Keep Your Eyes Open
Summary: Katniss is a 20 year old aspiring actress from London studying at Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA). Peeta is a 21 year old actor from New York. What happens when Katniss gets the opportunity of a lifetime and Peeta makes some drastic changes to his fast track LA lifestyle?
Chapter 1: What is there to lose?
I had never been one for dreaming but this was the one and only dream i would follow... The only one i wanted to follow... acting. Been a young girl from a broken home in central London I had never expected to get very far with it. After all it was only a dream, a hobby, an education and my passion. Surely that was all it would ever be? Right?
Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think it could really happen. Not until that most amazing day when Prim came home with the surprise of a life time for me. I will never be able to thank my little duck for how she altered my life. And it would all be for the better.
3 Months Earlier
With a bang of a door and roar of an engine I heard I could tell that Rory had just dropped Prim home. Now I could run lines with her for my class next week... Haymitch was coming down hard on us when we couldn't remember lines and I refused to be on the receiving end of a washed up drunks anger issues. I wasn't going to be like Glimmer Austen today. The running up the path stopped and the front door slammed shut.
"Katniss? Kat are you home?"
"I'm in the kitchen Prim." I shout this back to her while I finish drying the dishes and start to stack them away in the cupboard. While doing this I see out of the corner of my eye that Prim has joined me. She looked so excited. And since she had just come home from school i was puzzled as to what could have my little duck in such an excited tizzy. Been this buzzed just wasn't Prim's style.
She looked like she was fit to bust and had a massive smile across her face as she asked "Have you heard about them yet?"
"Heard about what yet?"
"About the auditions stupid, for the new Peeta Mellark movie that is been shoot right here in London?"
Sure i had heard about it... the movie that is. It was topped as been one of the biggest up and coming romantic musical movies of next year. And it just so happened to be staring the newest up and coming heart throbs in New York. And he was coming to London.
Heart throb was maybe a bit of an understatement. Personally, to me, the 21 year old actor was an Adonis. He was tall and had blond hair, which in the recent pictures been published in magazines was getting long and starting to curl and flopped into his eyes in this indescribably sexy way. And his eyes... you could get lost in the crystal blue tropical sea that was his eyes. They were clear and bright and sparkled like stars in the correct light. And he was so strong and muscular and... Sexy.
Snapping out of my day dream i turned to Prim feeling flustered and confused I snapped at her. "Little duck what the hell are you on about? What auditions?"
"Kat, i am 15. Do you not think i am passed the stage of been your little duck?" She looked at me with her sceptical eyebrow raised with her hands on her hips... maybe now was not the time for cute terms of endearments. But i thought better of arguing with her just now. I needed to know more about these auditions. "No i don't think that you are past been my little duck Primrose. Now what auditions are you on about?"
"Oh yea..." she stated in a surprised voice as if i was drawing her back to the subject at hand. "They are holding open auditions for extras in this new movie and the Ramada Encore from 9-5 on Friday. You should go! But in all seriousness Kat, how have you not heard about this through school?"
She had a valid point. You would think somewhere like RADA would be telling us these things. They were one of the biggest acting schools in England. But it appears they were not intending on telling us. Not this time anyway.
"And..." Prim started to say as she danced from one foot to the other with excitement. She looked like she is fit to burst with more information, and once she opens her mouth to speak i understand why. The word role-off her tongue so easily, and in a jumble, that i question whether or not i heard her right. "Prim can you say that again for me. I don't think i heard you right. Surely you have the wrong information."
"No it's the right information all right. Peeta Mellark will be in London to help with the auditions as they are looking to recast the leading lady. They are hoping that they will find her in the hopefuls that turn up on Friday." Her body seemed to slump in relief as she explained all this and she was starting to form a self satisfied smirk on her face. "Please say you will go Katniss! If nothing else it will be fantastic experience for you... and you are an amazing actress and you can really sing. Give yourself a break and enjoy your talent."
"I don't know Prim. I have school to think about and work. And lets us be realistic for a moment. What chance do i have against fully trained actresses? And what do you mean replace the leading lady? What happened to that... what was her name?"
"Johanna Mason. Rumour has it she walked out of the production 2 weeks into filming. Nobody seems to know why but there is a lot of speculation on her relationship with someone on set. Anyway stop distraction me..." she took a pause for breath while she seated herself next to me on the counter top. She looked me straight in the eye and sighed. "Kat, you owe it to yourself! Like i said the auditions are running till 5pm and you don't start work till 7. And i am sure if you explained to your tutor he would give you leave for the day. Please say you will do it... at least give it a try? For me? What have you got to lose?"
