Play Pretend | ✓

02 | casting

I couldn't do this. No, I couldn't.
My knees were shaking, my insides were Jell-O, and my hands were clammy with sweat. Tension and nervousness were seeping into my body and taking control of my entire system.

What was I supposed to do?

I stared up at the sign that said Moonbeam Hotel until Paris pushed me inside. I clutched my portfolio in my hand. Yes, I did have a portfolio, though there's nothing to write in there, really. Just the name of my school, the odd jobs I've done, the name of my college, what degree i'm pursuing, and my individual qualities and attributes, which Paris insisted were not nonexistent.
Anyway, as I entered the hotel lobby and went up to the third floor, where the auditions were taking place, I noticed all the other girls and a few guys who had also come in hopes of being cast. They were all wearing fancy clothes, well at least the girls were. Their faces were heavily caked with makeup too, something which I absolutely detest. I snuck a look at myself in the gleaming metal panel beside a door. I was looking okay, with my wavy dark hair in a messy braid, and wearing a white shirt with dark washed slightly ripped jeans and a new pair of Chuck Taylors. I also wore a black blazer to complete the look. I was always one to dress erratically. I didn't have a set style or anything. I just wore whatever I wanted to when I felt like it.
Paris and I entered the third floor lobby and reached a desk set up especially for the auditions. A smiling lady looked up at us.

Paris saved me from embarrassing myself and spoke for me.
"Excuse me, we'd like to enter her name as a contestant for the lead female role. Is the audition for that role still up?"

The lady smiled even more at us and said, "of course. You're here quite early. If you had come even half an hour later I would've had to say no. But I'll enter your name now. May I please have it?"

I gave her my name and handed her my portfolio. She checked it and commented on how I'd never had any exposure to acting before and was a complete newbie. Yeah she was right. The only personal connection I'd ever had to Hollywood was him, and he was a top H'wood actor now, his memories with me probably long forgotten. Would he even recognise me if he passed me on the streets? Yeah like that was ever gonna happen. He'd hardly step foot here. If he ever came, he'd visit in the dead of night in his limo and be gone in his private jet before the sun could say hello. And he'd only come to visit his parents, but even they were not on excellent terms with him now, for the same reason as me. They'd been forgotten too. By their own son.

Anyway, I'm digressing.

The lady said never mind and ushered me to the waiting room, where a couple of other girls were also sitting, each with files in her hand. I sat beside a petite blonde who looked to be my age or maybe a bit older. She introduced herself as Lucille and was quite nice. I learnt the film Save Yourself was about a young girl and boy who were supposedly close but when the girl needed him the most, the boy left her. She went into depression and when she finally emerged out of it, she heard the boy had gone missing. Despite her hurt, she set out to search for him. The film was about her character development and what impact the boy and the search for him had on her.

So the principal character was actually the girl. The entire film rested on her shoulders. It was a tough job to do actually. Would I be up to the mark?