Dex (14 page)

CHAPTER
NineteeN

The Eatz studio kitchen was busier than Dex had ever seen it. He was getting more nervous by the minute. He’d never met the members of the morning crew who were building the set today, and today wasn’t like all his other shows. This time his whole class would be his audience, there to watch his every move. If he screwed up, there would be no way he could show his face in school ever again. He’d end up some pathetic meme on Tumblr, something to keep all the kids laughing at him for weeks or even months on end.
Dumb-ass Dex
. Suddenly, he contemplated saying he was coming down with something. Ezra would have to send everyone home. The problem was that no one would buy that story. He was stuck and that made him want to run.

Casey, his primary assistant, came up and tapped him on the shoulder. “Hey, what’s up with you?”

Dex didn’t realize he was wearing his feelings. “Nothing, Case. Just a lot going on.”

“Eh, you’re a pro now,” Casey reassured. “You have nothing to worry about. C’mon over here.”

There was a small area behind the set, away from all the activity. “Here’s the rundown,” Casey said. Dex wasn’t paying any attention. His stomach was doing flip-flops as he watched new gadgets and cookware being laid out in his work space.

He nodded toward it. “What’s all that for?”

“Oh, just some products Ezra wants you to use for a new line the network is promoting.”

Dex shivered. Yeah, now was exactly the time he wanted to start dealing with stuff he’d never used before. Didn’t anyone understand how scary all this was? Sarah would be deciding whether or not she wanted to be his girlfriend, while he was making chicken salad!

“Today is going to be real easy,” Casey promised. “Ezra wants you to act naturally so there’s very little script.” She handed him a sheet of notes. “Just say a word or two about why you like the cordless garlic and herb-chopper, and whatever other new stuff you use.”

“What if I don’t need to use the other stuff?” Dex asked.

“Fair enough, but find a reason to use them,” she chuckled. “We like making our sponsors happy.”

Dex nodded, but his face was blank.

“Are you good with this?” Casey asked.

“Yeah, sure.”

“Great, because I have to speak with the new lighting guy. There’s a burnt bulb right by the stove that’s…” She stopped herself. “Why am I bothering you with all this?”

“You’re not bothering me.” Dex glanced at the notes.

“Why don’t you go over those and I’ll see you in a few.” She patted his shoulder and walked down the hall.

“Yo, little dude,” Arby said, joining Dex from out of nowhere. “Scared, huh?”

“Nah, I’m cool.”

“You’re talking to Arby. I can smell your fear.” Arby inhaled deeply and stared at Dex.

“Well, I showered and I’m not scared, so I don’t know what you’re smelling,” Dex said, dismissing him.

“If you say so little dude, but I know something that can help you.”

“You do?”

Arby reached deep into the pocket of his baggy jeans and cupped something that looked like a skinny cigarette. “A little bit of this can make you relax.”

Just as Dex was about to tell Arby he wasn’t interested, Ezra came over clutching a long, yellow legal pad.

People still use those pads?
Dex mused.
Geema would be thrilled to know she wasn’t alone.

“What you got there Big Guy,” Ezra asked, watching Arby cramming his hand into his bulging pocket.

Hhmm…‘Big Guy’… Maybe that’s why Arby always called him ‘little dude.’
Somehow that explanation made Dex feel better.

“He was showing me some spices he got at the new health food store,” Dex said.

Ezra nodded as if he was interested, but when he retrieved a pen from over his ear and jotted something down on his pad, Dex wasn’t sure he was even listening.

Arby looked relieved. “I better go check on, you know, messages and stuff,” he said, quickly shuffling away like a dejected poodle, his black curly hair swaying from side to side.

“You do that,” Ezra called out gruffly after him.

Arby turned back to Dex when Ezra’s back was toward him and mouthed ‘thank you little dude.’ Then he picked up his pace to get to the waiting elevator.

Ezra’s tone made Dex feel uncomfortable. So, Arby was doofy and annoying, but he wasn’t a bad guy.

Ezra was checking his notes for what seemed to Dex like the billionth time when he finally turned to ask his usual question before Dex went on set: “So kid, you nervous?”

Dex gave his now typical reply, “Yup, just enough.” It was what Ezra wanted to hear and up until this point it had been true. There was no need for Dex to tell him this time was different. That this time he might lose his breakfast all over the granite counters.

“Good! Glad to hear it,” Ezra said as Casey walked over to them with the lighting guy.

There was something wrong with the fixture above the grill, and Dex was happy when they all left him to check it out. It wasn’t that he didn’t get along with everyone, even though they could all be annoying at times, he was just too anxious for company. He needed to be alone, or at least not with people who were reminding him of how important this show was.

Dex let them walk ahead of him, and when he saw them a safe distance away, he went back to the set to see what was going on.

“Hal, higher,” directed a bearded guy in jeans to the cameraman setting up for filming over the stove.

“Hello, Dex,” Preston LeTray nodded. “You remember my assistant, Yvette?”

