"Phew. Ok, Grace. You got this." I was standing in front of my small, steel-trimmed mirror in my equally small, somewhat run-down apartment. I tucked a stray blonde strand of hair behind my ear, then thought better of it and stuck it to my scalp with a copper bobby pin. "No pressure, right? It's only the first job interview for your dream job that you've wanted since you were like twelve. It's not like you've been working for it ever since or anything. Not at all! You definitely have a backup plan if things go south…"
I trailed off, shaking my head at the internal dialogue. "Nope. Not helping. This was supposed to be a pep talk!" I twisted in front of the mirror, trying to decide if my white and black striped V-neck was the right choice. I had a fancy ruched yellow crop I could wear, but I didn't want to look too casual on my first day. Plus yellow wasn't really my color anymore. But was my current fit too casual? The tee (hiding a fancy camera pocket of my own making) coupled with a silver necklace, tight ripped jeans made of light blue denim, and my red Converse once I was ready to leave… any other day it would've boosted my confidence to the max. But today was different. Everything was riding on today.
So, I'd taken some money out of my already almost nonexistent entertainment budget and gotten my hair blown out before spending a solid half an hour trying to get my makeup right. I finally settled on a light pink tone with a hint of glitter for eyeshadow. Then light lip gloss, foundation, blush, mascara, and a quick polish of my glasses, and I was technically ready to go. Technically. My hair was up in a fancy twisting low bun that I'd taught myself how to do off the internet, but… with a dramatic strangled sigh, I tore the bobby pins and and the single hair tie holding the contraption in place out, put my hair up in a simple ponytail with a few front strands hanging down, slammed a black hat over my head, and stepped back to critique my work. There. That looked more like me.
"Ok, I look good. That's not prideful, is it? And since when do I talk out loud this much?" I knew the answer to that- since I started out on my own. Most kids, including my friends, would want to start out close to their parents, or at least in the same state. But no. I'd moved across the flipping country. My parents hadn't been too happy at the announcement- I smiled, remembering the shocked looks their faces had taken when I'd told them I would be in California within the month. "What, you didn't think I was going to follow through?" I'd quipped. "Believe it or not, you both taught me to follow my dreams, and I've wanted this for years. I got the interview this morning and I have to be there for it by two weeks from tomorrow. That gives me time to settle in and look around LAU and get acquainted before classes in the fall, all that, before I actually try to get that job."
Their faces hadn't changed, instead going from surprised to shocked. Mom had looked like she was about to pass out, and Dad had helped her to their old green couch before plopping next to her. I winced in memory at my mistake.
Of all things to forget- olvido- my brain went- (I was taking Spanish for an easy minor and I couldn't ever fully get out of it. Seriously, my brain language was Spanglish. Ugh.)- I'd forgotten to tell them that LAU was one of the colleges I'd applied to. It was supposed to be a surprise. And I'd been accepted that day. Everything fell into place so perfectly I was convinced this was my destiny. I'd known the odds, and been reminded countless times that nothing short of a miracle would've gotten me here, yet here I was. Of course, my parents had taken a little more convincing than me, but they'd come around in time to see me off. So I'd tearfully (but excitedly) hugged my parents, family (my friends and I made our own family to each other, stronger than blood, and they'd all come to see me off), and grandparents, who'd flown all the way from South Carolina and Georgia to see me off. Then I'd jumped into my sleek blue Tacoma (yes, I owned a truck and was proud of it) and driven off from that little Maryland neighborhood without a glance.
Ok, maybe one.
I definitely hadn't considered turning around right there and diving into their arms.
Or sat at the edge of our little wooded neighborhood where it met the main highway bawling my eyes out and begging God to help me.
Definitely not.
But I'd pulled myself together, renewed my resolve, stopped to by some ice cream at our favorite family ice cream shop (that hadn't helped those stupid waterworks), and headed for Santa Clarita.
"Agh! I'm gonna make myself cry already? This is not time for feels!" I yelped, forcibly jerking myself out of the bittersweet memories. My mind had taken that road all too often- my first time on the huge, sprawling campus (probably seemed even bigger to me because I'd never been in a school with more than three hundred kids in it before), the first time stepping into my small studio apartment on the fifth floor of the Canyon Crest Appts, every night before I went to bed… I was sick of it, but at the same time I didn't ever want to forget the feeling.
In short, this was the biggest thing I'd ever done. And it had the most consequences if it went south. I glanced at my watch. "Shi-shoot!" I shouted. It was harder to watch your tongue when no one was around to correct or punish you. "Ugh! It's time to go!" I could still be at Spellbound- my heart jumped at the very name of the studio my hopes and dreams rested on- a few minutes early, but only if I rushed. So, I grabbed my go list I'd made last night- wouldn't do to forget something as simple as a pad of paper or my phone- and prepared to leave. I couldn't resist glancing at myself one more time, however. I was older. Stronger. More confident than I'd been when I'd first decided this was my purpose. But still scared out of my flipping mind.
"Focus forward. And God?" I spoke clearly, letting my gaze drift toward the ceiling as I slipped back into the constant conversation with my best guide- "Please, you know how bad I want this. But if I'm not ready, or if this isn't Your will after all-" my voice choked on the words but I swallowed thickly, forcing myself to continue- "Your will be done, even if it's not what I want." I sighed, caught between a clenching stomach at the thought of not getting this opportunity and the peace that came with letting the guy who knew everything take over. "You got this. Let's go." And without another glance, I whisked out the door.
