The Truth About Hollywood

"Now, you're sure about this?" Dad questioned the next morning as we drove to the hospital. I was going to pop in, just to say goodbye to Mom, and then Danny was going to pick me up and bring me to the airport. At ten, our plane was going to leave for LA.

I really hoped that I wasn't making the wrong decision.

"Yeah," I replied airily. "Well, I guess it's Mom who made the decision for me, but I'm going to listen to her. She has a point."

"I just think that you should stay here." His voice was choked, and it hit me that there was something he didn't want to tell me. But I didn't ask because, frankly, I didn't want to know.

"I wish I could, too. But you know Mom, and she'll definitely give me crap if I don't go."

He let out a breath, knowing I was right. "Okay."

When we pulled into the hospital, I rushed inside. I knew now that paparazzi were lurking everywhere, and I had to be careful. Especially since I was dressed in sweats, wasn't wearing a speck of makeup, and had my hair pulled back in a messy bun. Sorry that I didn't want to dress up in order to see my mom and then go on a plane. Can you say uncomfortable?

Dad and I got to Mom's room to find her watching the TV. It looked like a show profiling women who perform horrific crimes was playing, and Mom looked intrigued.

"God," she said in a raspy voice, shaking her head from side to side, "it's horrible what some people can let themselves do, isn't it?"

"Yeah, definitely," I agreed, smiling at her. She looked so horrible. I just hoped that later in life, I'd be able to remember how my mom was before she got cancer. "I got you hooked on those shows, didn't I?"

"You sure did," she replied, rolling her eyes. "This, Degrassi, and Glee. You're making me act like a teenager again."

"No, that's not necessarily true. I'm pretty sure these shows are for adults, so..." I shrugged. I pulled a chair closer to the bed and sat next to her as they talked about a beautiful blonde teacher that was sexually inappropriate with one of her fourteen-year-old students and was let go with no jail time.

"Despicable," Mom expressed. "Absolutely disgusting. That woman deserved to be locked up."

"I agree." I glanced over to find Dad sitting in the side of the room, seeming to watch the TV. Though, with my knowledge of him, I knew that he wasn't the least bit interested. He was a guy who liked shows that challenged the mind, like Lost.

Mom and I talked for a little while about the show and about my behavior while I was gone. "Are you sure you want me to go?" I questioned one last time. "I can still text Danny and cancel."

"No, absolutely not. You're going, and I'm going to watch you right there, on that TV." She grinned at me, but it didn't reach her eyes. She was definitely in pain.

"Alright," I sighed. "You win, as always."

My phone went off, and I pulled it out of my sweatshirt pocket to see that it was Danny. im here sorry 4 bein late

"Sorry, but I have to go," I expressed, feeling a pang in my stomach. Leaning down, I gave Mom a hug and a kiss, telling her that I loved her more than she would ever know.

Dad walked me out to the front of the hospital, but his mind was elsewhere. "I'll miss you, sweetheart."

"Love you, Daddy," I told him. I hadn't called him that since I was eleven, but it seemed fitting. After kissing him on his stubbly cheek, I was out the door.

I slapped on Danny's window and pointed toward the trunk so that he'd pop it. My suitcases were piled in the back, and then I got into the passenger's seat.

"How's your mom?" he asked, pulling away from the curb as he watched for cars.

"Not too great," I answered grimly. "I'm worried about going, but she insisted that I do. She just wants me to have fun and make sure that I don't destroy my career before it even starts."

Danny nodded, but he didn't really know how to respond. We pulled into the airport and went through security. It was tedious, but it was necessary, I guessed.

We were getting to the homestretch when we got behind an insanely elderly woman arguing with one of the workers. "You can't tell me that I can't have my juice. I JUST WANT MY JUICE!"

"Ma'am," the man reasoned softly. Even though he was trying to be calm, I could tell that he was getting frustrated. Only God knew how long he'd been arguing with this woman. "I'm not saying that you can't have your juice. I'm saying that you'll have to get rid of some of it, and the rest can go in this bag." He held it up to emphasize.

"I JUST WANT MY JUICE!" she screamed.

"Oh my lord," I muttered, rubbing circles on my temples. This was not happening. It couldn't possibly.

"C'mon," Danny whispered in my ear before pulling me over to the next gate. There were five people before us, but it was way better than being stuck behind the woman arguing about juice. Honestly...IT WAS JUICE! If it was so freakin' important, than she could have bought more on the plane. Simple as that.

Soon enough, we were sitting on the plane next to each other. A kind looking stewardess asked us if we wanted anything before we took off, but we both shook our heads and said no, thank you.

