Crystal's StorySite storysite.org |
Role Rehearsal
by J. R. Anthony
Part One
* * *
Arriving at Mind's Eye Entertainment headquarters, I made my way across
the parking lot quickly and tried my best to keep quiet on the elevator. I
knew that even if I looked like a woman, I definitely didn't sound like one.
After a few close calls by some guys who asked me how I was doing, I
strutted out of the elevator on the 32nd floor. As I entered Mr.
Schumacher's office, everyone turned to look, then turned to stare at me as
I took my seat at the end of the long table.
"J-J-Joe?" Mr. Schumacher asked dumbfounded.
"Yeah...why what's wrong?" I asked, completely oblivious to my
appearance. Then I clued in. "Oh! I'm, uh...getting to know my character
better." I told him, chuckling lightly.
"I see..." he replied quietly. I took my seat between Matt and Audrey, at
the very end of the script-reading table.
"How did you do that?" Audrey asked in shock.
"My sister helped me do it...it's a bit uncomfortable, but if I'm going
to play the part, I need to be as believable as possible." I answered
matter-of-factly.
"You look...I m-mean, uh...y-you look...um..." Matt stammered.
"I know, I know....'I look like a man in a dress', right?" I asked
skeptically. He shook his head 'no', his dark brown eyes wide and his ear
length brown hair flopping about his head. He looked lost for words.
I would've been fine with reading my character as well as physically
being my character if it weren't for Matt looking at me throughout the
reading. I knew he thought I couldn't see him watching, but I could faintly
see his considering glance from the corner of my eye. When the reading was
over, Mr. Schumacher motioned for me to stay for a while after.
"Before you say anything, I want you to know that I love it when my
actors take the initiative you've shown today." he explained. "But not very
many actors take it as far as you've gone today. You are indeed an
interesting talent."
"Thank you, Mr. Schumacher." I croaked, my voice sore from reading in my
feminine voice.
"I look forward to working with you on this film, and any future
projects." he assured me before patting me on the shoulder.
The drive home was tiring. Pulling into the drive of 1035 Reginald Ave.,
I walked to the screen/wooden door and let myself in. Like always, my Husky
dog Roscoe came tearing around the corner of the living room to greet me,
but stopped short and started barking.
"Shhh...quiet down! You idiot dog, it's me!" I tried to hush him
up, holding my hand out so he could get my scent. After a confused growl, he
turned and went to lay down on the couch. Carefully going up the stairs to
my bedroom, I listened to the click clack of my heels on the hard wood
steps. The sound alone reminded me vividly of games of dress-up I'd played
with Ashley as a young boy, and even a teenager. Even as I stripped out of
the clothes Ashley had lent to me, the memories of being 'Ashley's little
sister, Julia' haunted me. Grimacing as I washed off the makeup, I could
feel tears well up in my eyes. I was happy that the movie had given me the
outlet to be free with my underlying urges, but I was sad knowing that it
would end in 3 months time.
I took a long shower, just to mull over my thoughts a bit, and to keep my
legs smooth. I knew this would become routine over the course of shooting
the film. Drying my hair and brushing it out, I wrapped my bathrobe around
my fresh, damp skin and walked out to the living room. Just as I sat down,
the phone rang. It was Matt.
"Hey, Joe, I was just wondering if...maybe you'd like to...go for a cup
of coffee or something?" he asked, nervously.
"Umm...okay, but why?" I questioned, my face scrunching with confusion.
"Just to...you know...talk." he answered casually.
"Okay..." I hesitated a bit as I gave me answer.
"And...you know, if it's...not too much trouble, could you...dress as a
girl again?" he asked hopefully. Now I knew where he was going. I should've
known from the way he was looking me up at the script-read. He had fallen in
love with 'Julia', and he seemed to have forgotten that Joe existed
underneath the makeup.
"Uh...sure, okay." I replied slowly, hanging up. Although I didn't like
the way he was acting, the part of me that had woken up when Mr. Schumacher
assigned me the role of Alexander/Alexandra wouldn't pass up the chance to
be Julia again.
It didn't take me long to get dressed, but trying to remember my sister's
tutorial on makeup took forever. Finally understanding how to use the
various powders creams and brushes, I managed to turn my handsome male face
into that of a pretty girl. Not gorgeous by any standard, but a pretty girl
nonetheless. Slipping a pair of Ashley's flip-flops over my feet, I ran a
brush through the wig and pinned it into place, taking my purse with me
before heading out to the local coffee house. He stood when I came to sit at
his table and surveyed me as if I were the biggest diamond in the world.
"You look amazing...no doubt about it." he told me, astounded.
"It's actually not that hard...all I say is 'Sis, I need you to make me a
woman.', and the result is in front of you." I explained.
"You have a sister?" he asked. "I never knew that."
