Born to Die - Drew Starkey

2. Drew

"We've got twelve girls lined up to be your new Audrey," Marshall explained to me as we walked to the auditioning room. "Some you'll have to kiss. Some I'll make leave before they even start reading lines with you."

I sighed and glanced over the script one more time. "Why'd you have to choose the first kiss scene?"

"It's the first scene where Rafe and Audrey show their true chemistry," he explained. "Don't worry. They're all gorgeous."

"I'm not worried about their looks," I admitted. "I'm worried I won't be able to pretend I love them."

"Just blur out their faces and paint a whole new one on," he said and pushed the door open. "And if none of them work out, we can always find a new Rafe."

"Great," I sighed and sat down.

I hated this whole process. When I was casted with my old girlfriend I was somewhat relieved that I wouldn't have to kiss anyone I wasn't comfortable around.

But then that went to hell. In the worst way imaginable.

There's a reason celebrities keep their relationships private. She got a lot of hate from my fans and couldn't take the pressure of it. I didn't feel much for her anyway.

"Thank you, Ms. Hanna Gently for coming in," Marshall greeted her. "This is Joseph Starkey. He's reading for Rafe."

Marshall scared me a little. He had a thick Italian accent, born and raised in Rome. His thick hairs were graying, his eyes were wrinkled and sagging, and after knowing him for almost two months, he just couldn't get my name right.

"It's Drew, but, yeah," I held my hand out and shook her hand with a forced smile.

"Tell us about yourself, Hanna," Marshall instructed as he sat back at his desk.

"Well, I'm from London," she spoke in a very English accent. "But I moved to America two months ago. I can do an American accent, I promise."

She absolutely could not do an American accent. Marshall had her leave after her first line.

The same thing happened with the next three Audreys. Some would read the first line, some Marshall forced to leave before they even spoke.

He told me he didn't know what he was looking for, but he would know it when he saw it.

I hoped to god this man is right.

I've been wanting a lead in a rom com since I watched Clueless with my sister when I was fifteen.

The fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth girls were all able to do much of the scene, but the second I went in to kiss them Marshall started yelling and told them to have a nice day.

"Okay, the next one is Juliette Grace Murphy. She lives in New York, mostly works on Broadway," Marshall explained as he read through her file.

New York. I love New York. I was there this past weekend to visit my friend just after me and my ex broke up. He insisted on taking me to the big city and finding me someone to hookup with, but I don't know what he was expecting. It's not like I'd ask some random girl on the street if she'd come back to my hotel room.

On my first night there, I watched my friend's roommate carry his girlfriend through the apartment over his shoulder, and the following night do it with another girl. What a tool. The girlfriend slapped me across the face with a bouquet of roses and then gave me a fake name.

I bent over to the mini fridge to grab myself a bottle of water, my throat unnecessarily dry. I was nervous in a way I couldn't explain. I wanted this role so bad. If Marshall recasted Rafe, I didn't have anything else lined up for work.