Page 6 of Wicked Shadows
2
CHAPTER TWO
The next morningon the set, Elle’s bottom jaw dropped to her chest when she reviewed the updated call sheet outlining the scenes that would be filmed. The last-minute notice aside, the number of set changes required ensured everyone would be on set until the wee hours of the morning.
“Can they do this?” Beth whispered as she gawked at her call sheet. “With our union contracts, can they legally get away with this?”
“Maybe not legally,” Elle whispered back. “But they have a long arm, Beth. Don’t get blacklisted.”
Throughout the tedious hours of filming, Elle had to endure scene after scene with Jax, not only pretending she didn’t despise him, but that she was in love with him. On more than one occasion, she mused about that golden statue and how it would be hers if she could only convey to the world her true feelings for her costar. Since everything was filmed as the set was needed, rather than in order of the script, her numerous scenes had thankfully been short ones. Her longest scene was scheduled at the end of the day, and she knew it would be her hardest scene to date.
“Get Elle and Jax set up for the next scene,” Vince instructed. “We need to get as many finished today as possible. We’re already behind schedule, and we can’t get another extension on the time we have this stage.”
While the crew scurried about, quickly correcting last-minute set details, the second assistant director left to fetch the main stars. Their workday had already been longer than the updated call sheets indicated, causing every crew member to inwardly grumble about the extra hours. While several whispered threats of calling their union representative the next morning, none dared to show their displeasure with the working conditions. Getting called back to work on another movie in the near future was more important than going home at the scheduled time.
“Elle, sweetheart, you’re being such a trooper today,” Vince praised her as she walked to her mark.
“My job isn’t as physically demanding as our crew’s jobs. As long as they’re working, the least I can do is keep going, too.”
Several nearby crew members looked up and gave her small, appreciative smiles as she sat in the side-stage makeup chair. When their smiles faded, Elle knew exactly who had entered the sound stage from the door behind her without even turning around. Beth approached her to freshen her makeup before the cameras started rolling again.
“How are you holding up?” Beth murmured while she worked.
“Okay, other than wanting to shave Jax’s head and tattoo a pile of shit on it so everyone knows what a shithead he is.”
Beth barked out a laugh and quickly covered it with a mock coughing fit.
“If you’re sick, you need to leave. We can’t have Elle catching a cold right now,” Vince snapped.
“I’m not sick, sir,” Beth replied without elaborating, knowing Vince wouldn’t want to hear it from her anyway. Lowering her voice, she glared at Elle. “You can take the girl out of the South, but you can’t take the South out of the girl.”
“You would know as well as I do,” Elle whispered back with a smirk.
Beth stepped back and admired her work. “There. You’re perfect. Go break a leg.”
“That’s for theater work,” Elle disputed.
“Then go break Jax’s leg.”
“Now you’re talking,” Elle replied with a chuckle.
“What’d the jackass do this time?”
“He barged into my trailer, without knocking, while I was changing clothes. I know he does that shit on purpose. Anyway, he offered his services to make me the best-paid female actress, if I’d service him on my knees right then and there. My hands were shaking from being so mad.
“Beth, I didn’t even think about what would happen before I picked up the vase of flowers from the table and threw it at his head. He ducked, and it hit the wall behind him. Shattered glass flew everywhere. He spewed some vague threats at me and stormed off, back to his trailer.
“Of course, the noise was loud, and a few of the crew members came running. It was so sweet how concerned they were for me. The cleaning team rushed in and cleaned up the mess before anyone else realized what had happened. I’m surprised he didn’t go running to Vince about me.”
“It’s too late in the process to replace you now. Production will wrap in a couple of days if we keep going at the filming pace we have today. Besides, the scuttlebutt around the crew is Vince is covering up something major, something that could be a career-ender. Most bets are it has to do with Jax harassing actresses and other women on the set, that he’s crossed the line with the wrong woman.”
“If that were true, Jax wouldn’t have propositioned me. Vince would’ve made sure he had Jax under control, especially if it’s something serious enough to affect their careers. It has to be something else.”
“Hide that worried look on your face, Elle. Here come Vince and Jax. Time to put your acting skills to the test,” Beth whispered while pretending to style a strand of Elle’s hair.
“Elle, we’re shooting the last scene you and Jax have together next. It’s the breakup scene, so I need to see some real tears, real emotions, real heartache. Take a few moments to be alone and do whatever it takes to get into your character’s frame of mind. We need you in top form so we can get this in as few takes as possible,” Vince explained.
“You got it.” Elle gave the reply he expected to hear, but inwardly, all she could think about was how thrilled she’d be to break up with Jax at the end of filming. Then she’d just have to make it through the months of press junkets with him, with all the fake articles about how their love was what made the scenes so authentic rather than their acting expertise. “I’m going to wardrobe to change into my costume now. Then we can wrap up this scene as soon as I’m all sad and depressed.”
