"Wendy, don't forget anything". My best friend Charlotte, reminded me as I packed my bags.
I wasn't the type to get ready in advance, it was always last minute for me… Well, you can call me the queen of procrastination.
As I packed my bags, I could imagine what it would be like in the next few months. A place filled with professionals while I, a rookie who simply got lucky would have to sit amongst them.
"I can't believe you'd be working with Simone Bache". Charlotte said, probably thinking about this great opportunity I had been offered.
It was my simple book "Crashing" that got me the attention. I had written on the writing platform "E-Novel", a book I started as a simple hobby but soon gained recognition.
My first hundred reads had made me so ecstatic, you could imagine how I had felt when I gained a million, two million and now 15+ million reads. I never knew I could get so many offers coming to me but let's say, I got lucky.
When Vans Entertainment reached out to me, I almost went mad. They were bringing my book to the screens, I'd get to watch my characters on TV instead of just in my head.
Simone Bache, a famous actress known for making every movie blow up. It still surprises me till today that she accepted to star in the movie. My movie, my story!
"Char, I feel too happy and scared at the same time. This is way too huge than I'd ever imagined". I admitted. Sitting in my bed nervously, I stopped packing and took a minute to think.
"What if it doesn't go well Char?"
Charlotte came and held my hands in hers, a comforting smile on her face. "It would! I'm sure it would".
"What if it's a flop?" I asked yet again, worried.
Char shook her head. "I've read the book, millions of people have, and they love it. Don't you think they'd love the movie?"
"But what if it's better off just as a book?" I've never always been an optimist, the fear that things would go wrong eventually, is something I can't bring myself to ignore every time I try something new.
"I know you don't believe in things you haven't seen, and that you are always scared to take a new leap but Wendy, if it goes left you can always come back home". Char told me. "No one is going to judge you, and hey, you can always write a new book". She was smiling, her ever so contagious smile which always made me smile, and yet again it was working, I was smiling despite the doubts I had inside of me.
"Now, get up and let's get you to the airport ma'am". She bubbled, helping me lift my bag while I followed behind with my blue, four-wheeled box.
…
The journey was short, yet tiring. Traveling wasn't exactly my thing. The moment I got off the plane, my phone blared. I scrambled my bag in search of the phone and finally found it, motherfucker did hide well. Checking the caller's ID, I sighed!
"Yes mom". I said with an eye roll, she had no reason to call me, or rather, I wasn't interested in speaking with her.
"You left for California without a word, how dare you leave your mother out?" She yelled over the phone. If I wasn't careful, her yelling would deafen me one of these days.
"It's no business of yours, bye". I replied coldly and hung up.
Don't think of judging me yet, you don't know half the story but I'm sure if you heard it, you'd know she deserves worse. Letting my mom out of my head, I began struggling with my bags all the way to the lobby. I stood there waiting to see who was here for me.
Vans Entertainment had promised to send someone to pick me, as I looked at the names held out in cardboards, I finally found mine. Wendy Banks. A man who looked like he was in his early forties stood there in a shirt and pants, waving my name as he looked around hoping to find me.
I began rushing over to him, eager to get to my hotel and rest for the day. In my quest to reach him quickly, I bumped into another traveler which had me falling to the ground, my luggage sent flying all over.
"Watch where you are going, woman". His voice deep and harsh, his blue eyes fuming with anger. It was an honest mistake, couldn't he be nice about it?
"Sorry". I muttered, trying to put my things back together. I was tired already, I couldn't let some grumpy idiot ruin my day. He was so handsome, his hair rough though as though he's ran his hands through it a lot of times, he stood quite tall, not sure about the exacts but he was definitely 6ft or above. As handsome and attractive he was, his attitude made him repulsive to me, I love me a nice man. As I got my things together, I felt someone standing beside me, a smile on my face as I had thought he had come back to help.
"You could've just done that to begin…" I trailed off as I looked up to realize that it was the man from earlier who was waving my name.
"Miss. Banks?" He confirmed and I nodded. Immediately, he got down to help and soon, we were on our way outside the airport. Waiting for us was a black Lexus LX 570. The man got my luggage and kept it in the trunk while I got in the passenger's seat. He got in the driver's seat, surprised to see me in front.
"Ma'am, you should've sat in the back". He told me.
"I'm quite comfortable here, thanks". I replied to him. There wasn't another word throughout the ride, instead, I looked out the window, observing.
Finally, the car came to a halt in front of a huge building. I was glad to finally arrive at the hotel until I looked up and saw "Vans Entertainment".
"Why are we here? I thought you were taking me to the hotel". I asked him, confused and disappointed. I was too tired and just needed to rest already, why the fuck did he bring me here?
"The boss wants to see you". The man said. I guess he only spoke in short words, he got out of the car without leaving room for argument. With a frown on my face, I got out of the car as well only to find him already far gone, leaving me to run after him.
Rude much!
"Can't the boss see me tomorrow? I've had a really long day". I whined but he simply shook his head.
"The boss doesn't wait". Who was he? A god? I hate people who abuse their power, can't a girl get some rest? I quietly followed him into the elevator, he tapped 12 on the series of buttons while I just stood there, hoping the day ends soon.
Once the elevator door opened, he was on the move again, not caring if I was following or able to catch up. He stopped in front of a door, finally turning around to see me still dragging my feet behind.
"Here we are". He told me, holding the door open for me. A wave of anxiety hit me as it dawned on me that I was meeting the famous Williams Ivan Milton.