“Hey, Chloe! What are you doing?”
“Just laying around and feeling shitty.”
“Shitty? Why?”
I sighed, as my worries started to take over my thoughts.
“Because, nothing is going the way I thought it would. I’ve been to about ten auditions and none of the directors called me back for a second audition. I don’t know what I’m doing wrong. Maybe I am just not talented enough. Maybe I need to look into some other career or something because things are not panning out.”
“What?” A moment of silence saturated our phone call until she spoke again. “I can’t believe what I am hearing. You are one of the most talented people that I know. Wait, no, you are one of the most talented people that I have EVER known, so what you are saying right now is complete bullshit.”
I loved Jade for that. She never hesitated to tell me the truth, no matter if it would hurt my feelings or encourage me. She was a true friend. Our bond had strengthened during our sophomore year at NYU. We were in the same drama class and we decided to work together on a few projects. After running lines over and over with each other, we found out that we had much more in common than just majoring in theatre. She was an only child, just like me, and on top of that, she was born and bred in Manhattan too.
“I’m just feeling so dejected. I know it hasn’t been that long, but there are so many actors competing for so few roles here. I don’t know if I can do this.”
“Yes, you can. But instead of scraping by out there, why don’t you come out here to LA with me?”
“LA?”
“Yes. Come to California. There are so many more opportunities out here than in New York. I mean, there are casting calls almost every weekend and I’ve used those to make some excellent connections. There is always somebody shooting a movie or two around here…”
“Jade, I am not getting into in porn.”
She laughed. “I’m not talking about that. I mean, there are legit movies and even if it’s just an extra role, they are always looking for people. I’ve gotten a few callbacks. So many that I’ve had to turn a few of them down. So, I don’t think you have anything to lose by coming out here. You can stay with me. I mean, I live with a roommate right now, but we have an extra room and I am sure that she won’t have a problem with it. She’s cool.”
“I don’t know, Jade. California? I’ve never lived anywhere but New York and I am coming there with literally nothing.”
“Nothing but a dream, Chloe, and trust me, that is more than enough.”
I sat with her on the phone as she presented her case before me and the more she spoke, the more sense she made. I had to give California a try. It was either that, or waste away here in New York, not knowing if anyone would give me the break I needed to get noticed in the industry.
“Yeah. Let me think about it, Jade. I’ll let you know one way or the other.”
“Ok, Chloe. I promise, this will be amazing.”
“Ok.”
I hung up the phone and reclined on my bed, facing the ceiling. Maybe this move was exactly what I needed. Nothing was happening for me in New York, and if there was even a chance I could find what I was looking for in Los Angeles, I had to take it.
No one ever succeeded by refusing to take a chance, right?
Chapter 2
Hudson
I slammed the weights back on the rack. The sound of metal clanging against metal echoed throughout the gym. I sat upright on the bench and wiped sweat from my brow, trying not to pay attention to all of the other hugely buff dudes who put me to shame as the free-lifted three times their body weight. I had to keep my body toned and athletic so that I would have a greater variety of choices when it came time to audition for movie roles. Staying in shape was a huge part of my routine, but it didn’t mean I was any less self-conscious around the sexy people who made of the majority of Los Angeles.
I’d done a few commercials and short movies over the past few years, but I felt that it was just the beginning for me. For my entire adult life, I had been laser-focused on succeeded as an actor, and I was ready for the work that came with getting with the A-level. It was my time, and I was prepared to do whatever I had to in order to make it.
Two women walked by me as changed out the weights on a barbell. I smiled and winked at them and they both blushed and hurried off. The interaction reminded me, with a tinge of misery, that it had been a while since I was romantically involved with anyone.
My ex-girlfriend, Monica, felt that it was best if we went our separate ways. She said that it was her, but I knew that was code for “it’s you.” She never admitted it directly, but she had a problem with the fact that I was still struggling at this point in my career. I asked her to be a little more patient with me while I found my way, but she wasn’t in the mood for waiting. We were together for two years and we broke up almost four months ago. I still felt the sting of the breakup, but it only fueled my desire to achieve just so I could prove Monica wrong.
Since then, I kept women at a distance. Sure, I still had fun with random chicks at the bars, but no one was ever worth my time.
I stood up from the weight bench. My shirt was damp with sweat as I made my way into the locker rooms, where I could change and get ready to get my day started. I had another audition to go to, this time for a romantic comedy called “Love Struck.” I was auditioning for the role of Maddox, the lead character, and it would be a huge deal for my career if I could land the lead. The movie was scheduled to be done and in theaters within a year, which meant it also had a pretty short production schedule.
After I showered, I got dressed and hurried over to the audition, which was in one of the biggest studios in Hollywood. I had been in this area many times, auditioning for roles and applying for jobs in the hope of even getting a foot in the door. When I walked into the casting building, the lobby was filled with various men who were gunning for the same role as I was, many of whom looked a lot like me.
