Chapter 3
Four girls, four producers, one table.
Amber wasn’t sure how to act. She had initially crossed her legs after taking her seat, but was growing increasingly uncomfortable as time passed. When she and Elouise had gotten to the building, a guy at the door had asked Amber to state her business. Once that had been revealed, a guard in black led her to the elevator. Elouise was told to wait in the lobby, so Amber told her to just go home. She didn’t want her to waste her precious time off from the restaurant waiting for her. She had hoped that Elouise would be allowed to come further with her for moral support, but she supposed in the name of secrecy, that couldn’t happen.
The single table stood solemnly across the room, its surface cluttered with stacks of papers and bottles of water. Seated behind it were the executives, or perhaps they were the producers—it was hard to tell amidst their weariness and disillusionment. Each person seemed to be more disenchanted than the next, their expressions etched with resignation. One woman wore her glasses perched on her head as she drearily flipped through some sheets, while a man furrowed his brow in deep concentration. The other two men in the room shared the same air of apathy towards their profession, their faces bearing the weight of years of industry experience. It was as if they all belonged to the same age bracket, somewhere between forty-five and fifty-five years old.
The room itself did little to uplift the energy. Its walls were painted a dull shade of gray, contributing to the overall sense of isolation that hung in the air. The lack of furniture added to the starkness, amplifying the feeling of emptiness and detachment. Apart from Amber, her fellow contestants, and the producers, the only other human presence in the room was the guard stationed at the door. He seemed disinterested in his surroundings, engrossed in whatever his phone had to offer. Amber couldn’t blame him, really. If her job was to stand around in such a tiny, quiet space, she too would find solace in the distraction of a glowing screen.
As she took in the scene before her, Amber couldn’t help but feel a mix of emotions. There was a tinge of frustration and impatience as she yearned for something more vibrant and fulfilling in her career. Yet, there was also a spark of determination within her, a fire that refused to be extinguished. She knew deep down that she was meant for more. Her talent and passion deserved to be recognized and celebrated in a way that transcended the confines of this sterile room.
Her mind wandered, envisioning a future where she would step out of the shadows and into the spotlight, where she would command attention and captivate audiences with her performances. She longed for the day when she would be surrounded by a team who shared her enthusiasm and drive, who believed in her talent and were willing to take risks to showcase her abilities.
“Okay.” The woman lifted her head and removed her glasses. Her skin was pale, and her hair was graying. She wore a plaid blouse and blazer.
Amber saw her eyes move from her to the girls beside her. Her anxiety was back. It not only twisted her stomach but chilled her palms.
“You all submitted your headshots to be here, and we did our research to choose you. Congrats. You were the most interesting out of thousands of air-headed nobodies who wanted to be on this show.” The woman displayed a smile that was anything but genuine.
A balding man beside her stretched his back and then clasped his hands on the table. “So, remind us of your names again?”
Amber had thought that the papers in front of them would have that information.
“My name is Patricia,” the girl on the far right started, her voice filled with a confident allure. With her cascading blonde hair that gleamed like strands of gold and striking blue eyes, Patricia commanded attention effortlessly. She was dressed simply in light denim boyfriend jeans and a white crop top that revealed her abs. She stood tall above everyone else in her heels. Amber couldn’t help but be captivated by her presence; her features reminded her of a familiar face she had seen before. Was it on a billboard or in a fashion magazine? The puzzle pieces of recognition danced at the edge of her memory.
As Patricia introduced herself as a model, Amber’s curiosity deepened. What was a successful and glamorous model doing in this humble gathering? The room was abuzz with whispers and sidelong glances. The other women were clearly intrigued by Patricia’s unexpected appearance. It seemed she was not one to shy away from seizing new opportunities, even if they took her far from the glamor of the runway.
With a self-assured smirk, Patricia added, “You won’t be seeing the last of me on screen.” Her words dripped with ambition, leaving no doubt in anyone’s mind that she was determined to make a lasting impression. Amber found herself admiring Patricia’s boldness.
“I’m Diane, and I’m an up-and-coming musician,” the girl beside Patricia said with a warm smile. Her black hair elegantly framed her face, and her almond-shaped eyes sparkled with a playful glimmer. As an Asian girl with a petite stature, Diane stood in contrast to the statuesque Patricia, but her beauty radiated a charm that was all her own. She had intricate tattoos that wound up her arms and disappeared underneath her short-sleeved shirt.
“And I’m Kate. I just want to be famous.” This girl looked South Asian and had radiant dark skin. Her long hair reached down her back. She was dressed in a vibrant yellow dress that illuminated her skin. Her honey-brown eyes were wide with wonder. Amber could guess this was exactly the kind of work she had been dreaming of. She had thought that Kate was trying for a joke with her comment on wanting to be famous, but it seemed that Kate was very serious. Amber couldn’t blame her. Anything had to be better than trudging along through life not being known.
Amber smiled to herself and then felt the penetrating gazes of everyone in the room. Even the security guard. She gulped and then raised her hand in a wave. “I’m Amber Sheridan. My dream is to act but I’m happy to start here if it’ll help me get there one day.” Her voice nearly broke in the middle of her words. She cringed internally.
The producers hardly reacted to any of their introductions. “Okay, good,” the woman said, flicking through her papers. She held the edge of her glasses to her mouth. “Anyway, you know the show, you know the rules. In the first round you answer questions about Hollywood, and whoever gets the most points gets a head start on the next round, which will be ‘Paint the Heartthrob’ where you get a photo of a celebrity to paint in ten minutes, and our celebrity guest ranks you. The last round changes every episode. We can’t tell you what it is, but you just have to hope that it’s in your favor.” She picked up her water bottle and unscrewed the cap. “Just look pretty and smile.”
