"THIS TIME IM READY TO RUN! ESCAPE FROM THE CITY AND FOLLOW THE SUN" my phone sang. I groaned, and unlocked it.
I rubbed my eyes, unused to this time of night. I brush my hair (aka rats nest), and put it into a bun I go from my pajamas to my long-sleeve vineyard vine's shirt and Nike sweats, and I put short socks on and then I tie my vans up. I put my north face on, because it is pretty cold, I mean it's December 21st in Boston. I take the thermal headband out of my north face pocket and put it on, and my gloves out of the other, and slide them on. I take my purse, and put it over my shoulder, and I feel for my mom's wedding ring. I pick up my suitcase, and lift it down the stairs. My dad, is sitting on a kitchen barstool, groggily drinking coffee.
"Hey kiddo. Has Rhonda called?" He asks. Suddenly I get a call, "Hey, it's Rhonda. I'm like 15 minutes away, so eat some breakfast and get ready!" She said excitedly.
"That was her." I say. "Alright well, she'll be here soon, so make yourself a cup of coffee, and grab a muffin. I make a French vanilla decaf with my Keurig, and I grab a blueberry muffin. I'm about mid-muffin, when my dad says, "Alright I'm going to give you $200 cash, and you have your debit card. Be careful with your money, and just be careful in general. Ok?". "Of course dad. Good luck with the trial, I'll text you before I get on the plane and when I get off and basically whenever I'm doing something." I say smiling.
Suddenly a car is honking, outside our front door. "That's Rhonda!" I say smiling. My dad gets up to hug me. "I love you Cassidy, I have complete faith in you. Go crush it out there!" He says to me. "Thanks dad, I love you too. I'll text you!" I say. I take my suitcase, and walk out, waving to my dad.
Suddenly, I meet the blistery snow, as I'm walking to Rhonda's Range Rover. She's driving in the front seat, and I open up the car door. "Hey girl!" Rhonda says. Rhonda is like 28, and she's super sweet. She has shortish blonde hair, and she's so pretty.
"Hey Rhonda." I say. She hands me a Starbucks coffee, and it warms my hands. "Thanks, I had a cup inside but I could really use some caffeine." I say. "You'll need it!" She says.
We get to the airport early, and for the airport at 4 am there's no one there. We go through in a breeze, and we get onto the plane quickly.
I sleep during the entire flight, and we make another stop at about 6 am, and from there, we'll be in California earlier than expected, 9 am.
We finally land in California at 9:30. The LAX is crowded, and I have to struggle through multiple people to follow Rhonda. I text my dad, even though he's in court and probably can't answer. I smile, and Rhonda finds a man holding the sign, "Rivers". My last name.
He takes us to our hotel. Once there, we each get a key card to our rooms. I walk into my breathtaking room. There's a foyer, with a guest bathroom on the side of it, and a couch with a TV, and a bedroom coming off that room, that's HUGE! I have another TV, and a bathroom in there. There's a small kitchen next to the couch. And I realize I'm hungry. I find some cut up cantaloupe and I do not care how expensive hotel food is IM EATIN THIS.
I watch TV, for a few hours, and then at 1:30 I decide to get ready. I open my suitcase, and I hang up all my tops, and I put my pants, undergarments, and pajamas in the drawers provided in my bedroom. Before I get my dress, I want to do my makeup. I cleanse my face, and moisturize, and then I apply primer to my face. I put my foundation on, and sit it with matte mineral powder. I put concealer on my under eyes, and any blemishes. Then I take my eyeshadow and apply a natural light brown over my lid. I line my eyes, and I apply mascara. I put my lipstick on, and then I put my dress and cardigan on, and I put my jacket in my suitcase, I know I won't need that anytime today. I put on a few Alex and Ani bracelets, and diamond studs.
I walk out of my room at 2, and I go next door, to see if Rhonda is ready to leave at 2:15. LA traffic is supposed to be pretty bad, so I'm expecting the worst. I knock on her door. "Rhonda?" I call. She walks out, in a blazer, a top, and a pencil skirt. I look her over. "Very professional." I say. "Alright, we have a cab waiting on us, get your purse, and don't forget the script!" She yelled. I walk back into my room, grab my purse, and text my dad, Sarah and Katie. Then I grab the script of the kitchen counter, and dash out of the door.
"Alright, let's go." I say. We get into the cab and in 40 minutes we get there. "Good thing we planned traffic." Rhonda said. I have 5 minutes, and I walk into the studio building 24.
As soon as I walk up, a lot of girls my age, look up at me, in a judgy sort of way. A short guy comes out into the "waiting room" area, and yells, "Cassidy Rivers." And I walk towards him. "Hello." I say smiling. He guides to to the audition room, and I am fully confident, when I walk in UNTIL I SEE CHANDLER RIGGS SITTING A TABLE WITH A GROUP OF PEOPLE IN FRONT OF ME, ALONG WITH KATELYN NACON, THE GIRL WHO PLAYS ENID.
Alright, compose yourself Cassidy. I put on a genuine smile, and shake everyone's hand. I reach for Katelyn's but she just pulls it back. Whatever, bitch.
"Alright just sit right there, and give us your name, age, grade, height, and the role you are auditioning for, right into camera A." A woman says.
I sit down on the barstool, and smile into the camera. "Hi, my name is Cassidy Rivers, I am 15 years old in 10th grade, I am 5'5, and I am auditioning for the role of Caroline."
"Alright, that's great Cassidy. My name is Sonja, this is Frank Darabont, I believe he reached out to your agent based off a recommendation, this is Chandler Riggs, he's Carl on the show, and this is Katelyn Nacon, one of our newer characters, she plays Enid. Alright, you ready to go over the provided script?" Sonja asks me.
"I have it, but I'm going to audition off-book, if that's ok with you." I say. "Oh yes, that's very commendable Cassidy. Well, let's start off with Chandler's line." Sonja says.
"Hello, who's there?" Chandler says.
"Show yourself, now!" Katelyn says. She said it really tiredly, and lazily.
I breath heavily, and then say, "Help me! Please!" Then Chandler says, "Who are you? What are you doing here?"
"I was separated from group, a few days ago. I can't find my way back, I think I'm just bringing myself further away from them.I haven't eaten in days and I haven't had water in a few days either. I've been running around constantly, I just need some help." I add lib some words, I hope Sonja won't mind.
Katelyn speaks up, lazily, "You want our help? Huh? What's your name & where are you from?"
"I'm Caroline, please help me, I just had to outrun walkers and I, I..." I finish, satisfied with my audition.
"That was great Cassidy! Thank you for coming out here from.... New York City?" Sonja says. "Boston." I say correcting her, smiling. "Right, well thanks for coming out here. We'll finish up auditions today and I'll call your agent... Rhonda, tomorrow, letting you guys know where you stand." Sonja says.
I walk over to the table, and smile, "Thank you so much for this opportunity Frank. Thank you for having me Sonja. Bye Chandler, bye Katelyn, you guys were so great today." I shake their hands. "You were great too." Chandler says. I smile, and exit the room.
Rhonda is waiting me amongst the group of teenage girls and agents. She stands up, and exits the set with me.
"How did it go?" She asked. "I read off-book, which they really liked, I read as best as I could, and it felt like I was Caroline. Chandler and Katelyn Nacon read with me, which really surprised me, but I handled it well." I tell her.
"Good job kid, did they say when they'll call?" She asked. "Tomorrow." I respond.
