"Cut "the director screamed through the mega phone,"that's a wrap for today.Everyone pack up",The director clapped his hands signaling the end of today's shoot. Sighs of relief and groans were heard from the staff and actors alongside murmurings as everyone began packing up and the actors and actresses went back to remove their makeup and costume.
In the small room designated to C- list actors and actresses just like her,Avery sighed as she cracked her knuckles and stretched her waist. "Another useless day wasted doing nothing", she mused aloud to herself as she sat down in front of the mirror to let the make-up artist perform her magic ,which really wasn't magic,of removing the minimal make up she had applied earlier for the shoot.
" I won't say it's that bad,at least you are almost done with your role eh" her makeup artist replied as she did her work.
"Oh please don't give me that " Avery huffed "it was just one scene today and by next week I would even be through with the entire role ".
Avery threw her hands in despair ," I'm pretty sure the total screen time won't even add up to ten minutes in this two hour movie. That is what we C- list actors get just for not being famous or coming from wealthy families."
Tania,her make-up artist could do nothing else except sympathize with her . When she was through cleaning up the makeup and was satisfied with her work,she beamed a smile at Avery,which she did not return.
"Oh come on" Tania poked her on the shoulder " if you keep up that gloomy face about your cannon fodder roles. What about us your make-up artists ,that you people can't even display our works properly due to less screen time,we should just jump off a skyscraper" Tania remarked as she slumped into the chair beside Avery who winced at Tania's words," at least you get to be on the TV."
After a few moments of dwelling in stifling silence, Avery picked up her bag and turned to Tania."Whatever,let's go out and eat. I don't have the strength to cook up anything this night.What do you say eh?" Avery suggested as she packed the few things she came with to the set into her bag and zipped it before looking at Tania.
Tania got up from the chair," whatever you say ,but dinner's on you " Tania replied as she clasped Avery's shoulder.
" What? That's cheating,we split the bill" Avery countered as she removed her hands to sling her bag over her shoulder before turning the doorknob to usher them out .
As they stepped outside of their small cubicle, unlike the large and well furnished rooms given to A and B-list actors,C- list actors were at the bottom of the food chain with small rooms that could pass up as a cubicle and mediocre resources. They always had the cannon fodder roles or unimportant roles in movies and TV dramas . They didn't even take part in the reality shows contracted by their company,J-movies. That was how bad their lives were, and the higher ups either didn't know or they did and were doing nothing about it.
Avery inserted the key into the keyhole and locked it before tucking it away in her jeans pocket.
"But you brought it up,so you foot the bill" Tania shrugged. "That's so ,I don't know, unreasonable." Avery fumbled over words to describe Tania's reasons.
"How so?" Tania rose a brow at her
"Your reasons why I should foot the bill" Avery spat out,"practically makes no sense at all" Avery replied as she threw her hands in the air dramatically.
"Nothing in our lives makes sense at all,so if it's practically senseless then it's impractically sensible"Tania winked.
Avery gaped at her, closing and opening her mouth like a fish out of water , trying to find a perfect retort to her reply. She found nothing and started chasing Tania down the hallways,the stairs and finally the large glass doors at the entrance.
" Hey, be careful " the receptionist called out to them,and just as soon as the warning came ,they collided with the staff bringing in the chairs causing them to fall.
" Well I warned them" the receptionist shrugged as she stepped out to the restroom leaving stings of painful groans in her wake.
"Hey, can't you watch where you're going ,are you blind?" one of the staff members gritted out angrily as he stood up and patted non-existent dust off his clothes .
"Oops ,sorry" Tania apologized as she helped them stand up,while Avery picked up the chairs and handed them back to them.
" We didn't mean to …"
"Oh look what we have here",A voice interrupted Avery from behind. Avery gritted her teeth,' oh no, not today ' she said to herself.
Everyone turned to see the new arrivals,it was an A- list actress , Clio by name and two B-list actresses,Sonia and Emily,one could call them her minions,always following her around.
Clio was the female lead of the current romance movie they were starring in called 'Flowers'. Clio and her minions were in the top list of actors making C-list actors' lives unbearable on the set to say the least , especially Avery,why ? no one knows.
Clio comes from a wealthy family,that base in making jewelry passed down from generations. But being the second daughter of the present third generation,she decided to branch out into acting leaving the business for her elder sister and brother. And using her family's connections and other illegal means ,Clio climbed her way up to the current position,not like she was good at acting anyway.
The staff knew better than to mess with her ,so they sidestepped them and went on their merry way.
Avery and Tania turned to continue on their way out of the building, praying against all odds that Clio will leave them alone tonight but it seemed like the universe wasn't keen on answering Tania's prayers.
"Hold on ,just where do you think you are going to ?" Sonia called out to them.
