Page 5 of Off Script

“Sorry, I didn’t get a chance to bring you a Starbucks’ muffin today. My ride was in a bit of a hurry,” Mikayla divulged.

“No problem. Besides, it’s about time I brought you something for a change.”

A harried-looking driver behind them did the thing Jada didn’t have the guts to, honking their horn at the delay. Andres muttered a curse about high-strung,pendejoproducers and waved them through. From there, Mikayla helped point Jada toward Lot B.

“Okay, how do I look?” Jada said, smoothing down her wrinkle-free blouse one last time.

“Fine. You’re about to be out of those clothes in a few minutes anyway,” Mikayla pointed out.

“I still need to look professional,” Jada muttered as they headed toward the soundstage’s massive doors. “This will be Ren’s first time seeing me in a while.”

“That tyrant will be too busy barking orders to notice,” Mikayla shot back darkly. However, the second they entered the overarching entryway, Mikayla had her charm back out in full force.

“Hey, Andrew!” She waved at their main production coordinator. “This is my cousin, Jada. She—”

“Is playing Lana Carter, and right on time,” Andrew finished as he checked something off on his clipboard.

Mikayla had briefed Jada on Andrew during the car ride. A devoted cricket lover and nearly as big a perfectionist as Ren, Andrew could be counted on to stick to their schedule religiously while sporting his Team India sports cap. Despite his brusque on-the-job manner, he gave Jada a conciliatory nod.

“I’ll go let Ren know,” he added before hurrying off.

“And while he tracks down El Commandante, I’ll steer you to our next stop.”

As Mikayla walked her to one of the back rooms, Jada paused to take in the rest of the set. The soundstage had been turned into a science lab, outfitted as the setting where the characters would later do research on the locket. With microscopes, beakers, and various tools encompassing the set design, Jada could easily see all types of science-y things going down here. Aside from this area as their designated production hub, Jada’s first scene with Angela’s Claire character would be outside. The lot also contained exterior buildings, one of which was an outdoor café where Claire and Lana would meet.

Jada eventually pulled herself away from gawking at everything to join Mikayla in the area designated for the makeup and costume department. The space held racks of clothing, a few small changing rooms, and several vanities with bright bulb lights. A blond woman stood at one of them arranging the various cosmetics on the table. Like most makeup artists, she had her own glamorous glow, with perfectly contoured features and daring eyeliner.

“Cass, my love!” Mikayla sang as they arrived.

“Mikayla, my shining star,” Cass returned in a singsong voice before spotting Jada behind her. “Oh, and you must be Jada! What a vision.”

Cass studied Jada’s bone structure with professional curiosity. “Oh yes. I’m gonna have fun with that face!”

“Nice to meet you, Cass.” Jada laughed, not fazed by the woman’s exuberance. Enthusiasm for high cheekbones and color palettes were notorious passions for makeup artists. OnFallen Creatures, the makeup team had often gotten caught up in heated debates on everything from skin-care regimens to blending techniques.

As Mikayla got Jada’s outfit—consisting of a gray pencil skirt and gorgeous blush-colored blouse—ready, Cass studied Jada’s complexion before choosing a foundation. As they fell into their regular routine, their bustle of activity didn’t slow down their habitual chitchat.

“Where’s Val?” Mikayla inquired about her boss, the head costume designer.

Although Val was usually around to supervise, she’d started giving Mikayla more responsibility as of late so she could “take care of other things.” According to Mikayla, Val had caught her husband cheating, which had now boiled over into bitter divorce proceedings. The whole ordeal seemed to be taking a toll, causing Val to break down at the slightest mishap and then escape the set for “tea breaks.” Since said tea was laced with valerian root, Val eventually ended up taking naps in her car. The costume designer also didn’t get along too well with Cass, so they took turns occupying the limited space.

“Val’s probably hiding from Her Highness,” Cass whispered with clear distaste.

“Mmm. Ain’t that the truth,” Mikayla agreed.

“Who’s Her Highness?” Jada asked.

“That’s our code name for Angela,” Cass continued in her stage whisper. “She came inparticularlyfoul this morning.”

“Do we know why?” Jada had heard in passing that Angela was a bit of a party girl, sometimes a diva. Still, Jada didn’t want her first day to consist of walking on eggshells because of someone else’s bad mood.

“Why else? Tristan.” Cass rolled her eyes.

“They’re ‘dating.’ Supposedly. I refuse to fully accept it,” Mikayla explained.

“You didn’t mention that in the car!”

“It’s just a rumor.”

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