go?” Apparently he had been expecting my call.
“Uh…well I don’t know how I did but I think it went well.”
“You think?”
The warm feeling of success was still present in the pit of my stomach. “I think I’m good at this. Can you believe I’m happy about auditioning? Fucking crazy.”
Mason chuckled. “I hate to say I told you so-”
“-then don’t say that shit or I’ll elbow you in the face.”
“You are so damn violent!”
I was smiling so big my cheeks were starting to hurt. “Who cares. I’m on my way back and we’ll see how tough you are.”
“Oh Fallyn…I like this exuberant side of you. How about dinner to celebrate?” He was a sneaky one. Asking me out while I was high on self satisfaction.
“Fine, we’ll eat dinner but it has to be pizza or something. Nothing fancy until I get the part.”
“Got it. You sound so certain, I should make reservations for that dinner right now.”
I took a moment to think over my response. I didn’t want to go complete fool and say something that would make myself sick. “It was an eye opening experience and for that I have to say thanks.”
Chapter 6
Looking back, I would say that what happened between Mason and I wasn’t a mistake…it just happened too soon. I can take stock of my life today and know that if I had the chance to go back and change things I would. It would have saved us both a lot of heartache…
Mid-June 2009
I wasn’t one to ask for much, especially money…but when the time got low on my handy little cell phone I panicked and almost begged Mason to buy some more airtime. Any day the call would come through that decided my fate, any day.
Two weeks, two long weeks had passed since my acting epiphany.
Mason was smooth enough to talk me into staying over every now and then. I only hung around when his roommates were gone. That was a conversation I wasn’t quite ready for.
“OK, I had to go to three different gas stations but I found one,” Mason said, getting in his car and tossing me the card.
“Good thing I sat here and read my magazine then,” I said with a laugh.
“You saw me walking all over hell and creation…yet you sat here, in the air conditioner and read Star magazine? You know that shit will rot your brain right?”
I fake pouted. “I like fake gossip. It makes the day go by faster.”
He started the car and pulled out into traffic. “All I have to say is, if you were in that piece of crap rag mag then your story would be different.”
“Don’t be a hater because no one writes lies about you, Mason.”
He rolled his eyes and turned the stereo on, drowning me out. Ignoring his attempt to ignore me, I scratched the back off the air card and added the time to my phone. I snapped it shut and dropped it in my bag. My head fell back against the black leather seat, my eyes trained on the passing sights. We had spent a lot of time just driving around in his car, listening to the radio and basking in the silence.
“Have you ever been to the Santa Monica Pier?” He asked me suddenly.
I was slightly startled but answered. “Yeah, about a year ago.” My eyes fell back to the passing buildings and cars.
“What about Malibu?”
“I’ve never been to Malibu. Why are you interrogating me?” I shot him a trademark hateful look.
His mouth opened to answer but the shrill, annoying ringer on my phone interrupted him. Our eyes went to my bag on the floor.
“It’s them,” I said, practically diving for the phone. As much as the seat belt would allow anyway. “Hello?” I sounded like I’d just ran a marathon.
“Ms. Michaels…this is Julie. We met at the casting.”
“Yes, hi.” What was the protocol on talking to casting directors? There was some paper shuffling and I wanted to choke Julie for making me wait.
“Well, it’s great news, Fallyn. We would like to offer you the role and congratulate you on such an amazing audition.”
My heart faltered a bit with her words. I got it…I GOT IT. “Thank you so much for calling, Julie. This means a lot to me, honestly.” I could see Mason’s eyes grow big from the corner of my eye.
“I’ll give you a call back tomorrow for times and locations; those aren’t in stone yet. Enjoy the rest of your day!”
I skipped saying goodbye in my mindless, numb