35 The Audition (1/2)

The sun had gone down in Los Angeles. On the carpeted floor of a plush, familiar bedroom, a white Labrador named Danny was licking his own feet. Up above, Jessica was sitting on the bed with a copy of The Los Angeles Times between her hands and a frown on her face. She was reading the entertainment section, and her eyes were clearly on the part that detailed Wang Yang's personal life.

”At first, I thought she was an angel sent to me from heaven and I thanked God. 'God, you're so kind to me!' I said, 'Thank you for letting us meet.' Every time I saw her, I felt as if everything was right with the world. But later, at some point, we became enemies. The two of us would bicker every time we met. We'd argue over the smallest of things, like where we should hang out and what we should eat. I liked to go to the movies, but she preferred the arcade…”

There was a jealous scowl on Jessica's face as she read the article. Her lips tightened. She muttered tartly, ”Thank God for sending him an angel who didn't like to watch movies or eat at McDonald's.” Then, she giggled savagely, shook her head, and said to herself, ”Let's see what else you have to say, lover boy.” She went on to read the article. Suddenly, she asked, ”Danny, do you think that girl was pretty?” The Labrador turned his head on one side and stared at her doubtfully.

”I see, Danny. You're not sure either, huh?” Jessica read on. Before long, she was muttering to herself again. ”I wonder what kind of girl she was.” As soon as the words had come out of her mouth, she smote her head and said resignedly, ”Jeez, am I going crazy?”

Suddenly, there was a buzz on her desk. Someone was calling her on her cellphone. Jessica let out a sigh, put down the papers, put on her slippers, went over to the desk, and picked up her cellphone. From the caller ID, she could see it was her agent, Madam Miranda, calling. She answered the call. ”Hi, Miranda.”

No sooner had she greeted her than Miranda told her, ”Jessica, I've just received some wonderful news from the agency. You've made it through the first round. You've been selected to audition for High School Musical.”

”Wow, really? Hah!” The news filled Jessica with rapture. Her heart leaped, and she broke into a smile. The fact that she had half-expected herself to pass the first round did not dampen her joy one bit. She went to the dressing table, with her cellphone held to her cheek, and sat down. Looking at herself in the mirror, she said excitedly, ”I've waited so long for this opportunity! So Miranda, when's the audition?” She had been practicing hard every day, brushing up on her acting skills, studying movies about high schools, and rehearsing a song—all in preparation for High School Musical's audition. She could not wait to show the judges what she was made of.

Miranda, without answering her question, stated cheerily, ”Jessica, I have more good news for you.”

”What is it? Wasn't that the good news?” Jessica laughed. ”What else could there be?” she said.

”Even better news.” Miranda sounded to be in good spirits. She said, ”Do you remember that audition for Idle Hands over a week ago?”

”Yeah,” Jessica said. It had been her most recent movie audition. Miranda was on good terms with the director, Rodman Flender, and recommended her to try out for the leading lady. Miranda smiled and said, ”I understand that Mr. Rodman will come to a decision pretty soon, and chances are good that you'll get the part.”

Gasping and looking in the mirror, she looked strange to herself with her eyes wide and mouth agape. She straightened her face. ”Really? Wow, Miranda, it seems luck has been mighty kind to me lately,” she said, smiling. She was happy, to be sure, but she dared not get her hopes up too much. It was not the first time Miranda had told her she had a ”good chance” of getting the part, and every time she did, it went up in smoke.

Miranda replied in a tone more enthusiastic than hers, ”Yes, you're definitely in luck.” Jessica remembered her unanswered question and enquired again, ”By the way, when's the audition for High School Musical? And where will it be held?”

”Jessica,” Miranda said in a pacifying tone, ”once you've become the leading lady of Idle Hands, you should forget about High School Musical.” She explained, ”Idle Hands is about to be shot, and so is High School Musical. There's a clash between their filming schedules.”

Looking at the mirror and rolling her eyes as though she was practicing for an audition, Jessica said flippantly, ”Miranda, let's not count our eggs before they hatch. I'm not the leading lady of any movie, yet. So there's no scheduling problem for now.”

”Perhaps it's time you start thinking about it seriously. As for Idle Hands, I've spoken to Mr. Flender, and he has nothing but praises for you. I really think you have a good chance of getting the part.” There was a gravity in Miranda's voice that made Jessica think she might just be right this time.

”All right. I get you. I'll think about it,” Jessica answered with the pretense of respect, then asked, ”Miranda, could you please tell me, when and where will the audition be held?”

Miranda was left with no option but to answer her question. ”It will be held the day after tomorrow, ten in the morning, at Flames Films' headquarters.”

Satisfied that she had gotten her answer, and for fear that Miranda might press her to choose Idle Hands over High School Musical, Jessica wrapped up the conversation as fast as she could. ”Oh, I know where it is. I'll go by myself, then. I've got to go now. I need to get my practice in! Goodnight, Miranda,” Jessica said in one breath and ended the call with the press of a button. She wagged her head and smiled. ”Scheduling problem? We'll worry about it when we get to it,” she said to herself.

”Now, where was I?” Jessica looked in the mirror, flashed a toothy smile, perked up her face, and rehearsed softly, ”Hi, I'm Jessica, pleased to meet you…”

There was a loud stamping on the stairs. Jessica, dressed to the nines, came swiftly down from her room. It was audition day. Jessica had gotten up early, freshened up, did her hair, did her makeup, and put on the outfit that she had picked out the previous night before heading downstairs.

