Author's Note: Well, to anyone who's reading this... it's been quite a while since I've posted up a new chapter... a couple of month huh? It's not that I don't have anything to do (well, last week and this week are really busy for me), but I want to write; it's a hobby of mine (as it is to all of you!).
Also, I think it would be a little easier for everyone to follow the story if I gave you a cast listing. Keep in mind that this is subject to change (in like, every chapter), since I haven't really decided what's going to happen. So it's going to be a surprise to me just as it will be to you! Okay, here it is!
Popuri:
Ruby (female lead)
Cliff: Evan (male lead)
Ann: Marian (female lead's best friend)
Karen: (male lead's sister)
Jeff: Luke (bartender)
Duke: Reverend Johnson
City Folk:
Extras
Ruby Red in Mineral Town
The Confession
(Maria's POV)
Huffing and puffing, I heaved the large plate of bite-size sandwiches and plopped it down on the large banquet table. When I had volunteered to help out at the movie set, I didn't know that I would have to carry heavy things! I'm not used to it. Maybe I should have practiced more with my books.
Popuri came out just then, indicating that the first scene had finished. Breathing a sigh of relief, she headed to the table immediately. "Boy, I'm starved!" she announced, grabbing a sandwich from the large stack and shoving it in her mouth.
"Popuri, Popuri!" my father (and naturally the director) waved his hand frantically. "You shouldn't be filling up on food right now!"
"Why not!" Popuri demanded.
"Because your appearance is very important, even your oral appearance." So, if you have something stuck in your teeth, it's unacceptable.
"But I'm feeling a bit faint," Popuri put her hand on her forehead dramatically. "I need some sugar in my body." We all know for a fact that Popuri ingests the most sugar in the whole town, but no one said anything.
After she finished her food, it was time to begin the second scene, the one where she would meet Cliff (or Evan) for the very first time. Yep yep, the love story starts to blossom.
Cliff appeared on the set, with a totally different look. He got a haircut, fresh clean clothes, and all the cuts, bruises and scratches on his face were gone. I could hardly recognize him.
Ann left the bar just then. With one glance at Cliff, she almost tumbled off the steps. I held my breath and waited for her reaction.
"Cliff? Is that you?"
I could tell that he was blushing, even behind the mask of makeup. "H-hi Ann... how'd your scene go?"
"Good, good," Ann mumbled shyly, also blushing.
"Ann, please clear the area," Popuri shouted, oblivious to their interaction. "We gotta start the scene right now." Ann almost tumbled again on her own feet, but finally made it to the table, where I was still rooted to.
"Hi Ann," I said. "How was your scene?" I didn't really care how her scene went, to be honest. But I figured that question might trigger her to start talking about how she REALLY felt about Cliffie-boy now.
"Oh my God, was that really Cliff?" Ann was practically gasping for air. "He looks so different!"
"Oh really?" I brushed away a crumb that mared the holy white tablecloth. "I hadn't noticed." Of course, I just said that so Ann wouldn't feel threatened... not that I'm a threat at all.
"Are you blind?" Ann nearly turned over a stool on me. "It's so... different now."
Suddenly, Karen popped out of nowhere. "What's it to ya?" she smirked.
Ann blushed furiously. "What? Nothing!"
"Oh, come on!" Karen grabbed a strawberry and popped it in her mouth. "I bet you can't look me in the eye and tell me that you don't have a thing for my cousin."
"I don't!" Ann insisted. "Seriously, I don't like him! I don't!" it seemed like she was desperately trying to convince herself.
"Yeah, right," I said involuntarily. Then I cupped my hand over my mouth.
"Maria! You're taking Karen's side?" Ann whined. "How could you?"
"Because she knows I'm right!" Karen declared proudly. "Isn't that right Maria?"
Well, yeah. But I couldn't say anything. That's not a nice thing to do. But then what can I say? "I don't know..." I quickly turned the other way. "Here comes the water," I pointed to a few men carrying large cartons full of bottled mineral water. But we all focused our attention to Popuri and Cliff.
"Quiet! Quiet on the set!" Mayor Thomas stood on his director's chair. "We're ready to shoot now! Everyone take your positions!"
"Hey Karen," Ann whispered. "When's your scene?"
Karen looked dumbfounded. "Uh... I don't know..." she flipped through her booklet. "I think I don't come on for another few scenes. But that's okay. I'll pull a James Dean and impress the world with a minute of acting."
Pull a James Dean? Huh, that'd be interesting. When you think about it, Karen and Dean are alike in many ways. They even kind of look alike. And they're both moody and unpredictable. Is Karen Langer destined to suddenly become famous in her first movie then die tragically at a young age (which would have to be next year). Oh, I would never wish that on her. It could make her a legend and stuff, but I don't think it's worth it to die so young. But you can't help dying sometimes. Anyway, rant rant rant! Focus on the scene!
Popuri staggered down the bar steps and kept walking furiously with her head hanging down low. Neither Cliff nor Popuri would realize they were headed in a collision course in tee minus 2... 1...
