“I heard it from the director.”
“You did?”
“Well, sort of. Jenny told Kim, who told Tim—your PA—who told me.”
They go back and forth for a bit. Holden playing the unlikely optimist as he assures his assistant that everything is going to be just fine.
The conversation abruptly ends when the PA pops his head back inside the trailer to remind him of his call time.
Holden is escorted to hair and makeup. When he opens the trailer door, everyone perks up at his arrival.
“Good morning, Holden,” they all said in unison as they direct him to the black chair in front of the mirrors. The table in front of him is laid out with all the products—concealer, hair gel, hairspray and even blush.
From the sidelines, I stand watching Sloane, a semi-recurring character onAll or Nothing, greet Holden by tousling his hair and whispering, “Hi baby” in his right ear.
The hairstylist who finally tamed his hair into a slicked-back style looks seconds away from blowing smoke out of her ears as she watches Sloane run her hand through it.
Shaking his head, I watch him signal the hairstylist to not say a word. An unspoken agreement.
Sloane plops down on the empty chair next to Holden, extending her feet to rest on the table covered in products, running her fingers through her glacial white blonde hair, glistening with a full face of makeup already.
“So, my agent told me that I have a real shot at becoming a serious main character on the show this season. Like every episode with you guys. Isn’t that great!?”
She buzzed with the energy of a chihuahua—bouncing and gleaming with excitement.
Her fingertips make their way from her hair to his hand, begging for his eyes to look at her. My stomach drops. Were they dating at this point? I walk closer to the both of them so I can get a better look at what I’m seeing.
“I am trying to get my dad to whisper in their ears for me to become your love interest.”
He looks up from his phone. “Oh nice. I thought you were happy with your storyline?”
His voice is pitched higher than I am used to hearing. He rubs the side of his neck a few times before he finally looks up at her.
“I mean, I am, but everyone knows that being a love interest is what gets the audience’s attention. I want a career after this.Everyone already thinks I am a good girl cast as the teacher’s pet. I can’t let my acting skills solely be in that lane, you know.”
“Right…” Holden says back to her, using the same inflection he did with me earlier today, as if he isn’t quite sure he agrees with her but nonetheless doesn’t dare to say his real thoughts.
“That’s really good news,” Holden says, reassuring her with a kiss. Sloane deepens into his hold, hanging on to his lips a few seconds longer before they part.
Her body settles back into the chair next to him, reaching for the phone that is now playing “Thank U, Next” by Ariana Grande.
“Hello?”
She answers too quickly. My nose scrunches up at the sight of her sucked into her call, distracting everyone with how loud she is.
Was she always this obnoxious?
Sloane was introduced on the series midway through season two. She was well-known for her other series calledThe Unforgettablethat ended a year prior.
She had transitioned from being the main character on that show to potentially being on theirs for a four-episode arc each season.
“Do you want to go out tonight?” Holden presses as he waits for her to answer. All she can do is point to her cell attached to her ear.
“I don’t think this will work for me. I am booked until March…” she says into the phone just before she covers the speaker, mouthing to Holden,I got to take this.
“I need four cups of espresso to get whatever she got,” Kira says as soon as Sloane leaves the chair and exits the trailer.
“I appreciate you not saying anything. I know she can be…”
