Saturday Night School Ch. 10

Darren listened attentively as they pitched their project, then took a few minutes to leaf through the script. Charlie knew that Darren had a bit of an ego, and sometimes overacted to make his performance stand out from the rest of the show. But he seemed like he'd be a good fit for the role of Max.

"Late night shooting," Darren said thoughtfully. "It's cool that you have Greenholt Gardens. How many days, do you think?"

Charlie and Ronni exchanged a glance. "Probably three," Charlie said. "Not more than four."

"Hmm." Darren nodded, considering. "Do you have anyone for the other roles?"

"No one yet for Ingrid," Charlie said. "Michelle Santos has agreed to play Gwen."

Darren perked up. "Michelle Santos? Really?" He looked impressed. "She's gorgeous. Is she interested in acting?"

Charlie shrugged. "Yeah. She said she'd do it."

Darren grinned slyly, looking between Charlie and Ronni. "So that's all that was going on? You're all just working on a film together?"

"What do you mean?" Charlie frowned.

"Oh, you know... there's some rumors going around..." Darren paused, then waved his hand, dismissing the subject. "It doesn't matter. We all know how this school loves to spread stories." He leafed to the end of the script and skimmed the last couple pages. "I'm pretty sure I can do this part for you. Let me read through the script, and I'll let you know my thoughts. Then we can talk about what days you want to shoot."

"That's great!" Ronni said. "We were really hoping you would say yes."

Darren looked up, grinning widely. "Sure. It sounds like it'll be fun." He nodded to Charlie. "Tell you what. Just make sure I look half as good in the film as Michelle Santos is going to look." He smirked. "I have the feeling she's going to steal the whole show."

***

The Ingrid role was not as easy to fill. First, they went to Allison Hayes. Allison had dominated the theater productions in the last two years, starring in two of the shows and having prominent roles in two others. She was slim and blonde, with features like a Barbie doll. She loved to act, and had undeniable talent.

But she said no to their pitch. Senior year, no time, and besides that, she didn't want to be out so late. Charlie was disappointed, but mentally crossed her name off the list.

Second choice: Jennifer Addish. A junior, and a friend of Ronni's. Jennifer was shorter than Allison, with long brown hair and a bright smile. She was active in the theater, having been cast in most of the productions for the previous year, and she was also a fairly talented make-up artist. According to Ronni, Jennifer would spend entire Sundays looking up make-up tutorials on Youtube and trying them out.

But Jennifer also said no. "Sorry, Ronni, but my parents would kill me if I was out that late on a weekday," Jennifer said. "You sure you can't make it earlier?"

Ronni exchanged a look with Charlie. "I don't know if they'll let us film at the garden any earlier. We're basically trying to take advantage of my brother working there at night."

"Well, if you change the time, maybe I could do it," Jennifer said. "But I can't do it that late."

Charlie mentally marked Jennifer as a 'maybe'.

They moved on to their third choice: Kim Mink. Senior. They found her after school, sitting at her usual green bench outside the auditorium. Kim always looked stressed out - the way she was slumped on the bench, she would have looked natural with a cigarette dangling from her fingers. But Kim didn't smoke, so instead she held a venti cup from Starbucks. Kim had long dark hair that always fell around her face. Her father was Jewish and her mother was Japanese, and her Japanese heritage showed a little around her eyes.

Charlie knew that Kim considered herself an artist. She was mostly interested in drawing and painting, but dabbled in theater as well. When Charlie and Ronni explained that they were trying to make a film for the Apex film program, and wanted to shoot late at night at Greenholt Gardens, Kim just shrugged and asked to look at the script.

" 'Anything You Want'?" Kim read the title page. She took a sip of her latte.

"I might change the name," Charlie said.

"Nah, it's fine." Kim opened to the first page and started to read.

"We're hoping you can play Ingrid," Ronni said.

"Sure. I see her name right here. Ingrid." Kim pointed at the first page. Her eyes moved swiftly over the page and she flipped to the second. "Apex film program, huh? I looked into that, too. But I didn't end up applying. Glad to hear you got in. It sounds like a good program."

"Thanks," Charlie said, resisting the urge to tell her he hadn't definitely been accepted yet. "Yeah, I'm excited about it."

