BAD ACTING

SHIFT

        The next morning Andrew and I both received a text from Karen to meet her at the Studio later that afternoon.

        "You don't think she heard about last night do you?" I asked, the vision of my landlord screaming and calling the police haunting me.

        "I doubt it," Andrew replied.

        A text from Leah buzzed through minutes after.

        Leah: Did Karen text you?

        Yeah, what's going on?

        Leah: I don't know. I'm on my way.

        Andrew mumbled something about breakfast with Carrie and headed out the door.

        "I guess I'll see ya later at Karen's," he said, closing the door behind him.

        I walked up the steps, back to my room thinking I might start unloading my clothes into the closets. I dragged a bin of shirts into the walk-in and began sorting the shirts by color. I heard the door open, slam shut, and footsteps on the stairs.

        "Something is going on," Leah announced, walking into the closet.

        "Like what? I asked

         "I don't know...did Andrew get a text too?"

        "Yes."

        "Did he say anything?"

        "No. He left to hang out with Carrie."

        Leah leaned against the wall, while I sorted my shirts, both of us quietly thinking.

        "Let's prepare our characters." Leah finally said.

        "What do you mean?" I asked.

        "We need to be prepped for whatever is happening at Karen's."

        "Ok."

        "From now on we need to stick together, and think smart."

        "Play the game?" I asked, catching on.

        "Exactly."

        "I think Andrew knows more than he's saying, or will soon know after talking with Carrie."

        "So?"

        "I want to control our image for this afternoon, and start thinking smart from here on out."

        "I agree."

        "Who knows what opportunities we might snag if we're always ready."

        "Okay, what are the characters for the meeting today?" I started hanging shirts on hangers and securing them on the rack.

        "You need to bring a book with you as a prop. It will keep you from doing that nervous hand fidgeting thing you do. Pretend to be immersed in the book, as if the meeting is the second or third thing on your mind."

        "Ok, I can do that." Already I felt less nervous about the meeting.

        "Can I try on those ripped, stained, American Apparel jeans?"

        "Sure." We left the closet and began unloading the bins scattered across my room.

        "If Carrie is going to be there, she will look like a pretty princess. I'm going to make sure my character is her opposite."