Queens of Geek

CHAPTER SIXTEEN: CHARLIE

I'm sitting on Alyssa's couch, pretending to be focussed on uploading the video.

But really, I'm focussed on her.

She's standing in the kitchen, looking over the room service menu and humming to herself. "What do you think? Nachos? Salad? Club Sandwich? Pasta?"

My stomach rumbles. "Nachos would be amazing right now."

She nods. "Agreed."

She turns around and my eyes dart back to the screen, watching the upload progress bar crawling along slowly. When I glance up at her again, her smile widens, and my heart skips a beat.

She picks up the phone and orders lunch while flicking through channels on the TV absentmindedly, stopping on an old episode of The Simpsons.

"Okay," she says after hanging up. "Lunch is on its way. How's the video coming along?"

"It's at 50%. They always take ages to upload."

I keep my eyes on the screen as Alyssa walks over and sits next to me, putting her feet up on an ottoman.

She seems so relaxed, and I feel so on edge.

No one has ever made me so nervous before.

I look at her from the corner of my eye, she's watching the TV. Bart says something funny and she throws her head back in laughter. Her smile goes all the way up to her eyes, and makes me smile too.

There's a knock at the door and she jumps up. "Nachos already?" She jogs down the hall and pulls it open. "Oh, hey!"

She walks back in with a middle-aged woman in a suit jacket and pencil skirt behind her. "Charlie, this is my manager, Rhonda. Rhonda, this is Charlie."

I wave. "Hi!"

"Nice to meet you," she says with a slightly distracted nod.

Alyssa steps over to the fridge. "You want a drink or something?"

Rhonda shakes her head and looks at her watch. "No, thanks. I've got to keep moving."

She hands Alyssa a thick stack of papers, bound together. "Here are the rewrites. Read it asap and let me know what you think."

"Yep, cool." Alyssa flips through the pages and says goodbye to Rhonda, who flies out the door just as quickly as she came in.

"Is that a movie script?" I ask, eyeing it curiously.

"Yeah." Alyssa brings it over to the couch and sits by my side. "It's called Warrior. It's about an undercover cop who gets involved in an underground fighting ring. I'll be playing the lead; the cop. It's kind of like a mix of The Departed and Fight Club. Angelina Jolie is directing."

My jaw drops. "That is huge!"

She grimaces. "I know."

"What's wrong? You don't want to do it?"

Her eyes widen. "No, I do want to do it. It's the best role I've ever seen. But ever since I signed on, I've started doubting myself. I mean, if I mess this up ... Well, I'll be done."

I shake my head. "You won't mess it up. You're so good at what you do. And you'll really be able to show that in this role."

She puffs her cheeks out in an exhale and rubs a hand over her head. "I know. This is what I've been waiting for. But, it's Angelina Jolie! And I have to train so hard for this. The studio has hired a whole team of trainers and UFC fighters to turn me into a beast. It'll be hard work."