The room was filled with guys, everywhere from their mid-twenties to mid-thirties, and most of them were fit and attractive; pretty boys. I kept Monica’s mockery in my mind with each step I took, lighting the passion inside of me to impress everyone I could at this audition. I checked in and leaned against the wall on the side of the room, waiting for my name to be called. It felt like an eternity before it happened.
“Hudson Andrews.”
I glanced to the front of the room as a short young woman stood front and center. I raised my hand and began walking towards the front of the room as she looked down at her paper, making a few notes on the sheet with her pen.
“A pleasure to meet you, Ms…” I offered my hand to her with as charming as smile as I could muster despite my nerves.
“Miss Anderson,” she said as she placed her hand in mine. “But you can call me Sadie.” Her thin prescription glasses had a red frame, and freckles clustered together on her cheeks like cherries on a tree. She blushed as I kissed her hand.
“Sadie.”
“Right this way,” she said as she turned around and led me down the hallway. Her high heels clicked against the ground as we walked side-by-side down the corridor. “So,” she said, “is this your first time auditioning for a major role?”
“No, I’ve gone to a few,” I answered, making eye contact with her, “but when I get this role, it will be my first time starring in a major movie.”
“When you get it?”
“Yes. I am going to get this part. And yeah, I know how many other men were out there waiting to come in, but the part has to go to someone, right? And that someone will be me.”
She smiled as we approached a white door near the end of the hallway. “Well, I must say… I do like your confidence.” I grabbed the doorknob before she could. “Thank you.”
I bowed my head as she walked into the room. As soon as I walked in, I noticed the setup of the small audition room. A camera was pointed at a black curtain, and behind the camera’s monitor, were four people: three
distracted women, all busy flipping through headshots, and one man, glaring intently at the monitor. He looked familiar, but I couldn’t figure out why.
I walked to the front of the room as Sadie crossed over to where the where everyone else was sitting. She leaned down and whispered into the man’s ear, who then fixed his eyes on me and nodded scowled at me intently. Once Sadie had finished whatever it was she was saying, she disappeared behind the curtain that I was standing in front of.
“Hudson Andrews… Sadie, my assistant, says you think you’re going to get this part. What exactly makes you believe that?” the man asked me. I summoned up every ounce of self-confidence I had before I answered.
“Well,” I said, increasing the bass in my voice as I stood front and center. “I’ve read the script and it’s brilliant. It’s been ages since we’ve seen an excellent, cross-generation romantic comedy, and I know this film has that appeal. And without a shadow of a doubt, I am your Maddox. I hope you will give me the opportunity to prove that to you.”
“Really?” said the woman to his left, a big smile on her face
“Absolutely.” I glanced at the others, then I ran my hand through my hair, and tilted my head ever-so-slightly to the side. Playing up the ‘leading man good looks’ never hurt.
The man cleared his throat, and definitely rolled his eyes. “Hudson, my name is Simon Dominik, and I am directing this movie. That is Gabby, and she is the writer and producer of Love Struck.” He pointed to his right, “and those are Andie and Leslie, respectively,” he said, motioning to his left. “They are the casting directors, and will be making most of the casting decisions.”
Andie looked up from my head shot. “Whenever you are ready Hudson, state you full name into the camera and then proceed with the lines” she said as she gave me a half-curious stare. I could tell they had already seen a lot of actors, so I had to do something to blow them away.
I took a deep breath, and did everything I could not to make eye contact with Simon. I may not have been the most experienced actor in the world, but I knew who Simon Dominik was. There were few more notorious writer-director-producers working in the industry. In fact, I was more than a little surprised that he was taking the time to do a romantic comedy. Simon was known for big-budget action films, super hero movies, and disaster flicks. I couldn’t think of one good reason he was working on Love Struck, but I guess everyone needed a break.
“My name is Hudson Andrews and I am auditioning for the role of Maddox.” I took a deep breath, and gave the performance everything I had, while making purposeful eye contact solely with the women who would be responsible for my casting. It went by in a flash, and when I finished, I could see Andie was swooning, and Leslie was jotting down notes on her notepad. At first, no one said anything. Then finally, Simon put on his reading glasses and looked back down at a stack of headshots.
“That will be all, Mr. Andrews.”
I gulped. “Thank you for your time. I look forward to shooting this movie.”
I walked out of the room trying to look as confident as I had when I came in. As I closed the door behind me, I heard one of the women say, “I think that is our guy.”
I cheered to myself as I made my way out of the building. This part was mine.
* * *
The next day, my manager Keith woke me up by calling my phone several times in a row. It was barely 8am when the phone rang, shaking me out of my sleep like a nightmare. I blindly reached for my cell, knocking my wallet and a handful of change to the floor before I could finally grab it.
“Hello?” I said in a raspy morning voice.
“Wake up, Hudson! Shit, the day is half gone!”
“Fuck you, Keith. I had a late night.”
“I’ve got good news. You got the part.” I lifted my head off the pillow and rubbed my eyes to make sure I wasn’t dreaming. After they readjusted to the sunlight beaming through my window, I asked him to repeat himself. “You got the fucking part, man. Listen, I don’t know what you did, but they called me this morning and said they wanted you on the set by the end of this month so they could start filming.”