“Yeah. But, what are you guys doing here?”

“We’re here to help, of course.” Preston smoothed the wrinkles in his plastic gloves.

“Really? You came to help me?!”

“Dex, we’re one big family here at Eatz. One hand always washes the other.”

“Not that our hands get dirty much,” Yvette offered. “We always wear gloves.”

Preston gave her a look and she stopped talking.

“So, Dex, what can we do for you? I see you have several things on the menu. Perhaps, I can do something simple like mix the chicken salad, while you prep your dessert?”

“Um, sure, if you don’t mind. That would be awesome. Thanks!”

Dex went to the pantry to check the ingredients he needed.  He still couldn’t believe Preston LeTray took time out of his day to help him. What a great guy. Just knowing he was there, having a hand in the preparations, made Dex feel more confident.

“The school buses are, uh, uh, they’re like here!” Arby announced, coming in from a side entrance. Dex watched from behind a movable wall as familiar faces began to fill out the audience.

“Hey, little dude, you want me to help out with something?” Arby asked. “I have some free time.”

“I think I’m good,” Dex answered. “But, thanks.”

“You sure? I saw on the notes you’re making um, uh, like some chicken salad. I looooove chicken salad, dude. I even make chicken salad. I mean I buy the chicken cooked first, ya know. I don’t like kill it myself or anything. But, uh, like then, I make it. You use mayo? Right? ‘Cause it tastes friggin’ disgusting with like sour cream and ketchup.”

“Yeah, I use mayo, Arby. Because your combination is too gross to even think of. Actually, Preston LeTray showed up to help. He’s prepping the chicken salad now, so I’m covered.”

“Preston? Is helping? Someone must’ve put uh, uh, something like in his oatmeal this morning.”

“Why would you say that?” Dex asked, offended.

“No harm little dude. Just not like Preston, to be uh, you know, nice and all.”

“He seems pretty cool to me.”

“Maybe I’ll ask him if uh, he wants like, you know, help.” Arby started walking away.

Dex gave him a nod then turned back to the pantry, confident Preston wouldn’t let Arby anywhere near the food.

One last review of the shelves and Dex was ready to check out the audience.  He could see Alicia on the top tier making her way through the crowd with her camera and recorder interviewing kids. Maybe it was his imagination, but he had never had this many people come to see his show.

“Yo, D’!” Jordy said, waving his arm high in the air with Liza beside him.

Why were they having trouble getting backstage? Dex had put them on his permanent guest list right after his first show. He asked Courtney, now the backstage coordinator, to tell the security guy dressed like Urkel to let his friends pass through. When were all the hassles going to stop? He hadn’t even begun to prepare and he was already exhausted.

“Whoa!” Liza cried as she met up with Dex. “This is so beyond cool.”

“Yeah, there are more badge-meisters here checkin’ my junk than at the Jay-Z concert, yo,” Jordy agreed in awe. “Pretty wack.”

“I guess. It’s not always like this,” Dex said, bringing them to a quieter area further back. “Where’s Kyle?”

“Sick,” Liza sighed.

“That bites,” Dex groaned. He waited a second, then continued, “Have either of you seen Sarah?”

“No. She went on a different bus, but I’m sure she’s here somewhere.”

Dex wondered why Liza sounded annoyed.

“Why didn’t she come in with you?” he pressed.

Liza hesitated. “She’s probably with her new boyfriend.”

“What?! Boyfriend?” Dex wailed.

“I knew I shouldn’t have told you now.” Liza gnawed at her bottom lip, “But I didn’t want you to get an eyeful of them together while you were frying something and then go and burn yourself.”

“Who’s she with now?!” Dex probed, hoping to sound more surprised than hurt.

“Bryce Watson,” Jordy chimed in, “a beef-bump playa’ wit choke-you arms.” Jordy flexed his right bicep.

“Wow. That’s news,” Dex said, trying to sound indifferent. “I have to talk to the stage manager for a minute. I’ll be right back.”

Dex left them by the path right near the back of the set.

“You think he’ll be okay, Jordy?” Liza asked. “I will shoot myself if I make him screw up because I opened my mouth.”

“Ain’t yo’ ship to dip, Cuz. That boy best be sayin’ Sarahnara,” Jordy said, waving his hand goodbye.

“You know, you’re a lunatic,” Liza said, “but, I guess I agree with you. She keeps hurting him.”

“No pass on how she messin’ with him, but that girl’s skurred like a lil’ kitty. She wanna get wit him.”

“Probably,” Liza agreed. “I feel bad, but I still think all this TV stuff is pretty cool. I miss Kyle.”

“Yeah. But, his snot balloons was nasty big. Dat boy needin’ mad Kleenex today.”

“Jordy, I’m gonna puke. Try to be more understanding.”

“Aight, chill. Don’t go punchin’ babies. Let’s bag him some ‘shment.” Liza stared at him utterly puzzled. “‘Shment?!”

“Yeah. ‘Shment. Nou-ri-shment. Food, duh!”