"Yeah, remember, I told Audrey that my sister helped me do this?" I
pressed.
"Oh...yeah...right..." he stumbled, embarrassed that he could forget
anything I'd said. "So...uh...how long will this girl be around?" he asked.
"Why? Are you interested in me, Matt?" I questioned, cornering him.
"Uh...no....no, of course not! You're a guy...I'm a guy...why would I be
interested in-"
"Stop it, Matt!" I cut him off, "I saw you eyeing me during the
script-read, so don't pretend you're not interested! If you're interested
say so, if not, leave!"
"I-I....I'm...all right, I'm interested, is that so wrong?" he whined,
mad at himself for revealing his feelings and his homophobia at the same
time. "Why do you always gotta make such a big deal of these things...uh..."
he stopped, not wanting to call me by my male name in public.
"Julia." I finished for him.
"Julia...it's just...I'm scared that I'm attracted to you."
"Thanks a lot, Matt! That makes me feel so much better." I
exclaimed sternly.
"It's not that, it's just...I'm kinda creeped out that the girl I like
isn't a girl at all! But you're so...so sexy! I'm...I'm confused, Julie." he
cried, looking up at me with watery brown eyes, nervously rubbing his hands
along the pant legs of his navy blue cargo pants.
"Well don't be. Love isn't about whether or not you're a man or a woman,
it's about feelings you have for another person, regardless." I told him,
and it seemed heartfelt, but I've never spoke like that unless it was in a
script or a book somewhere. "Anyways, I should go, I have to get used to
living as a girl now...starting bright and early tomorrow morning."
"Bye, Julie." he said half-heartedly as I stood and walked out to my car.
* * *
The next day we started to stage the script a bit, with Mr. Schumacher
observing us for chemistry and any thoughts of changing the script. I was
again dressed as Julia, which was less of a surprise for my co-stars this
time around. Then it happened: it was time for my half-romance scene with
Matt's character. After what had happened the night before I wasn't entirely
sure of what would happen.
"Look, Brad, there's something different about me." I recited, glancing
down to my script.
"I know, Alex. You're not like other girls I've known. You're so
much...so much more fun, you know? It's like you know exactly what I want.
It's weird." he voiced, stepping a bit closer to me. As a professional actor
I knew not to back down, but after our conversation from the previous night
I was thinking of turning and running away.
"You're so sweet..." I cooed, trying to hide my discomfort.
"And cut!" Mr. Schumacher said loudly. "All right guys, that was really
good, but Joe, next time try not to back off too soon when he says 'It's
like you know exactly what I want.' It's more of a slow consideration."
"Okay...what about the sweet voice?" I asked, hoping to change the topic.
I'd been up long into the night trying to find the right amount of
femininity and sugar.
"It's a tad over the top, try to numb it down a little, but not too
much." he replied. With that I gathered my things, stuffed them into my
purse, and headed outside. Luckily the elevator was empty all the way down
to the ground floor, and I made it to my car without anyone talking to me.
Not that I wasn't confident in 'Julia', but I hadn't yet mastered my female
voice.
Getting into my car, I drove not to my own home, but to my sister's
place. She had told me she had a surprise for me. Pulling into the long
gravel driveway, making my way up and across the porch, the door opened and
Ashley dragged me inside.
"Oh, my God! you are never gonna believe this, but I know you're gonna
love it." she smiled, towing me up the stairs and flinging me into her
bedroom. Lying on the bed was a large box.
"What's this?" I aske,d turning to her and raising one tweezed eyebrow.
"Open it up and see, little Sister." she laughed, bobbing on the balls of
her feet with excitement. Picking up the box and lifting the lid, I gasped
at what I saw. Pulling one out I looked at a pair of silicon breastforms.
"How did you...where did you...?" I stuttered.
"There's a mastectomy shop in town and I decided to get you a good luck
present." she winked, holding up a tube of medical adhesive. "Want to attach
them? Now you'll be able to wear really low-cut tops without worrying."
I unbuttoned my blouse and unclasped my bra, letting the socks fall to
the floor. As she glued the false breasts to my chest I was amazed at how
realistic they were. With a little makeup nobody would be able to tell
whether they were real or not. They were heavy at first, but after a while I
got used to having the extra weight on my chest.
"Thanks, Ashley. I really appreciate this. You're making me into the
woman I've always dreamed of being." I told her.
"You're beautiful, Julia. You're the sister I always dreamed of having."
she half-whispered, hugging me tightly. It was awkward to have her breasts
and mine press together, and actually feel it to some extent.
"I love you, Sis. Thanks for all your help." I showed my gratitude while
smiling sincerely at my sister for the first time in forever. I hugged her
again before walking out the front door and stepping into my old Taurus.
