Page 23 of Sparks Like Ours

Oh, she hadn’t been listening. She’d been… “I’m sorry?”

Colleen laughed. Loud, too. She had a great energy and seemed morethan approachable. “Asking if you’re ready for a quick rehearsal before westart shooting. It should give you a chance to walk the space and learn your marks.”She pointed at the floor, where small pieces of colored tape had been applied.“You have three.”

Ah, yes. She’d been told in an email from Mallory, the ad exec,that there would be marks and had mentally prepared herself to screw that thehell up. She and Elle exchanged the briefest of smiles. Things just felt backto weird between them. She shrugged it off and focused on Colleen. “A rehearsalwould be great.”

The walk-through was easy enough. The premise of the spot had Giabusting in on Elle watching footage of herself in competition, all the whileeating Trainers from a bowl. Gia joins her on the couch, they engage in smacktalk, and Gia eventually steals the chip bowl for herself. It was short,snappy, and mildly amusing depending on your standards. Apparently, the wittydialogue had been written by one of Mallory’s agency partners. It had a goodrhythm.

When the director called action, Gia was ready. The preparationwith Hadley had truly helped, and she allowed herself to have fun with thelines, with her “character.” On the flip side, Elle seemed to struggle throughthe rehearsal, looking pensive and serious. Not at all her typical bubbly,vivacious self.

After four failed takes, they went again. Gia entered theapartment, hit her mark, said her line, took her spot on the couch as she hadbeen directed, and waited for Elle to nail her with the zinger from the script.But as their eyes locked, Elle faltered, attempted to play it off, and falteredagain. She pulled her gaze from Gia’s and looked to Colleen for a lifeline.

“I’m sorry,” she said, defeated. She ran a hand through her hairand let it cascade back onto her shoulder. “I don’t know why I’m off today, butit’s embarrassing.”

Colleen waved her hand. “You’re doing great. Don’t give it anotherthought. Want to take a break or go again?”

“Again.”

Gia nodded and reset herself. They got a little further this time,but again, right in the middle of the shot, Elle shook her head and stoppedthem short.

Was it wrong to relish the fact that she wasn’t the problem,because she fully expected to be? She couldn’t wait to tell Autumn, who wasalways fun to gloat with. But looking at Elle, her eyebrows drawn and the edgesof her mouth downturned, she felt a slash of guilt for that kind of thinking.Clearly, the shoot was getting to Elle, and somehow, that was getting to Gia.

“Maybe that break after all?” she asked Colleen weakly, tenminutes later when they’d yet to make much progress.

“Of course. Let’s take fifteen, everyone,” Colleen called.

Once the set cleared, with production folks scurrying off in amillion different directions, Elle’s demeanor seemed to slip even further. Herguard was down and she looked…vulnerable, and lost. She didn’t move from thecouch on set but remained very quiet, pulled into herself, staring hard at theground. Gia decided to give her some space and walked a small distance away tothe craft services table.

Silence. The kind that didn’t feel good.

“I don’t know if you’ve tried the hummus, but it’s killer,” Giasaid, with way more enthusiasm than she felt. Elle didn’t answer. “As killer ashummus can be. Never really considered hummus to be the star of many meals. Orsnacks. But this particular hummus takes the cake. Or carrot, as the case is.”Why was she attempting small talk with Elle? Not only that, but stupid smalltalk. Totally not necessary. Except that Gia felt this pull to get Elle throughthis, make her feel better. In a sense, they were partners on this wholecampaign, and the teammate in her stepped forward. Plus, she’d always been asoftie underneath all the competitive bravado, just not necessarily where Ellewas concerned. Apparently, things were shifting as her heart now tugged. “Yep.A hummus for the ages.”

She tossed a glance behind her to Elle, who attempted a nod andsmile at her ridiculous hummus analysis, but it wasn’t at all convincing. Giadropped the carrot in the trash and headed back to the couch. She met Elle’sgaze and those luminous blue eyes. “Do you know what I do to get through thisstuff? Not that I can believe that I’m offering you advice. This is more yourarea than mine any day of the week.”

“Not my area today, apparently.” Elle looked back at her. “What doyou do?”

“I think about Ms. Pac-Man.”

Elle scrunched her face up in confusion. Gia had to admit it wasendearing. Cute, even, if it had been anyone else. “Not sure I’m following.”

She laughed, playing it back in her head. “No, and why would you?Sorry. I happen to be a fan of the game and believe there’s more than one lifelesson there.”

Elle met her gaze. “Who knew Ms. Pac-Man was so wise?”

“Very few people. Trust me. But she’s helped me.”

Amusement rang apparent in Elle’s eyes. “Okay, tell me more.”

“She has a lot going on, right? Pellets to eat, lives to store upand protect, ghosts to avoid or take down given the moment. But she can’t stopto think too much about it or she loses it all. She’s this bodiless creaturewith a hair bow, already at a disadvantage, just trying to make it in theworld.”

Elle nodded, as if trying to take apart what it was Gia wasdriving at. “So, you’re saying…”

“Just eat pellets and avoid ghosts.” She nodded to affirm herwords, because it really was that simple. “Don’t think about it.”

Elle laughed. “Right. Got it. I think.” She shrugged and took afortifying breath. “Not sure what’s going on with me. But I’ll try and stay outof my own head about it.”

Gia pointed at her. “That’s probably the better way to put it.”

“To each her own.” Their eyes held, and the sincerity that passedbetween them was not lost on Gia. She nodded and returned to the craft servicestable with an uptick in energy at their forward progress. “Hummus?”

---