Bounce Read Online Free Page B

his forehead a little sweaty, and working a ponytail that’s only about fifty percent successful.
    â€œOh, yeah. Totally ready. I’ve been preparing for this moment for years.”
    â€œWhere are your sides?” he asks, ignoring my sarcasm.
    I know I’m missing something but I lift my arms up, showing him my sides.
    â€œYour script, dipshit.”
    â€œOh. I left it outside.” Where I was smoking cigarettes, which I bummed off one of the sound guys, Saul, just for something to do.
    People say being on set is boring as hell, and they’re right. After an hour of waiting for other people to do God-knows-what, I want to climb out of my skin. The cigarettes were a dumb idea. I don’t smoke, and now my throat feels raw. That’s probably the last of my smoking days, right there. I have to protect my voice.
    The only upside of smoking was seeing the girl with pink hair. She was something. Great style. Great body. Great everything. Really, really cute. I’m used to seeing beautiful women. LA is overflowing with them. But she had something special. I look around for her again, but there are no girls in the studio besides Mia, who’s been rushing around all over the place like the building’s on fire. She’s leaning over Adam at the moment, pointing at a paper in front of him.
    â€œI’ll get you another one,” Brooks says. “Mia, can you—”
    â€œI’m on it,” she says, popping up. In two seconds she’s handing me a fresh script, like she can telepathically identify every problem that needs to be fixed.
    â€œThanks,” I say.
    â€œNo problem.” I expect her to rush off again but she stays with us. “We’re all set, Brooks. Anytime you want to start.”
    â€œGreat.” He looks at me. “Here’s how this is going to work. First, we’re screening the actors in the next room.”
    Mia raises her hand. “That’s my job. Step one.”
    â€œWe’ll evaluate there,” Brooks continues, “and send the actors we think have the most promise in here to read with you.”
    This isn’t what I expected. I expected dozens of beautiful women waiting in line for me.
    â€œYou’re quality control?” I say to Mia. “Then I’m trusting you. Only send the hot ones through.”
    She lifts an eyebrow. “Right.”
    â€œThe lines you’ll be reading—” Brooks takes my papers and starts flipping through them, searching, searching. After a second, Mia lifts them from his hands and turns to a page. “Right here.”
    â€œThat’s them,” Brooks says. “These are the lines you’re reading, but the important thing is to just stay relaxed, go with the flow. If you make a mistake, don’t worry. This is a test for screen presence. The cameras won’t even be on you. Just give these girls something to work off. Oh, and wear your ski hat. Your head’s really distracting. We cool?”
    Brooks levels an anxious look on me. Over his shoulder, I see my brother watching me. This whole thing, me reading lines for this audition, is sort of hilarious, but Brooks and Adam really have been working toward this for years. I can suck it up for a morning and try to do this right.
    â€œSure, Brooks. I’ve got this.” I take my papers and sit on the couch under the lights.
    Mia comes over and attaches a microphone to my t-shirt.
    â€œWhat’s this for? I thought there weren’t going to be cameras on me.”
    â€œThere aren’t going to be.”
    â€œâ€…’Kay.” She leans down right in front of me, trying to get the microphone on, and she’s wearing a low-cut blouse so I appreciate the view.
    â€œRoxanne’s your first,” she says.
    â€œActually, that ship sailed a long time ago.”
    â€œEw, Grey. Focus?”
    â€œRight. Roxanne.”
    Mia shakes her head before she leaves, like she can’t