Cameron Wallen - On the way to the Hollywood dream

I say in a sleepy voice:

“ Hello, ”

“ Jake, my God, are you asleep? It's eleven in the morning! ” Jenny exclaims.

“ Yeah, I must be tired. ” – Bullshit. At work I just sit around doing nothing, just yesterday three people came in and bought water, and that's it.

“ I'm sorry I have to pick up the flash drive I once left at your place, ” Jenny recalls.

“ Yeah, sure, I'll be waiting. ” The conversation ends.

I put the phone on the bed and go to the bathroom, after a while I head to the kitchen and put the kettle on, after my gaze stops on the magazine I was reading, not missing any issue, my hand reaches for the magazine, barely taking it, I thought I should eat before listening to it. The doorbell rings.

“ It's open! ” I shout.

The door opens and Jenny walks in.

“ Sorry, I'm in a hurry, where's the flash drive? ” she asks.

“ On the nightstand in my room, ” I answer, and take the sausage out of the fridge.

Jenny heads to my room, she takes the flash drive and goes into the kitchen.

“ Gotta go, gotta get my project to school. ” Jenny explains. She came over to me and hugged me taking a deep breath.

“ Don't worry, you'll be fine, good luck with your audition. ”

“ Thank you, ” I say.

Then Jenny heads for the exit and closes the door behind her. I poured tea and made sandwiches, yet I pick up a magazine and start reading. I figured a couple of pages of reading, wouldn't take much time. After I ate, I wrap up the corner of the magazine where I stop to read, I head for the exit.

When I come to the audition, I see a large number of guys, each standing in their own company. There were two lines in the room – one for people who have registered and one for people who haven't. There were also people in the room to keep order inside.

Everyone who had registered had received their forms, were already filling them out, and those who had filled out their forms were waiting to be called to the stage. Many guys came here with friends, with their parents, or with their couples.

I walk over to the table, where a kind-looking woman hands me a form. I take it, and the pen that lying next to a stack of the same papers, I fill out the form and hand it back, smiling a little.

She gives me the number and I walk away from the desk. I sit down on the floor, where there is room, and start thinking about what kind of role to get. Proving to my whole family that it's not just a dream.

As I sit on the floor I immerse myself and think only about this role. Finally they call me to the stage, I hand over my number, and I walk through the door where the casting managers, and the producers of the film are sitting. I'm feel relax now, I don't even feel any excitement. I say my wards, completely feeling the part. A beautiful girl comes on stage. When they ask us to play a scene together, I imagine there are cameras pointed at us and we are already standing on the set, as if we have a scene where I have to leave.

“ I'm Jake. ” I introduce myself and hold out my hand; she shakes it with a smile. We immerse ourselves in the role. We are Chad and Amanda. That's how we're supposed to feel on stage. After, I walk outside and think about how the audition took almost half a day, but it just seemed like that.

I pull out my phone and text Jenny:

“The audition is over. I'm going home.” – I sent the message, and put the phone in my pocket.

A month and a half later I got a call that they were hiring me for the role, and I immediately called my boss and told her that I was quitting.

After I was approved, I moved to Los-Angeles. It's an unbelievable feeling. I used to just look at pictures taken by different photographers. The pictures were from different parts of Los-Angeles. More specifically: the Hollywood sign, the Griffith Observatory, and a few pictures of some local streets. But back then you couldn't touch it. And now I'm here. In the city of angels. I'm going to the studio today. For the first time, I'm going to the place where the most famous film adaptations are made, where legends of world cinema are born. I made my bed, hailed a cab, washed my mug after my coffee, took the keys that were on the kitchen table, and closed the house.

I get in the car in the back seat. The cab driver looks at me through the mirror that hangs next to him, and asks:

“ Where are we going? ”

“ Warner Bros. Studios, ” I say.

“ Must be on a tour? ” he asks.

I smile slightly and answer:

“ To the set. ”

“ Wow, so you're an actor? ” The cab driver asks in amazement. I try to say, the cab driver interrupts:

“ In fact, I'm so far away from it all… ”

I'm smiling.

“ It's okay, I just got approved, so this is my first experience in filming… ”

So we're on the road for about twenty minutes, and he's telling me all the way about how he doesn't his job. When I walk into the studio grounds, I see people walking from one site to another, some walking around with papers in their hands, some talking on the phone and dealing with business matters. The area is big enough. I walk a little further, and see Patsy; she's standing by the water cooler.

“ Hi! ”

“ Hey! ” she answers. “ I have something to show you, it's over there on the table. ”

We walk over to the table that was against the wall. Patsy reaches over and takes the magazine.

“ Here, look, ” she hands the magazine to me.

“The actor for the role of Chad in ‘Love at a Distance’ has become known. Millions of television viewers will soon see the premiere of the highly anticipated film based on the book. Jake Evans, the actor who plays Chad, and Patsy Jones, who plays the role of Amanda.”

“ God, I don't believe it, ” I say, and it's like the ground is falling out from under my feet.

“ Yes, your first magazine, ” Patsy says. “ Congratulations! ”

“ Thank you, ” I said.

My eyes are shining, like a child who received his gift on his birthday. Only this gift means more to me. It's a dream, and a dream you give yourself. You're going for it.

“ Do you mind if I take it away? ” I ask.

“ Of course it's yours, ” Patsy says.

I lean it against my heart and see Olivia Jones walk up to us.

“ We're going to shoot the movie in Florida, ” she says. “ We leave tomorrow. ”

Patsy and I look at each other, and then we say goodbye. For Patsy, it's a regular thing. By the way, Patsy's the girl who auditioned with me in New York. Her mom is the producer of this movie, and a lot of other projects, so, Patsy is used to flying around the country for different locations in movies. I'm the one who's new to this, and it's something new to me.

I'm coming home, and think I need to pack for tomorrow. I threw my keys on the table and go to my room. I open the closet where the clothes are and start throwing them on the bed. I start thinking about where to put them and I remember that when I went on a field trip from school, my parents had bought me a suitcase for my clothes. I pack everything I need, including magazines, one of which was dedicated to me, and go to bed.

Four hours of flying and we were in Florida. When we arrived it was already nighttime and we went to the hotel that had been set up for the cast and crew. There is also a dressing room, editing department and recording studio.

The room I'm going to live in is much bigger than the one I had when I lived with my parents or when I rented separately, plus I have an amazing view of the ocean. I go to bed.

The events of the film take place in South Florida. In the city of Miami Beach. The weather is beautiful, the beaches are palm trees and the sunsets are beautiful. The place is just right for this movie.