He stood tall behind me, his smile wider than I’d ever seen it. Too wide. “Yes, Melanie, I certainly am.”
He motioned for me to stand in front of his desk as he sat down. I took my place, eager, heart pounding.
“I’ll read the lion’s lines and you read Dorothy’s. Let’s start from the top.”
“Okay.” I was ready. I opened my mouth and the words came easily, like a song I’d sung in my sleep.
But his face changed. That warm smile twisted into something darker, something wrong. A grin that made my skin feel too tight.
“Very good,” he said slowly, “but let’s try it without the dress on. It’s quite distracting.”
My hands froze. The words didn’t make sense.
Without the dress? I’d be in my underwear.
“No one should see those parts except your husband someday,” Mommy’s voice whispered from memory.
But then, another voice: “This could change our lives forever.”
Mom’s voice again. Hopeful. Expectant.
I swallowed hard. “Okay.” My fingers trembled as they reached behind me. The zipper whined as I pulled it down. The dress slid to the floor.
“Very good. Now let’s try it again. I’ll start from the top.”
I couldn’t look at him this time. My eyes locked on the script in my hands, the words blurring.
“Perfect,” he said, his voice slow, coaxing. “But you know what would make it even better?”
“What?” I whispered, trying to smile.
“If you took off your underwear.”
My stomach flipped. “My underwear? But I’ll be cold and naked.”
“That’s okay,” he said softly. “I won’t hurt you. We’re thinking of adding a scene where Dorothy runs through the woods naked. This is good practice.”
My fingers twitched. I wanted to run. To scream. But the memory of my mom’s face held me in place.
She was counting on me.
I bent down and slid them off, my legs wobbling.
“Flick them to the side.”
I did. Everything inside me was trembling. But I didn’t move.
“Now I want you to touch yourself,” he said.
“W-what do you mean?”
“Put your hand on your body. Down there.”
My chest tightened. I couldn’t breathe. My heartbeat was thunder in my ears.
“Relax. Just breathe,” Mr. Potter said, calm, as if reading my mind.
“If you do as you’re told, I promise to make you a big star. Everyone will know your name. Don’t you want that, sweetie? To be famous and rich?”
