Part one
This wasn't what the movies made it out to be. Things are supposed to work out, and end happily ever after. You're not supposed to be living in your car, struggling just to barely get by. At least I have my car, and I'm not completely homeless. L.A is full of homeless people.
Jaya put the thoughts out of her head, as she looked at the paper in front of her. This script was five pages, more than she had ever had to cold read. Her anxiety was getting the best of her, as she felt a rush to her head, making it hard for her to breathe.
"Okay, we're ready for the next audition." The receptionist said smiling. The woman next to her stood up with a big smile, and handed the script over. Jaya looked at the script, but could feel her mind drifting again.
She thought back to when she left her house. Her whole life, people had told her she could accomplish whatever she set her mind too. Unfortunately, it only mattered what her dad wanted to accomplish. He had planned for her to become a doctor, keep the family legacy going. When she had told him her plans, he freaked out and threw away every movie she had. Her only escape from the world was now gone. She packed the very next day, ready to move.
"If you leave, don't come crawling back. Don't even bother."
She felt her thoughts fade away again, she had to focus. This was a make or break audition, she wasn't sure how much longer she could live in a car. If she didn't get this, she would beg her dad for forgiveness, and only hope he would take her back.
"Okay, we're ready for the next audition." The receptionist said, startling Jaya. Jaya got up, taking a long deep breathe, and walked into the audition.She gave one of the producers the script. "Sorry, I forgot to give this to the receptionist." The 12 producers in the room laughed.
A tall lanky man stepped forward. "Oh it's okay, Hi I'm Jeremy and I'll be reading along as the husband, just so you have someone to bounce off of. You ready?"
Part Two
Jaya had to wait three days before she had heard anything back. She had done it. She got a callback. She didn't have to go back to her dad and beg. There was only three other woman who had got callbacks, but Jaya was confident. She went to the callback, and it had gone great. She met the director of the film, and besides the father issues, told them everything about her. This was it her big break. She waited anxiously in her car, her phone in her hand. It had been a week since she had heard anything, and her hope was draining. I might have to go back home, she thought as her phone was about to die. Then it rang.
Jaya took a deep breathe, waited for two rings to go by that way she didn't seem desperate, and answered the phone. The phone call only lasted about thirty seconds, and Jaya slowly let the phone down from her ear. She screamed. She couldn't believe it. The scream turned into sobs. She hadn't got the part.
She didn't know what to do, she felt paralyzed. She couldn't go back home, she didn't want to beg her dad to let her back home. She also couldn't keep living in her car. The past week she had only had two hotdogs. She could feel herself losing fat, and she knew it wasn't healthy. Maybe it was time to give up. She was tired of being a starving artist. She got on her phone and googled local jobs. So this is what means to grow up. Sometimes you just have to be a little more realistic.
Another week had past. She was starting to feel disoriented. She had applied for about five different jobs, but none had called back. Finally, one morning she got a call. "Hello?" Jaya said groggily, having just woke up. Her eyes widened immediately. "Oh yes, I can meet you at three'o clock today. Yes, thank you so much, love you!"
She started to look for some clothes to wash when she realized.
"Did I just tell him I love him? Oh God please don't let that ruin my chances." Jaya said to herself, getting clothes ready to wash.
She brought her clothes to the laundromat right down the street, then headed to the gym so she could shower up. After everything was taken care of, she headed to the cafe shop he had asked to meet at. She spotted him immediately, right outside of the shop, underneath a giant yellow umbrella to provide shade. "Jaya, how are you doing?"
"Jeremy, I'm doing great! I can't thank you enough for giving me this opportunity."
When Jeremy had called her earlier to tell her the other woman that was chosen left for a different project, it didn't seem real. Now, as she sat not six feet away from him, he explained how Jaya would now play the lead role. He gave her his information, and told her to stop by the office to finalize the contract. She would be making fifty thousand per episode for the first season, and they would discuss any pay raises when the time comes.
Jaya practically skipped to her car. Once she got in, she screamed. All of the stress, the anxiety, the fear, the sadness, she let it out. She couldn't believe it.The scream turned into sobs.She had got the part. She picked up her phone, and called her dad. It went straight to voicemail.
"Hey dad, I got a lead role down here. I did it." She ended the recording, that's all that she had wanted to say. She reclined the car seat, and laid back. She didn't have to go back home, she was home.
She felt a giant smile form across her face.
"I'm ready." Jaya said.
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