"Sure. I looked into it, but it wasn't for me. I want to get somewhere further from Pine Hills next year. The bay area, maybe, or somewhere on the east coast?" Kim flipped another page. Charlie couldn't tell if she was reading the pages, or just skimming through them. She seemed to be moving through the script too fast to be reading every line.

"Darren Mickels has said he'll play Max," Ronni said. "And Michelle Santos for Gwen."

"Sure. Those are good choices." Kim sipped her latte as she read. Charlie and Ronni sat next to her and waited patiently while she went through every page.

Finally, Kim flipped over the last page. "It's pretty good," she said, shuffling the pages into a neat stack "You want me to be Ingrid?"

"Yeah," Charlie said.

"All right." She handed the script back to Ronni. "I'll be in your film."

"You don't mind that we're filming so late at night?" Ronni asked.

"Not at all. I'm up anyway." She shrugged. "Who needs sleep?" Kim took a long sip of her latte.

***

So, Kim Mink would be their Ingrid, and Darren Mickels would be their Max. Charlie called Michelle's phone later that evening. She didn't answer, but sent back a text that read "5 mins."

Five minutes later, his phone rang, and Michelle chirped, "Hi, Charlie!"

"Hey! I wanted to tell you some good news. Ronni and I managed to find actors to play Max and Ingrid."

"Really? Who?"

"Darren Mickels for Max, Kim Mink for Ingrid. Do you know them?"

"I know them. You didn't show them the script with the nude scenes, did you?"

"No. I showed them the other one."

"Whew." She paused. "Do you know when you want to work on it? I mean, at Greenholt Gardens?"

"Ronni and I are talking about it," Charlie said. "We thought we might try to get everyone there on Thursday?"

"Thursday. Another Thursday."

"Yeah, I mean, it gets harder to coordinate, the more people we have. I haven't asked Darren or Kim about Thursday yet. But Ronni says she can make it, and Nick is fine with that day. What about you? Are you busy Thursday night?"

"No, I can make it on Thursday," Michelle said. "But... do you think Nick would be okay if we came by tomorrow, too? Just you and me, without the others?"

Charlie hesitated. "You mean, to walk around?"

"Uh-huh. Walk around. Like before."

"I'll ask him," Charlie said. "I'll let you know."

The next day, Charlie asked Darren and Kim If they could come to Greenholt Gardens on Thursday night. Both of them agreed to be there. Charlie texted Nick and told him everyone had agreed to film on Thursday. He also asked if he and Michelle could come by later. Nick said yes.

"Should I pick you up?" Charlie asked Michelle.

"I'll come by your house," she said. "Like last time. I'll leave my car there."

Charlie didn't argue with her. That evening, he was surprised when she arrived around 7 o'clock, a few hours earlier than he expected her. It was Charlie's turn to cook dinner, and he had made spaghetti. Fortunately, he made a lot of it, enough for Michelle to have a plate. Charlie's mom was ecstatic to have her son's potential girlfriend over for dinner.

"I wish you had warned me we'd have company," Mrs. Tucker scolded Charlie, as they ate spaghetti. "I'd have made a dessert."

"We have creamsicles," Charlie mumbled.

His mom looked indignant but before she could speak, Michelle chimed in, "I love creamsicles!" So, after dinner, Mrs. Tucker went to the living room to watch TV while Charlie and Michelle ate creamsicles in the kitchen. Afterwards, Michelle insisted on rinsing the dishes and putting them in the dishwasher, while Charlie worked on storyboards for the film.

He watched her from behind as she stood at the sink. She wore a black dress that hung loosely against her body, and small black boots. The dress came to her knees, but became sheer for the bottom two inches. He could also see additional black straps over her shoulder, indicating a black bra. Did she have matching black panties underneath? Or nothing at all? When would he learn the answer?

At 10:30, they said goodbye to Mrs. Tucker and stepped out of the house. "Don't be too late!" she called after them, and Charlie assured her they would only stay at the gardens for an hour or so. He texted Nick that they were on their way, and Nick texted back saying it was all clear.

Charlie felt some anticipation as they drove. He kept glancing at Michelle, expecting that at any moment she would be undressing. He even considered the idea that he would glance at her and find her already undressed, having stealthily slipped out of her garments while his attention was on the road.

She was still fully clothed when they pulled into the parking lot for Greenholt Gardens. Charlie parked next to Nick's pick-up truck, which was the only other vehicle in the parking lot. He turned off his car, and took out his phone intending to send Nick another text. But Michelle exclaimed, "There he is!" and Charlie looked up to see Nick propping open the door for them to enter.