"Ow!" Popuri looked up, her hand on her head. "Watch where you're going!" She was too furious to give anyone the time of day.
"I'm sorry," he mumbled, a little dazed by the impact
"Well, you should be sorry," Popuri snapped. "God, what is wrong with your half of the population?"
"What do you mean?" Cliff gave her a half surprised and half insulted glance.
"You..." her fists tightened. "All you people care about is getting some action! Our feelings are never in consideration! You... you people should be ashamed of yourselves!"
Cliff scratched his face, a nervous habit of his I've seen him do many times. A layer of makeup stained his fingertips.
"Cut!" Mayor Thomas stepped in. "Makeup people! And Cliff, please try not to touch your face."
"Sorry," Cliff said quietly. A team of people encircled him and began reapplying the face paint back on his face.
I turned back to see Ann's reaction to the scene. Karen was giving her a big hug. "Aw, Ann! We're going to be cousins-in-law! I'm so happy!" I smiled, concealing my laughter.
"Stop that Karen!" Ann pushed her away, still blushing.
"Oh, I just can't wait!" Karen droned on, dancing in circles around Ann. "You're going to have to make me the bridesmaid, because it's just common sense. And I can only imagine how Ann, farm-girl would look in a gorgeous white strapless wedding gown with a long veil... that May can hold for you! Oh, but then she'd have to be the flower girl-"
"Karen! I'm going to kill you!"
"-I don't know who would be Cliff's best man, probably Jack. And when you have your first child, you can name it after me, because I'm the reason why you two were together right?"
"Maria! Make her stop!" Ann whimpered at me.
"Me?" I said meekly. "Why me?" I knew that once Karen was on a role, it was hard to stop her.
"Because you and Elli are the only two voices of reason in our group. And since I don't see Elli anywhere, you're going to have to do it!"
"All right!" Mayor Thomas shouted. "Quiet on the set! Karen, stop jumping, you're going to tire yourself out!" he grabbed his megaphone. "Karen Langer stop dancing! Okay, places everyone! We'll continue where we left off! Cliff, try not to touch your face again, and stand over there... there, where the big X is! No, stand over it with your right foot! Popuri, you do the same! No, with the other X!" he threw down his megaphone and heaved a loud sigh. "Okay, ready everyone? Three, two, one, roll film!"
I hated that megaphone. He had one when I was ten, and every time he would use it (usually for town meetings and emergencies), I'd become very irritated. Of course, no one saw this, but inside I was. It was so loud, I just wanted to scream back every time he used it. When I was twelve, I did the unthinkable; I swiped it and buried it in the mountain. Only one of the carpenters found it. Grr...
"I think I'm melting," Cliff moaned, after another "CUT"was yelled. "The makeup's kind of itchy. Maybe I'm allergic."
"Stop complaining! You're wasting time, film and money! This movie's supposed to be done in a month! So just stick with it or I'm replacing you with no pay!"
I had never heard my father speak in such a manner that I was ashamed of him. Sure, there were all those boring, not intellectual and rambling speeches he makes a couple of times a year, but he's never that rude. Maybe being a director of a movie's inflating his ego.
"All right all right!" Cliff growled after a short squabble. "I'm trying though. It's not easy!"
They went back to their places and continued on with their dialogue. It was word for word what my father had written a few years back. The script didn't much excite me, but watching two people perform it certainly did.
"What? What did I do?" Cliff looked around. "Did someone hurt you or something?"
"That's none of your business!" Popuri turned around to leave but Cliff grabbed her back.
"C'mon, tell me. I have a right to know, since you attacked me for no good reason just a second ago. I don't even know who you are!"
"That's right, you don't know who I am," Popuri forced herself out of his grasp. "And that's the way I intend to keep it with your half of the population!" before Cliff (uh, or Evan) could get another word edgewise, Popuri flew out of sight.
"Hey wait!" Cliff called after her, standing alone in front of the bar. "What do you mean by 'my half of the population?'"
"...And CUT!" Mayor Thomas nodded. "Good work. Okay, take five."
"Get this stuff off me," Cliff instructed the makeup team immediately.
"Whoo, that was fun!" Popuri did a little pirouette to the table.
"You did great Popuri," I smiled at her. And I wasn't just saying to be nice, like I do a lot. "You really made the words give a better meaning to me." Uh... a half truth.
"Thank you," she beamed. "It really did feel so natural up there."
"Sure," Karen cut in. "But I'm sure Ann would have more chemistry with Cliff, don't you think?"
Ann, who had a mouthful of pineapple, muffled out a "No!". But no one except me heard her.
"What are you doing? Trying to replace me because you're mad I got the lead and you didn't! Your apology before wasn't genuine at all!" Popuri's eyes blazed an uncomfortable crimson.
"That apology was genuine! I'm just saying that maybe you and Ann should switch roles... and no, I don't want the lead! Kissing my own cousin! You are sick!"
Mayor Thomas clapped his hands. "Popuri, let's go!"
She panted a few times. "Give me some time to calm down!"
