Kissing Me Harder, Stepbrother novel · Chapter 4 of 24
Chapter 4: By Ear
"No," Lennon said.
He'd said it four times since the salon.
He said it again on the sidewalk, on the bench outside the bakery, and at the bottom of the pier.
"You were good," I said. "You were better than the real lead, and he's been in two commercials."
"I was good at one kiss."
"Kissing is a third of the show."
"What's the other two-thirds?"
"Talking."
He looked out at the water for a long time.
"I can't do the talking," he said.
"Everyone's nervous at first."
"Not nervous." He rubbed his thumb over the silver cross at his neck. "I can't read it. Not fast. The letters move around. I read a page like other people read a contract."
I thought of the phone slid under the tablecloth.
Sun's in my eyes.
"Who knows?" I asked.
"My dad. A teacher in fourth grade. Now you."
"Not your coordinators?"
"Stunt guys get a diagram. Nobody hands the guy falling down the stairs a script."
"So how do you learn things?"
"By ear. Somebody says it once, I've got it."
"Once?"
He shrugged. "Twice if it's long."
I pulled my phone out and opened the voice memos.
"Then I'll say it."
He looked at me.
"Gigi."
"Episode one. You're the surfer. I'm the girl. I'll read your lines and the cues. You listen in the car. Tomorrow you say it back to me."
"And if I can't?"
"Then I'll say it twice."
That afternoon I sat in my car outside the salon and read episode one into my phone.
Then two. Then three.
I did the girl in my voice and the surfer in a low, stupid voice that made Izzy laugh through the window.
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