The Luna Choosing Game

Chapter 0412

“Maid! Oh, where is my maid!” Bridget called from the center of the ballroom that was once again our makeshift stage. The real stage was currently being worked on at the far end of the room. Occasionally the sound of hammers or saws would cut through our rehearsal.

Bridget said my cue, so I’m forced now to move to the center of the stage.

“My true lover will be here in a moment. Maid, please! You must help me. Keep watch at the door, and if anyone comes, you must let us know!”

Here came my one line of the entire show. “At once, Mistress.”

We were playing the parts we were born to play, Bridget had said. Thanks a lot.

The script dictated that I moved toward the door but stay on screen, so I moved toward the edge of where our fake-stage was.

At this point, Nicholas’s character was supposed to climb through a window to see Bridget’s character. Since the set was still being worked on, Nicholas just walked up instead.

“Oh! There he is! My love!” Bridget held open her arms. Her eyes were full of longing, like they had been separated forever and not just had a lengthy conversation about something from their childhood not twenty minutes ago during a break.

I guessed this was why Bridget was out there making millions and winning awards.

Nicholas, meanwhile, was no trained actor. He stepped to where Bridget had marked his spot with tape the last time he had messed this up. Then, he awkwardly shifted to face Bridget.

“Hello, uh… my love,” he said like he was greeting the refrigerator.

Bridget’s smile tightened ever-so-much. It must have been painful, going from working with professional actors to us amateurs. Though… truly she brought this on herself. Julian was the second-best actor in the room, but she didn’t want him as the second-biggest part.

She wanted Nicholas, Honest, steadfast Nicholas, who was so straightforward, he didn’t know how to lie well enough to act his way out of a wet paper bag.

“My eyes don’t deceive me,” Bridget said, coming closer to him. She was a true professional. If she was in a scene with a bad actor, she just needed to act well

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• 18 BÓNUS

enough for the both of them. “Oh, my love, I am so glad you are here. Tell me. Do you bring good news of our engagement?”

stared off for a

her throat. “Do you bring good news of our engagement, my

that is… he refused to give his… um, blessing? To our

a bad actor that I was wondering if he was putting it on, on purpose to

to the part that I absolutely dreaded

arms, closed her eyes and pressed her face upwards. She pursed

frown. “We don’t have to practice this

closed. “So that it will be believable

fine,” Nicholas

least not when he wasn’t indulging her. Bridget cleared her throat, and then her bright countenance was back as if

at me. When our eyes met, I saw the

her unless he absolutely had to. The one he wanted

golden eyes, that I nearly missed a second pair also looking

away the moment I met her gaze. She turned so quickly, I

and I

with her script as Susie was nervously reading through hers for the hundredth

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•IS BONUS

her scenes is next,” Veronica

lines,” Susie said. “Why would Bridget think I could

Tiffany said. “She sees the potential in you

so I doubted it was as deep as all that. And I didn’t

Bridget,” I said.

me with pure hope in her eyes. “Do you really think so?” She clutched my arm so hard, so desperately, that her fingers

“Let’s see.”

not release her death grip as together we approached Bridget. She was mostly alone, thank goodness, having a drink of water from a drink table set up

saw us. “Susie? What are you doing over here? You should be going to the

a panicked

it would be a good idea if we

assigned each person the role that fits them

wasn’t my purpose here, so I pushed