With her graduation just slightly over six weeks away, Jade makes the major decision that it's time for her to start looking for jobs within the industry, so she can support herself once she finishes school. However, she's still faced with the all-important question: Does she want to write, or does she want to act?
"I don't see why you can't do both." Beck says to her one afternoon as they walk hand-in-hand through Washington Square Park "There are plenty of people in the business who do."
She's finished with her classes for the day, and he had a bit of time he needed to kill before he has to be at the studio for a night shoot. Both of them agreed that it was too early to go for dinner, and they had both already eaten lunch, so the couple decided on a short walk through the park. With the weather steadily growing warmer again with the spring season, it feels nice to not have to be cooped up like they had been all winter.
"I feel like I'm setting myself up for failure if I try to do both right away." Jade admits "I mean...I know people do both. But those are people who are established and have connections. I'm just a nobody right now."
"You're not a nobody."
"As far as directors and other writers are, I am." She sighs "Sure, the world knows me as your girlfriend, but-"
"S'not what I meant." Beck cuts her off "You've been in things, you have a resume."
"Those were all college productions..." Jade shakes her head "They don't-"
"One of which you wrote, directed, and starred in." Beck reminds her "That's huge, Jade."
He wishes that his girlfriend would have a bit more confidence in herself. She's incredibly talented, but it seems as if she's the only person who can't see that. Beck knows he can't be mad at her though, he had been the same way when he first started out; constantly worried about whether or not he was good enough or if he could actually make it. Things will be different for Jade though, he already knows it.
"A college production, Beck."
"Alright, so maybe you're not as established as you would like to be in order to be doing both things right now." Beck decides to pivot and take a different approach to the conversation "You can always write in your free time. Start looking for acting jobs, something that will pay the bills. Then you can work on writing when you have the time or when the inspiration strikes you."
"S'not a horrible idea..." Jade sighs
"Not all of my ideas are horrible." Beck chuckles
"I never said that they were." Jade smirks "Wow, okay then. I'm going to start looking for jobs and trying to audition. I...I'm going to be an actress."
It's a scary thing to admit out loud, but also an exciting thing. This is it, this will be the start of her professional acting career. Whatever part she ends up booking will be the first credit listed on what will hopefully be a very long 'career' section on her wikipedia page one day.
"I can help." Beck offers "Seriously, Jade. Please, I can get my agent to-"
"No." It's her turn to cut him off now "No, we've talked about this Beck. I'm serious."
It's a fight they've been having on and off for a few months now. Well, maybe fight is the wrong word, but they're definitely disagreeing and have been for a while. Beck wants to use his connections to help find Jade the right auditions with the right people. Jade doesn't want him to do that, obviously. She wants to book her own jobs based on her own talent and her own merit, not because her boyfriend had used his connections to help her.
"What about a guest spot on the show?" He suggests "Not even a guest spot, some background work maybe? So you can get an iMDb credit at least? Jade, I-"
"No, Beck." Jade tells him again "I don't want to keep having this same argument with you over and over again."
"So let me help you then!" Beck insists "Then we won't have to argue about it!"
"Put yourself in my shoes." She sighs "Think back to when you were first starting out. Would you have wanted to be booking roles because you had the right connections? Or because you genuinely deserved them?"
Her stance since the first time he brought it up to her has remained the same: she wants to get jobs and book roles because someone thinks she deserves them, not just because she's Beck Oliver's girlfriend and his name means more than her's does.
"Of course because I actually deserved them..." Beck tells her as he stops walking "But if I had someone to help me get people to realize that I deserved them over other people, well...I think I would have taken advantage of that."
"I don't want to take advantage of you or your name, Beck."
"S'not what I meant..." He sighs, running a hand through his hair "I just...you're crazy talented, okay? Probably more talented than I am, and I'm not afraid to admit that. I want other people so see what I see in you. I just don't want you to get lost in the crowd of other people who are-"
"I might get lost in the crowd at first, and that's okay." Jade insists "I'm going to work for my career and pay my dues just like everyone else has had to. If I really work for it, then I'll feel like I really deserve it. You can respect that, can't you?"
