05 Take Two - My Sister the Vampire (13 page)

‘I’m going to open it for you,’ said Camilla in a voice that made Ivy think of the giant from
Jack and the Beanstalk.

Which didn’t help her remember her lines. ‘Um.’ Ivy kept getting confused about the exact wording. ‘Something something grass skirt?’
She wiped her face with a towel and started to rummage through the colours of spray tan in the box in front of her.

‘Ivy!’ Camilla whacked Ivy on the arm with the script. ‘It’s “Maybe if you were wearing a grass skirt”. Olivia had this nailed in the first five minutes.’

‘Sorry,’ Ivy said, choosing the Santa Monica that Spencer had used the day before. ‘I’m not cut out for this acting thing. But since Olivia clearly is, I’ve got to at least try for her.’

Camilla sighed. ‘OK. Here’s the plan: if you forget a line during the reading you’re just going to have to improv.’

‘What’s that?’ Ivy finished dabbing her face with fake tan and waved her hands in front of her cheeks to help it dry faster.

‘Improvise. Be spontaneous. In all the Gary Spellman movies, the actors become
one with their alien characters and are so fluent in Fragmala, that they just make up the dialogue as they go along. It’s much more authentic that way.’

Camilla really knows her alien stuff
, Ivy thought.

‘OK, improv. Got it.’ She opened Spencer’s eye-shadow box and gasped. There were eight trays of three rows each, with dozens of shades of every possible colour. How could she pick? She would just have to guess at what Mia would choose – or what
Olivia
as Mia would choose. She grabbed an eye brush and reached for the light purples.

The door banged open, making both girls jump.

Busted
, Ivy thought.

‘No, no, no!’ said Spencer.

Sophia followed, mouthing, ‘Sorry!’

‘Please forgive me, Spencer,’ Ivy said, as the make-up artist stormed over. Camilla scooted
around to the opposite side of the chair. ‘I’ve got a callback in fifteen minutes –’

‘And that is why you should not be doing this alone!’ Spencer plucked the eye brush from Ivy’s hand and tossed it across the room. ‘Not purple, darling. Not at all. You must leave the make-up to the professionals.’

Ivy smiled. He wasn’t going to throw them out – he was going to help. ‘You’re an angel,’ Ivy declared.

‘I heard one of my extras got in. I’m so glad it was you!’ Spencer clapped his hands really quickly. ‘Now, you,’ he said to Camilla. ‘Start from the top.’

Camilla started running through the scene, while Spencer worked his magic on Ivy’s face.

Ivy didn’t have any problems in the costume trailer convincing people she was Olivia, but
she was seriously uncomfortable in the short floral sundress they’d given her to wear. Firstly, it was freezing outside, so sundress did not equal fun. Secondly, Hawaiian print was just about as humiliating as it could get. She had forced Sophia to promise not to take a single photo.

‘It’s for Olivia,’ Ivy muttered to herself through clenched teeth as she pushed open the door to the diner where they were doing the read-through. Sophia and Camilla were right behind her.

Ivy had always liked Camilla, but today she had learned what a good friend she really was. Camilla had come up with a set of hand-signal codes to help prompt Ivy if she forgot her lines.

I just have to remember what they mean
, Ivy thought wryly.

Ivy took a deep breath, tossed her hair in an Olivia-like fashion and strode over to the other girls who were auditioning. Her heart sank when
she saw a familiar, annoying figure absorbed in instructing the lighting man.

Not only was she going to have to act like Olivia in front of a camera, she was going to have to fool Charlotte Brown, too.

When Charlotte realised ‘Olivia’ wasn’t at the mall, her face clouded over for a moment. ‘Olivia!’ She hurried over. ‘Whew! I’m so glad you made it back in time.’

Philippe stormed in, with a look of grim determination. Jackson and his manager followed, smiling and chatting.

Jackson saw Ivy, started to smile and then faltered.

He knows
, Ivy thought.

But he finished the smile, looking a little puzzled, and came over. ‘Hey, Olivia, you look great!’

‘Really?’ Ivy mumbled.

Charlotte interrupted. ‘Hi, Jackson.’ She grabbed his arm. ‘I’m so looking forward to working with you.’