“You’re not messing with me, are you?!”
“Of course not, man! You are now Maddox Winston, the main character of Love Struck!”
“Hell yeah! This is fucking amazing! I can’t believe it…”
“Yeah, yeah. But hey, we need to celebrate, man! This is just the beginning. I told you that I would set you up and all you had to do is walk through the doors and tell them that you were the guy. Bada bing, bada boom, here we are! So, get ready because tonight we are partying the hell up!”
“Yeah, sure thing!”
I hung up the phone and lay in silence for a few moments, in disbelief that I had finally gotten a role in a major movie. It was surreal and for a minute, I didn’t think it was actually happening. Just then, my phone rang again. Keith’s name flashed across the screen, and for some reason, I thought he was calling me back to tell me that it really had all been a joke.
“You better not be calling to tell me they changed their minds,” I said with a stern, monotone voice.
“What? No. I just forgot to mention that Mona Laiken will be your co-star. The um,” he snapped his fingers, “the actress that did What Love Means and Alice.”
“Oh, yeah. I know her. Well, I mean, I know of her.”
“Yeah, she is your co-star. They hired her in because of her name and they knew it would draw a crowd. But, on the flipside, I’ve heard that she is incredibly difficult to work with. Like, she is a major pain in the ass, you know?”
“Really? Wow. I didn’t know that,” I said as I rolled back over and pulled the blankets over my head.
“That is the word around Hollywood, but the thing is that her talent and name recognition make it worth the hassle. So, be careful with her because if you don’t walk a straight line, she has enough pull to get your ass replaced.”
“Ok, thanks for the heads up.”
“Sure thing. We can talk a little more about that later, but again, congratulations for knocking that damn audition out of the park!”
“Thanks, man. See you tonight.”
He hung up the phone, and as I lay back on my bed, I couldn’t help but smile from ear-to-ear. This was my first real break. And for the first time in years, I thought for sure that I was going to make it.
I was really, and truly, going to be a star.
Chapter 3
Chloe
I sat in the front room with my luggage by the door. My dad kept a straight face because he wasn’t known to show much emotion. In fact, I could probably count on one hand the number of times I’d seen him display any form of it. I was the exact opposite though. Tears rolled carelessly down my cheeks at the thought of leaving my parents and my home behind.
He took a deep breath, then wrapped his arm around my shoulder and kissed me on the forehead. Today was the day that I was set to move to California. Jade had mentioned the idea to me almost two weeks ago, and then it took me a week to decide, and another week to prepare. I didn’t have any money in my account until my dad covertly slid five thousand in there overnight to hold me over until I got a job.
“In case of emergencies,” he said with a straight face.
I wiped another stream of tears from my eyes. “I know, dad. Emergencies.”
My mother sped out of the kitchen, a nervous wreck. She had been moving at the speed of light all day, making sure I had what I needed, double and triple checking my luggage to ensure the essentials were packed. “Ok, now, if anything goes wrong, you make sure you give us a call and we will get you back out here immediately, ok?”
“Baby, nothing will go wrong,” my father said calmly. “We raised her to be a smart cookie, and she has the intelligence to go out there and stay out of trouble. Besides, Jade will be looking after her.”
“Jade,” my mother said, laughing. “Lord, that does not make me feel any better about any of this. When you and Jade get together,
you two don’t always make the best decisions.”
“We will be fine, mom, I promise.”
She stood in front of me, a mirror image of who I would be when I got older. Suddenly, tears formed at the bottom of her sapphire eyes, and with one blink, she sent them tumbling down her cheeks.
“Mom, don’t make this harder than it has to be.”
“Oh, hush,” she said as she reached out and wrapped her arms around me. My dad stood to the side as we embraced. She held onto me like she was releasing a part of herself, and I felt similarly. This was the first time I was going to be further than a car drive away from my parents. They had always been within reach for me in times of trouble, but now, I would be on the other side of the country.
My phone buzzed in my pocket. I released her and pulled it out. “It’s the car. He’s here to take me to the airport.”
My mother took a deep breath and wiped her eyes with a tissue. My father left our side, then walked to the door to grab my luggage.
“Ok,” my mom said with reddened eyes, “I guess it is time to let go so you can start the next chapter in your life.”
She looped her arm in mine, and with that, we walked to the front door and down the steps of their brownstone while dad loaded my luggage into the trunk of the car.
“Like I said, Chloe, if you get in ANY trouble, you hear me? ANY trouble, you make sure you give us a call and we will help you.”
“Ok, mom.” I took a deep breath and slowly exhaled, as I tried to hide how nervous I actually was.
“Well, you are all set, Chloe,” my dad said as he slammed the trunk closed. “You need to get going. Traffic is pretty bad around this time of day.”
My mother, with a smile, embraced me one more time. “Knock them dead in California,” she whispered into my ear. “You are going to be amazing, baby. I just know it. I love you.”
“Thank you, mom, and I love you, too.”
Baby and the Biker: The Ghost Riders MC Page 26
