Free Dex by Sheri Lynn Fishbach

Alicia.
     
    As if perfection weren’t already his, Gorgeous Guy also had a killer Australian accent. Alicia smiled back at him and wondered what their children might look like.
     
    “There is no right or wrong answer,” Jillian chuckled. “I like to get a feel for my students. See how they react to the unusual.” She sat on her desk. “A film is an interpretation. As a filmmaker you create based on what you see, feel, hear, and experience. Then you decide what you will ultimately share with your audience.”
     
    Alicia felt her nervous knots disappear. It was like Jillian knew exactly what to say to make her feel calm and excited all at once. This was where Alicia wanted to be. She was psyched to learn as much as she could.
     
    “The focus of this class,” Jillian continued, “will be one project; to produce a short documentary that you will script, direct, and shoot. All finished work will be entered into this year’s Apex Film Festival, where the winning project will be produced by Screenluvr Studios in Los Angeles. This year’s theme is “A Work in Progress.”
     
    Suddenly, Alicia heard Gorgeous Guy’s Auss-ome voice from the back. “Excuse me Professor,--”
     
    “Please, call me Jillian,” she insisted and pointed to the board, where only her first name was underlined.
     
    “And your name?”
     
    “Ah right, Jillian,” he nodded. “My name is Jazz. Jazz Kent.”
     
    Alicia’s heart fluttered again. Jazz. What a cool name. Alicia and Jazz. It had a nice ring to it. Stop being an insane person she told herself. But it didn’t matter. So what that she met him an hour ago. Some things you just know.
     
    “Okay Jazz, what’s on your mind?”
     
    “This might sound a bit ignorant, but what exactly do you mean by a work in progress?” Jazz moved forward in his seat. “Like my mate’s restoring an old car from the fifties that’s been in a garage for years. Now you’re saying I could film him rebuilding it and getting it to run...?”
     
    Without hesitation Alicia supplied an answer. “If you document his thought process, like how he’s going about rebuilding it and why this project is important to him, and then you followed that up with actual footage of the work being done, that would follow the theme.” Alicia looked at Jillian for approval. “Wouldn’t it?”
     
    Alicia felt like an idiot. What would make her answer like that? Did she want Jazz to think she was some kind of know-it-all dork?
     
    “You’re right on target young lady. As long as you keep in mind that I’m looking for a documentary, not Back to the Future. Keep it real.” Jillian wrote that last phrase on the board. “And your name is--?” Jillian asked.
     
    “Alicia,” she said faintly hoping to do some damage control.
     
    “It’s refreshing to have confident people in class like Jazz and Alicia. I like when students are willing to speak their minds so freely.” Jillian sat back down on her desk.
     
    Alicia tried not to blush. She loved the way Jillian said Jazz and Alicia like they were already together.
     
    “But seriously guys.” Jillian checked her watch. “Jazz and Alicia have the right idea about this project. Feel free to help each other out. Take tonight and let me know your topic by tomorrow.
     
    Jazz glanced at Alicia who offered a brief grin that implied she had barely noticed him.
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    CHAPTER teN
     
     
     
     
    Another morning gone by and Sarah still hadn’t confirmed Dex’s friend request on Facebook. He was taking out his frustration mixing an innocent batch of chocolate cherry chip cookie dough when Alicia bounced into the room too awake for the hour. Dex thought she looked about ten years old. She was in bunny pajamas and her hair was in a messy ponytail on top of her head.
     
    “It’s really early,” Alicia yawned. “What are you up to?”
     
    “The usual. Making lunches. I sell them every day before I get on the bus.”
     
    “You do?