Page 40 of Directing You
Chapter 18
Hazel
Twenty minutes later,I walked back into the theater with my box of chocolates in hand. I circled it around to my fellow students. “Anyone want a chocolate?” I announced and passed them out to the class.
Several of my classmates came up and grabbed a chocolate. Melanie took one, popped it in her mouth, and sucked the melted chocolate off the pad of her thumb as she asked, “What’s going on? Where’s Professor Bradley?”
I shrugged innocently, grabbing a chocolate truffle. Biting into it, I glanced over at Jenna, who narrowed her gaze onto me as I lowered into a seat in the front row. “He’s coming back in now, I think. He had some sort of a shitstorm to clean up.”
Moments later, Reid entered the theater with Professor Dercy following closely behind him. They both reached the front of the theater and leaned against the proscenium of the stage.
“Morning, everyone,” Reid said with a big smile. His eyes traveled over the students, landing briefly on me. I gave him a wink and sucked the chocolate from one of my fingers before sliding the almost empty box of chocolates into my bag. “Today has been a whirlwind and it’s not even ten a.m.,” he laughed. “I’ve got some good news and bad news. The bad news is that this workshop is being fast-tracked. I have a few producers who are interested in getting it on its feet sooner rather than later. While I initially thought we would have the time to experiment and play with it here in class, we actually need full-time actors who can dedicate four days a week minimum to rehearsals for the workshop.”
He glanced at Ms. Dercy before continuing, and she gave him an encouraging nod. “The good news is, we’re keeping you all as our cast for the professional workshop if you accept the roles.” His eyes found Jenna’s as he added, “Well, almost all of you.” I glanced to my right, where Jenna sat, her mouth puckered into a frown, eyes bright with rage.
Reid’s grin widened as the murmurs of excitement spread through the seats. “We will pay you, of course. You’ll have a contract. It will go toward Equity points if you aren’t yet Equity eligible. If you are unable to accept the workshop role, I understand, and I won’t hold it against you. In fact, you’ll have an opportunity to audition for me in the future.”
Max, one of my classmates, raised his hand, and Reid pointed to him. “Yes?”
“What happens to our class schedule here if we’re not doing the workshop?”
“Ah, good question,” Ms. Dercy said, stepping forward. “Obviously, Mr. Bradley won’t be able to teach now that his musical is being fast-tracked. But we came up with a pretty good idea, I think. If you remain in his workshop, it will count as class credit. And instead of the workshop for this semester, I will teach this class, and we’re going to work on a showcase that is open to all the students in the program. At the end of the semester, you will each perform in the showcase and Mr. Bradley is going to help us fill the theater with industry professionals—directors, agents, producers, etc.”
Again, chatter and murmurs filled the room as everyone around me grew more and more excited about the potential of the opportunity being given to them.
“Before we move on,” Ms. Dercy said, her gaze sliding to me briefly, “I need to ask a question that I will be asking inallof the classrooms in my department this week. Has anyone here ever been blackmailed by a fellow student—or professor, for that matter?”
I shot my hand into the air, my arm straight and firm, so tight that it nearly ached. Reid lifted his hand in the air as well. I’d told Professor Dercy everything moments ago in her office. I showed her the box of chocolates, the note from Jenna. I told her that I was a burlesque dancer and that Professor Lewis propositioned me sexually in exchange for a better grade—that I didn’t take. Once I’d started talking, it was like I couldn’t stop.
I fully expected her to be mad—to fire me for my part in everything. But her eyes tilted into a sad frown, and instead, Professor Dercy had stood and hugged me, promising me that Professor Lewis would never teach again if she could help it.
Reid and I were frozen in the theater with our hands in the air, waiting. After a few seconds, Melanie lifted her hand hesitantly, keeping her eyes on the floor, and her cheeks flushed a rosy pink. A couple other girls in the class raised their hands as well.
Professor Dercy’s mouth curved into a stern frown, and her cold gaze fell onto Jenna, who seemed to shrink in her seat. “Bullying and blackmail are not acceptable at this school. Not in my program.” Professor Dercy tore her eyes away from Jenna and once more scanned the room. “I will be in my office every day this week during my typical office hours, as well as from three to five. Please, come in and talk to me about your blackmail experience. You will have immunity from whatever was being held against you. Bring any proof you may have. If the perpetrator is a student, theywillbe expelled from the program and not allowed to be in the showcase.”
“Or in any of my shows, including the workshop,” Reid added.
Professor Dercy gave Reid a handshake and a single nod. “Now, I’ll leave you to finish what’s left of your final class day with Professor Bradley. Next week, I will be taking over, so enjoy the ease he gives you. I guarantee I’m more militant.” Professor Dercy started a slow walk down the center aisle, pausing as she passed me. She grabbed my hand, giving it a squeeze. “You’re going to be fabulous in this workshop,” she said, smiling at me. “I can’t wait to see you shine.”
She continued her walk, stopping as she reached the door and called out, “Jenna, I need to see you for a moment.” As Professor Dercy exited the theater, a deflated Jenna followed closely behind her, clutching the straps of her bag.
“Now,” Reid said, “I have one more confession to make. I met one of your classmates before the semester started a couple weeks ago. She and I almost started a relationship and stopped ourselves, then discovered she was one of my students. I assure you, this didn’t affect my casting of the workshop—in fact, it was the writer of the show who had the ultimate say in the cast list. But I feel like I need to disclose our relationship. Because Idoplan on having a relationship with her.” His smile grew larger. “I hope a long relationship.” He pushed off the stage, walked over to me, and took my hand, tugging me to my feet.
“That being said, I understand if this makes some of you uncomfortable. For that reason, I will have an assistant director who is also the actor liaison at every workshop rehearsal. If you ever feel I am showing favoritism or being unfair, acting unprofessionally, you can chat with the liaison.”
Reid squeezed my hand, glancing at me from over his shoulder. “Does anyone have questions?” The theater was silent. “Statements?”
“Stones you want to throw?” I added.
Melanie rolled her eyes and leaned forward in her seat. “Oh, for God’s sake, we’ve all known for years how talented Hazel is! She deserves this role…regardless of whether or not you two are a couple.”
A few other students smiled at us, nodding.
Reid was so much taller than me, and as I looked up at him, his eyes seemed to shine back at me. Catching my bottom lip between my teeth, I stifled my big, goofy grin as best as I could as his hand squeezed mine tenderly.
“Go on and kiss her!” Max shouted and Melanie gave a catcall whistle.
Reid laughed and lifted my knuckles to his lips, kissing me gently on the hand. “I’m still technically your professor for another fifteen minutes,” he said. “So that’s as dirty as it’s going to get.” He leaned into my ear, whispering, “For now.”
