Chapter 36

She sat on the patio with the script. She couldn't help but read it over and over. She wasn't sure who they wanted her to read for, but she was hoping that it was Hunter. The more she read it the more she found the romance and the angst very believable. She was actually getting more and more nervous as time went on. She wasn't sure what the author wanted in Hunter and she wasn't sure what the director was looking for either. But, Blaine said that she was it. What was it that they were looking for? For all her parts on Broadway, she studied the plays. She'd seen them all before trying out. Or, the piece had been written with her in mind. This wasn't like that. This was completely different. She had nothing to base the character on but her friends' word.

She sat the script down on the patio table and picked up her bottle of water. She took a quick sip, recapped it and put it back on the table. She stood up. She paced for a minute. She was thinking, and thinking hard. She was trying to remember some of the issues that she had in high school, especially when it came to dating. She wasn't the most popular or the easiest to deal with. She wondered if Hunter was like that.

"What are you doing?" Kurt asked as he came outside with a plate of hummus and chips, two glasses and an open bottle of red wine.

"I'm thinking about how I want to audition. I've read the script a few hundred times since Blaine gave it to me and more and more I keep coming back to wanting to be Hunter. I don't think that I could be Chris. It just seems too...vapid for me," Rachel told him.

"And, you, my dear, are anything but vapid. Clueless sometimes, but not vapid."

"Thanks," Rachel replied with sarcasm as she took the glass of wine from Kurt and sipped it.

"That's what I am here for. So, tell me more about this Hunter person. Who is she to you?" Kurt questioned knowing that this would help her calm down some.

Rachel gave him a look, but didn't stop moving. She walked around her little patio at the hotel and listened to the street below. It was busy and that was something that she could relate to being. She stopped in front of the little table again and sat down her wine glass, before she just started pacing in place.

"She's smart and kind, busy, but almost to a fault. It is like she has to prove something to everyone. She isn't a pariah, but she isn't popular either. She is under the click radar. She can mingle with everyone and she has no aspirations to be wildly popular. She knows what she wants and she goes after it. She is willing to risk her heart for love, but not hurt those she loves. She'd walk away first."

"Doesn't she walk away in the script?" Kurt asked.

"You've read it? I mean, you've actually read this? Sex scenes and all?"

"Yeah, I have. I know the book. It is awesome. The script does it justice, but...there are somethings that won't translate to from the written word to the script. You should know this. Besides, you should have read the novel, too. It was on the best sellers list for ages," Kurt told her.

"Seriously?" Rachel questioned.

"Yes, but that doesn't matter. You don't have time to read it. But, from what I've read of the script, they maintained the mood and direction of the book. And, you and I both know that some things just don't translate from written words to script, but that is where the director comes in. You're body language and facial expressions will tell just as much as what you say," Kurt explained.

"I know that."

"Then don't worry about the book."

"I just want to do this part justice and I don't feel like I am right now."

"Then do the audition the way that you think that Hunter would act."

"I don't know if I can. I am singer. I do Broadway."

"And, you were a guest star on Law and Order. Pull from that experience. You weren't a Broadway star that got raped. You were a vixen," Kurt told her.

"I know that."

"Then you should have no problem doing the audition. You're simply over thinking this. Besides, we both know that Blaine and Tina only let me come along with you because they knew that you would get the part. If they didn't, they wouldn't have let you come. So, that right there should tell you something," he added.

"But..."

"Now, be Hunter. It is as simple as that. Go change and come back out here as her."

Rachel looked at him. He actually raised her hands and shooed her away with a dismissing manner. She knew that he was doing it to help her, but she wasn't sure that she like it, either way. She shook her head but laughed at his antics. She nodded as she walked back into the hotel room.

She went into the bedroom in her suite. She opened the closet there and stared at her clothes. She didn't know what to wear. She looked at the jeans she had. She grabbed a pair and shirt that she would normally sleep in. She changed quickly and headed back out to the patio. She didn't know if she was comfortable enough in something so toned down and casual, but she knew that she could learn to like it. Especially, when she was out with Quinn.

"Be still my glittery, bedazzled heart."

"Stop," Rachel stated.

"Rachel in casual dress is a sight. What would New York say if they saw you in this? They wouldn't know what to do with themselves. They are so used to you be in dresses, skirts or work out clothes. But, honestly, this is refreshing. Welcome back to the human race, my dear. It is nice to you outside of your diva comfort zone," Kurt told her.

She smiled. She was glad that he approved, but she wondered if it was too much. She looked down at the dark skinny jeans and her bare feet.

"I don't know. Hunter seems a little better than this. I don't see her as a bum."