”Good morning, Mom!” Jessica went to the dining room and called out to her mother who was preparing breakfast in the kitchen. She pushed open the French window in the dining room, which led to the garden outside where the grass was green and dewdrops clung to the leaves. She stretched her arms up above her head as she squinted at the morning sun, bathing in its warm yellow light. ”What a beautiful day!”

”Yes, it's a beautiful morning, indeed,” Cathy remarked in the kitchen. She brought a few sandwiches to the dining table and asked, ”Jessica, Miranda told me you're going to audition for High School Musical today. Is that true?”

”Yeah. It's held at Flames Films' headquarters,” Jessica replied as she made her way to the kitchen to wash her hands. Then, she returned to the table, picked up a sandwich, and took a bite. She told Cathy, ”I'll be driving there myself. I won't be back for lunch.” Cathy nodded with a smile and patted her daughter on the shoulder, saying, ”All the best, Jessica.” Jessica gave her mother an adorable smile and said confidently, ”Thanks, Mom. I will.” Then, she took another bite out of the sandwich and praised with her mouth full, ”Wow, Mom, this sandwich sure is tasty!” Cathy smiled. ”Thanks, you little flatterer.”

At that moment, Joshua came into the dining room. He was wearing a jersey and a tracksuit and was breathing like an engine from his morning jog. His unwashed hand was halfway reaching for a sandwich when he noticed Jessica's immaculate attire and hairdo. He smiled and said, ”Wow, looks like someone's going on a date.”

”You're absolutely right. I have a date with prince charming. I can hardly wait,” Jessica said, camping it up, before giving Joshua the cold shoulder. She finished her sandwich, went to wash her hands again, and said to Cathy, ”Mom, I'm off.” Then, she went outside to the garage to get her car.

Joshua looked at her as she walked away and shouted after her, ”Hey, do you mind if I tell Yang?”

”I don't care!” Jessica shouted back in the distance.

Flames Films was located near the Hollywood area and was easily accessible to those who had a car. It was only around half-past nine when Jessica arrived. She was standing at the front door of the film company. As she looked at the nameplate, which read ”Flames Films” and the whimsical logo that accompanied it, a strange sense of happiness came over her. ”So this is Yang's company!” she thought. ”And what does this logo mean?” She tried to decipher it but to no avail. ”A moth and butterfly diving into the flames. Are they seeking their doom? How can it be? There must be something else to it…”

Jessica shook her head and gave up. She went inside the building to the front desk. She smiled at the receptionist courteously, ”Hi, I'm here for the High School Musical audition.”

Aurora, the receptionist, stood up, smiled, and said, ”The audition's scheduled for 10:00 a.m. Follow me. I'll show you where the audition room is.”

Jessica followed Aurora down the corridor and through the inner sanctum of Flames Films to a bustling office, and across the bustling office to the waiting room where the audition was being held. She stood outside and saw that there were already a few beautiful, well-dressed girls sitting in chairs and waiting to be called in.

”Please wait here for a moment. The audition starts at 10:00 a.m.” said Aurora before walking back to the front desk.

”Hi,” Jessica greeted courteously to the girls. She found a chair, sat down, and took a deep breath when no one was looking. She felt an apprehension that she had not felt since the first time she'd auditioned for a movie. She looked at the girls around her. Some girls were touching up their faces on their pocket mirrors. Others were chatting with their agents who'd accompanied them to the audition. They were all stunningly pretty. It reminded her of cheerleader tryouts back in Los Angeles High School. She felt rather plain-looking next to the girls.

She looked around at her competitors once more and kept her eyes down. She clenched her fists and told herself encouragingly, ”Good luck, Jessica. Be confident. You were made for this role!”

As time drew closer to the audition, more and more girls arrived. In the end, there were around twenty of them waiting outside the room. At that moment, Wang Yang, Sandy Parks, secretary Fiona Hudson, and a music instructor whom they'd hired for the occasion named Mrs. Roberts showed up at once. Wang Yang clapped his eyes on the gaggle of beauties and picked out Jessica's face from among them. Jessica smiled at him, but it was not appropriate for him to show her undue attention. He acknowledged her with a glance and said to all the girls, ”All right girls, break a leg!”

”I will!””Let's get started!” the girls answered cheerily. Wang Yang seemed to have caused quite a stir among them. Many were whistling at him. One girl even stood up and yelled, ”Yang, I love Paranormal Activity! You're a genius!” Wang Yang was about to enter the waiting room when he turned around and said casually, ”Thanks, but don't expect any brownie points.” Everybody laughed. The girl smiled good-humoredly and sat down.

”Thank you…” Jessica muttered under her breath as the door closed behind Wang Yang. She was now feeling less nervous due to his encouragement.

The waiting room looked different that day. A long table had been added just for the audition. The judges sat down along the long table. Wang Yang sat down too. On the side a little way beyond the long table, there was a black, metal stand, and on top, there was a black, broadcast camera that the company had rented. It would be used to record the audition.

”Mrs. Roberts, thanks for coming today.” Wang Yang reached his hand out behind the long table to shake Mrs. Roberts' hand again. Mrs. Roberts was a middle-aged Caucasian woman who worked as a music instructor at a recording studio in Los Angeles. Her job that day was to evaluate the female candidates' voices and musical talents. Seeing as it was an audition for a movie and not a search for America's next great singer, the bar was set pretty low. As long as the girls did not sing off-pitch too often, they would be fine.