Avery, whose hand was already on the door handle,stopped in tracks and turned to face them." And who are you that we should report our every move to,huh?" Avery questioned back.
" The nerve of you …" Emily attempted to cross the distance in a selfless act to vent the grievance of their leader ,but Clio held up her hand signaling her to stop.
She smiled at Avery,she was beautiful no doubt but to Avery it looked like a snake looking at her , brandishing its fangs waiting for an opportunity to strike at its victim.
She shuddered in response,"Avery dear ", Clio started in a sickening voice which to others may sound pleasant to the ears but for Avery it was a different story,as she pranced over to her." just do one thing ,we have been asking you to do for us and voilà ,problem solved. What do you say ?" Clio said as she placed one of her perfectly manicured fingers on Avery's shoulder ,which she shrugged off.
Clio pretended like she didn't see that as she withdrew her hands , examining it carefully.
"And what might that be,if I may ask ?" Avery replied in disdain matching her tone ,as she folded her hands ,half expecting it to be what she thought it might be.
"I don't know, something like pack your bags and leave this company" Clio laughed,"you will never amount to anything here ,why waste your time?,you see ,Avery dear ,as long as I am here" she paused, looking into her eyes ,every trace of smile disappearing from her face " Read my lips,I will never let you show your potential to its fullest ,so just go " she said her voice dropping to barely a whisper that only Avery could hear.
Avery unfolded her hands,clenched and unclenched her fists trying to cool down the anger simmering beneath. Clio looked pleased with Avery's struggles as she leaned back to her full height which wasn't even much.
" Well,it's because you are scared that people like us, who have true potential will one day usurp you.You are scared because you know you have poor acting skills and it's only the money which you invested that speaks for you."
Avery said pointing a finger at her," can you imagine, Tania" Tania who was forgotten in the background,jerked at the mention of her name "yes?"
" It's because of her ,we spent an entire day on one scene ,just one scene. Because of her clumsy skills…"
"Oh ,shut up " Clio shouted ,her face turning a deep shade of red.
" Got a taste of your own medicine?" Avery smiled sweetly at her.
"You're itching for a fight" Clio fumed.
" Na-ah , you're the one itching for that fight" Avery replied pulling her sleeves up.
" Uhm,Avery " Tania tugged at her shirt.
" What , can't you see I'm in the middle of something" Avery who wasn't going to go down without a fight asked .
" The manager is coming," Tania said.
They all stopped in their tracks and looked up ,the manager ,a stout man with a beer belly,was descending the stairs ,his face contorted as he was caught up in a heated discussion on a call.
" Good evening sir" they chorused,he waved them not heeding them as he took the elevator upwards.
When he was out of sight,Clio rolled her eyes " you're lucky today" she said as she and her minions sauntered out pushing Avery and Tania out of the way.
"Hey.." Tania held Avery back,"do you want to get fired ?" She whisper-yelled at her.
" That bitch is the lucky one, I would have destroyed her pretty face" Avery huffed as Tania smacked her own forehead.
When they saw Clio pull out her car from the driveway and zoom off ,they walked out into the chilly night of Los Angeles.
It was barely 8pm but nightlife had already begun in clubs ,bars and even restaurants were not left out.What can one say it was los Angeles after all,night time is when things get steamy.
"Where should we go,ei?" Tania spoke up after they had walked a few minutes away from the magnificent building,they called a company. It was very beautiful with a towering height,it could pass for a skyscraper except it wasn't one. It had a total of twenty floors , an underground parking lot for the manager ,directors and contracted directors, celebrities as well as the actors and actresses. Though,most times people decide to just park in the front parking lot,well since they had tight security befitting of a company of their status,so paparazzi and fans couldn't just waltz in, and the building was well off away from the bustling life of the city ,an underlying serendipity.
Avery flagged down a taxi, one had to use a taxi to leave that region since it was not close in the middle of the city. It was barely a fifteen minute ride from the company to the city center. They entered the car , "13B avenue Street" , Avery told him. "Sure ma'am", the driver said and he revved the engine back to life as they zoomed off.
"Yaaay",Tania squealed as she couldn't contain her excitement.
"What?", Avery asked feigning ignorance as to the reason behind Tania's excited outburst.
"We are going to the Chinese restaurant on your street. Oh that old Chinese couple make the best Chinese dishes, I can already taste the Chinese hot pot" Tania said with a drooling expression on her face.
"Yeesh ,please cut it off,before you have your drool dripping all over me" that wiped away Tania's expression from her face , morphing it into a playful angry one.
"Who are you calling a dog?"Tania asked, rolling her invisible sleeves.
"Ermmm ,I don't know, the dog probably knows itself" ,Avery replied, matching her playful banter, the ride continued harmoniously,their voices growing distant as they neared the busy city center.