to sneak out of the cabin, but Emily spotted them. “I love you two together!” she shouted. Sirena slid an arm around her waist and kissed her cheek, and she giggled. “Go kiss under the moon!”
Will shook his head, and Jonas grinned behind his hand as they darted out of the cabin.
“Zelda,” Hanna demanded, hands on her hips. “Your brother is a gay Korean American almost-twin, and you didn’t tell us? What other interesting secrets do you have? What else are you hiding?”
She had no idea.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
“Okay.” Ben tapped his pen on his clipboard. “We’ll run a couple Montages, then we’ll split off and write cold open sketches based on ideas we generate from the scenes. The Pauls told me this morning that Michael Edelheit is coming from Second City Toronto, and he’s specifically on the lookout for fresh writer-performers. Play your cards right, and it could be you with his business card in your hand. Got it?”
Now this was more my speed. I love improv, but I might love comedy writing a tiny bit more. And a Second City business card in my hand? I’d say yes, and to that. I smiled at Ben, but he clicked his pen and scribbled something on his clipboard.
Part of me hoped he’d be a little kinder to me after our walk yesterday, but today it was business as usual. At least I knew that under his facade, he thought I was worth something.
“Let’s get started,” Ben said, sitting backward on one of the folding chairs. “Somebody get a suggestion.”
Xander jumped forward and clapped his hands once. “For this next series of scenes, I need a suggestion for something you hate to do.”
“Go to the doctor,” Ben said.
As Xander cleared to neutral, I mimed slinging a stethoscope around my neck and hurried on stage. “Nurse?” I called out. “Send in my next patient.”
No one responded as my nurse, but Xander mimed opening my office door. “Doctor? Oh! Not my usual doctor!” He gave me a slow smile. “Well, hello there, lady doctor. How lucky am I? Should I drop my pants now, or now and later?”
My stomach twisted—how was I going to get around this?
Perform at the peak of your intellect.
Squinting, I tried to stay in the scene in character. “Lady doctor? I guess that makes you my gentleman patient.” I looked down at his “chart.” “Ah! I see you’ve had a series of brain injuries that make you say inappropriate things. Well. We should get you some heavy drugs to suppress that.”
Some chuckles rolled in from the wings.
“Who do I have to talk to,” Xander said, ignoring me, “to make sure I get you every time?” He circled around me. “Because I need a full checkup.”
“Well!” I said, my throat tightening. “Well, yes, see, the thing is, I’m really only an intern, so I don’t do full checkups. I’ll have to get my supervisor!” I skittered off stage and Xander moaned in disappointment.
That was only the beginning.
The next time I was in a scene, there were some allusions to my character being a porn actress, but it wasn’t the focus of the scene, so I let it go.
Then, four scenes in a row, I was basically relegated to being a sexy secretary.
“Okay, one more before we break for writing,” Ben said.
Determined to drive this Montage in a more pro-Zelda direction, I hopped up on stage to take charge. “Ben, are you going to give us a suggestion for this one, or can I—”
Brandon stepped in front of me. “You’re walking through the woods and you trip over something. What is it?”
Ben barked out a laugh. “Good hustle, Brandon. Okay . . . you trip over a dead body.” Brandon turned and gestured for me to join him.
I hesitated for a split second, but Jane Lloyd’s voice was in my head: Say yes. So, I joined him.
He pointed at the floor.
Ah. I was the dead body. Well, at least this way I wouldn’t have to talk to him.
I lay on the floor, arms and legs akimbo. I heard Brandon clear back to neutral, then clomp on stage.
“Whoa! A dead hooker!”
Everyone burst out laughing. My patience bubbled over, and I turned my head toward Ben. “Seriously?”
“Not a dead hooker!” Brandon jumped back.
Ben shrugged. “Don’t deny the reality that’s been established,” he said. “No matter what.”
“Even if it makes me uncomfortable?” I asked, squinting at him. “Hey, baby, don’t be ashamed. It’s the world’s oldest profession!” Brandon said, still in the scene. “What will you