©. Jan. 21, 2024. All Rights Reserved.
INT. FILM SET—DAY
DIRECTOR
You look stunning. As always, pulling off award-winning performances and you’re only…
AUBREY
Only thirty-five with mental fortitude.
MAX
Smile for the camera.
DIRECTOR
That’s right everybody. It’s only season five. Keep calling her by the name Rachel Venice. Rachel lives is from Seattle, Washington, has a bulldog named Sam in apartment number two hundred and five, and looks up food tutorials to cook by her lonesome. She is Rachel.
MAX
That’s my job. She’s my girlfriend.
The director grins.
DIRECTOR
She’s Rachel. Rachel dates Keith, who saws off her old wedding ring. Not Max. Do you see Max anywhere on the script? This is the cutthroat show business. Who has time for dating when there’s money to be made? Rachel has a man to protect her. It’s called a bodyguard. Her parents are broadcasted on the television screen every week. Action!
AUBREY
It’s my intuitive sense of justice to have you.
DIRECTOR
Cut! Well done.
JOE
Don’t mind the director. He was married for eight years with a wife who was also a film director. Then he found out that his wife was cheating on him with a cameraman. After he fired the cameraman, the cameraman became married her.
DIRECTOR
Joe. What did I tell you about standing around and chirping? The makeup department is on your right. Do I have to fire someone again? How am I going to complete this movie? Help out with the film budget, then you can chirp all day.
AUBREY
Can you get some real food on the set. Rachel cannot smell prop food.
The director’s enraged face turns to a smile.
DIRECTOR
Coming Right up. Chop-chop! Rachel needs some real food!
Max travels to hand Rachel a plate with two cheesesteaks and French fries.
EXT. MOVIE PREMIERE—NIGHT
Aubrey steps out of the passenger’s seat of her lowrider. Her muscular bodyguard steps out of the driver’s seat. Max is in the back seat. Everyone take pictures and video record Aubrey.
She walks on the red carpet with her paparazzi and bodyguard. She waves at everyone while smiling. People are shouting her name and asking for an autograph.
Then, the film director of her television series arrives in a limousine. He steps out of the limousine, wearing sunglasses.
DIRECTOR
I know. I know. It’s me. Honey, my autograph costs more than your car note. This coat costs five thousand dollars plus taxes. Don’t touch me. Thank you, ma’am. Coming through.
REPORTER
Williams. We have Williams on the red carpet, who is the producer of the highly anticipated Penpal Comes On My Vacation and tonight is the premiere. We meet again. This is your fifth season directing a television series with Aubrey. The fans and haters all around the world want to know, will there be a season six?
DIRECTOR
We will start filming season six right after the red carpet. We don’t waste time. On every media outlet, I’ve dodged the question about what drove me to create the character Rachel. It’s the name of someone dear to me. You can say that I fell in love with the character. I love all of my characters, especially Rachel. Spoiler. In season six, Rachel is going to have a kissing scene. And start calling her Rachel for now on. It’s what everyone is calling her. A thousand dollars say that you’ll start calling her Rachel. How’s that sound?
Williams reaches in his pocket and tosses a stack of money at the reporter’s face.
Aubrey notices that a stack of money falls from Williams right pocket. She walks by to pick it up before anyone else does.
AUBREY
You dropped your money.
Cameras flash.
Williams accept the cash.
DIRECTOR
I knew I dropped something. Somebody is getting fired tonight and I don’t know who it is! Thank you, Rachel.
Williams smiles at the camera with an embarrassed expression.
DIRECTOR
That’s why Rachel was casted for the role. She keeps making me money. I have so much money, I don’t know what to do with it.
REPORTER #2
We’ve seen you on the backstage film set watching the making of Williams movies for years. How do you know Williams?
MAX
Please. Call me Aubrey’s girlfriend.
The reporter and everyone in the crowd laughs. Even Aubrey’s bodyguard chuckles.
Williams pushes Max out of the way.
DIRECTOR
The boy has jokes. After the movie premiere, check your social media to look at our new voting poll. Do you prefer Rachel to survive with Keith, Travis, or Penelope?
INT. MOVIE PREMIERE—NIGHT
It is dark. Max is seated beside Aubrey at the movie premiere, holding her hand. He feeds her popcorn while she feeds him popcorn. They share a beverage with the same bendy straw.
INT. FILM SET—NIGHT/DAY
After the movie, she spends grueling hours on the film set.
INT. LIVING ROOM—DAY
When she is not on the film set, she is rehearsing.
INT. FILM SET—DAY
Max shows up to Aubrey’s on-site film trailer, then hands her a box of heart-shaped chocolates.”
MAX
Hey. These are for Rachel.
AUBREY
Something is bothering you. I know what that look means. Tell me. Don’t call me Rachel anymore. Call me Aubrey.
She munched on chocolate candy.
MAX
Is it true what Williams said? Are you going to have a kissing scene with someone?
AUBREY
You got me talking with my mouth full. Williams like to get the audience amped up. I told you there would be a kissing scene.
MAX
You told me? I remember you telling me something like that, but I figured that you were acting as Rachel.
AUBREY
Everyone tells me that nobody can act out the character Rachel like me. If you’re uncomfortable with me kissing anyone, then I won’t go through with it.
Max hugs Aubrey, then she grabs his shirt, pulling him in to give him a kiss.
EXT. FILM SET—DAY
Later, someone slides a magazine under the front door of Aubrey’s trailer and on the front page, it mentions that Aubrey is in a relationship with her director that has a picture of her handing him cash.
She exits the trailer and sees Max reading the same magazine cover. When he turns on the radio, he hears about the news. He turns around.
She receives constant phone calls and text messages and when she checks her social media, people assume that she’s dating her film director.
Williams is talking on a cellular device.
DIRECTOR
That boy is emotionally invested in a character that I created. She’s my character. Everyone busted out laughing at him when they heard him say she’s his girlfriend. It became the punchline of the month. I don’t know what he’ll do, but she is so much of Rachel, she doesn’t call her parents. The only reason that boy is on the film set is because my moneymaker insisted. Who am I to deny her of what she wants? Without her, there’s no show and with no show, there’s no money.
AUBREY
I don’t know how this information got out, but it’s not true. It’s one hundred percent false.
Max stares at the magazine, then looks up to see Aubrey acting on cue, crying on a bed.
In another scene, Aubrey starts walking down the halls on the film set, then Keith appears in the scene. The pleasing scent of his body causes some of the backstage film crew to faint. The backstage audience are cheering for Keith as he is inches away from kissing Aubrey.
AUBREY
Cut!
DIRECTOR
What now? You! The boy with the flimsy hat. You’re in the movie. You know how to act? Nobody will notice. Change of plans. Someone else hold his camera while he acts out some scenes. We have to change the script.
Max walks down the halls on the film set, then kiss Aubrey. The electricity goes out.
AUBREY
It was your turn to pay the electricity bill. Did you pay the bill?
Max grabs his cell phone and sees that he has a low battery and slumps down on the couch.
DIRECTOR
Perfect! Take ten.
Aubrey turns on the television and sees the news covering a rumor that she is dating her film director. They then notice that the reporter from the red carpet event spreaded the rumors, after seeing his face on television.
Aubrey makes a live video on her cell phone.
AUBREY
Hey everyone. The rumor is that I’m dating my film director, but my real boyfriend, Max, is right here.
MAX
Hi.
AUBREY
He’s been on the film set every day to watch me. Later.
Isaiah Lawrence 