Alarmed, I look from the screen to her and back again. “Do you really think so?”
“Yes. Believe me, the two of you arehottogether. I mean, from an outsider’s standpoint. You’re my brother and not hot to me.”
I chuckle. “Thanks for clearing that up. But can you really imagine me sitting on someone’s lap like this?” I ask. Imagining doing that with Pravat Benjawan has my face heating.
“If you allow yourself to relax, maybe. You have to play the game if you want the fame. That reminds me. You need a manager.”
I groan. “They’ve already started calling me. I have no idea who to pick.”
“Ask Pravat. I’m sure he can help you with that. You’re going to have to put yourself out there, Rama.”
Annoyed at being lectured by my younger sister, I harrumph and go back to watching the video.
“What are you thinking about so hard?” Chinda asks from the kitchen table as I prepare to leave for the studio the next morning.
Not wanting to admit how nervous I am about the workshop, I bring up my other concern. “I did some research about Y-couples last night. I’ve read that they usually have a masculine and feminine role.”
“And you’re wondering which would be you,” Chinda guesses.
“I think it’s pretty obvious,” I say irritably. Pravat Benjawan may be younger than I am, but he’s very masculine.Plus, I looked into his past bl dramas, and he’s always been in the “husband” role.
Chinda takes a sip of her coffee. “Does it bother you?”
“Of course not,” I say, although in a small way it does. Grabbing a protein bar from the cabinet, I head for the door.
“Good luck!” Chinda calls to me.
As I enter the spacious studio where I previously auditioned, I look around, trying not to appear as nervous as I feel.
“Rama!” A sturdy little man that I remember is the director rushes toward me. Although his name—Maha—meansgazellein Thai, he looks and acts more like a chimp. His lively, dark eyes dart here and there as, bouncing slightly on his feet, he shows me around the studio. It’s basically set up like different rooms of an apartment with a lot of filming equipment tucked into the corners.
“The rest of the cast is in the main room,” Maha tells me, directing me down a corridor to a set of double doors. “Pravat’s been studying for one of his classes. The two of you can go over the script before lunch.”
I nod, following him into a sunny room. From the pictures that had been emailed to me, I recognize some of the cast members lounging on couches and mats on the floor. Beyond the windows behind them, Bangkok gleams in the early morning sun.
Sitting cross-legged on a padded quilt, Pravat looks up from his textbook and smiles at me. “P’Rama. Good to see you.”
I give him a brief wai as Maha begins introducing me to everyone. After that, he gestures for me to sit on the quilt beside Pravat and lowers himself to sit across from us.
Wide smile creating a fan of wrinkles at the corners of his eyes, he asks, “Have either of you read the novel the series is based on?”
“I have,” Pravat says.
When Maha looks at me, I say, “I’m about halfway through.” It’s an exaggeration, but I’ll catch up tonight.
“Good. Since I want you two to concentrate on getting more comfortable with one another, I’ll keep this short for now. The drama has quite a few steamy scenes.” He looks at me. “Rama, how do you feel about that?”
My face heats. “I, er…”
Leaning forward, Maha says, “Much of the feeling of intimacy is removed by the presence of the crew and the technicalities of blocking and filming, but some actors have difficulty when it comes to kissing another man. Do you think it will be a problem for you?”
Although I’ve never kissed a man, I consider myself professional enough to do it right. “No.”
“Good. You two can practice that at your discretion. Now, as jealousy is one of the themes of the series, I want you to be thinking about the emotions it puts a person through, drawing on any past experiences you might have.”
Struggling to keep up because my mind has snagged onpractice kissing, I consider. I’m not a jealous or possessive person by nature, so I’m a little worried about projecting those emotions correctly, but I’ve learned about the Strasberg method and emotional memory in acting classes and am determined to meet the challenge.
“This morning is casual,” Maha continues, patting my knee before pushing himself to his feet. “Take the time to get to know one another. I’ll be back when lunch is ready, and we’ll have group activities after.”