Page 75 of Beyond the Bright Lights

“Lana—”

“Okay, everyone,” Jensen interrupts. “We’re already behind schedule for the day. It's going to be a long one, so let’s get started.”

“Can we talk about this later?” I ask, palming Lana’s cheek again.

“What’s there to talk about?” she answers, shrugging once more. “It’s fine.”

Shit.

She’s masking her true feelings. Her words are saying ‘it’s fine,’ but by the way her body tenses, lips pursed, she’s upset. She cares. She cares that I’ll be leaving her. A flare of hope burns my chest, and I quickly douse the flames.

“Andrews,” Jensen yells. “Take your mark.”

I roll my eyes over my shoulder then turn back to Lana. “You’re not fine about this at all.” I clutch her chin and bring her mouth close to mine. “It’s because you’re greedy, and you want me all for yourself.”

I don’t give her time to deny my words and kiss her hard before releasing my grip.

As I’m walking away, Rebecca says, “wow,” drawing out the word.

“Shut up,” Lana responds through a laugh.

Michelle Miller stands at an open locker in the middle of the hallway, and I take my mark at the end. Background actors gather, waiting for their cue. The crew makes final preps.

“Camera ready?” Bri Downley, the first assistant director, a tall Black woman with a head full of braids, asks.

“Ready,” the camera man, a large fella named Bob, responds.

“Quiet on set,” Bri continues. She pauses to listen, her hand on the headset she wears. “Roll sound.”

“Sound is speeding,” the sound guy says, a scrawny man who resembles Shaggy from the Scooby Doo cartoons.

The camera assistant, a young petite woman with her brown hair in a low ponytail, steps in front of the camera, holding out the clapperboard. “Tyler’s Team. Scene 1, Take 1.” She slaps the arm down.

“Set,” Bob barks.

“Background,” Bri yells, and the young men and women playing high school students—most are drama students at Silo Springs High School—move around the hallway.

Jensen ends the chorus of commands with 'Action!'

I run up the hallway, weaving through the students until I reach Chelle at her locker.

“Lana!” I say, the name drawn out in the accent I've perfected. “I did it! I got the scholarship to Arkansas State. Full ride. Can you believe it?”

“Babe, that’s amazing,” Chelle answers, scooping me into a hug.

I cup her face. “I knew I would. Now we can be together.” I kiss Chelle then continue my lines, talking about looking for places to stay and how we’ll decorate.

When Jensen yells cut, my eyes go to where Lana sits, but she’s not there.

I move, ready to go find her.

“Where are you going, Andrews?” Jensen yells, glancing around a monitor as they check the scene. “Back on your mark.”

I fist my hands at my side and take deep breaths, stifling the scream I want to unleash on this douche. I need to find Lana and make sure she’s okay. I know she’s not. She’d still be here on set if she were okay.

We just started shooting. Getting a break to find her could take hours.

I hope it won’t be too late.

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