll out of me with ease.

I take a deep breath. Hopefully, I won't mess them up this time.

I glance down at my watch. Dang. We have several more hours before I can leave for the day. But where is Tae?

Published September 15, 2022