She knew she had me there. Especially looking at me with those pleading eyes that she knew i could never say no to. Surly she was right though. What did i have to lose really? If anything i would only gain. It sure as hell would look good on my resume.
I look at her and can only smile. "Okay... i... I'll go. I'll email Haymitch and ask him to excuse me from classes for the day. But there is one condition to me doing this. You have to come with me for moral support!"
She looks at me for all of a millisecond before her signature megawatt smile breaks on her face from ear to ear. "Kat, i thought you would never ask! Damn straight i am going with you for moral support. Who did you think was going to run the lines with you while you waited? Now in all seriousness, get your butt upstairs and email that tutor of yours!"
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After that my afternoon was spent emailing my course tutor Haymitch Abernathy who was in agreement with Prim. This was going to be a fantastic chance for me and he would release me from classes for the day with the parting words of "Knock' em dead Sweetheart". I was never quite sure how to take him. He was an ex actor who now taught due to been blacklisted in the business due to adverse behaviour on set cause of his alcohol abuse. However, saying that he looked out for his students and had never steered me wrong. And i wasn't going to start second guessing him now.
After that all i had to do was think of how to tell him... Mum would have had a ball with this news. This was our pipe dream. Dad always wanted me to do 'something worthwhile'. He never understood me. Not like mum did. Either way dad had to know i was going for these auditions. I could have done without the fight though. It was trying to make him understand that this wasn't going to interfere with my school work. It could only benefit my future career.
"It's an audition to be an extra dad. It will only benefit me in the future. And even if i was lucky enough to be cast it would only be for a few hours that they film in London. Surly you can understand that!" We had been having this same argument for 45 minutes by this point and Prim had escaped to her room so as not to get caught in the crossfire.
All he keeps saying is "Your only in your second year" and "Surly you will miss too much time at school" or my personal favourite "I don't approve of this at all." And then i decide i have had enough and that i will have the last word of this argument if it kills me.
"I hate to break this to you dad but all i am doing is informing you of the audition. I'm not asking your permission. I'm 20 years old and i have my own mind. And it is set on at least giving this audition a try. Even Haymitch believes this will benefit me and will look great in my portfolio for experience. Whether you like it or not dad, i am doing this."
And so it was with that i turned and left the kitchen storming up stairs and slamming my bedroom door shut. I heaved a sigh of frustration and fell back against the door and slid down it to the floor? Why was he so set on not supporting me? What was wrong with me going for this extras job? Screw him. I'm doing it. With or without his support. Like Prim said earlier... what have i to lose?
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The rest of the week came and went without much excitement. Dad and i were still giving one another the silent treatment. However, today today was Friday. He can give the silent treatment all he wants. I wasn't going to be bothered. I had enough to think about today without worrying over him and his strop.
I had been stood in front of my full length bedroom mirror for about 20 minutes with almost every outfit i own when i eventually gave in. "Fuck this," i sighed and threw the most recent option on my bed with the rest. "PRIM?" i shouted and my little duck came running in, almost instantly, as if she had been hovering in the hall awaiting my call.
As i look in the mirror again i notice Prim standing to the side of me, her beautiful blue eyes meeting my cool grey ones in the mirror. She looks more and more like mum each day, and sometimes it hurts to look at her. But could never let on to that, not to her or dad... Not to anyone. It is bad enough i was broken by what happened without laying that on anyone else. Not even my best friend Gale knew how i felt about all of this.
Been so lost in my thoughts i never realised Prim talking to me. I look at her with sad eyes and a meek smile on my face. "Sorry Prim i never caught a word of that. What where you saying?" She lets out an exasperated sigh and starts to have a pissed off scowl on her face. I can't blame her though. She is trying to help me and i get sucked into a little world of my own miserable thoughts.
"I was saying, that you Katniss should wear this!" she says this as she hands me a pair of black skinny jeans and a long fitted white shirt and a belt for round my waist. "Comfortable but subtly sexy, pair that with your black boots and your ready to knock 'em dead." She said as a small smirked pulled at the edge of her lips. "OH! Before i forget pin this to your jeans so it's hidden by your shirt. For good luck... and when i can't go any further in with you."
She sounded so grown up with what she was saying i barely realised what she was placing in my hands. Mums pin. It was very plain looking and had only a single bird on it. A mockingjay i think was what she use to call it. Mum always said it use to copy words or songs it heard. It was known as a symbol of hope and freedom in her home town up north.
"Prim how? Where did you get this? I thought dad gave this away?" She had a knowing twinkle in her eye and a small smirk emerging on her lips. "I found it before dad did and hid it. It meant a lot to her, she would have wanted us... she would have wanted you to have this."
