balloon race(walker scobell x fem reader)

the audition: prologue

click. click-click.

the afternoon sun streams through your window onto you, as you carefully maneuver the computer clicker pad thing to attach your resume and smiling headshot into an email draft to the casting director at xyz entertainment. sure, its not a lengthy resume-just credits parts in a few community plays, some small commercials(how you got your start) your sudden role as lucia weatherbee in lucia and the lock(of course), and a few special talents-singing, dancing, and a british accent. a standard resume, but this isn't a standard audition.

tons of articles' headlines are things like carley hatfield, breakout star in new childrens mystery show. teenager carley hatfield is the young detective we didn't know we needed. and yet, you know carley hatfield hasn't been able to book an acting job in the past 4 months. you've been busy with school and trying all the milk tea flavors at the boba shop 3 blocks away. and maybe you've been turning down a few dud auditions-like the one where the role offered to you was to play a literal plate of spaghetti and meatballs in an indie horror movie.  but this role is different.

of course, you don't really know anything about it yet. most of this stuff isn't disclosed to the actors, and it might just be the matcha running through your veins, but somehow you can sense that this might kick off your career once again. which would be great. 

finally, you decide to close the laptop and bring it downstairs, where you're greeted by your mom, your trusty ring light, and her surprisingly high-quality phone camera. she's been your guide through all the crazy acting and publicity this whole time and always helps you with auditions. "hey, car-car," she smiles. "ready to record?"

you take a deep breath and wipe your suddenly sweaty palms on your turquoise flare leggings. "yep, let's do it!" this audition is a self-tape, so you'll just record yourself saying the lines in one take and send it in. easy. simple. and a lot less nerve-racking than in-person auditions.

"alrighty," your mom says, ruffling the pages of character descriptions she's printed out. "so there isn't much information on the character, but she's the protagonist of the movie and her current name's debbie. she's a "spirited, peppy ginger who drags her logical best friend preston into all her daredevil schemes, including a long, thought-out attempt to fly. but underneath her tough appearance, she's a softie and appreciates everyone and everything around her." sounds like another great character, hon! okay! you memorized the sample lines?"

"of course, mom. but why didn't you send me to character description along with the script?" you take a sip of water from your favorite light blue water bottle. 

"well, you know. i want you to read as you, not as the character. it's more genuine and the directors love a real girl's outlook. now come on. let's film it! anddd... ACTION!"

you inhale and smile sheepishly at the camera. "hey, uhh, sorry about the cheese puff bags in your backyard. i'll pick them up. anyway, my name's debbie. i'm your new neighbor. what's your name?" your mom wildly shoots her thumb up in the air and wiggles her eyebrows, signaling it was spectacular. a perfect take. maybe you'll only need to record this audition once!

"oh, i'm preston. yeah, no, it's fine, i just want to know... why? i mean, this isn't the average activity around this neighborhood, is it?" your mom reads the other set of lines on the paper, since you need a scene partner to react off of for an optimal audition.

"well, yes and no. i mean, if i had a dime for every cheese puff massacre ever on glendore street, i would have 30 cents. which is 3 dimes. you're going to love it here, pres. can i call you pres?" this script reminds you of LOTL, which is very relaxing to think about and you comfortably read the rest of the lines, not at all worrying about inflection or sounding like whatever a spirited ginger sounds like. your mom agrees that you did great and this is the perfect take, you send in your audition and enjoy the rest of the nice, sunny day.

once you book a gig, you'll prove to the world that carley hatfield is back. and somehow, you know this is that opportunity. 

authors note: sorry walker doesn't pop up yet! this prologue took me forever to write haha but ty for reading this far!