Free Hollywood Scandals by Gemma Halliday Page B

Wood.
    Beside her stood her two co-stars: a redhead whose name I couldn’t remember, and a brunette I recognized as being in the backseat of Jennifer’s limo with her when the infamous boob shot had been taken. Lani Cline, reportedly Jennifer’s best friend.
    “ That her?” Cal asked, stabbing a finger toward Jennifer.
    I nodded.
    “ We need her alone. Got any ideas?”
    I shrugged. “Give me a minute.”
    “ Back to one, everyone,” shouted the director, an overweight guy with glasses and a nose that could rival Dumbo’s. The crew scurried off the stage like cats being doused with a hose. Jennifer walked to a spot on the floor marked with an “X” in blue electrical tape, her co-stars a step behind her.
    “ Speed.”
    A guy with a black clapboard stood in front of the camera, then dropped the little arm, marking the tape.
    “ And… rolling!” the director shouted.
    A bell went off somewhere, and silence hit the set, all eyes on Jennifer.
    “ Chloe, I can’t believe you told Ryan about my diary,” she said to the brunette.
    “ I’m so sorry, Pippi! But I didn’t know he’d read it to the whole school.”
    “ Now no one will ask me to the spring dance. I might as well be- God, Lani, you’re doing it again!”
    “ Cut!” the director yelled. He slipped off his canvas chair with a groan, slowly ambling up to his star. “Jennifer. Sweetie. What is it now?”
    “ Lani’s totally standing in my light!” Jennifer said, pointing an accusing finger at the brunette.
    “ I am exactly where I’m supposed to be!” Lani shot back. “If you’d bothered to be at rehearsal, you’d know that.”
    “ I don’t need rehearsals to know that you’re totally making a shadow on my face. You need to move back.”
    “ Any farther behind you, and I’d be invisible to the camera!”
    “ Good, maybe then they wouldn’t have to see that zit growing on your chin.”
    Lani gasped, her hands flying to her face.
    “ Jeeze, nice kid,” Cal mumbled in my ear.
    I waved him off, shushing him as the director yelled, “Makeup!”
    One of the ladies in overalls immediately descended upon the brunette with a pot full of flesh-colored goo, as the girl ducked her head, her cheeks a bright pink.
    “ And can we get another light in here?” the director asked, pointing toward Jennifer. “Everyone else, take five,” he said with a resigned wave of his hand. As he walked away I could hear him mumbling to himself, “Or ten, or twenty. Not that it matters, we’re so far behind already…”
    The crew scattered, and Jennifer happily sauntered off set.
    I nudged Cal in the ribs. “I’m going in.”
    I did a quick jog over the camera tracks, watching Jennifer as she slipped out the side door. A minute later I followed, squinting in the sunshine, a harsh contrast to the darkened set. I spied Jennifer a few feet away, sipping an iced latte. Though, where she got it from, I had no idea. There didn’t seem to be anyone else around, let alone a Starbucks. The magic of being a teen-ebrity.
    “ Hey? Jennifer, right?” I asked, approaching the actress. I noticed Cal move off to my right, trying to blend into the scenery. Luckily, Jennifer didn’t seem to notice, too engrossed in her creamy drink.
    “ Yep,” she answered, slurping through her straw.
    “ How’s the shooting going?”
    Jennifer shot me a wary look. “Fine. Who are you again?”
    “ Samantha Stevens. I’m on that new Steven Bochco show, two doors down,” I said, waving my hand in a very vague direction.
    Luckily, Jennifer didn’t seem to need specifics. “Oh. Right,” she said, between sips. “Yeah, I heard that’s a really cool show.”
    “ Well, it’s no Pippi Mississippi .”
    She shot me a wan smile. “Right, like the Emmys are gonna be calling me any day now.”
    “ Hey, you won a Kid’s Choice Award! That’s awesome. Besides, you’re wicked popular,” I said, laying it on thick. “I see your name all over the place.”
    “ All over kid’s