Mieux Que Tout

14

14 | je pense à toi

Annie stumbled towards the wardrobe trailer, feet dragging. Tom had been pulled away by Fonzie for a last minute scene rehearsal. Behind her, she heard the hard clicking of Stephanie's heels, tick tack, tick tack, on the asphalt.

"This is not how it's meant to be," Stephanie seethed. "You don't have the right to just jump into an actor's shoes and take their place! You're not even qualified, you haven't been to acting school, you haven't auditioned, and you haven't even-"

"God! Stephanie, stop!" Annie yelled, "I know all of that!" 

Stephanie's heels stopped clicking. Annie scuffed the toe of her shoe on the asphalt, the impact jolting her leg. She hissed.  

"Shit," she muttered, looking down at her shoe. 

"Jesus," Stephanie exclaimed, rushing over. "What is that all about? You can't make your shoes look any worse, what are you doing?"

Annie scrunched her eyes shut. "I don't know what I'm doing," she murmured. "I don't know why I was picked." Her shoulders dropped. "All I know is that I'm undeserving of this opportunity. I'm not an actor, I've never wanted to be one. My friend should be here instead of me. And my mother-"

"Oh, don't start," Stephanie sighed. "My mother never wanted me to working on Hollywood sets, but look where I am."

Annie opened an eye. Stephanie stood before her, concern laced on her sharp features. 

"If I listened to a single word that my mother had said, I wouldn't be here," Stephanie continued. "I would be in an office, working nine to five every week for the rest of my life." 

"Seriously?"

Stephanie narrowed her eyes. "I'm serious. But this situation is different," she pointed a finger at Annie. "You, somehow, wormed your way into Tom Price's head and this is the payout." 

Annie blinked. "Excuse me?"

The tall blonde woman huffed. "It's so obvious, the way you two-" Stephanie shook her head, "It makes me want to gag."

"That's a really nice thought, Stephanie," Annie rolled her eyes, crossing her arms against her chest. "The perfume you wore the other day made me want to gag too." 

"Oh, don't be mad," Stephanie pursed her lips. "I would die for the opportunity you have been handed. Especially with that man. Do you understand that?"

"Yes," Annie huffed, "I understand everything about it. That's why I am uncomfortable." 

Stephanie stepped forwards, raising a hand to shield the glare of the sun. Her pointed eyes stared down at Annie. 

"Why does it make you uncomfortable?" 

Annie squinted. "Sally, my friend."

"The actor?"

"Yeah."

"Why?"

Annie shrugged. "Because she's an actor. This is her role, her opportunity. This wasn't part of my plan."

Stephanie huffed. "And what was your plan exactly? Arrive in Los Angeles with a half-broken down car?"

"God no."

"So, what's the real reason?" Stephanie asked, acrylic nails tapping on her clipboard. Annie looked down at her own nails, bitten to shreds.

"To remember my father," she started, voice small, "but I've been neglecting it. Now it feels like some cheap excuse to hide the real one."