Hanna hesitated, not having smoked since she was best friends with Mona Vanderwaal. She took one but didn’t light it.
Then Hailey’s phone bleated the ominous, two-note theme from Jaws. “Ugh, sorry,” she said, looking at the screen. “What do you want now, Mom?” she screamed into the phone. She paused, then sighed. “I told you they were lying about that. Who are you going to believe, me or him?”
Hanna started for the door, figuring Hailey wanted privacy, but Hailey signaled her back, making a winding-up gesture that she’d be off soon. “You are being such a bitch today,” she yelled into the phone. “Your shrink needs to up your meds.”
Then she hung up and smiled at Hanna. “Sorry about that!”
Hanna gaped. “Was that really your mom?”
Hailey shrugged. “She so isn’t in my corner sometimes.”
Hanna blinked hard. If only she had the balls to talk to her father like that.
Hailey took another drag of the cigarette. “So. Hanna Marin. I’ve watched all your interviews.”
Hanna felt her cheeks grow red. “You have?”
Hailey shrugged. “I had to figure out who you are since I’m playing you.” She leaned forward. “You are the most poised of the group. Definitely the coolest. I feel so lucky to play you.”
Hanna lowered her eyes. She certainly hadn’t felt cool or poised in the past few months—in the past two years, actually. “I’m the one who should feel lucky. It’s a dream that you’re playing me.”
“You really think so?” Hailey clutched her hand to her chest. “You are so, so sweet!”
Hanna was about to say that Hailey probably heard that stuff all the time—she’d won a zillion People’s Choice Awards, after all. But Hailey leapt off the couch and moved closer to Hanna, suddenly pumped with even more enthusiasm. “We should really get to know each other. Maybe you could show me around Rosewood? Or wait, we’re not that far from NYC, are we?” She squeezed Hanna’s hands hard. “I can get us into any club in Manhattan. Tons of bouncers owe me favors.”
“Okay,” Hanna said breathily, trying to imagine the jealous looks on everyone’s faces when she walked into a club with the Hailey Blake.
“We should take Jared, too.” Hailey looked excited. “He’s hot, don’t you think? And so nice. I could totally fix the two of you up.”
It took Hanna a moment to realize she was talking about Jared Diaz, the boy who played Mike. “Um, I already have a boyfriend,” she said, laughing. “The real Mike.”
All at once, someone exhaled behind them. Hailey’s door was open now, and Daniel, the director’s assistant, stood in the dressing room. Hanna nearly yelped. There was something definitely creepy about his almost translucent skin and thin lips, and the way he’d slipped soundlessly into Hailey’s room. Hanna wondered how someone like him could have gotten such a plum job.
“Ladies?” he said, his eyes narrowing at the swirling smoke. “We actually need you downstairs for the cruise scene.”
Hailey’s face soured. “Already? My contract specifically states downtime. I’m calling my agent to complain.” She reached for her phone, then rolled her eyes and let it drop. “Oh, whatever. I’ll let you slide this once.”
She stubbed out her cigarette on the floor. Daniel led them down the stairs, and Hailey squeezed Hanna’s hand. “Always remember, you’re the talent,” she whispered. “Don’t let them push you around. They’re supposed to cater to you.”
Hanna couldn’t help but giggle.
Hank was waiting for them at the bottom of the stairs. “About time,” he said, glowering at Hailey. “Marissa wants to get you in a different outfit. She’s been looking for you for a while.”
“I told Daniel I was in my dressing room,” Hailey snapped. “It’s not my fault he doesn’t give you messages.”
Hank ignored this, turning to Hanna. “You’re in the crowd, honey,” he said in a much gentler voice. He pointed across the room to what looked exactly like the deck of the Eco Cruise complete with the brass railings, a tiki bar in the corner, and purple plush booths along the walls. There was even a reggae band absently plucking their instruments.
Hanna said good-bye to Hailey, who still looked pissed off, and sat down at a nearby table with Penelope Riggs, the girl playing Riley. Hanna’s only instructions for this scene were to make it look like she and Riley were having a conversation and to shoot Hailey-as-Hanna daggers every so often. In moments, Hailey reappeared in a beachy sundress that looked precisely like something Hanna would wear. She stood within earshot of Hanna, and Hanna could hear Hailey repeating a bunch of muh-muh-muh vocal exercises under her breath. What a pro, Hanna thought. Maybe she should do vocal exercises, too.
Hank disappeared behind the wall of cameras. “And, action!” he yelled out, and the cameraman moved in on Hailey. The band started to play. Hanna turned to Penelope and pantomimed a conversation in a low voice, but her attention was really on Hailey across the room. She wanted to see how Hailey played her in this scene.
“You’re not going to believe this, Hanna,” Bridget-as-Aria said as she ran up to Hailey, her eyes wide and her mannerisms perfectly Aria-like. She clutched Hailey’s hands. “Graham, my partner for the scavenger hunt? He was Tabitha’s boyfriend.”
“Oh my God,” Hailey said exaggeratedly, her mouth dropping open. “You have to get rid of him!”