Hate to Love You [Elvis]

Chapter 8 - The Step-In Actress

"Oh my goodness, this is amazing, Sarah!"

Mom took me to the set herself, even though I could drive myself there. After I came home and mentioned the role that Nay made me take up for the next day, Mom squealed like a little girl and hugged me so tight, I could barely breath. I knew she and Dad were happy for me. Dad had called up Mr. Thorpe and talked with him about all of this. Apparently, even though Dad wasn't physically with us, he was a manager of sorts. Mom was just there as a tag-a-long. She had always wanted to see what a film set was like, and... she wanted to meet the guy that the whole country was nuts about. She also was hoping to see Marlon Brando, but that wouldn't happen since I saw in the paper that he was in New York.

We were let into the RCA Victor Studios lot by a guardsman that was manning a gate. Talk about highly secure. Mom gushed over the warehouse buildings and film personnel walking around, and we had no idea if they were actors or not. Well, maybe the more casually dressed people were. But a passerby wouldn't know if they were in their clothes for a role. The lot wasn't all that big since it was a smaller set complex.

"I love this, Sarah!" Mom exclaimed. "Can you imagine, if you do well with this today, they may want you to act in a recurring role in the film, or other directors will want you, and you would act in other films!"

"As long as the films don't have a certain star, then I'll be fine with it. I would refuse any opportunity that has to do with him. I was forced into this one since Nay would never forgive me if I said no."

"And that just shows how good of a friend you are to her. You may not like anyone else, but you adore your best friend."

I smirked as we passed more people and those buildings, and we even saw a man with a little monkey on his back. I doubted he was a part of the Jailhouse Rock crew. "She's like my sister. You know that. I'm doing this for you, too. If Nay wasn't involved, you would drag me here kicking and screaming."

"That I would. Well... where do I park? This is the right building."

She parked next to some other cars, and we got out. We came to the entrance to the building and walked into a large room that had what looked like a street scene, but then there was a store added to it. That was probably the record store that my character worked in.

"Wow-wee, would you look at all this?!" Mom exclaimed excitedly. "Isn't this something, Sarah?"

I looked around at all the people going about their jobs in the large room, mainly on the set. "Yeah, it's really something."

She gave me a bewildered look. "How can you not be excited about this?"

"You know why, Mom."

"Honey, just let that all go. It's not healthy to dislike people."

I about opened my mouth to respond to that, but someone came up to us – a man who looked around fifty and had gray slacks and a white short-sleeved collar shirt on. He had his arms stretched out like a bird. "Ah, you must be Miss Sarah Paul, correct?"

A large grin spread on his face, and his hazel eyes sparkled. He seemed like a very kind, happy man. We shook hands, and my hand began to ache from how tightly he was shaking it. I discreetly dropped my it. "Yes, that's me. And this is my mother, Anne."

He shook her hand. "It is a pleasure, Mrs. Paul."

She blushed, which I was surprised to see. "Oh, please, call me Anne. My husband wanted to be here, but he unfortunately had to work today."

"Not a problem," said Mr. Thorpe. "Richard Thorpe, but everyone calls me Rich. Now, let me give you both a quick tour of the set you will be on today, Miss Paul. Your father gave me very specific instructions about your day here today. You are to know the set inside and out, meet every one of the crew and actors, including extras, and you will be treated the same as the main stars, which are Elvis and his lovely co-star Judy Tyler."