MASTERMIND - H.S

Chapter 20

*• May 2013 •*
- Los Angeles, USA -
~< Welcome to My Candy Store >~

"AND THEN HE SLAPPED ME!" Penelope exclaimed, arm wrapped around Tara's shoulder.

Addie blinked. "Wait, what?"

"I mean in the movie, not in real life," Penelope clarified, tucking her soft blonde hair behind her air. Her brown eyes looked an almost honey-comb color in the bright California sun.

Penelope and Tara had met on set of a movie that Addie had yet to figure out the name of. And quite honestly, Addie got more and more confused about the plot the more the two girls tried to explain it.

"But Alex- he's one of the producers- is such an asshole," Penelope rolled her eyes as she spoke about him with a clear distaste in her voice.

Tara scowled. "That bitch. He makes these comments about everyone."

"And it's so obvious he's racist, but since he never truly says something that's blatantly racist, no one calls him out for it!"

Addie cocked her head, frowning as she heard the two complain about their producer. "What did that bitch do? Why is he racist?"

Penelope pursed her lips. "The other day he made a comment to Tara about whether or not she knew how to twerk. Supposedly, it was just for a scene, but the scene was cut like a month ago. And then he made a comment about 'oh, be careful with the cat around Penelope'. And it's like what the fuck dude?"

Addie scoffed in offense. She immediately hated the guy despite knowing two things about him and one of them was his name.

But who did this Alex think he was, messing with Addie's friends?

Addie could stand people messing with her, but the second someone messed with her friends, she got pissed like you wouldn't believe.

"Can't you tell anyone?" Addie asked, knowing it was futile. If you spoke up, it was always the snitch who got into trouble, not the one actually causing the problems.

Tara shook her head. "You know how these things go. You say something, no one believes you, and you become the girl who cried injustice."

"I know it all too well," Addie muttered lowly, her eyes focused on the yellow paint of the house they were passing on the street.

Addie had the morning off, so Tara and Penelope were joining her for a walk around the city. It was hot, but the wind was cold enough that you could feel okay. Although Addie did have to wear a tank top and shorts.

Penelope grabbed Addie's arm. "You okay?"

Her brown eyes filled with gentleness, and Addie found herself smiling softly back. "Fine. Just... reminiscing."

Thinking about all the times she'd faced injustice and discrimination but because of her age, because of her pristine image and because of her management, Addie had been forced to keep her lips sealed.

Nice girls don't speak up. Nice girls keep their heads down. And Addie is supposed to be a nice girl.

Addie glanced at a sign on the lamp post they walked past, and then did a double take. While Penelope and Tara chatted about something, Addie pulled her phone out and took a picture.