He patted Charlotte’s hand like he would a grandmother’s. ‘Thank you.’ But he didn’t take his eyes off Ivy. ‘Could I talk to you in private for a minute, Olivia?’

Ivy was torn between the satisfaction of annoying Charlotte and the fear of getting caught. She shot a look over to Camilla and Sophia, who shrugged. There was nothing she could do to get out of it. She let Jackson lead her to a quiet corner of the diner.

Jackson sat down in one of the booths and ran his fingers through his hair. ‘Um, Olivia,’ he began. He was staring at her intently.

He knows
, Ivy thought.
I’m busted.

‘Jackson!’ Amy, his manager, called over, interrupting.

‘Later,’ Jackson called back firmly.

Ivy saw Amy’s mouth snap shut in surprise.

Maybe I can beg him to let me audition anyway
, Ivy hoped.
Maybe he’ll understand if I explain what happened?

‘I know it seems impossible and complicated,’ he said.

You’re telling me
, Ivy thought.

‘But there’s something going on here.’

‘I know –’ she started, but he held up his hand.

‘Just let me say this, or I might never get it out.’ He crumpled up and smoothed out a napkin.

Ivy gulped back her confession. If the truth was going to come out, it didn’t really matter who said it.

‘I’ve never met anyone like you.’ His eyes were searching hers. ‘You are fun and sweet and smart and beautiful.’

Ivy felt like she was being hit by a ton of
coffins. He hadn’t figured out that she was Olivia’s twin; he was asking Olivia out!

‘I’d really like to see you. I mean off-set. You know? No matter how the audition goes. I know I live far away and I might be leaving town soon. But maybe we could go for lunch somewhere?’

Ivy could see from the state of the napkin that he was really nervous. She decided, if he wasn’t a vampire, she would definitely approve of him for her sister.

‘Uh . . .’ Ivy knew ‘Really’ wouldn’t cut it in this situation. And she couldn’t ruin this for Olivia, whether he was a vampire or not. Jackson obviously really liked her and she had to let Olivia answer for herself. ‘Look,’ she said. ‘This might sound weird, but could you ask me again later?’

Jackson paused in his napkin shredding and looked confused. ‘Later?’

Ivy chose her words carefully. ‘It’s not that
. . . I . . . wouldn’t want to; it’s just that I’m not really . . . myself . . . at the moment. But after the audition, everything will be back to normal.’ Ivy desperately hoped that was true. ‘So ask me again – just like you did then – later. Using those exact words.’

‘Uh . . .’ It was clear Jackson didn’t know how to respond.

‘I, um . . .’ Ivy had to come up with some excuse besides,
I’m only impersonating the person you want to be dating, so you’re asking the wrong girl.
‘I just want to get through the audition.’

Jackson nodded. ‘I understand. Keep it professional. I can respect that.’

To her relief Jackson didn’t look like he thought she was one witch short of a coven.

He nodded slowly. ‘OK. Maybe I’ll ask you again later.’

‘Thank you.’ She’d got away with it.

‘Jackson!’ Philippe called from across the set. ‘We’re ready for you.’

‘Good luck in your audition,’ Jackson said as he slid out of the booth. ‘Even if you don’t want to go out with me, I still hope you get the part.’

I hope Olivia does, too
, Ivy thought. ‘Thanks.’

The first girl to audition was a blonde with big hoop earrings, and she got Phillipe to smile. Even Charlotte looked good on the TV screens they’d set up; she didn’t mess up a single line.

‘There is no way I can compete with these girls,’ Ivy whispered to Sophia, who squeezed her hand.

Maybe Ivy could stall? Maybe Olivia would make it back in time? Maybe the cameras would break or Philippe would have a desperate urge for a croissant and postpone the auditions. But as each girl finished going through the lines with Jackson, Ivy knew it was another nail in her coffin.

‘Olivia Abbott,’ Philippe called.

Ivy’s stomach flipped over.

Camilla held up two sets of crossed fingers and Jackson gave her a warm smile. Ivy stepped on to the tiny x made out of tape on the floor.

Ivy’s mouth went dry and her glance darted from the camera to Jackson to a frowning Philippe and then stuck on the floor. She felt her pulse pounding.