"And, she isn't. But, she isn't stuffy either. She is comfortable. That is something that you need to possess. She is comfortable no matter the situation. You have to own the world. Basically, pretend that you are the diva on stage, but the whole world is your stage. She wasn't afraid to speak her mind. She isn't afraid to go for what she wants. And, honestly, Hunter wanted Chris and Chris wanted Hunter," Kurt explained.

"I know all that, but I don't feel like I'm this big shot popular person."

"You shouldn't. Hunter wasn't that. She was popular in the fact that she wasn't part of the 'it' crowd. She could mingle with anyone. She didn't fall into a click and that made her more popular. She could have ruled the school and the 'mean girl' click knew it. I think they feared her because she could do that. But, she didn't want it. She was just friendly. She wasn't prom queen. She wasn't student body president. She was just her own person trying to get through school."

"But, she dies..." Rachel lamented.

"Alas, my dear, all good things have to come to an end," Kurt said in his best storyteller voice.

"But, that means that I'll die in the film."

"Okay, Desdemona, is that a problem?"

"Well, no, I guess not. But, dying in a story is hard. Not only for the reader or the audience, but the actors and those in the scene," Rachel stated.

"She dies in a car crash trying to stop Christian's sham of a justice of the peace wedding."

"I know that."

"I doubt that anyone else will be in that scene, Rachel. It is mentioned in the book, but it isn't graphic. I am sure that they'll have you film it, but you'll be alone and it would be a day dream or speculation shot. Chris wasn't there for the wreck. She just dealt with it in the aftermath of not getting married, burying her best friend and would have been lover, and finding out that she is pregnant," Kurt added.

"I don't know that I can do something this heavy," Rachel stated.

"Rachel, your life is heavy. This will be easy. This will be a fun adventure for you."

"What if they do a sex scene?"

"Have you had sex on stage?"

"Well, yeah," Rachel answered.

"Same thing, darling, just in multiple takes. Think of it as rehearsal for a scene, over and over and over again. It won't be sexy. It will be tedious and repetitive."

Rachel sat down beside him and took her glass of wine. She sipped it again. She leaned back in the seat and looked up at the blue sky.

"Eat some hummus, Rachel. I know you haven't had lunch yet and I had this made special for you. Just like that little deli down the way from your brownstone."

"Really?" she asked as she leaned forward and grabbed a chip.

She dipped it in the hummus, making sure to get a big glob of it on her pita chip, before eating it. She moaned in delight. She knew that it wouldn't be hard to be vegan in LA. There were plenty of places for her to go to get her fresh foods. And, the farmer's market was to die for, but she wondered if she could really make Sunny California home.

"You're thinking about her again, aren't you?" Kurt asked breaking her thoughts.

"No, not really."

"Still wondering about the West Coast thing?"

"Yes."

"I get it. It would be a big change. But, let's get through tomorrow before you decide to go find a condo or something. And, besides, I think you need to call Tina," Kurt said.

"Why is that?" Rachel asked between bites of hummus and pita chips.

"She's called my phone four times in the last hour. I've just ignored them, but then again, she isn't my manager. And, if I had anything to report, I would have called Blaine first. She knows that. And, since Blaine hasn't called me, I gather that it isn't life threatening."

"Oh, my goodness...I left my phone in the bed room," Rachel exclaimed as she ran back into the suite to get it.

Kurt just smiled. He knew that it wasn't important because Blaine hadn't called him. He knew that if Blaine had called that Rachel needed to call ASAP. He just smiled as she came back. He sipped his wine slowly.

"I've missed three calls."

"Any voicemail?"

"No," Rachel said with a little worry in her voice.

"See. I guess it wasn't that important. She was probably just trying to check in with you," Kurt suggested.

"You're probably right, but I'm going to call her back anyway. I just want to make sure. We both know how Tina gets when she doesn't know everything that is going on with my life. She can't spin it in my favor. She can also be impatient with my decision process."

"Do you think that it is about the film?" Kurt asked.

"If it was, I am sure that she would have left a message. But, I am not taking the chance. I am going to call her right now," Rachel stated.

She dialed Tina's number and waited. The phone rang a few times before Tina picked up. The first thing she heard was squealing and then a very happy and rapidly speaking Tina. She couldn't make out a word of what she said.

"Okay, whoa. Slow down, Tina. I can't understand you. What did you just say?" Rachel questioned as she made a hand gesture at Kurt, who laughed because he knew exactly what Rachel meant.

"I've spoken with the studios. They are holding your contract for a few days. They want to make sure that you actually get the part," Tina told her.

"Okay, that sounds reasonable and legit. So, why are you so worried about it? Have you heard something?" Rachel questioned.

"I've heard a lot of different things. But, none of them bothered me until today. I am not sure that they are actually going to get this film off the ground."