“Yes, and please be entertaining. Tell jokes, dance, say something quirky, and make it a good show.” This came from the guy sitting at the end of the table. He seemed weary of this meeting already. “When we meet up for sound check you’ll get more directions on that but just know that the only way you’re going to make an impression is by giving this show life. You’re all getting the chance to be on TV. For some of you, it’ll be your last appearance, but for others, it’ll be the first of many to come.” He looked each of them in the eye. “That all depends on the impression you make here.”
Amber’s chest tightened. She glanced at her competition to see if anyone else was getting that sense of pressure, but the three girls were smiling. They looked excited. I’m probably the greenest here. Or the biggest coward. She needed to play her cards right.
“No problem, sir. I can assure you that I will give you a show to remember.” Patricia wore a winning smile. She crossed her legs and clasped her hands on her knee. “Who did you say was the celebrity guest for this week’s episode?”
The woman rolled her eyes. “Of course. How could we forget?” She flipped to the back of her pages. “Um, the celebrity you’ll be vying to date is none other than…” She shook her head. “How’d we get him for this?”
“It’s a big show and he’s on break between movies,” the balding man said. “It’s Levi Marks.”
A collective gasp rose from the three girls beside Amber. “Levi Marks?!” they said together.
Amber heard their poorly contained fangirling. Kate’s energy especially had spiked. The girl’s legs were shaking, and her smile widened. She squealed quietly to herself, but everyone heard.
Wow, Amber thought. What were the odds that the man she’d danced with was the very guy she’d be competing for? And Levi Marks was a big deal. His latest film was the highest-grossing movie of the year. He had to be the biggest name they had brought on yet. Amber wasn’t an avid watcher of this series, but she knew the genre of celebrity they tended to have. Young comedians, TikTok stars, sitcom actors, and musicians. Not huge musicians, though. And they never brought anyone who was already married. Obviously.
The woman raised her hands to calm them. The men at her sides used their papers to cover their mouths. From the look in their eyes, Amber was certain they were laughing.
“Better not have a conniption when he comes out on the big day. Wouldn’t want to freak him out,” said the quietest producer. He wore a gray T-shirt. His outfit was the least formal.
Amber smiled to herself while Kate fought to keep her elation under wraps. She understood her reaction. It wasn’t every day that someone heard they would be working with an actor of Levi Marks’ caliber and success. He was Hollywood’s “It boy” right now. Amber wasn’t really into superhero movies and even she knew about him. She also knew how his hand felt in hers, how he looked in the low light, how he tried so hard to stop himself from smiling…
A clapping sound got Kate to quiet down and brought Amber back to the present. “Anyway, that’s all for now. Thank you for coming and we can’t wait to see you for sound check and of course for shooting. I can tell we’re going to have a good show.” The woman got up and so did her colleagues.
Amber shuffled to her feet when everyone else started rising. They each shook hands, wished each other well, then walked out. As Amber left the studio, she could hear the excited chatter of the girls behind her. Kate was practically skipping and giggling like a schoolgirl, while the other two were whispering in awe about the possibility of meeting Levi Marks in person.
Amber, on the other hand, couldn’t help but feel a bit nervous. Sure, winning a date with a celebrity was exciting, but she wasn’t sure if she was ready for the kind of attention that would come with it. The thought of the paparazzi following her around and tabloids speculating about her relationship with Levi made her feel uneasy. She cringed internally because she was getting way ahead of herself.
As they walked outside, a sudden gust of wind blew Amber’s hair into her face. She pushed it away and glanced up at the sky, noticing dark clouds looming in the distance. It looked like it was going to rain.
The girls were chattering excitedly about the day’s events. Kate kept sneaking glances at Amber, wanting to ask her something but not quite sure how to broach the subject.
Finally, she couldn’t take it anymore. “So, Amber,” she said, “what do you think of Levi Marks?”
Amber shrugged. “He seems nice, I guess,” she said. “I’m not really into that kind of thing.”
Kate’s eyes widened. “What? How can you not be into Levi Marks? He’s amazing! He’s the biggest movie star in the world right now!”
“Yeah, I know,” Amber said. “I just don’t follow his stuff.”
The other girls looked at her in disbelief. “Are you serious?” Patricia said. “He’s like, the hottest guy on the planet right now.”
Amber just shrugged again. “I’m more interested in getting to know him as a person, you know?”
The girls looked at her skeptically but didn’t say anything else. They were too busy talking about how amazing it was going to be to meet Levi Marks in person.
Amber, meanwhile, couldn’t help but wonder what he was really like. Outside the club, that was… Would he even remember her? She knew that a lot of celebrities put on a facade for the public, and she was curious to see if Levi Marks was any different. She also felt a little nervous about the whole thing. She had never been on a date with someone so famous before, and she wasn’t sure how she was going to handle the attention. If I even won. She scoffed and shook her head at her absurd thought process.
“Hey, do you guys want to grab a coffee or something?” Kate suggested, looking at the group.
“I’d love to, but I have to head back to work,” Diane said apologetically.
“Yeah, I should probably get going too,” Patricia added.
Amber hesitated. She didn’t have any plans for the rest of the day, but the idea of spending more time with Kate and talking about Levi Marks didn’t sound particularly appealing.
“I think I’m going to head home,” she said, smiling at the group. “Thanks for the invitation though.”
They exchanged goodbyes and went their separate ways. Amber walked towards the street feeling a bit deflated. It was a strange feeling, like she had been on the verge of something exciting but then it had slipped away.