"Yeah..." Beck agrees, finally starting to see her point "Yeah, I can."
"Promise me you'll stay out of this at let me do it on my own?" Jade begs him "At least the first time? Down the road when we're hopefully both of the same status, then I won't care. But for now...I want to do this myself."
"I promise to stay out of it." Beck promises her, leaning down to kiss her "But I can't promise I'm not going to brag when you inevitably book something great and I'm super fucking proud of you."
"Alright, fine." Jade smiles "I'll allow it."
"Good, because I was going to brag about you regardless."
Auditioning is a very long and exhausting process, Jade decides. At least in high school and college when she auditioned for parts, there was a set timeline. The production had a set date and rehearsals needed to begin by a certain time, so the auditions had a quick turn around time. In the real world, auditioning isn't like that. Deadlines are flexible and the pool of other actresses going for the same part is much larger. Jade hadn't expected to have to wait to hear back as long as she has had to. She also didn't expect to book the first part she auditioned for, or even the second...but she did have hope for maybe the third or fourth. Nothing pans out for her and while that's a bit upsetting, she doesn't dare complain to Beck or even slightly allude to anything being wrong. She knows that he'll try to step in and help her and while she knows he would only do so because he loves her, she's bound and determined to do this on her own.
"I don't want to live in couple's housing..." Cat sighs "I think we should get an apartment and start our lives together."
The 'what comes next?' conversation has been had a lot lately between Cat and Jade. They'll graduate soon, very soon, and both of them are trying to figure out what to do with their lives. Cat, like Jade, is looking for jobs while her fiancé, Robbie, is preparing to start on his master's degree during the fall semester. Cat wants to move to an apartment somewhere nearby, but Robbie wants to live in the graduate housing that is offered for couples.
And Jade? She hasn't thought that far ahead yet. She's still working on a job.
"Isn't it technically cheaper for you guys to live in the couple's housing because of his scholarship?" Jade asks her "Wouldn't it cover the cost and then some?"
"I don't know what the technicalities are of all of that..." Cat sighs "I just want to live somewhere that isn't a college campus for once, you know?"
"It hasn't been that bad." Jade shrugs "Has it?"
"No, it hasn't...but I'd like to move on."
Jade's phone starts buzzing on her lap, and the caller ID reveals an actual phone number instead of a name...meaning that the person calling her isn't in her contacts.
"This could be it!" She exclaims as she stands up from the couch, not even caring that her textbook had fallen to the floor and she had lost her place in the process "This could be them!"
"Good luck!" Cat calls after her as Jade runs to her bedroom to take the call "I'm rooting for you!"
"Hello?" Jade answers her phone as she closes the door behind her
"Hi, is this Jade West?"
"It is."
"Hi Jade, this is Nancy Eichner." The woman on the other end of the phone reminds her "We met at your audition last week?"
"Yes, of course." Jade responds "I remember."
"Great." Nancy says "Well, I'm just calling to let you know that we thought you were spectacular in your audition, and we'd love to offer you the part of Emily if you're still interested."
"Yes, I'm definitely interested." Jade answers quickly "So...I got the part?"
"You got the part, darling." Nancy chuckles "I'm glad you accepted. We'll be getting in touch with you shortly about rehearsal details."
"Thank you so much!" Jade tells her
As soon as the call ends Jade rips open her bedroom door and rushes back into the living room, where Cat is anxiously waiting with a hopeful look on her face.
"Well?"
"I got the part!" Jade exclaims
"You got the part!" Cat cheers
The two girls squeal and hug, jumping up and down around the living room in celebration.
"You've gotta tell Beck!" Cat insists "And your dad! They're going to be so proud of you!"
"I'm going to call my dad right now." Jade assures her "I'm going over to Beck's tonight, so I'll tell him in person. He texted this morning and told me he had something to tell me too."
"Maybe he's pregnant." Cat jokes
"Now wouldn't that be something?"
When she calls him, John is absolutely over the moon for his daughter. Not only is he proud of her for booking her first professional role, he's relieved that she's lined up employment for herself before graduation and won't be left fumbling without any sort of plan. He offers to take her out to dinner to celebrate, but she informs him that she already has plans to see Beck. He understands and they make plans for the next night instead.
