The Road to Her Read Online Free PDF Page B

me.
    “Something bothering you, Holly?” Elise’s voice rang out down the corridor.
    “Really? You think?” I said over my shoulder, turning the corner and practically smashing my way through the fire door that separated corridors. Again, I didn’t bother holding the door open for Elise, and yes, again I was pleased when I heard it slam and immediately open again.
    “Wanna talk about it?” Elise was still behind me.
    “Nope.”
    “I think we should.”
    I stopped in the middle of the corridor and swung round to face her. “Okay. Did you have to be so condescending?” I hissed.
    “When?” Elise asked, frowning.
    “Just now. In recording.”
    She looked perplexed. “You’re talking about when I suggested you might like to loosen up a bit?” Elise suddenly looked amused. “You were playing Jasmine like some tight-arsed spinster, Holly!”
    “Bullshit!” I lowered my voice as one of the lighting guys came past us.
    “You thought that was condescending?” A hint of a smile tugged at her lips. “What’s patronising about offering a little advice?”
    “As if it wasn’t bad enough you telling me I couldn’t act, you go one better today and tell me—in front of everyone—how you think I should be playing Jasmine!” I was practically shaking with rage by now; the look of barely concealed amusement on Elise’s face wasn’t helping. I glared at her. “Were you there when Jasmine found out her uncle was trying to kill her? No. Were you there when she was trapped in the house fire? No. Were you there when she—”
    “For the hundredth time, I didn’t say you couldn’t act,” Elise interrupted. “I’m sorry if you’ve misunderstood me.”
    “I’ve been doing this shizz since I was this high,” I said, holding my hand out above the ground. “So I don’t need you to be telling me how to play Jasmine, okay?”
    “It was just advice, Holly, that’s all.” Elise held my gaze, making me uncomfortable.
    “And does this advice extend to pretty much telling me how you think Jasmine thinks? Or how Jasmine speaks?”
    “Nothing wrong with a bit of flexibility.” Elise half laughed.
    “And there’s no need to laugh at me,” I said indignantly.
    “I’m not.” Elise looked down at the floor then slowly back up to me. “You’re kinda sweet when you’re angry. It’s hard not to smile.”
    “I’m not angry!” I blurted. “And I’m not sweet!”
    “You are,” Elise said, leaning on the corridor wall, her arms folded. “And…you are.”
    I stared at her, mouth slightly open, totally flummoxed. “Anyway,” I stuttered, “I’ve been playing Jasmine since I was twelve years old so I think I probably know her just a teensy bit better than you, don’t you?”
    “Now who’s being patronising?” Elise asked, one amused eyebrow raised.
    “I’m not,” I said slowly. “I’m just telling you like it is.”
    “Well, that’s me told then, isn’t it?” Elise said. Another twitch of amusement on her face as she said it made me feel funny inside this time, rather than annoyed.
    She pulled herself away from the wall and walked past me, brushing so closely that our arms bumped. I watched her saunter off down the corridor, then hastily looked away again as she glanced back at me, the look of amusement still on her face, before disappearing around the corner and out of sight.
    I was livid. Worse, I was livid about being livid. How was it she was able to wind me up so easily, when I barely even knew her yet? Everything about her just oozed superiority and contempt, and at that moment I knew I should loathe her, but there was something about the way she’d been standing and smiling at me and telling me I looked sweet that…
    I shook my head angrily. Sod being sweet. I knew my character inside out, and I sure didn’t need some smart-arse like Elise Manford coming in and offering her so-called advice.
    She could just go to hell.
     
    *
     
    Not wanting to go to my dressing room, knowing that