Honking the horn twice, I backed out of the drive and headed across the
neighborhood to my own house, where I would relax and rest for the next day.
I had just stepped inside the door of my house when the phone rang.
Carefully setting my purse down, as well as the clothes I'd bought at
"Tara's" on my way home and walking as fast as I could in my high heels, I
reached for the reciever and brought it to my ear.
"Hello?"
"Hey, 'Julia'...look I've been, ah...I've been thinking about what you
said last night, and I think I really am in love with you." Matt confessed.
"It took you long enough to get over it." I shot at him coldly.
"Yeah...yeah, well, um, I was just wondering...are you free on Friday
night?"
"Yes, why?" I asked, knowing what was coming. I'd heard Matt tell me the
same stories of how he always asks a girl to go to dinner and a movie on
Friday night.
"Would you like to join my for dinner and a movie?" he asked.
"How did I know you would say that?" I rolled my eyes and laughed. "That
sounds fun, Matt. Pick me up at 7?"
"On the button." he answered quickly.
"Okay, see you then. Bye." My heart was racing as I set the reciever down
on the charging dock. My best friend just asked me out on a date. Matt had
been my best friend since high school. We went on double dates, we watched
hockey games, we partied together, and now I was dating him as 'Julia'. Part
of me wanted to call him back and tell him I'd changed my mind, but the
overhwelming feminine reasoning of my brain told me everything would be
fine.
* * *
Again I had to call in reinforcements to help me with my date. first
order of business, the outfit. I wasn't too keen with going with the 'little
black dress', it was too cliche. I needed something unique, but comfortable,
and definitely something sexy.
"How about this?" Ashley asked me, holding up a red halter top and a
darker red skirt.
"I like the combination, just not the colour." I answered, shrugging.
"Okay, how about blue and navy for the colour." she said, digging deeper
into the rack of clothes.
"That sounds a little better." I replied, then when she held them up I
said, "Yes! definitely. It's perfect, Ashley."
"Great! And at a good price too! Only $35.70 for the whole outfit." she
exclaimed excitedly. Ever since I'd told her about my date with Matt she'd
been badgering me with tips on how to play hard to get, and things that
should never be done on the first date.
"It's not like I'm going to end up marrying the guy, Ashley, I'm just
going out to dinner and a movie. Nothing spectacular." I told her.
"Sure, it starts out with a casual dinner, then it turns into an intimate
night at your house, then an intimate evening in your bedroom, and then-"
"Eww! Ashley, please stop! Don't even think of going there! Besides, it's
not like that could actually happen." I cut in.
That night, when I saw Matt's Mustang Corvette pull into the driveway, my
heart skipped a beat. What if Ashley was right, and we actually did get to
the point where we considered marriage? Again the male side of my brain
protested, but the female side shut it up quickly as the doorbell chimed.
Slinking to the front door, I clicked the handle and swung it open. Matt
stood there, wearing a suit without a tie, and holding a dozen roses.
"Good evening, handsome." I cooed, taking his hand and letting him lead
me to his car. He gave me the roses as I sat down in the passenger seat.
"So, where do you want to go first? Dinner or movie?" he asked, pulling
out of the drive and turning towards the black pillars in the distance that
were L.A.
"Well, I'm not really hungry right now, so the movie sounds good." I
replied.
"All right. you pick the movie and when it's over we'll go for a bite to
eat." he planned before kicking the enging into drive and speeding off
towards the Cinema 6 Theater.
I chose to see "You, Me and Dupree", so I could get a sentimental movie
and he could get a comedy. That way we'd both be satisfied. Later on that
evening, in the restaurant, Matt started to forget I'd ever been Joe. I was
uncomfortable, but in a good way. He was the perfect gentleman throughout
the evening, and when he dropped me off at my house, he followed me inside.
"So...did you have a good time tonight?" he asked.
"Yeah...I really enjoyed it. Thanks, Matt." I replied, getting closer to
him and hugging him. If I had been thinking like my actual self I would've
broke off and shook myself, but I was Julia. Julia knew it felt right, and
that was a good thing.
"Well, good night." he half-whispered, swooping in for a kiss. I met him
on his lips and we held it there for a long time. He slowly pulled back,
blushing and left. Watching his car drive away, love was teasing me
relentlessly. I know I had promised to only become Julia for 3 months to
know my character better, but now I thought of how Matt would feel if Julia
left him when the movie was done shooting. I had a tough decision to
make...but I wasn't entirely sure of who's heart I should listen to:
Joseph's or Julia's.
*********************************************
© 2007 by J. R. Anthony. All Rights Reserved. These documents (including, without limitation, all
articles, text, images, logos, and compilation design) may be printed for personal use only. No
portion of these documents may be stored electronically, distributed electronically, or
otherwise made available without the express written consent of StorySite and the copyright holder.