Who Would've Known?

When Ross came back from the bathroom, we left to go to the audition.

"Crap." I said once I got comfortable in the passenger seat.

"What?" Ross asked.

"I left my jackets."

Ross reached in the back for something as I pulled my knees up to my chest for warmth.

"Here." he tossed a heap of black fabric over my knees. "You left this in here from a long time ago."

I put my legs down, and spread the fabric out to see what it was, as he started to back out.

"I've been looking for this!" I squealed in delight.

It was my Black Sky sweater that I got from the Vampire Weekend show I saw a few months ago. The head hole was cut so that the collar rested on my shoulders instead of around my neck. I slipped it on, and took off my v-neck under it.

"I'll just wear the sweatshirt." I said stuffing my v-neck into an extra messenger bag I brought with me.

We continued driving. i tried helping out with the directions, but Ross insisted on me studying the lines and music on the CD.

"Why do they want me to sing?" I asked. "Is it a musical?"

"Maybe. It doesn't matter. You could do it either way." He elbowed me playfully.

"Oh, stop it!" I laughed.

We finally reached the front of a tall building with clear doors and walls.

"Do you want me to go in with you?" He asked as we were both staring at the massive building.

"I think I'll be fine. But keep your phone on." I started opening the door.

"Hey." Ross said putting his hand on my shoulder. "Blow them away."

I turned my body to him, and brought him into an embrace. "Thanks bro. I'll text to update."

I opened the door all the way, stepped out, and closed it. I stood there waving as he drove off into the streets of New York.

I turned my heel to face the sleek building. My hands were clinging onto my arms, and my headphones were in, playing the music given to me for the audition (even though the songs were driving me crazy). I walked towards the glass doors and grasped the metal handle to heave it open. The moment I entered the building, a cold rush pushed through my veins and made goose bumps invade my arms and torso. I walked towards the front desk where a blonde woman with a telephone to her ear was twirling her hair with her pen. I patiently waited until she was finished talking on the phone (obviously taking a personal call).

"I'm here for an audition." I said trying not to sound as terrified as I was inside.

"Name."

"Loraine."

"Ah. Yeah. They're starting in like, two minutes. You better hurry up."

"What floor?" I started asking.

"Twenty-first."

"You're kidding me." I said under my breath. "Thanks."

I ran to the elevator, which was luckily already on the ground floor.

I stepped in and pressed the button with the number twenty-one and pressed the button that closes the doors, once the number lit up.

I leaned back against the side of the box and looked at the corner where the list of buttons covered a portion of the wall beside the doors. It instantly took me back to the moment I looked at Ben's eyes for the first time. Before I knew it, I just passed the 19th floor. The moment the doors opened, even colder air rushed into my body. My arms automatically wrapped around my waist and neck searching for some kind of warmth. I stepped out of the elevator and reached into my bag to take out the directions. Scribbled at the top was, "Room 56." I looked up and followed the arrows that lead me toward the room numbers in the 50's. As I slowly approached the room, I took off my headphones and stuffed them into my bag, and took out my iPhone. I started texting Ross.

"I'm right in front of the room. Dear God."

I stared at the screen for about a minute before I heard a small ding.

New message from Ross!

"GET YOUR BUTT IN THERE. Good luck :)"

I smiled at the screen, and silenced my phone. I knocked on the door and heard a deep voice answer, "Come in."

I slowly opened the door to reveal Mr. Potts, along with a woman wearing a jean jacket with a Life is Good shirt underneath, and a man wearing a loose gray button-up shirt. They both looked like they were in their latter 30's.

"Lori." Henry smiled in my direction.

"Good morning." I replied as composed as possible.

"Please take a seat." Henry invited.

I closed the door, and sat down in a clear stool.

"I'm Julie." the woman smiled reaching a hand over the table separating us.

I took her hand and shook it as cheerfully as possible.

"And that's Robert." she said cocking her head in the other man's direction.

"Good morning Loraine." he waved sipping his coffee.

"Please. Call me Lori." I smiled weakly.

"Well," Henry started. "We have some actors that we want you to audition with. Do you think you're ready?"

"I believe so!" I replied.

Julie stood up and gave me a beanie.

"If you don't mind, we would like you to wear this. For visual purposes."

"Oh." I said taking the red beanie from her hands. I slipped it on my head and looked up at the three adults with unsure eyes.

Henry held up a piece of paper, and they all looked at the paper, then up to me, and then back to the paper.

"Unbelievable." Julie breathed.

"Wow. That's just, incredible." Robert said putting down his coffee for the first time.

I held a confused look on my face as they all "oo'd and ahh'd" at the paper and I.

Henry finally put the picture down and stood up.

"Come one Lori." The other two adults stood as well and followed after Henry. I quickly stood up and followed beside him with my hands holding my torso.

"Just to let you know, you're the only female actress auditioning today." Henry whispered.

"Oh?" I whispered back. "Why's that?"

"Because I have faith in you." He smiled patting my back."

I smiled at the tile black tile floor I walked upon.

Henry stood in front of a black door and grasped the metal doorknob and smiled to me.

"Meet your potential co-actors." he said. He opened the door revealing 5 men sitting at a conference table. All of their backs turned to me.

"This is going to be interesting." I smirked to myself.