TAKING AWAY THE ROLE

WEDNESDAY~~

Jane laid, sprawled on her bed, turning around to find a comfortable position. Ignoring the morning rays streaming in through the parted curtains. Fighting the urge to remain in bed as a memory shot through her brain. She couldn't seem to get rid of that image of her kissing that guy.

And was she so tipsy, she actually thought she had seen Toro's face and had kissed him? She recalled touching his face and telling him he wasn't real, that he was just a dream but why on earth did she kiss him? The man she kissed that night was definitely not Toro Wilson, the alcohol she took must have just messed with her vision.

Thinking back now— when she rested her lips on him, she felt him tighten his grip on her arm which made her wince in pain before he scrambled away from her like a speed of light. It got her a little startled.

"Don't you have a shoot to do?" Ivy flew the door open and walked in. "I remember you telling me, the director rescheduled the shoot today."

Jane groaned and willed herself to sit up. She tugged the blanket over her, gathering it over her neckline. She yawned and rubbed her eyes. "Sometimes I wonder if you are my alarm clock or the alarm clock on my nightstand."

Ivy grinned. A goofy smile gracing her face. "Which one your heart decides on….. it's already 10:50, you don't want your role to be given to someone else, do you?"

Jane sighed, scratching an itch in her hair. "With the videos of me flying about on social media, I don't think it'd be a good idea to walk out. Also I'm too embarrassed to show my face publicly, not after the stunt I pulled at the bar."

"My panties were literally showing in those videos....darn…." She cursed under her breath. "I made a complete fool of myself."

"But it wasn't that bad?" Ivy took a seat on the bed, resting a hand on Jane's shoulder, fondling it gently. "Your panties didn't all show and anyone in their right mind would tell you didn't fall on purpose but you were under the alcohol influence. And no one is above stupidity….."

"That's from your perspective, not from other people's perspective. The audience present at the bar must think of me as an attention seeker, especially that masked hooded guy."

"Hey, let's not be negative this early morning." Ivy cooed, Bringing her head to rest on her left shoulder, patting her arm. One might think Ivy was the older one from how she treated Jane and Jane couldn't help but smile as she nuzzled under the warm comfort of her palm, letting it wash away her worries and troubles in the moment.

"You got a job to do," Ivy comforted. "Don't let what people say drag you down. You live for yourself not for social media and one thing about social media is that, when another new captivating juicier headline comes out, yours will be forgotten."

"Give it time, and don't let it bother you." When Ivy went on to comfort her. She found solace and felt a little leap of faith and for a moment, she thought she was in her mom's arms. A pale smile glowed on her face as she shut her eyes, cuddling more under Ivy's warm pat.

"Girls, breakfast is served!" Jane heard Ivy's mother scream from downstairs.

●●●●●●●●●●●●

Just like Ivy had said, Jane dressed in a hooded polo and jean pants and boarded a public transport instead of going to the shoot venue in her own car, to keep a low profile. She bet people must have marked her car after the stupidity she displayed at the bar. Hiding her identity with a nose mask, she headed for the venue.

While in the bus, she prayed that no one should recognize her, especially the one guy she hoped she'd never bump into again since fate has a way of making them cross paths. On reaching the shooting venue, an old cabin house, nestled in a grove of trees with a well-worn path leading up to the front doors. The porch was covered in climbing roses and there was a swing hanging from the rafters.

The cabin was situated in the outskirts of the city yet in a peaceful and serene place, far away from the hustle and bustle of the city. Heart in her hand, she paved her way toward the cabin, muttering under her breath, the director doesn't lash at her. She knew for certain he'd already seen the video, including her co actors and actress. She moved toward them but the lines she heard made her jaw drop, she gaped in surprise, trying to figure out if her hearing sense wasn't playing pranks on her.

As she drew closer, she saw Ashley Mckenzie in her costume, saying her lines. Playing her scene. What is going on? Why was playing her role?

"I'm sorry but I told you I won't be doing this anymore, contact someone else." Jane watched in horror as Ashley said her lines. Played her role. "I'm no longer interested. It isn't my thing….."

"After you gave me your words?" The male actor she acted alongside asked, playing his own part with the emotions. "You can't back out now."

"I'm sorry but you gotta look for someone else...."