Charlie opened the car door and stepped out, and saw that Michelle was doing the same. He started walking towards Nick to say hello, but Michelle stopped in front of the car. "Just a sec!" she called out to them. She quickly tugged her dress over her head and tossed it carelessly onto the sidewalk. She was in her underwear, and Charlie could see that she was indeed wearing black panties to match her black bra.

"Wow," Nick said under his breath. Charlie echoed his sentiments. Even though he'd expected Michelle to strip before they entered the gardens, it still shocked him that she did it so casually out in the open.

He watched her as she reached back to unsnap her bra. "I'll put your stuff in the car," he offered as she pulled the bra away from her breasts.

"Oh, that's okay. You don't have to bother." Michelle tossed the bra over her shoulder, where it landed in a tangle in a parking space. Next, she slid her panties down her legs until they dropped in a circle around her boots. She stepped out of them and left them where they lay as she walked towards the two guys.

Nick watched her approach. "You're just leaving your clothes on the sidewalk there?" he asked. "They might be gone when you come back out."

Michelle shrugged. "It's a possibility." She stepped in close to Nick and pressed her body against him. "Hello!" she greeted him, just before stretching up and giving him a long kiss.

"Hey, Michelle," Nick murmured when she broke the kiss and slipped out of his arms. "My favorite nudist." He grinned weakly at Charlie. "Hi, Charlie." They entered the gardens through the propped door, and Charlie pulled it closed behind them.

The evening passed in much the same way as their previous night at Greenholt Gardens, except that this time they made no pretense at working on a film. Charlie led Michelle naked out into the gardens, and they made love in the Japanese garden under the light of the red lanterns. Afterwards, Charlie put his clothes back on and Michelle remained naked, and they met Nick in the snack bar, where they sipped drinks from the cooler and watched late night TV. Michelle sat even less modestly than before, stretching one leg to the side so that her pussy was clearly visible.

When it came time to leave, Michelle gave Nick another hug and kiss, and he walked them to the door. Charlie stepped out first, and immediately noticed that Michelle's clothes were gone. Someone or something had taken them. Michelle stepped out behind him and hesitated, looking down at the sidewalk. She didn't say a word, but resumed walking, passing Charlie on her way to the car. The bright lights of the parking lot illuminated her nude body as she headed towards the passenger side, acting as if her missing clothes had never existed.

Nick barked a laugh. "Michelle!" he called to her. "Come back. I picked up your things and brought them inside. I just wanted to see your face when you saw that they were gone." He laughed again, shaking his head. Clearly, he had expected more of a reaction from her. He disappeared through the door and returned with a neat stack of Michelle's clothes.

"Charlie will take them," Michelle said. Charlie accepted the clothes from Nick and said goodbye and thanks. Returning to the car, he handed Michelle her bra and panties but kept the dress. Michelle smiled and leaned against the front of the car to slip on her panties. Charlie tossed her dress into the back seat.

They drove back to Michelle's car while she sat in the front passenger seat in her bra and panties. They saw very few cars on the road at that time of night. As usual, Michelle had parked around the corner from his house, in that dark spot away from the street lights. He parked behind her and turned off the engine.

Their eyes slowly adjusted to the dark. Michelle unbuckled her seat belt but remained in her seat. "My mom and dad helped me buy that car at the end of last summer," she said.

"Wow. Nice parents."

"Yeah. My mom was tired of driving me around. Right after I got it, Mirella, my sister, her car broke down, so she asked me to drive her back and forth to work, for about a week. She worked evenings, so I picked her up from Macy's late at night, like more than an hour after the store closed." Michelle paused. "Not many people would be around that late, around those stores. The parking lots were always almost completely empty. I was driving through the parking lot and I noticed this trash bin, that was in the corner of the parking lot, away from everything. One of those big green bins with the lids, and I noticed the lid wasn't locked. I thought to myself, what if I walked up to that bin, took off all my clothes and tossed them into the bin? And just walked away?" She looked at Charlie. "Is that crazy?"

"Maybe a little..."

