Chapter 5
Chapter Five
CLOVER
Turning onto a small road named Starlight Lane, the famous entrance arch to Starlight Studios comes into sight.
I’m filled with a sense of awe as I drive along the palm tree-lined street, approaching the structure.
I’ve never been up close before–seeing as I wasn’t scoring bigger auditions until Anita–and even my audition for this one was a self-tape.
The arch is massive, and as I get closer, I can make out beautiful carvings of constellations throughout.
There’s even a sparkle to some of them. Glitter?
Diamonds? Who the hell knows with Hollywood.
When I pull up to security and give them my name and reason for being here, they direct me toward the right building and nearby parking lot.
Nerves roil through me as I put my car into park. It dawns on me how out of place I am being here. I have two credits and a handful of commercials to my name, yet here I am having a chemistry read for what will arguably be one of the biggest upcoming blockbusters.
Taking in slow and steady streams of air, I try to do a few affirmations before stepping out of the car. This is big, this is huge. This is the biggest opportunity I’ve had in my career so far.
No matter how today goes, this is one hell of an experience.
I am worthy, no matter what the outcome is.
I am trying my best, and that’s all I can do.
But despite everything I’m telling myself right now, I really freaking hope I get it.
Doing a quick look in the car’s rearview mirror, I apply another layer of chapstick onto my lips.
Welp, that’s as good as it’s going to get.
Nice and natural, and my long copper hair is pulled into a ponytail with shorter face-framing pieces pulled loose at the front.
I didn’t want to do anything that felt inauthentic for the character I’m auditioning for.
She doesn’t strike me as someone who wears tons of makeup, so I’m hoping the director and casting team appreciate my choice for a more toned-down look today.
I’m hoping for a lot of things today. That’s the operative word for this entire experience: “hope”.
The butterflies that were softly floating in my stomach take frenzied flight as I hop out of the car and turn toward the studio warehouse.
Deep breaths. Deep breaths, I remind myself, praying that I won’t be winded because of sheer nervousness by the time I step inside.
Opening my phone to check the time, I’m relieved that I have a few extra minutes to catch my breath and try to center myself.
Today’s chemistry read should be simple enough.
I know the lines like the back of my hand, so I’m really hoping to go off of what Roman gives me and see how it feels to act with him.
I’m excited for a multitude of reasons, including getting to meet Roman Everett.
He’s a couple of years older than me, and absolutely dreamy.
Not to sound like a creep, but I think I’ve seen all of his movies, and he’s wildly talented on top of it all.
If today goes completely tits up, at least I can say I got to meet him.
Taking a few more calming breaths, I pull open the warehouse door and make my way inside toward the room we’re shooting in today. Security gave me pretty easy instructions to follow, so when I look down at my phone I’m not shocked to see I’m a few minutes early.
I tuck my ear closer to the door to make sure I can hear people inside and that I am in fact in the right spot.
It’s then that I hear the dulcet tones of Roman Everett’s voice.
I’d know that voice anywhere. It’s deep, and rich, and…
pissed off? I lean in a little closer to see if I can get wind of what’s going on.
“And don’t even get me fucking started on this next chick,” Roman’s voice growls. The stomach that was full of butterflies bottoms out.
“Clover,” another voice corrects, but not with as much force as I’d like.
“Clover,” Roman scoffs.
My hackles rise at his tone.
“She’s going to be a waste of our time. She’s got what – two credits to her name?
She’s the annoying commercial girl. Why the fuck are we even bothering to bring her in?
” he hisses as fury lights my veins. You’d think he would’ve stopped there–perhaps any sane human would—but it’s becoming clear to me that Roman Everett is not sane.
He’s a flaming asshole. He continues, “If we cast her, she brings no value to the production. I’m the one doing the heavy lifting for all the PR, everything. ”
“Roman...” the other voice cautions.
“Admit it, she brings nothing. In fact, I bet she brings nothing to this read in a few minutes.” I can hear how angry he is, and it’s a mirror to my state.
Any calming breathwork I’d done on the way in here has gone completely out the window, and if I were to step into the room this very second, I’m scared I’d throttle Roman fucking Everett on the spot.
“How much do you want to bet?” Roman continues.
“Look,” the other voice says, “I get that you’re not happy about recasting – I do. I’m not happy that Hailey dropped out either, but the options for recasting someone with the ability to handle the physical demands of the role, and who can act is actually a lot harder than you think it is Roman.”
I hear the asshole grunt in response.
“Yeah, Vivian was a bust, okay, I’ll admit to that,” the voice says.
The flames I was feeling a second ago taper out when I hear that.
If Vivian blew her chemistry read, that means that I’m currently the only contender for the role.
.. as pissed off as I am at a man I have yet to meet face to face, that knowledge acts as a buoy in my sea of rage, pulling me up and out.
“So we go back to the drawing board then?” Roman suggests all too quickly. Asshole.
“No, Roman. We finish this chemistry read and see what Clover’s got to offer.” I know the last thing they’ll want to do is go back to the casting board. Again, another discontented noise in response. Guess Roman used up all his words when he was trash-talking me.
“I’m telling you, her audition was great.”
“Yeah, and you said that about Vivian’s too.”
“Roman, let’s give her a chance and see,” the voice says, exasperated.
“I get she doesn’t bring clout to the production, but you do.
Yes, you might have to do more of the heavy lifting PR-wise, but bringing Clover on may be what’s best for the movie, and if that’s the case then you’re going to have to trust me on this one. ”
“Let me guess. Even if I don’t like it?” Roman grumbles.
“Even if you don’t like it.”
“This is becoming a theme for me lately,” he mutters before I hear footsteps shuffling away. “She’d better blow me away, Arnold.”
I take a quiet step back from the door, careful to make sure I don’t alert anyone to my presence, and shake my hands to get some of this weird energy out of my body.
On the one hand, I am elated to know that I am so close to scoring this role–assuming I don’t screw up this chemistry read. But then again, considering I’m about to commit murder upon seeing him in person for the first time, I’m much more concerned with how this chemistry read will go.
The first scene where I’m supposed to hate him?
No problem, I’ve got plenty of source material for that now from the fuckface himself.
But the second scene? Where I have to pretend I’m interested in him?
Acting like I want to kiss him when all I want to do is punch him might be my most impressive acting feat yet.
I refuse to let this smarmy bastard influence my performance.
I will not let him get into my head. Yeah, there are obviously way bigger name actresses out there that could’ve been hired on to this project.
And yes, Hailey McDonald was cast in the role initially, and obviously I don’t have much to my name so far.
But those are my keywords: so far. I know I’m talented, I know if given the opportunity I could knock this shit out of the ballpark, so that’s what I resolve myself to do.
I will go in there, I will be professional, I will act my scenes out to the best of my ability, and I will make Roman fucking Everett rue the day he doubted me.
I glance down at my phone and see that I have one minute left before it’s go-time.
Perfect. With a determined adjustment of my ponytail, I confidently step toward the door.
Ready to wow the director and the casting team, regardless of what Roman thinks.
Giving the door three confident knocks, I wait until a voice invites me in.
“Come on in, Clover,” a voice calls. I pull my shoulders back and tilt my chin slightly upwards and walk into the wolves’ den.