Fame, Fate, and the First Kiss(47)

“You’re allowed to feel upset.”

“I’m not, I’m just annoyed more than anything. And I’m happy that my dad is on a date tonight. Maybe it will give him something else to focus on.”

“Maybe,” Donavan said.

“I better go. I’ll let you know when I finish the rest of my packet.”

“Okay.”

“Bye,” I said, and hung up quickly. I buried my face in my comforter. My face felt warm. Why did I care that I’d shared so much with him? We were friends. He told a story. I told a story. We were even. I was just tired. I needed a shower and sleep and then I’d feel normal again.





Dancing Graves


EXT. FOREST—NIGHT.

SCARLETT, who drank the formula but still seems to be deteriorating, stalks an unsuspecting TOWNSPERSON as he and his dog are following a trail through the woods home. Because she has maintained some of her human traits, she is smarter and more deadly than the other zombies, who only operate by instinct. She knows how to hide, sneak, reason, and predict reactions.

TOWNSPERSON

Did you hear something, Pepper? We better walk faster. It’s not safe out here.

It’s too late. SCARLETT has him cornered, and he doesn’t even know it yet.





Twenty-One


“Did you miss me?” Grant asked on set the next day. We still had one more day in the library before we moved on to the lab. And today, for the first time since we started filming, we were shooting my prezombie scenes, so for today, I was human.

“Since yesterday?” I asked.

“Yes.”

“Surprisingly, very little.”

He laughed like it was a joke.

“My mom’s cat is named Pepper,” I said.

“What?”

“I was just thinking of that scene where Scarlett kills her first human. The scene we’re filming at the end of the week in the mountains. The dog’s name is Pepper. I just remembered that. It’s crazy that her cat is named Pepper too. It’s a rescue cat and came with that name.” I was rambling because I was nervous, I realized. Today was the day. Today I had to (got to?) kiss Grant James.

“So crazy.”

“You don’t think it’s crazy.” I glanced over at him and realized he was right next to me.

“You know,” Grant said. “If you were a human all the time on set, chemistry would be no problem whatsoever.” He rested his hands on my shoulders.

I pushed against his chest and rolled my eyes. “And if you were this shallow all the time, you’d have to fight off the girls with a stick,” I said drily.

“Already do.” He leaned close. “Get ready to have your world changed forever.” He said it like he was kidding, but I got the sneaking suspicion that he really believed it.

Remy was going over blocking with the camera operator. Half the time on set was waiting around for something to happen, the other half was repeating the same scenes over and over while the camera shot different angles. It was nothing like theater, where there was only one chance to pull off a perfect performance.

“So hey,” I said, changing the subject because, seriously, Grant really wasn’t helping me at all in the pretending-to-be-in-love-with-him department. “What did you and Amanda do after I left yesterday?”

“Not much. She thought I needed kissing tips. You’ll have to tell me today if I do.”

If I rolled my eyes anymore they might roll onto the floor.

Remy stepped over to the desk behind us. “Did someone mess with the hot set?” The art director scurried forward and rearranged a few items on the desk.

“This has to look exactly the same every time for continuity,” Remy announced.

“We’re missing the ink and quill,” the art director said.

Oh crap. “Sorry, I borrowed it. I’ll go get it.”

I didn’t wait to see Remy’s reaction to that statement, just left quickly. I got to my trailer, found the items, and then leaned against the counter by a mirror on the wall. “Okay, Lacey, you can do this. You may not like Grant James romantically, but Scarlett loves Benjamin. You are Scarlett.” My stomach churned uncomfortably when I realized that wasn’t going to work. “How about this, then?” I said to my mirror self. “Pretend he’s Donavan.”

A small smile touched my lips, and I watched as color came into my cheeks. “Are you happy, self? You finally admitted it. Amanda was right. You like Donavan. Too bad there’s nothing you can do about it.” Aside from my self-imposed ban on boys, Donavan didn’t date actresses. It was just my luck that the first guy I ever liked wasn’t interested.

Back on set, I gave the ink and quill to the obviously irritated art director.

“Sorry,” I said.

She didn’t respond but took them to the desk, where she placed them carefully onto their spot.

“You’re in trouble,” Grant whispered.

“I know. I should’ve told them that you were the one who gave them to me. Nobody gets mad at Grant James.”

“This is true.”

Remy stepped out of the library and behind the monitor. “You two ready?”

I nodded.

Grant said, “So ready.”