The Blind Side of Love (Camren)

Chapter Twenty-Six

Lauren looked down from her balcony seat to the theater below, silently surprised by the turnout. The rows of plush red seats were filled with hundreds of bodies, and all of them after the very same thing: a shot at stardom.

Normani leaned forward, her arm brushing against Lauren's. "This is going to be fun," she said, sounding every bit like she meant it. The director was practically bouncing in her chair.

"If you say so," Lauren replied with a short laugh. She sat back. Nothing much had changed between them since Lauren's confession two nights prior. The initial shock had passed, their dinner had arrived, and the conversation had drifted on to neutral topics. If the director had any thoughts or feelings on the subject of Lauren's sexuality, she certainly wasn't telling Lauren about them.

Ella Peters poked her head in through the red curtains and then walked in. "Thank God I found you. This place is a zoo. I had to jump over a guy pretending he was dead. At least, I think he was pretending." She chuckled at herself and moved to take a seat. The producer was dressed in one of her usual somber-colored suits. Her brown hair was pinned back and away from her aging face. She looked, to Lauren's eyes, like every other producer she'd ever met. But Ella was, in Lauren's estimation, a kind woman; a kind woman with a job to do.

Normani was dressed in jeans and a tight red hooded sweatshirt. Her long brown hair was partly concealed beneath a black bandana.

Lauren found the contrast between them amusing, and she hid a smile as she turned her attention back to the crowd.

"I hope you're not wasting my time with this, Normani," Ella was saying as she draped her coat over the back of her chair. "If we'd wanted a bunch of amateurs we would've called for a bunch of amateurs."

"You're free to leave," Normani said, sounding neither impatient nor annoyed. "If I see anyone noteworthy I'll have them come for a proper audition."

"I'll stay for a few minutes," Ella said after a moment of thought. "Since I'm here." She seemed to notice Lauren for the first time. "Oh hey, Lauren. I didn't see you there. I was blinded by the red on this girl's shirt."

Lauren smiled. "Hi, Ella. I believe Normani has a meeting with a bull after this."

Ella let out a loud, shrill laugh. "Oh I believe it." She elbowed Normani. "She's funny. I never thought she'd be funny."

Normani sent Lauren an offended look but looked more amused than anything. "As it happens, I do have a meeting with a bull. Of sorts."

Ella snorted, but Lauren missed the joke; if it had been a joke. The actress glanced back down at the crowd. She liked the energy emanating from the room; it lacked the desperation she was used to back in L.A. She scanned the faces, trying to see if anyone stood out. No one did.

The doors to the theater opened, catching Lauren's attention briefly. A small  group of people walked in and quickly began searching for an open seat. The doors began to close, and then swung open again.

Lauren was about to look away when recognition dawned. "Oh shit."


"What's wrong?" Normani was leaning forward again, looking at the actress with concern.

Lauren sat back as if the railing had burned her. "Nothing," she said quickly. "I just remembered something. It's not important."

The curtains behind them parted again, and this time Ally walked in. "Line for the bathroom is eternal," she announced, and took a seat beside Lauren. "Did I miss anything?"

The actress shook her head. She waited until Normani's attention turned elsewhere, and leaned over to whisper in Ally's ear, "She's here."

"She who?" Ally frowned briefly in confusion then her eyes widened. "You're kidding?"