I Do Until I Don't

Chapter 45

In the next few days, if I'm not thinking about Fannar or thinking about Alex or thinking about Melanie's bachelorette, I'm thinking of Sabrina's short movie. I'm practicing lines, planning my outfits and helping Julia plan her owns.

And now that the date has been set for the bachelorette, Sabrina, Melanie and I have finally some time to film. To be honest, I don't think it's the most useful scene; it's an epilogue scene with Melanie and Nia and their kid. It only makes the short-movie even longer than planned. By a lot. We added some interviews, but Sabrina assures me that she will be able to cut off some scenes which I doubt. Sabrina was never one for cutting footage: she loves long movies. The Sound of Music, Good Will Hunting, Titanic, Gone With The Wind were her favourites. Let's just hope Melanie's gift isn't three hours long.

"Do we really have to kiss?" Julia nearly shouts, letting go of the script Sabrina just handed her for the last sequence.

"Yes," Sabrina answers flatly, like there is nothing wrong with two sisters kissing.

"I am not doing it!" I say at the same time Julia objects, "Are you mad, woman? Jeez!"

Sabrina waves us off. "Just on the cheek. Calm down, girls. I'm crazy, but not that crazy."

It's too hot outside, so we decided to shoot the Epilogue scene inside which, if you ask me, might be the best decision Sabrina has taken all week-long. Sabrina is wearing loose shorts with a spaghetti-strapped green shirt with her usual beret. She braided her hair and hoop earrings.

"Now, read your lines one last time. You can improvise a little." Sabrina came to terms with the fact that Julia and I aren't actresses and that we don't want to remember all our lines by heart because we're in summer and who the hell memorizes things in summer.

"I finished," Julia announces, putting her script on the kitchen table and tying her hair in a high bun. Sabrina opens her mouth ─ probably to say that Nia doesn't tie her hair in a bun, but Julia stops her with her hand. "Relax! I'll untie my hair once we're shooting. It's so hot in here! Gosh."

Well... She is wearing grey sweatpants and a baggy black t-shirt, but okay... I won't point it out because it's so rare to find my sister in sweatpants. I need to enjoy the moment a little longer.

"Are we going to shoot our scene or what?" I say.

We do.

Melanie screams ACTION, and Julia and I shoot the scene ten times. The first three times, Melanie yells CUT the very first minutes because she thinks we aren't "portraying the characters" at our "full capacity." The fourth time, I yell CUT because Julia is leaning way too close to me. The next three times are good. The eight-time, Julia yells CUT because his hair is itching. The ninth time, Julia and I both yell CUT because we don't remember our lines. The tenth time is good, too.

"We have all the footage we need," Sabrina announces, opening her bottle of water and taking a sip.

"You sure?" Julia asks. "I won't have to wake up at four a.m. to shoot a scene?"

"Okay! That was one time!" Sabrina defends herself.

"And we stayed outside for THREE HOURS!"

I laugh. Sometimes, Sabrina and Julia argue like they are sisters. I like that. It means that I'm not the only one who considers my best friend as part of the family.

Sabrina and Julia look at me. And they laugh, too.

*****

"Wassup?" Nia asks, bursting into my room.