"So, you excited for the premiere?" Danny asked me softly. We didn't want to disturb the people around us trying to get settled in. A few rows back, there was a screaming baby. Oh, the joys of an airplane.

"Kind of. I'm more worried about my mom though."

"She'll be fine. Trust me." My grandfather, a long time ago, had told me never to trust someone when they add 'trust me' to the end of their statement. I didn't know how much truth there was in that, but it still settled strangely with me.

A few minutes into the plane ride, I fell asleep. I actually didn't even realize it until Danny was shaking my shoulder, telling me in a sweet voice that we had landed and it was time to get off.

Lifting my head off his shoulder, I was kind of incoherent as I grabbed my carry-on bag. Danny seemed to notice this and grabbed my hand to make sure that I didn't fall on my face. Somehow, I knew that the paparazzi were going to get shots of that and take it the wrong way, but I didn't care.

It just didn't even matter anymore.

Out front, there was a limo waiting for us. We climbed inside and chatted lightly with the driver named Fergus until we got dropped off at the hotel. Then, we had to check in.

Waiting in our rooms were Terri and Ricardo to do our hair, makeup, and wardrobe for the awards show. This was because none of us had our own stylists yet. Frankly, I didn't want one, but I knew that I was going to have to get one later.

Terri did my hair so that it was curled and hanging down my back. The dress I was handed was elegant, turquoise and one-shouldered, and it brought out my eyes.

Ricardo kept my makeup pretty neutral to play up the fact that I was young and, also, to make sure that it didn't take away from the dress.

The end result was awesome. I barely recognized myself. The person looking back at me in the mirror was actually pretty.

"Wow," Danny let out in a breath when he saw me.

I could have said the same thing about him. He looked absolutely gorgeous in his suit, and I knew that everyone that saw the pictures from tonight would fall in love with him.

"Hello, America's new heartthrob," I joked, winking at him. We walked out to the limo together, and Stella was already in there.

"God! Could you guys take any longer? We're going to be late. Ugh, Claire, what the hell were you thinking? Your dress makes me want to puke on it, and your hair is so last season." Her tone changed as she turned to Danny. "But you look great, Danny."

He gave her a disgusted look. "So where are Annabelle, James, and John?"

"I don't know where Annabelle is," she said, pulling out a mirror as she applied yet another layer of lip gloss. "And James and John aren't coming. They said that they're 'not the premiere type'."

"Oh," he replied. In the silence, I looked at what Stella was wearing.

Her dress was extremely short, strapless, and blood-red. Her heels were about three, maybe four inches. She looked like, in a word, a hooker.

"I can't believe you made fun of my outfit when you're dressed like that," I scoffed. "I think you're in the wrong place, Stella. The street corner's out there."

Her pink, sparkly mouth formed an 'o'. "I cannot believe you just said that to me."

"Well, start believing it," I replied smugly before looking out the window. Seconds later, Annabelle practically threw herself into the limo, taking the seat next to me.

"Sorry I'm late! The dress I was originally going to wear looked funny on me."

"We so don't need the details," Stella waved off. She drove me absolutely crazy. "Hello? Driver? You can move this damn car now."

"Will you be nice for once in your life?!" I criticized.

"Totally not my thing," she informed me. Like I needed to be told that info. It was pretty obvious.

When we arrived at the premiere and stepped out of the limo, there were bulbs flashing from all directions. We just paid attention to walking up the carpet and getting to the front, where we had to pose for pictures and possibly do a couple interviews.

I only got asked a couple questions that needed second-long answers. Stella was the publicity hog who took most of the questions of the show, even though everyone knew she was pretty much the B storyline. Whatever.

When I got to the front, I posed for a few shots, some alone, most with Danny. Then, it was time for us to go into the movie.

The theater darkened as the movie started with the beautiful Christina Aguilera practicing her dances at the restaurant where she worked.

About halfway through the movie, during the scene where Cam Gigandet was trying to make Christina Aguilera uncomfortable by continuing to step out of his room, each time with one less article of clothing, my phone buzzed. I knew that it was a call, not a text, because the only person that texted me, really, was Danny.

Apologizing profusely, I made my way down the seats and hurried to the lobby to answer the call. My stomach tightened as my phone told me who was calling.

"Hello?" I answered in a hushed tone. Even though I was no longer in the movie, I still felt like I was interrupting something.

When the only answer I got was the sound of my father sobbing, I knew what had happened. I immediately sank to the floor and started to bawl, right there in front of everyone.

And I didn't give a damn.