Darcy looks nervous, Tao takes a minuscule step away from the red-faced Charlie.
"Nicholas Nelson, as in, heartbreaker, troublemaker, basically owns the headlines for all the bullshit he stirs up, Nick Nelson?" This statement from Charlie is so quiet and calm that even Tao, his best friend of 8 years, allows a small look of fear pass over his face. He knows Charlie isn't one to remain very calm when he's angry and this near silence is almost deafening.
Wringing her hands, Darcy says, "Um, yeah. That would be him. I guess he auditioned in secret because this is literally the first I'm hearing of it." She chuckles nervously.
Charlie glares at the floor, "But he's cruel! Literally known for dumping women after a one night stand and ditching them to fly to Paris only never to be spoken to again! I heard he spit on his fans." This last sentence comes with a look of disgust on Charlie's face. "I'm not taking the role if he's in it." Charlie starts to march out the door but is quickly grabbed by a now irritated Darcy.
"Hold on there Spring Roll. I don't give a rat's ass if you hate him. Hate him all you want. But the second that director says ACTION you better look like you love him more than you love Tao" Tao scoffs, "AH! Rude!" "As your agent, I highly suggest you take the role before I make you find a new one. This is THE role. You were just saying how much you wanted it and I am not letting you give it up for some dirtbag." She turns to Tao, "You know we love you." He nods, "Duh, how could you not."
Charlie sighs. Well this isn't fair, he thinks to himself. "Fine." He tells Darcy, "When do I have to meet him?"
She smiles, "Next week. You'll have a chemistry read and some test lines on Monday, then the rest of the week is basic scenes and stuff to make sure you two can actually seem like lovers. Who knows? Maybe they'll take pure hatred for sexual chemistry."
At this Tao laughed, "I doubt Charlie even knows what that would feel like."
Charlie shoves him, hard. "How rude. As if you can speak on it." Tao laughed again.
"So where do we go from here?" Charlie asks.
Darcy picks up the SmartPad again. "Well, I got an email with the actual schedule a few minutes ago and it looks like right now they just want to have some one on one to get to know just you and just Nick so they can gauge your interests, dressing room preferences etc. They've asked me to remind you that you'll probably be having a lot of late nights so they want us to move to Kent for the time being."
"KENT?" Tao and Charlie both yell.
"That is what I said. My friend Louisa is a real estate agent down there so I'll call her now and set us up with a flat. Well, you and Tao. I'm not living with two men." She shivered.
"Can I bring Kit?" Kit is Charlie's cat. He's 6 years old, and a little bundle of Siamese joy. Tao looks thrilled with this idea and repeats the request.
"Yeah, duh." Darcy whips out her phone and dials a number, "Be right back! Hey Louisa..."
Tao's phone buzzes too and he picks it up.
He shows Charlie some photos on Instagram. "Nick is literally in Paris right now."
NICKS POV:
The press is going crazy. The flashes are blinding, "NICK! Over here!" He looks in the direction of the voice and gives them a signature non-smile.
Nick Nelson doesn't like the press. They're nosy and immature and are always in his privacy. The exact privacy his agent warned he'd be giving up when he went into this industry. I'm literally at an event and all I want to do is leave and go home to my dog, he thinks. It makes hard to smile when the crowds are made of literal vultures.
The curator takes his arm and guides him into the ginormous room full of other celebrities and to his seat in the second row.
Another man looks at him skeptically. "Who are you?" he asks when Nick is just starting to get comfy.
"Nick Nelson. You?" The look of pure offense on the man's face gives Nick a rush of satisfaction. "I'm Charlie Sheen." Nick happen to know who that is but just for the hell of it he says, "Oh cool! I thought the second row was for B list but it looks like they let just anyone in here." Shock and anger show on Sheen's face as he turns away and crosses his arms. Sheen glares at him a moment later, "I know who you are. You're the teenage heartbreaker. Didn't you spit on some fans?" This makes Nick laugh. "No, and even if I did, they'd be lucky." It's always the D-list celebrities who act like the biggest snobs.
Nick is perfectly aware of his reputation and the rumors surrounding his dating and love life. Even if none of it was true, the rumors allowed some reprieve from the vulturous press. With new rumors swirling every day allowed the press to speculate and create new details acting like they got a new tidbit from the actual Nick Nelson so he didn't have to answer questions like "Who are you dating right now?" in interviews because the rumors were so consistent the press thought they already knew everything.
He felt exhausted just thinking about it. Luckily the lights dimmed and the models began walking out.
When the entire thing was over, he was relieved to find no lingering press outside. His security team sped him off in a blacked out car to his house.
The exhausted Nick slammed his house door and leaned against the cold glass. It felt nice against his hair. The sound of nails running at him made him smile and he leans down.
"Hey Nellie, how are you pretty?" He pets his dog lovingly. Nellie, his 3 year old Australian Shepherd was his only love. She was the first purchase he made with money from acting. "Let's go let you out and go have a play". Nellie bounds out the backdoor doggy door and waits for her ball to be thrown.
Nick lobs it at the fence and she takes off. He smiles and throws her ball a few more times before they're both over it and ready to actually relax.
By the time Nick picks a film to watch it's nearly 20:30
When he's literally JUST starting to settle his phone rings, loudly, both him and Nellie jumping.
"Hello?"
"Hello. Is this Mr. Nelson?" asks a female voice.
"Ummm, yes...?"
"Hello. I'm Elle Argent, the casting director for Play from the Heart. I apologize for the late call."
"No, no that's fine."
"I'm just calling to let you know that you got the part as Lord Sebastian Croft." She states with little emotion.
"Wait, really?" Nick asks, jumping up.
"Yes. Congratulations."
"Oh, wow, thank you! Um, so now what?"
Nick hears papers being shuffled. "Well, we're nearly done casting extras. After that we'll do some chemistry reads and dress stuff. If you could email me a list of your dressing room requirements that would be lovely."
"Wait, so my costar has already been casted? Lord Herbacher?"
The shuffling stops. "Yes. You'll be starring with a...." Shuffling again. "A Mr. Charles Spring."
"Ok, thank you, again so much."
Miss Argent says another congratulations, wishes him a goodnight and a 'see you soon' before hanging up.
Who on God's green earth is Charles Spring?
Nick picks up his phone and opens Instagram.
YOU ARE READING
Hollywood Heartstopper
Fanfiction26 year old Nicholas Nelson isn't known for being kind, or gay. He's better known for things like debauchery and leaving women brokenhearted around the world. 24 year old Charlie Spring isn't quite as famous. He's shy, introverted and he doesn't li...