For the rest of the day, the anticipation of sharing her big news with her boyfriend is eating Jade alive. She's excited herself, but she knows he'll be excited too. Part of her is also just the slightest bit proud that she had gotten the part without his help, and she can't wait to tell him so. When Beck finally texts to let her know that he's on his way home from set, Jade rushes out the door to meet him at his apartment.
"That was fast..." Beck is surprised when she walks through the door "I've only been back here for like, five minutes."
"You said you had important news to share with me, right?" Jade reminds him as she drops her purse on the counter "I was anxious to hear what it is."
"Ah..." Beck chuckles as he walks over and wraps his arms around her waist "Can I at least get a hello first?"
"Hello." Jade greets him with a kiss "How was your day?"
"Great." He tells her "How was your's?"
"Pretty awesome." Jade can't help but smile "But we can talk about that in a minute. What's your news?"
"The show was renewed." Beck tells her "For seasons two and three."
"Beck!" Jade gasps, taking his face in her hands before kissing him again "Congratulations! That's fantastic!"
"I know." Beck grins "We were all really excited when they told us this morning. Now I just need to stay on my best behavior so they can't find any reasons to kill me off or write me out."
"I think you'll manage just fine." Jade assures him "The viewers love you."
"You never know..." Beck laughs "Now tell me, what made your day so awesome?"
"Well..." Jade says coyly as she takes both of Beck's hands in her's "I heard back from the people at 'Our Town' today...and they offered me the part of Emily."
"And?"
"And I accepted it, of course."
"Jade!" Beck exclaims "Holy shit!"
He wraps his arms around her waist and picks her up, spinning her in circles as they both grin with excitement.
'Our Town' is a play, or a revival of a play technically, about the fictional American small town of Grover's Corners between 1901 and 1913 told through the everyday lives of its citizens. Jade will be playing the main female character, Emily. Right now the producers only expect it to run through the end of the summer, but Jade doesn't mind. It's a legitimate acting credit that will help her start her career and get her foot in the door elsewhere when the time comes.
"I'm so proud of you..." Beck tells her as he sets her down on the floor again "I knew you could do it."
"Thanks, babe." Jade smiles a bit "This is the part where I remind you that I did this without your help or any of your 'connections'."
"That's true." Beck nods "You sure did, and that makes me even more proud. You deserve this, babe. Y'now what?"
"What?"
He looks at her with a smirk, then turns over his shoulder and moves quickly towards the sliding glass doors that lead out to his terrance. With one swift motion he rips the door open and jumps outside, moving quickly to the edge.
"ATTENTION, NEW YORK CITY!" Beck yells as loud as he possibly can "MY GIRLFRIEND JUST BOOKED HER FIRST PROFESSIONAL ACTING GIG, AND SHE'S GOING TO BLOW YOU ALL AWAY! BUY TICKETS TO-"
"Shut up!" Jade laughs, grabbing Beck's hand and pulling him back inside "You're going to get the cops called on yourself."
"I'm just so proud of you." He tells her as he slides the door closed behind him again "You've worked so hard, and I can't wait for the rest of the world to finally see how talented you are."
"Maybe not the rest of the world quite yet..." Jade chuckles "Just anyone who sees the play between June and August."
"S'a start." Beck leans down to kiss her "Baby steps."
"Looks like we both have a reason to celebrate tonight, huh..." Jade points out, resting her hands on Beck's shoulders, then slowly moving them down to rub his arms gently
"Looks like we do..." Beck smirks, biting his lip as he does so "I don't really feel like going out though."
"No..." Jade shakes her head, taking a few steps backwards as she takes Beck's hand and pulls him along with her towards his bedroom "No, I think we should stay in."
"I like where this is headed." He admits with a laugh "Are you staying over tonight?"
"Oh, I'm definitely staying over tonight." She tells him "Now are you going to make me walk the rest of the way, or are you going to come and- oh!"
She doesn't need to finish her question, because Beck has already scooped her up in his arms and is carrying her to bed. They were both right when they said that they have a lot to celebrate, and there's a long night of celebrating in front of them.