I can't do or say anything except blink away my tears that threaten to spill over at any second. However i knew she was right. I turned and faced her fully and pull her into a tight embrace. Then it hits me and i realise it is moments like this i am grateful for how much she is like our mother.
We spend a little over an hour getting me ready. During that time Prim is in her element doing my hair and make-up. Personally i wouldn't normally bother as surly it's my acting skills and not how i look that matters. But then who am i to decline her and as she keeps reminding me when i protest "It can't hurt".
Once fully ready we grab our bags and coats and head for the subway and start making our way to the Ramada Encore. Its only 10am when we get a train and since these auditions seemed to be very hush hush i was hoping there wouldn't be long of this nervous mood left. Holy crap was i wrong!
When we arrive the young girl at reception instructs us to take the lift to the first floor and says there would be someone there to meet us and give us further instructions. When i walked off the lift i turned and tried to run straight back in the lift, but Prim caught me and wasn't having any of it.
"Don't be such a bloody coward Kat. It's no different from any other audition you have done in the past." As she was saying this she dragged me towards a woman in her late 20s with candyfloss pink hair and lips that matched in colour and were in the shape of an overly excited smile. "Hi there. Can I take your name first please?" she was far to preppie for my liking but I realised if I didn't speak up Prim would jump in and interfere. And so it was with my sweetest smile I return hers and gave my name. "Katniss, Katniss Everdeen."
"Hi Katniss, it's nice to meet you. My names Effie Trinket, I'm the directors assistant and I'm helping prep all those audition today." I shake her extended hand and allow her to continue. "As we recently lost our leading lady all females auditioning will be reading lines and singing a song from the lead role as they hope to find a replacement amongst the hopefuls." She explains this while handing me a small pile of paper which I realise is the song and a scene for the audition along with a small questioner about my experience. So overwhelmed by it all I almost miss her last sentence. "And if you have any questions just raise your hand and will be with you as quick as I can."
I swallow hard and with a weak smile nod in understanding. I steel a glance sideways at my darling little sister. She was in so much shit with me right now it was unreal! Just you wait till we are out of ear shot I thought as we started to move towards some empty seats.
When we settled and I noticed no one was listening to us I turned on her. "What the hell Prim? You never told me I would have to sing as part of the audition... why? Why would you do that to me?" As she turns and looks at me she raises her eyebrow as if to question whether or not I was serious or not. "You know damn fine why Kat. You wouldn't come if I told you! Now just shut up and learn the lines and practice the song. You are doing this audition!"
With that she turned away and pulled out the book she was currently reading, leaving me to do as I had been told. Prim's earlier words of wisdom played over and over in my head for about the hundredth time that week. What have I got to lose? It's not like I was going to read lines with the likes of Peeta Mellark today. Or ever for that matter, I would just be reading them in front of him. Nothing to lose Katniss. Nothing to lose.
The majority of the afternoon came and went with little excitement. Prim and I read lines and people watched. In doing this I noticed two girls from school, Clove Mathews and Glimmer Austen. Two of the most popular girls I am at school. And the most promising actresses in my year at school. I'm screwed! I chance a quick smile at them and only received glares in return. No love lost there that was for sure.
Their auditions came and went and I was beginning to think I had arrived too late and had missed my chance. It was nearing 5pm after all. And then... Then it happened. The walking candyfloss emerged through the double doors that had been like yoyos all day and cleared her throat to attract the attention of all of us.
"This is sadly our last audition of today. We would like to thank you all for attending today and ask those who have not yet auditioned return again in a few weeks when we return to start shooting." She called out to us. Then she looked down at the clip board she had been carrying all day and flicked through a few pieces of paper before proceeding. "Could Katniss Everdeen please make her way forward? You will be our last audition of the day."
I couldn't believe it. Surly I was dreaming. I looked to my little duck for confirmation and she was smiling like never before. "Go on Kat, what are you waiting for? MOVE!" She half heartedly whispered as she started pushing me off my seat. I got up and stumbled my way forward towards Effie who was leading the way to the chosen conference room. When inside the door my breath hitched in my chest. If it hadn't been for Effie giving me a reassuring squeeze of my shoulder I may have forgotten to breathe altogether.
I blink rapidly trying to focus my vision. Surly it couldn't be. My mind was playing tricks on me. He was walking straight towards me. He was sexier than the photos led you to believe. He continued to walk towards me, all smiles, eyes twinkling and a soft strong hand outstretched for me to take. As I do he spoke with such a soft voice it could make you melt. "Hi Katniss it nice to meet you, I'm Peeta Mellark. I'll be running lines and singing the song with you for your audition today? That okay?"
I stare dumbfounded, mouth a gap while nodding my head. What else could I say except for "Of course."