—-
30 minutes later…
I was here. Dios mio. I was stuck, idling at the turn to head into the lot I'd only ever seen through a screen. As soon as I made this turn, I'd see the compound I'd dreamed of, literally seen in my dreams, for years. Orange, Red, and Blue bases, as well as the new, currently unfurnished Purple Base and some units that belonged to other companies. Gosh, what if I went in the wrong door? I firmly shoved the frightening thought away, picturing the glass-black push door I was meant to go in. I was supposed to meet Matt in Red Base for some reason- I'm meeting Matt! Internally I immediately scolded myself. No fangirling once you're inside. They're just people trying to make a living doing what they love, and you're that too. You'll fit right in as long as you act natural. Out loud, I continued: "Act confident even if you're not. Fake it til you make it. Never forget your passion or faith, and always keep a level head." That had been my mantra for years. "You have every right to be here!" I continued, staring back at my own blue-green eyes in the rear view mirror. "Whatever happens is what was meant to happen, but I'm going to get this job." ¿Verdad? Silencing my inner anxiety, I took a deep breath, checked my appearance in the mirror one last time, and-
Beeeeep! A low pitched horn sounded straight behind me and I jumped, barely avoiding whacking my head on the light silver roof of my strangely tiny cab. I glared out the passenger's side window as a large gray truck on ridiculously large suspensions swung around and pulled parallel with me. "What was that for?" I barely restrained myself for yelling. The tinted driver's side window rolled down and I recognized the person inside just before I recognized the truck.
Crud. I just yelled at Connor.
I couldn't help but stare for a moment. It was surreal- it had always been hard to picture studio workers as real since I always saw them on screen, but Connor was sitting right next to me in the truck I'd heard countless stories about.
And he looked mad.
"You're in the way, sweetheart, in case you didn't notice. I'm already late for work!" He snapped. I bristled automatically in defense, but forced myself to put on a passive, calm facade. "Sorry. I'm Grace, nice to meet you." I almost stuck out a hand but stopped. How stupid would that look, trying to get a handshake between vehicles across like five seats. Come on! I tried to stem the flow of thoughts again, but they kept coming. What if he was the guy who was supposed to "check me out" before the actual interview? What if there's a test or something? What if that was the test? I clamped firmly down on the flow of nervous, jumbled ideas just in time to hear Connor reply. "I'm Connor. Connor Melville." I couldn't resist a surprised chuckle and he reddened, the coloration barely visible under the shaded hood.
"What?"
"Oh, nothing!" I yelped, slamming a passive face back over my features with an internal wince. Muy bien, Grace, first meeting and you've already managed to insult one of the staff! What's next? "I just… didn't know that was your last name." His face hardened even more and I realized my mistake. "I'm not a fan, promise! I mean, I am, but I'm here for a job interview." Connor's features softened, jaw unclenching from beneath his yellow beard. "Oh, you're that girlie. Well, good luck. Matt's turned down a bunch of people this month already."
I snorted, ignoring the twist of fear in my stomach. Shoot. "At least that means he still needs someone. Imagine driving all the way from Maryland just to find that the job was already taken!" I hadn't even thought of that, actually. Thanks, God.
"You came here all the way from Maryland?" I nodded, smiling at Connor's surprised tone. "What is that, 17 hours?"
"36, actually. And I rushed it. Drove the whole thing in two days." Connor's blue eyes widened even more, if that was possible, and I noted with a hint of pride the slight admiration in his tone: "Wow. Impressive." I smiled a tad smugly, over the moon at my first compliment from a real Spellbound employee. "What can I say? I'm committed. This has been my dream for longer than I can remember." Connor smirked. "Well, good luck. You're… different. You might actually make it here." I snorted, deadpanning: "Thanks for the vote of confidence."
With that, I took my foot off the brake and carefully drove in, trying not to imagine any horrid scene involving Connor watching me crash into a curb or something. "Hey!" Connor yelled just before he was out of earshot. "Nice truck!" I smiled.
Maybe I had a chance after all.
Suddenly riding a confident, albeit shaky, high, I pulled into one of the closer parking spaces in the back of Orange. "That went… better than I expected."
I'd put together a mental map rewatching 863 videos and wanted to put it to the test. That's why I'd parked there instead of in front of Red like a normal person. I grabbed my purse and straightened my clear glasses one last time, muttering "You got this." Then, with a rather dramatic air of finality, I slammed the door to my truck and headed around the white concrete building.
A/N: Ok, first story involving myself as one of the characters! I wrote this on Spellbound+ and then finished it and sent it in to my dad as an argument for why I should be allowed to pursue film and writing, since I can show emotion and passion and abstract things much better in writing than I can speaking. Either way, this is one of the fics I'm most proud of, although it's admittedly VERY rose-tinted. I realize that, K? Haha.
Also, given that I'm 15, I don't REALLY know what it's like to move out, but I do know how I imagined it and that's what you're getting, so sorry if it's totally inaccurate.
Last thing: there WAS a slightly romantic part to this set before I left home, since I HOPE I have a boyfriend by then (with my luck won't happen :/) but I deleted it so Dad wouldn't see and then lost it... sorry.
Peace and God Bless! :)