She laughed. "I know. I'm crazy. But once I thought about it, I couldn't stop thinking about it. The idea was so exciting to me. That's how my mind works, I get obsessed. It's the same reason I always think about crossing that bridge." She looked down at herself, her finger tracing the line of her panties where it crossed her leg. "So I made a plan. I put a change of clothes in my car, older stuff I didn't care about. When I got in my car to get my sister that night, I changed into the old clothes. Then I drove to Macy's early, and I parked near the trash bin. I got out of my car, walked to the bin, took everything off and threw it all away. I walked naked back to my car, got in, and put on the original outfit. Then I drove to the employee exit of the store and waited for my sister."

"Wow."

She smiled. "There's actually a point to the story. Ever since that day, I've kept my car stocked with spare clothes. I'm always prepared. If I see an opportunity and get a crazy impulse to do something, I always have a spare outfit to put on." She touched his arm. "You've asked me before, if I have clothes in my car, and I always tease you and don't answer, because I like to pretend I don't. But I always do, and I do now." She leaned forward and kissed his lips. "You don't ever need to worry about me, okay? And you can keep that dress. At least for today. I don't need it."

She turned and popped open her door. As she shifted to climb out of the car, Charlie suddenly said, "Michelle."

She paused. "Yes?"

"That dress. Is that what you were wearing when you left your house?"

"No. I wore something different. That's what I mean. I still have those other clothes, in my car."

"Okay," Charlie said. "Good night. Better go before someone sees you."

She flashed a smile at him and stepped out of the car. He watched her walking in her bra and panties to her own car. She unlocked the door and slipped inside. Her car started. He waited until she drove away before starting his own car up again.

***

On Thursday, they had to follow a different method to get to Greenholt Gardens. Michelle didn't stop by his house; she went directly to the gardens. Charlie drove by himself, with all the video equipment he had checked out of the A/V room in his back seat. Darren and Kim each arrived separately. The parking lot was conspicuously full for a time when the garden was closed.

Even Nick was nervous, looking out at all the cars. "It looks like I'm having a party," he said. "You're not going to be here too long, right?"

"We all have school tomorrow," Charlie said. "We won't be long."

For the early scenes, Michelle was supposed to dress conservatively, and she arrived in a dark blue dress with long sleeves. Nick came by to help them set up, and he eyed Michelle while helping Charlie set up the lights. "I've mostly seen her with her clothes off," he whispered to Charlie, "but she looks pretty damn good with them on, too, doesn't she?"

"Shhh." Charlie glanced at Darren and Kim, but the two actors were practicing lines and hadn't heard. He turned his attention toward Michelle. Nick was right, she did look damn good, maybe too good. She was supposed to look chaste, to symbolize the initial reservations Max and Ingrid had towards each other. But Michelle's dress was a little too tight, clinging to her curves, emphasizing her bosom.

Kim had her long hair up in a bun and wore a dressy blouse and skirt which gave her a polished look. Darren was also dressed up in a long sleeve shirt and crisply ironed slacks. Charlie surveyed his three actors and decided they matched each other pretty well. They would look natural sitting at a table together in a garden, at a country club, or maybe a cocktail party.

Darren and Kim treated each other like two well-acquainted professionals, bantering back and forth, dropping cryptic references to previous experiences in the theater department. Kim had a latte in her hand which she was sipping like a cocktail. Michelle joined them at the table which would be the setting of the first scene, and the two actors focused on her.

Michelle was in good spirits; she laughed easily at whatever Darren and Kim said to her. Charlie tried to eavesdrop on their conversation, but kept getting distracted by all the setup he and Ronni had to do. He could tell that the two actors looked at Michelle as a mystery to solve; neither of them understood why she was there, and they were both curious to know the answer. Why would a senior cheerleader with no previous interest in acting suddenly decide to be in a random film project? What was her connection to the project? Michelle wasn't giving them anything, to their mild frustration.

"All right, everyone," Ronni told them. "Let's get started."

For the next hour, they worked on the first scene. Charlie had them go through the entire scene several times while he filmed from one angle, then he moved the camera to a different angle and had them go through the scene several more times. He had them repeat particular lines while filming close-ups. Ronni monitored the shot list, checking off the shots one by one.

"I wish we had more time," Charlie muttered to Ronni.

"I know," Ronni replied. "Me too. But I think you're getting enough to put this scene together."

"Yeah, maybe." He didn't have any choice. It was past midnight, and he couldn't keep his cast for much longer than he already had. "All right, let's call it a night."