Page 6 of Act Three

I turned around to see something that made my heart race.

There, walking past the dried-up fountain, were Dean, Wyatt, Isaac, and Brooke. They strode across the open space, oblivious to our excitement.

The four of them were even more gorgeous in real life than they were on screen. Dean’s blue eyes, chiseled jaw and strong build were instantly recognizable. Isaac was taller than I’d expected, and his curly black jaw-length hair provided the perfect frame for his serious face. Wyatt had substituted his famous surfer-boy outfit for a casual t-shirt and shorts, but his shaggy blond hair still glowed in the sun.

And Brooke? She wasstunning. Even in jeans and a t-shirt with her hair pulled back into a ponytail, she looked like she spent double my yearly salary on skincare and personal trainers.

All I wanted to do was run over and ask for a selfie, but I remembered Marina’s instructions and stayed where I was. It was the hardest thing I’d ever done in my life.

Brooke and Dean were deep in conversation, and Isaac kept his eyes on something in the distance. Wyatt did too, at first, but halfway past the fountain he turned, looked in my direction, and waved.

It was the longest second of my life.

There were at least fifty extras milling around, including the ones who’d arrived after me and April, but I was sure his eyes had locked onto mine.

Even from this distance, I could see how much they resembled a gray ocean: the morning sun had risen over the buildings and cast a warm light across their faces. Then the moment ended, and Wyatt turned back to look where he was walking, and time returned to its normal pace.

“Did you see that?” April asked excitedly. I was on the verge of sayingyes!when she added, “He waved atme!”

I felt like gears were grinding in my chest.

“I don’t think he was.”

“Definitely not,” a guy behind me said. “Because he was waving at me.”

Anger bubbled in my stomach and I wanted to run after Wyatt, grab him, and make him confirm that he was actually looking at me.

Get a grip, I told myself.There’s no way he was looking at you. April was probably right — in her red dress, she was the most visible person in the crowd. I, on the other hand, blended in with the other extras and the morning sky.

I didn’t have much time to think about it before the actors disappeared through an unmarked door and a thick-necked security guard closed it behind them. I kept my eyes peeled to see if they’d re-emerge, but the only people I saw after that were crew members.

“Next!” the woman with the clipboard called, and April pulled me forward. The woman took one look at April through her dark-rimmed glasses and said, “You can’t wear that.”

April’s mouth dropped open.

“But…”

“What else have you got?”

April had only brought skimpy dresses, so I unzipped my bag to show her my outfits. “They’ll be too long, but would these work?”

“That’ll do.” The woman poised her pen over the clipboard. “What are your names?”

“Kyla Wright.”

“April Gallo.”

She ticked us off her list and chewed gum with her molars.

“Have you sent in your tax forms?”

We both nodded.

“Alright.” The woman leaned back against the safety rail and pointed down the corridor. “Head that way and look for the door that says ‘Extras’. Make yourselves comfortable and they’ll call you when they need you.”

It seemed straightforward enough. We found the door and went inside to find a huge conference room filled with chairs, where half of them were already occupied. April took my garment bag into one of the change rooms and re-emerged, looking unhappy, but more like everyone else in my jeans and tank top.

“How are casting directors meant to notice me wearingthis?” she grumbled.

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