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Lights, Camera... Action?

I rose in high spirits on the day of my first proper acting job, practically bouncing out of bed before my alarm even went off. Shimmying across the room to the shower, I sang merrily as I eagerly began my day. I'd never felt excitement like this. By the end of today, I would officially be able to class myself as an actress. It was a massive, 'fuck you', to everyone who ever told me that I'd never make it, and I felt like it would be the very start of much better jobs following in the near future.

Throwing some eggs and bacon into the frying pan, I was locating a plate when my phone rang.

"I'm glad you're finally up," Ross said brightly as soon as I accepted the call, "I've been impatiently waiting to wish you luck since six this morning."

I laughed at the adorable, child-like excitement in his voice.

"I wish I was there to do it in person, Lena," He added sadly.

"You will be soon," I replied, feeling just as saddened by his absence as he sounded.

"Yeah, I will," He said tenderly, before continuing happily, "Until then though, I have a backup plan, go to the door."

"What?" I replied with confusion, glancing at the door curiously.

"Go to the door," He repeated with a laugh.

"Okay, okay, I'm going," I chuckled.

I took the pan off the heat, switching the stove off, and did as he said. As soon as I swung the door open, happy tears swam in my eyes at the huge bouquet of red roses and the massive white teddy bear that sat on my doorstep.

"Oh my god," I gasped, crouching down and smelling the roses, "I can't believe you did this."

"I'd do anything for you."

"I love you," I sniffed, wiping my eyes and clutching the bear against my chest, hugging it just as hard as I would hug Ross if he was here.

"I love you too. Now get out there and do what you do best."

An hour later, I was in my car and en route to the studio where they'd told me to head to. The traffic was as manic as usual, and the closer that I got to the heart of the city, the worse it got. I was relieved that I'd left ten minutes earlier than I'd planned because with the stopping and starting that was going on, time was trickling away like water.

Coming to a stand-still for the seventh time in less than half a mile, I heard a low hiss that seemed to be coming from the car.

"What the-?"

I looked at the lights on the dashboard, but there was no sign of anything showing up as a warning. It took off fine as we continued along the road for another hundred yards, but as soon as I stopped again, the sound got louder, a warning light now springing into existence. I stared at the hood of the car and sure enough, there were curls of steam now rising rapidly from underneath, getting thicker with each passing second.

"Not now, please," I begged, looking for somewhere to pull over.

There was a small space up ahead, and as traffic continued, I managed to make it there, pulling in just as my car cut out, the steam now too thick to see through.

I couldn't believe it, on the most important day that I'd had since moving out here, my car had decided to die. I rushed to the front of the car, lifting the bonnet and stepping back as a surge of hot steam rose into the air. I was still about eight blocks from the studio, and there was now no way that my car was going to make it. I only had five minutes until I was supposed to be on the set.