The Fifteenth Minute by Sarina Bowen Read Free Book Online Page B

alien in Men In Black. But cuter . “I’m not thrilled about the scene.”
    “Don’t panic yet. You know the shit in the script isn’t what ends up on the screen.”
    “True. But I can’t afford to be ridiculous. And I don’t know how, um…” I can’t finish the sentence. Shooting a sex scene terrifies me. There’s no intimacy in my life. And none of this is anything I can really discuss with him.
    Kevin’s chuckle is warm in my ear. At least today I’ve got sober, compassionate Kevin. He doesn’t make many appearances. “Maybe you should go find someone to rehearse with you,” he suggests. “You’ve always been the kind of girl who takes the extra rehearsal.”
    “Aren’t you funny,” I grumble.
    “Stop worrying, Li. Even if they shoot something awful, you know how it goes. The whole thing will get edited down to a two-second kiss.”
    He has a point. Except that I’d still have to take off my clothes in front of the cameras. And the time lag between the shoot and the edited copy was months of waiting. “Or we could just skip it entirely.”
    “Put your foot down, then,” he suggests. “What are they going to do? Fire you? That’s not happening.”
    “I might.” But then Bob will freak out and I’ll have to listen to him badger and threaten. That might even be worse.
    “Hang in there, princess. Hey—are you coming to my premier next month?”
    I’d forgotten about it. Kevin wasn’t in college like me. While I’d started classes, he’d done a voice-over part for a Pixar animated feature, and the premier was in New York in a few weeks. “I’m not sure yet,” I hedge. “Can I bring a date?” That would make it more bearable. I don’t know who I would ask to go with me. A girl can dream, though.
    “Sure, babe. Be fun to see you. I’ll have my publicist call you.”
    “Cool. I’d better do some homework now.”
    “Homework is for suckers.”
    I didn’t agree, but there was no point in arguing. Kevin rode the success of the Sentry Sorcerer movies hard, becoming the kind of Hollywood party boy that he’d always wanted to be. “Thanks for calling,” I say instead. “See you soon.”
    “Later, babe!”
    I spend the next ninety minutes checking up on my video game dragons and waiting for DJ to call. Like the loser I am.
    When he finally texts me to work out the details, I make myself wait exactly ten minutes before replying. And then I spend the next two hours wondering if a fifteen-minute lag wouldn’t have been better.
    There ought to be a manual for this.
    We make plans to meet at Gino’s, and then I move on to worrying about what to wear.
    When Thursday finally drags its ass my way, I’m kind of a wreck.
    Doing my face is easy—some mascara and just a hint of silver eyeshadow to reflect the light. And a lip stain that can withstand a pizza dinner. But dressing for my date turns me into a character in a bad sitcom. I ransack my closet, wondering which of my clothes will make me look more confident and sexier than I really feel.
    For starters, I put on skinny jeans, because even I know to wear jeans to a pizza joint. Anything else would look like I was trying too hard. But the rest of the outfit is more trouble. I pull on a black turtleneck, but when I look in the mirror, meh . Too Princess Vindi.
    Pretty soon half my clothes are on the bed, and I hate all of them.
    I settle on a button-down shirt cut from a drapey T-shirt material. It’s a little big on me, but I like the silky feel of the fabric.
    Then I stare into the full-length mirror on the back of my closet door for way too long. “Bella!” I yell. “Are you decent?” I’d heard Rafe’s voice over there, too. And now there is silence, which means they’ve either left or are making out.
    After a beat, my door opens. “What’s up? Want a mini Snickers?” She extends her hand, offering me candy. “And the calories don’t count, because they’re fun-sized.”
    I wave off the chocolate. “Does this outfit