Chapter 27

It was my turn now. Nerves fluttered in my stomach. It felt a bit like I was going in for my first porn scene all over again, having only been naked with a handful of people before. I stood, trying to shake my nerves free. I tried to focus on my lines. But then she stood. Bennett was as arrogant as she had been before, maybe even more so. She strutted past me, her heels clicking decisively on the floor.
“I’ve had enough waiting," she huffed, not bothering to look at me as she forced herself ahead. I bit back a retort, reminding myself that I was here to audition, not to get into a confrontation.
Bennett's eyes were fixed firmly on Jason. There was something predatory in her gaze, a determination that made me uneasy. 
"I need a partner for this scene," she announced loudly, making sure everyone in the room could hear her. "Jason, you’ll do."
Jason smiled politely, his professionalism never faltering. "No, thanks.”
She didn't seem deterred at all. 
"I'll show you why you should," she interrupted, stepping into the open space outside the audition room. "Right here, right now."
Everyone's attention was on her as she began to act out the scene. I watched, half in awe and half in disbelief at her audacity. 
“Don’t you want me?”
Bennett's performance began as scripted, her character oozing confidence and allure. She moved closer to Jason, her voice low and sultry.
"Why don’t you come over here," she purred, her eyes never leaving his face.
He didn’t look up. He didn’t even speak. Instead, he pulled out his phone, but she didn’t stop. She stepped even closer, invading his personal space. "Work can wait," she said, her tone suggestive. "I'm much more interesting, don't you think?"
As she spoke, she let her hand trail down his arm. Jason didn't flinch, his attention seemingly glued to his phone. He seemed completely unaffected, the way Caleb was completely unaffected by me. The room watched in stunned silence as Bennett decided to push the boundaries further. She began to undo the laces of her dress, one by one, her movements slow and deliberate. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. Jason remained unbothered.
"You know," she said, her voice a whisper now, "I can make you forget all about work. Aren’t you tired of being so dedicated? Don’t you want to let loose a bit?"
It was a bit like watching a porn scene play out. She was good, but her arrogance was so obvious. She really seemed to think that standing there and her face was enough to make Jason look up at her. Or maybe she was actually trying to seduce him with her talent. Everyone around stared at her with wide eyes like she crazy. Someone seemed like they were about to laugh, and it was a little funny that Jason wasn’t even looking up at her. 
She let the dress slip off her shoulders, revealing a lacy bra underneath and the skimpiest pair of underwear. She definitely wore those on purpose. Maybe she’d known that Jason would be here.  She moved around him, trailing her fingers across his shoulders, trying to elicit a reaction. "Don't you want to see more?" she teased.
As she performed, I couldn't help but notice how she kept adding bits and pieces to gauge his reaction. Jason wasn’t looking at her. He was more of a prop than anything. His expression giving nothing away. She started to seem a bit desperate the way she started touching herself. The room fell into an uncomfortable silence, everyone unsure of where to look or what to do. Jason remained impassive, and Bennett's frustration turned into determination. She stood in front of Jason, her body language screaming seduction.
She looked about ready to climb into his lap, leaning over him and thrusting her breasts in his face. 
“Well?”
She looked at him expectantly, a triumphant smile on her face. But Jason said nothing. There was no applause, just an awkward, heavy pause.
The tension in the room was palpable. No one knew where to look, and I could feel the discomfort radiating from the other actresses. But Jason remained the picture of professionalism. He didn't even raise his head, his focus unwavering.
She went still. Her confidence faltered, but she didn't move, still bent over him. The silence was deafening. Slowly, she turned bright red. She looked stunned. As she gathered her clothes, dressing with a mixture of defiance and embarrassment, I almost felt bad for her.
It really did make me think about Caleb.
As she walked into the audition room, past the man that had been calling everyone, I took a deep breath, trying to regain my focus. The room was left in a state of awkward tension.
She stayed in there for at least thirty minutes. 
Based on the time, there was a good chance that only a dozen would end up auditioning.The rest had quietly slipped away, likely put off by Bennett's brazen display.

I was one of the few still standing there, my nerves now mingled with a sense of trepidation. Part of me didn't want to go through with it anymore, not after witnessing that spectacle. But then Jason looked up and caught my eye. He must have seen the hesitation on my face because he stood and walked over to me.
"Yvonne," he said softly, his voice breaking through my anxious thoughts. "Give it a try. I know you can do this."

He took my hand, gently pulling me toward the door. His encouragement was warm. Despite the butterflies in my stomach, I found myself following him into the auditioning room.
Bennett whirled on me, snarling.  Inside, the space felt much more intimate and less daunting. Jason gave me a reassuring nod. 
She screeched. “You’ll regret this!”
Then, she stormed out, shoving past me rudely. Jason nudged me into the room. I caught Mark’s eye and tried to smile, hoping for the best.