Page 37 of Dream On, Ramona Riley

“Cut,” Gia said calmly, then simply stared at Dylan with her arms folded.

Dylan blinked, glanced at Blair, who also wore an annoyed expression.

“Sorry,” Dylan said. “Just…warming up.”

“I don’t know how this will work,” Blair said.

“What?” Dylan asked.

“That’s your first line,” Blair said. She was dressed in white shorts that showed off her lovely brown legs, red Keds, and a silky blue-and-white polka-dotted tank top. Her hair was natural and curly and fanning out around her face. She was a perfectly posh Mallory.

Because of course she was.

“Right,” Dylan said. “Yeah. Good. Thanks.”

Blair sighed.

Dylan felt like an idiot.

She shook her head, trying not to flash back to all the scenes she’d filmed with Blair onSpellboundthat always seemed to include Blair sighing and Dylan feeling like an idiot.

“Again,” Gia said. “Action.”

“I can’t tell you how much I appreciate this,” Blair said as Mallory, crossing her legs and tilting them toward Dylan.

“I…yeah, I…um…I don’t know.”

“Cut,” Gia said on a sigh. “Stick to the script, Dylan. You’ve gotto earn the right to improvise.” She looked down, scrolled through her iPad. “Jesus, I can’t believe I let them…”

But the sound of her voice trailed off as she shook her head, then continued to mutter under her breath.

Dylan swallowed, her mouth completely dry, confidence shrinking like a prune under a summer sun. “Sorry.”

“Take a second to review your lines,” Gia said, scratching her forehead.

Dylan’s whole body washed hot, then cold. It was clear that Gia wasn’t her biggest fan, which did not bode well on the first damn day.

“Haven’t you known about this role for months?” Blair asked.

Dylan didn’t answer, just did as Gia told her and closed her eyes, running through her lines.

“I’ve known for two weeks,” Blair said. “I wasn’t even their first choice.”

“And you know all your lines and mine,” Dylan said. “Am I right?”

“You’re right,” Blair said, flicking a tiny bug off her arm.

“I know my lines,” Dylan said. “I’m just nervous.”

Blair pursed her mouth, didn’t look at Dylan. “You get handed the role on a silver platter and still can’t even appreciate it. Typical Dylan Monroe.”

“What do you mean I gothanded—”

“Let’s go again,” Gia said. “Action.”

Dylan’s spine snapped straight, like her teacher just slapped a ruler on her desk, the back-and-forth and sudden shifts making her dizzy.

“I can’t tell you how much I appreciate this,” Blair said again, a wry smile on her mouth, Mallory in complete control.