Jackson leaned over. ‘You’re gonna do great. Relax!’

Ivy’s face flushed. She instructed herself not to faint.

‘And . . .
action!
’ shouted Philippe.

Ivy stared at the camera and couldn’t move. Everyone was silent. Jackson whispered, ‘It’s your line.’

‘Oh. Um,’ Ivy said. ‘You can have the coconut. You got here first.’ It came out quiet and very high-pitched.

‘Louder,’ barked Philippe from behind the camera. ‘The mic can’t pick that up.’

Ivy lifted her head. She had to project, like Olivia made her to when they switched for cheerleader tryouts. ‘You got here first!’ she shouted, making Jackson wince and take a step back. The microphone man yanked his earphones away from his ears.

Oops.

‘Maybe somewhere in between,’ Jackson whispered.

They finally stumbled past the first few lines, until they came to the part that Ivy always got wrong – the grass skirt.

She looked past the camera to Camilla who was doing a little hula dance but Ivy’s mind went blank. She couldn’t think of anything other than the words ‘grass skirt’ and Camilla’s dancing wasn’t helping. Then she remembered
the whole improvising idea.

Ivy starting doing a hula dance, too, waggling her hands and humming some Hawaiian-style music. She felt ridiculous but it was better than standing there like a mummy. She saw Camilla bury her face in her hands.

‘What are you doing?’ Jackson said, staying in character but clearly asking her why she was acting like a lunatic.

‘I’m doing a dance to the coconut gods.’

Jackson chuckled.

‘No, no, no!’ Philippe interrupted. ‘You must stay on script. We begin again, from before the silly dancing. Take two!’

‘I thought it was funny,’ Jackson replied.

Ivy still didn’t know what the next line was. Everything was moving in slow motion. Philippe was leaning forward. Charlotte was sneering and Jackson was smiling with encouragement. She
had approximately ten seconds to figure out the next line.

Luckily, there was a shout from outside and several flashes. There were people and cameras pressed up against the diner windows, with security guards trying to pull them away.

‘What is this?!’ Philippe started flapping. ‘Who called the media?’

Jackson’s manager shushed him. ‘I called them! This is publicity that money can’t buy,’ Amy said. ‘It’s
Inside Hollywood
! Girls, follow me.’ She strode to the door. ‘I’m so glad you could make it,’ she called to the jostling crowd and the security guards backed off. ‘Gather round! I’m Amy Teller, Jackson’s representative, and will be happy to answer any questions before we do the photo op with Jackson and the girls.’

‘But we are already behind the schedule,’ Philippe spluttered.

‘Do you want to be the lead story on tonight’s entertainment news?’ Amy demanded, which shut Philippe up.

The crowd shouted out questions and Ivy breathed a sigh of relief. Her audition was forgotten for the moment. She slipped away to find Sophia and Camilla and go over her lines again.

They were sitting up at the diner’s bar watching the chaos outside.

‘Let me see the script!’ Ivy said.

Camilla handed it over and Ivy flipped it open.

Just then, she felt something hit her ear. She looked down at the counter and saw a peanut.

Then another one clonked her forehead.

‘Hey!’ she said, looking in the direction of the kitchen area, where the miniature missiles must have come from.

A third one arced through the serving window and landed on Camilla’s hand.

‘What’s going on?’ Ivy wondered aloud. Maybe it was another of Charlotte’s sabotage plans? If Olivia smelt of peanuts and salt, then Philippe would think she was a compulsive snacker and not choose her?

But then she saw a hand waving through the serving window, and a face popped up. Olivia!

Ivy’s heart leaped. Her cheerleader in shining armour! Now was her chance to stop this train wreck.

‘I’ll cover you while you jump over the counter,’ Camilla whispered. She hopped off her stool and started questioning Philippe about his previous movies. Everyone else was focused on the cameras outside.

Ivy pushed herself up on to the counter, swung her legs round and then dropped down to the ground. She crawled along, past the shelves of fountain glasses, empty fries baskets
stacked neatly and rows of ketchup, salt and pepper shakers, and maple syrup. The door to the kitchen was a swinging one, so she pushed it open tentatively and slipped inside.