Reality Check by Jen Calonita Page A

flutes, filled high with bubbly. I glance at my mom as the waitress places glasses in front of each of us.
    “I guess this is a special occasion,” my mom says to Hallie's mom, who nods. She lifts her glass and I do the same.
    “A toast,” Addison announces, “to the future cast of
The Cliffs
. With Charlie and these three bright, funny, smart young ladies as stars, we're sure to have a massive hit on our hands.”
    The four of us clink glasses and smile. “To us,” Brooke says.
    “To us,” I second, looking at my friends. And then I take a large gulp of fizz.
     

five
    Lights, Camera, Action!
     
    “Okay, girls, just act natural,” Addison tells us with a big smile. “Forget about the cameras. Just pretend we're not here.”
    Everyone keeps saying that, but it sounds impossible. How am I supposed to pretend that there are not
three
cameras surrounding our table right now, all of them within feet of us, aimed directly at our table.
    We're sitting at the Crab Shack, Hallie's parents’ restaurant/boat dock, for our first-ever taping of
The Cliffs
, and at the moment, I'm so nervous I want to dive off the dock, swim to nearby Shelter Island, and live there permanently. I have my cell phone and my toothbrush in my bag. What more do I need to survive?
    “Should we look at the camera?” Keiran asks Addison nervously, and bites another strand of her blond hair. We were told to dress naturally, but I know Keiran's bright green twinset is a date ensemble for sure. Not that the rest of us obeyed either. Brooke is wearing a new waffle-print white sweater, Hallie is in her favorite red tank and black miniskirt, and I'm wearing a new navy-and-white-striped nautical top.
    “No looking at the lens.” Addison shakes her head, and the pencil behind her right ear falls onto the dock. She leans down to pick it up, rests it on her clipboard, and fixes her Bluetooth again. It's been glued to her ear the whole time we've been here and she's had several calls, which she's disappeared to answer. This is the first time I've gotten to see Addison at work, and I have to say she seems to be really on top of things. The crew hangs on her every word, and she's been pretty efficient about our time, knowing we can't tape all day.
    Unlike the rest of us, who agonized over our outfits for days, Addison is not worried about her work wardrobe. She's wearing a long-sleeved blue shirt, jeans, and sneakers. She doesn't have on anywhere near as much makeup as the makeup artist (yay!) put on us. “I know this first taping is overwhelming for you girls, but I promise, it will get easier,” Addison assures us. “Just think of us as the fourth wall to a room. We're not here. Don't look in this direction unless there is something over here other than us that you need to see. In a few days you won't even realize we're around. You're going to become pros fast. You'll see.”
    Taping started faster than we could have imagined. Addison actually called the day after the signing to see if we would mind getting a day or two in
that week
. I almost fell off my chair I was so surprised, but I guess jumping in headfirst is a good thing. Ididn't think we had anything exciting on our calendars, but Addison thought everything I mentioned sounded “super” or “perf.” She stressed that Susan wanted us to be as natural as possible so whatever we normally do together should be fine. We decided our first taping should be at the Crab Shack. Hallie's parents were more than happy to let us shoot. The crew got here early to set up and passed out waivers to everyone (they have to make sure people sign one if they're going to be on camera). By the time we arrived, everyone was ready for us.
    “Promise you guys won't mention where I live, okay?” Brooke whispers to me while Addison is still on her call.
    “Brooke, we swear, but you know they're going to find out eventually,” I tell her gingerly. “It's nothing to be ashamed of.”
    Brooke's house is a stately old