He studied her for a second. "No, let's go now, we can use your anger right now." My father can be quite resourceful sometimes. He took her by the hand and guided her to the church. That was the setting of the next scene.
They perfected Popuri up again and began the next scene, which is one of the shortest in the movie.
Popuri (Ruby), running manically, stops to take a lungful of air, and finds herself standing in front of the church. After a moment to catch her breath, she hesitantly enters the building.
I can't see her anymore, but I know by heart what happens. There's no one else in the church. The crewmen built up a little confessional, which Popuri walks over to (but not after looking at every God fearing symbol in the building) and kneels down at to clear herself of her misdeeds.
"Tell me of your sins, my daughter," Duke's haunting voice said softly.
Popuri took a long breath. "Reverend Johnson, forgive me for I have sinned. Um... I... it's very very bad what I did. The worst thing you could ever do."
Duke gasped. "You... you did not kill did you?"
"Kill? Oh no! No!" Popuri shook her head viciously. "I just had pre-marital- "
"Oh, I see." Duke put a finger on his lip. "That is quite a sin."
"What should I do?" Popuri fidgeted on her knees.
"Well... there is a way, you can become reborn again."
"Reborn?" Popuri repeated. "What do you mean, 'reborn'?"
"Well, it's a ritual where others like you are dunked into water, and then pulled out after an amount of time, enough to become reborn again."
Just by hearing that, Popuri began gasping for air again. "So, I have to hold my breath underwater? I... I don't think I like this. I'm not very fond of either."
Duke cleared his throat. "It's the only way to wash yourself of your sins... please put that into consideration!" he added quickly when Popuri stood up.
"I can't do that. I can't drown. But I can't let myself live in sin. But maybe it wouldn't be so bad, I mean... if God doesn't strike me down right this instant, then maybe He has forgiven me." She stood in one place. "Lord, if you have forgiven my sins, then send no sign."
"Ooh, do what Reverend Johnson told you to do," Duke's disguised voice echoed through the empty church.
"Reverend!" Popuri swivelled around. "I'm sure eavesdropping is a sin as well."
"I'm pretty sure that it's not," he immerged from behind a bench. "Ruby, you're a good person. You come to church every Sunday, and you always help people whenever you can. Please don't let anything ruin your chances of getting up there."
"I'll think about it, Reverend. Thank you." With her head hanging low, she left the church. Once she was out back in the sunlight, she contemplated her plans.
"Ruby!" Ann ran up to her. "What were you doing there? Confessing?"
Popuri nodded.
"What did Reverend Johnson say?"
"That I should dunk myself in water and not come up until I'm 'reborn'."
Ann bit on her lip. "Uh... well, are you going to do that?"
"I don't think I could ever go through with that. It's too scary. One way or another it's too much. But... maybe God will forgive me if I never entangle myself with another guy again. No romance, ever. Just be a good human being, helping people as I go along until I die."
"Well," Ann have her a half smile. "I don't know if that's ever going to happen. It's easy to say that, but I don't think it's as easy to achieve."
"No, I promise!" Popuri stomped her foot on the ground. "From now on in, I'm going to just help other people and never ever date anyone ever again."
"...And, cut!" my father jumped from his chair. "Great, that was perfect. Okay! Lunchtime people! Be back on the set in an hour!"
Everyone filed down to the lunch tables where Elli, May and the Produce Man were slopping down food on Styrofoam plates and handing them out as each person went by.
"Yum, spaghetti," Ann said half-heartedly as we sat down at a nearby table.
"It's good for your energy," I pointed out, mirroring my father's thoughts.
"And I need it," said Karen, sliding a forkful of noodles in her mouth. She chewed and swallowed quickly. "I'm in the next scene. Finally, I get to make my very first debut appearance. This is a big deal people. I really should practice. Uh... see ya guys later." She picked up her plate and walked off with no indication of where she was going. Ann and I exchanged a glance, but said nothing about it. There was no time, because Popuri was headed our way. Compliment train makes a stop!
"You were great!" we all gushed.
"Thanks, really!" she couldn't help smiling. "But it's nice to have a break. The next scene will be the very first scene I'm not in."
Not only was this the next scene, but also the next act. This movie was really getting underway! Even though I had doubted my dad's ability to actually pull off something good, I couldn't help but feel enthusiastic and pleased with how everyone and everything was taking shape in our little town. Maybe this really would be the greatest thing to ever happen to our island after all.
Hum hum hum. Finally, got something up! Forgive me if the church part wasn't so accurate, because I'm not religious at all... actually, forgive me if you thought this chapter was stupid. I'll admit, it was a little sloppy coz I'm rushing through this so I can update asap. But what's the rush, it's only been five, six months right? I'll try to update this fic by the end of next week... oh hold on, this week is my harmony exam, and next week is the PGA Tour Championship... oh, dang. Okay, so I have to finish the next chapter between Sunday-Wednesday of next week. I think I can do it. And anyone who's reading this who cares can send me death threats until I update, kay kay? (Ooh ooh ooh, is this a love story between Cliff and Popuri or Cliff and Ann? Heh heh... well I think you all know the answer to that.) ;)