"Cut!" The director yelped. "Ashley, I would like you to add more emotions. Just don't say those lines with a straight look like one reciting poetry."

"Noted." Ashley nodded.

"Let's give it another shot," the director announced. "Let's take it from the top."

This was a low budget film where Jane ought to play the sister of the female lead. A conniving one. The film was centralized in a small hometown where she and the lead actress were sisters and ran a milking factory from the cows they reared. "Secrets in the woods" was the title of the film.

Disoriented and disorganized. And fed up with watching Ashley play her role, she stormed closer, pulling the nose mask off her face.

"I don't get it, why is she playing my part?" Jane asserted, a frown perching on her face. She narrowed her eyes around the whole vicinity, it seemed everything and everyone had gone dead silent including the rustling leaves went calm when her voice echoed around the trees' trunk.

Ashley Mckenzie and the co actor had gone silent as she shifted back her gaze to the director. A repulsive, disappointing look graced his face as low murmurs erupted among the staff and Co actors.

"I'm really surprised you showed your face here," the director prompted.

"I…..don't…..understand, why wouldn't I show up? Of course I'm here to play my role and you told me it was scheduled today so why wouldn't I have shown up? And why is she acting my part?" She swiftly gestured to Ashley.

"Did you actually watch the video of you circulating around the internet?"

"I did. I saw the videos and the comments but that doesn't stop me from playing my role," Jane reasoned.

"It's your confidence for me," the director let out a low snort under his breath. "First you were filmed walking out of a bar's room and whether what you did inside the room was genuine or not, news was meant to fly. Manipulated stories were meant to be ushered out to the public and how many times do I have to keep reminding you that you are a public figure?"

"I'm sorry," Jane apologized. Lowering her head in embarrassment. Her cheeks reddened with humiliation. She bet everyone here had seen the video and although her gaze wasn't on them, she could visualize the accusation, the condemnation and the judgemental looks in their eyes.

"The story of you having a steamy night with some mysterious guy who the whole netizens are claiming and presuming is a politician. Someone with influence and high status hadn't died down ..... you still return to that bar, to make a complete stupid of yourself?"

This time the director's voice raised, showing he was really upset. And when Jane raised her gaze to meet his. She flinched at the burning glint in them.

"I'm sorry," she apologized again. "I just wasn't myself that night and I needed to clear my head. A lot was going on in my mind at that time, I couldn't think straight..."

"Still doesn't justify the stupidity you displayed at the bar, even accusing a random guy for drugging you…..achmm..." The director pulled his gaze from her. Letting out another low snort, perplexed.

"I was under the influence of alcohol, I didn't know what I was doing." She defended herself and although that was half a lie, it was also the truth. She was really under the influence of alcohol.

"But it didn't blind your vision to the stage to make that silly announcement, did it?"

"I'm sorry." Jane kept apologizing.

"I'm sorry isn't going to rectify the absurd behavior you displayed at the bar." The director intensified the tone of his voice, and sprang to his feet. "You are a rising actress, building her audience. You work for me, you work under this agency and under me and whatever you do or any of you do affects the agency."

"I cautioned you, everything you do is being noted and observed by people. Netizens are waiting for juicy stories to publish and knowing quite well you are a star, you go about getting drunk. Misbehaving in front of many people?"

"I promise it won't happen again," she uttered.

"If there would actually be a next time," he said. Maintaining the cold look across his face.

"What do you mean?" Jane widened her eyes in surprise. Puzzled.

"I'm taking away your role, just like you saw Ashley playing your role. I had already taken it from you and given it to her. You need to work on yourself first and lay low....You were too calm when you first started. Too gentle and never caused issues.

Because you tested little fame, you felt you should misbehave... and cut down on the alcohol you take."

"You are a lady." He concluded and sat back in his director seat.

"And to top it all, another photo and video of you leaving a penthouse is circulating around the internet. Netizens are curious to know if the mysterious guy you had a steamy night with was the same guy who carried you out of the stage. They are curious to know who this guy is since he masked up his face. They got questions raising up their sleeves."

Jane didn't know what to do next or how to react as she saw her world crumbling down. The world she tried and worked hard to build from childhood crumbled right before her eyes. She saw her mother's hard work going to waste, as a whirlwind of emotions and questions charged over her.

She fell to her knees.