Chapter 274: Scene!

{"Goodness, the standard this year has been set extremely low," Madison said. She glared at Clarissa as she spoke. "If this competition has become a charity event, it's best not to compete next year," she continued.

Clarissa balled her fists and pretended not to know what Madison was trying to say. It was obvious she did not belong among these people. Although she had also grown up with the same privileges as them, she had a bit more decency. Madison increased the volume of her speech, hoping to cause a scene.

"You would think that after what happened at the last concert, she would have had the decency to quit." Madison said the last of her sentence with so much emphasis and revulsion that Clarissa wondered if continuing in the contest was the right thing to do.

Madison strode toward Clarissa followed by her brigade of worshipers. She stopped directly in front of the woman who she had just been bad mouthing and flashed a wicked grin.

"Madison," Clarissa said. "Devotees," she added mockingly. She had been addressing Madison's troops. The women all cackled their objections and Clarissa rolled her eyes at them.

"Still so arrogant I see," Madison said. "But we will see just how far you fall when it is I who takes the number one spot." Madison pushed past Clarissa roughly bumping shoulders with the woman. Each of her flock did the same.}

"Scene!" Director Porter shouted, and Mina quickly made her way toward Karen, the actress who played the female lead.

"Sorry, I hope I didn't hurt you," Mina said to the woman.

"Are you kidding me? You were great," said Karen. "I'll have to step my game up because of you." Mina blushed.

"Sorry," Mina repeated. "I got a little excited." Karen patted Mina's shoulder.

"I'm not angry. You helped me put my character into perspective. I was going to go with weak, but now I think I will go with apathetic. At least until I lose my sight," Karen added.

While the woman spoke, director Porter and director Hue were carefully reviewing the scene. If one character, even if it were an unnamed extra, was not exactly as the director pictured, the scene would be rejected and reshot.

So far, Mina and Karen had only two retakes throughout the four other completed scenes. One was because Mina could not stop laughing, and the other was because Karen could not figure out if she should laugh at Mina's character or feel pity for the woman.

The final scene Mina had to shoot was her watching Karen's character play at the last competition the protagonist would attend. Mina would be announced the loser, and storm off angrily. From there she would no longer need to film.

In life, Mina often stomped away in anger, so she knew she would complete that scene easily.

"Let's move to Mina's final frame" Director Porter shouted. Mina knew that meant he was satisfied with the shot.

The women parted ways as Jay pulled Mina along to change into a ball gown. The scene would begin with Mina playing what the viewer could only guess was the last part of a sonata. She would then exit the stage, say a few ugly words to the protagonist and then angrily watch from backstage.

As Jay pulled the door to the dressing room closed, Mina caught sight of a bright red satin gown with a high slit at the side. She was instantly put off.

"Umm Jay, the scene is a classy piano competition, not a cabaret." Jay laughed.

"Yes, but Madison would do anything to win, and if she has to show a little skin…" Jay trailed off and Mina pinched her brow.

"If I sit on the bench in that dress, my entire leg would be exposed," Mina said and Jay nodded in agreement as if that was the plan all along.

"Isn't it perfect?" She asked.

"No!" Mina half shouted. "I'm playing a character, but it's still my body."

"Let's try it on first. If more than just above your knee shows, I will find something else." Mina could live with that. She seldom showed her legs, but she imagined her calf being exposed would not be such a huge deal. People wore shorts all the time.

----

Mina walked out onto the set, shocking everyone she passed. Director Porter took one look at her and gasped, Mr. Eric did the same. Jay had not followed Mina; she was still rummaging through the remaining costumes on the off chance that her idea would be rejected as too much.

"Wow, Mina. Red looks good on you," director Porter said, making Mina blush. At the same time, Jay came out of the changing area holding two other gowns, but when she saw director Porter's facial expression as he took in the sight of Mina, she quietly retreated to return the items.

By the time Jay returned, Director Porter was discussing something with Karen who was wearing a dark blue dress. She looked dull, and Jay was offended on the actress's behalf.

"Who dressed the lead? She looks boring," Jay asked Mina a little too loudly, and Director Porter looked at her in annoyance.

"Do you have something to say?" He asked Jay, who recalled Mina's earlier advice. She opened her mouth, but her father interjected.

"Director, don't mind Jay. She is very opinionated," Eric said. Jay cut her eyes to the side. Mina could tell she wanted to roll them, but she was resisting.

"Speak your mind," director Porter said, he was pleased with Jay's handling of Mina's wardrobe and wanted to see if he could make long-term use of the girl.

"The style is wrong for the scene. Clarissa is no longer dark and gloomy," Jay said. She hoped Mina was right about the man, otherwise she could be ruining her career.

"What do you suggest? White?" Director Porter asked mockingly. To him, it was a cliche to have the protagonist wear white in important scenes, but Jay scoffed at his remark.

"Typical," Jay said. "I would've gone for a soft pink, in fact…"

Jay scurried off into where she had spent most of her time throughout filming. She came running back in with a rose-colored knee length tulip gown in her hands. The dress was off shoulder but not revealing and had a layer of sheer glimmery material over the skirt that gave it an eye-catching shimmer.

"This, I would put this on her. I would also have left her hair down and tucked it behind her ears. Maybe a clip, maybe a headband," Jay said.

"Try it on," director Porter said, and Karen quickly followed Jay. Karen's stylist was livid, but she remained quiet, fearing to upset director Porter. She believed Jay was wrong, and all she had to do was sit back and watch.

When Jay and Karen returned it was like a completely different actress had entered the set. Mina was not sure how Jay did it, but Karen looked like a delicate flower and the small stones Jay attached to Karen's hair made her look like a fairy.

Jay had also removed Karen's lipstick and coated her lips with a clear balm. The woman's eyes were now shimmery, which matched the dress, and her cheeks had a cute blush.

"Wow, you really look beautiful," Mina said while holding her own cheeks. Karen was not a well-known actress and the attention she was getting was new to her, but she had to admit that she liked Jay's style a lot.

"What do you think?" Jay asked. She was addressing director Porter as if he were a long-term friend and Mina knew Mr. Eric's daughter had really gone 'full Jay.'

"Let's get to the scene," he said, and Jay playfully winked at the man. Director Porter was visibly taken aback, maybe even a little pleased, but Eric was mortified.