"Why is that?"

"Well, it seems that they don't have the approval of the writer to make it," Tina explained.

"The writer of what?"

"The book," Tina answered.

Rachel's mouth dropped. She didn't know what to think. How had the studio gotten this far without the writer's approval?

"Wait, what?"

"The author of the book hasn't given them total rights to the screenplay. Without it, they can't make the movie without being sued and losing. They changed the working title to 'Paradise City' in hopes that the author wouldn't fight the screenplay. I am not sure what they were trying, but it didn't work. The author of the book that the screenplay is based off of is pissed," Tina stated.

"I would imagine so. They would have every right to be and to go after the studio. What am I supposed to do, now?" Rachel asked.

"I would still go to the audition. I'll call Santana and see what she knows about this. Unfortunately, this is standard practice sometimes. Hopefully, she'll have more details and we can go from there," Tina explained.

"And, my contract?"

"You'll only get one if they do the movie."

"I understand that, but I am not sure that I want to do this if the author isn't on board with it," Rachel replied.

Kurt stopped what he was doing. He put down his drink and stared at the Diva. He waved at her to get her attention. He wasn't sure that he heard that right. It couldn't be true. The studio wouldn't have wasted their money to fly her out there and set her up for the audition if they weren't going to make the movie right? It didn't make sense. Why would they do that? What was their game? If they didn't have the author's permission to make the movie, then why did they have a screenplay? There were too many questions and Kurt wasn't getting enough answers.

"Put her on speaker phone," he whispered as he motioned to Rachel.

Rachel nodded. She pulled the phone away from her ear and sat it on the table. She pushed the button on the screen in order to put it in speaker phone mode.

"I've got you on speaker. Kurt is here with me. Now, are you sure that I should go do this audition?" Rachel asked again.

"I don't know what else to tell you. I don't have anymore information. I need to call Santana and find out what is going on with this. I just don't want you to freak out too much. You need to be calm and just do the audition. Let me do my job and you do yours. I call you back once I know more. Until then, breathe and just be ready for your audition. I expect you to be ready and on time," Tina told her.

"I'll be ready. I just don't like the idea of auditioning for something that may never see the light of day. I don't want to think that my time here was wasted."

"Don't worry about that. That is my job. You just do whatever you need to do in order to show up to that audition. Blaine is already heading over to my office so we can discuss this more. I just wanted you to be aware of what was going on."

"Well, thank you for that. Kurt and I were preparing for the audition. Just let me know as soon as you know anything. Especially if you get a copy of my contract tomorrow," Rachel said with a slight edge in her voice.

"You know I will."

"Until then, Tina," Rachel said as she rang off.

Kurt watched her as she dropped the phone on the table. She picked up her glass of wine and took a healthy drink of it before returning it to the table. Her dark eyes met his worried hazel, but she didn't seem to be fazed by the call. He was.

"What are you going to do?"

"Do the audition. That is why they brought me out here. I am going to go and do it. If the movie does get off the ground, then they will already have my audition."

"But, what about New York?"

"If nothing happens, we go home and I try to find another play. Or, I just continue to enjoy my time off. Maybe I'll go on a trip or something."

"Rachel..."

"Look, Kurt. I don't want to think about any of that right now. If I do, I'll bomb my audition. So, let's just drop it and get back to me being Hunter."

"Would Hunter be happy that I got in two boutiques here to carry my lines?" Kurt asked hoping that changing the topic would help.

"She would. Why did you tell me sooner? Are you happy about it?"

"Yes, extremely. One of them is just taking a few items with the possibility to expand to the full line later, but the other one is giving me a dedicated section in their store and having my full catalog available for any of their customers. I've made it in LA, Rachel. I truly am a bi-coastal fashion sensation," Kurt replied.

"And, you should be. Now, I am going to have to fight to get you to dress me. I mean, who else makes my ass look that good at the award shows," Rachel joked.

"Oh, honey, you'll never have to worry about that. I know that you will always have me on speed dial and I'll always come running with something for you to wear. Even if it is just to find something for you to wear in a low budget, indie film. Then, I can say that I was a movie costumer as well," Kurt hinted.

"I'll see what I can do."

"Want me to read some lines with you?" Kurt asked as he picked up the script.

"Yeah, that sounds great."

"You have this memorized don't you?"

"Um...well...yeah, I do."

He flipped through the script until he found a page. He skimmed it and smiled. When he looked up, he delivered the leading line and waited. Rachel just smiled as she went into the small monologue that Hunter gives Chris in the library, before storming away, accusing her of being afraid to take what she wants in life. She nailed the scene just like she always did, making Kurt smile as she "told Chris where to go and how to get there" very beautifully.