New Project (II)

10:40 A.M.

Katrina Fajardo's Residence.

June 6th, the year 2018. Wednesday. 

She looked and saw that it was her manager's car! Katrina's eyes suddenly widened, and she got nervous at her place. She stood still while gripping her cell phone tightly. She closed her eyes and grimaced.

'Katrina, this is your death wish. Being scolded by your strict manager.' Katrina hissed in her thoughts, scared. She heard the car door closed. Her manager rang the doorbell. She realized she was standing three steps away from the gate, frozen and facing her back. 

"Katrina!" Manager Maci called her. Katrina closed her eyes again and put up a mask. She turned around and smiled. She hurried towards the gate and opened it. Katrina huffed an air first before asking. 

"Maci, w-what are y-you doing h-here?" Katrina asked, stuttering. Manager Maci spun her face into a serious one and stared at Katrina. Katrina got scared by that look and shifted her eyes down. She bit her lip and closed her eyes.

"What a mess did you make?" Manager Maci asked her, emotionless. Katrina looked at her eyes again while biting her lip. 

"Maci, I-I can e-explain," Katrina stuttered again, swallowing constantly.

"Katrina, didn't you know that your career is on the line? Maybe YOU are not AWARE by that. Where the hell did you get the guts to say that to your best friend?!" Manager Maci yelled at Katrina's face. She pressed her lips together and shook her head.

Katrina glanced at their front door. She was looking as if her Auntie Karyn was listening in on their conversation. She's relieved she was not there.

"Maci, I was only carried away by my emotions," Katrina explained.

"Carried away?! You are just carried away?! Maybe you can also be CARRIED AWAY when your offers are decreasing! Huh?!" Manager Maci shouted again.

"Maci, I'm sorry," Katrina apologized. She didn't know what to say anymore. Manager Maci sighed in exasperation. She held her forehead and closed her eyes.

"Go change your clothes. We are going to ASN Studios," Manager Maci ordered. Katrina got confused about what they were going to do there.

"What are we gonna do there?" Katrina asked politely.

"Just do as I say, you scandalous girl. I will wait for you here, don't bring your car. Ride with mine," Manager Maci glowered while walking back towards the driver's seat. She opened the door and slammed it. 

Katrina sighed and went inside their house again to change her clothes. Her Auntie Karyn was still in the kitchen while Katrina went to her bedroom quickly. She changed into ripped jeans and a simple magenta crop top. She brushed her hair and dab a bit of make-up on her face. Katrina applied a coral lip tint and got her purse. She went down and approached her aunt. Her aunt got confused about why she changed her clothes.

"Auntie, I will be out. My manager told me we will go to ASN Studios for some matters," Katrina announced. 

"Okay. Take care," Auntie Karyn replied, and peck her on her cheeks. Katrina went out of the house and rode in the passenger seat of her manager's car.

Manager Maci was driving quietly while Katrina was staring out of the window. She saw different people who were rushing towards their jobs. In a haste, to get a cab for themselves.

Katrina cannot say anything because she knew her manager was raging with anger at what she did. While Katrina was observing the cars that zoomed in and out of sight, something caught her eye.

The person wearing the black hoodie was riding a motorcycle! She stood upright and observed how fast he was driving. Katrina got puzzled if the person riding a motorcycle was the same as the one she saw at her house earlier. She was observing the road when her manager called her.

"Katrina, what are you looking for there? You look stunned." Manager Maci fretted while observing her face and shifted her eyes on the road. Katrina looked at her manager and shook her head.

"It's nothing," Katrina assured while her heart was pounding. She sighed and told her mind to eradicate the person wearing the black hoodie in her thoughts. It made her eager for no reason and no time. She stared out of the car window and questions popped into her mind. 

'Who is that? And what is he doing at the front of our house?' Katrina said in her thoughts.

"Katrina, hey!" Manager Maci called out and Katrina looked at her.

"We're here," Manager Maci uttered. Katrina looked outside again and realized that they were at the front of ASN Studios. Katrina exhaled and said, "Yeah, yeah. Let's go."

ASN Studios was a hectare wide, has four 50-story buildings full of studios, theater stages. It has a lot of offices for writers, producers, directors, and actors. It was a skyscraper to see, and it was the biggest television network in the Philippines.

Lots of aspiring actors always audition here, but not all of them have time to be official artists. Manager Maci pursed her lips first before climbing out of the car. Katrina also did the same thing.

Manager Maci said nothing to her, still mad at Katrina. She was walking ahead of Katrina and did not dare to say a word. Katrina saw they were heading towards the director's office! Katrina's eyes widened as Manager Maci opened the door towards the office. 

Katrina closed the door as she entered. She's shocked to see Margo sitting on the chair on the right side of the table. She also saw Carmela, and their eyes met for a second. 

Katrina stood still in her place, frozen by the fire raging in Carmela's eyes. She shifted her eyes and stooped down over her head. She sat down beside her manager and gripped her purse. Katrina glimpsed at Margo and saw that she was wearing a black sleeveless dress. She saw the flawless skin, and she got envious again in no time. 

She also risked a glance towards Carmela and saw that she was wearing a simple collar shirt again. Katrina looked at her manager.

"Maci, what are we gonna do here?" Katrina whispered.

"Let's wait for the director. I don't want to spoil anything." Manager Maci mumbled back and smiled towards Margo's manager, Manager Ines.

While they were talking, a director opened the door and gently closed it. He placed two heft of papers on the table and clasped both of his hands.

"Good morning, young lads and managers," he greeted. He was nodding towards Manager Maci and Manager Ines. 

"I think you're confused about why you are here, Katrina and Margo," the director began. Katrina and Margo both nodded at that.

"May as well introduce myself. I am Bayani Garcia, director of horror films. We will work with Director Jane Lacson as my associate director."

The director introduced himself. Katrina got bewildered about why she and Margo were here. They were going to be together on a new project? Katrina furrowed her eyebrows and got befuddled.

"Katrina and Margo, you will be together on a new project. Another horror film is a masterpiece of mine," the director chuckled. Katrina bit her lip and glanced at Margo. She was smiling like there was no tomorrow. 

'Probably because it favors her.' Katrina's disgusted with the thought. 

"Well, since you know each other, I will announce that the taping will start next week." The director beamed at the two actresses. Margo got astonished by that and asked quickly.

"The taping is next week?"

"Yes, Margo. You have an ongoing drama, right?" The director asked.

"Yeah, but I'll manage it," Margo smiled. Katrina grimaced and rolled her eyes secretly.

"I'm sure you can manage it. You are Margo Monteverde. You, Katrina, do you have any problem with the taping date?" The director asked Katrina.

"So far, I have a photography shoot for a clothing brand and taping for a commercial. I can manage," Katrina accepted. 

"You don't have any problems now, okay? So the two of you agree on this new project?"

"Yeah, definitely," Margo nodded. 

"Katrina?"

It took a second before Katrina replied, "I agree."