Aim High, Never Rest

The next hour and a half was spent with my legs hanging over the armrest of the big orange sofa in 2J, brown eyes focused on the ceiling above. Logan just sat at the opposite end of the couch, cheek resting in his palm, a lost expression flickering in his chocolate eyes. Some cheesy teen thriller flick was playing on the flat screen in front of us, but neither of us was really paying any attention to it.

For once, I wished 2J had its usual teeming and noisy rambunctious atmosphere, but the apartment was strangely silent. Logan and I were the only ones in the living room, and Katie was the only other person in the apartment, but she was busy in her room with something. Ms. Knight was out running errands, and the other three guys were nowhere to be found. Now more than ever, I felt like I needed their recklessness and easygoing vibe to distract me from the nervous knots that were forming in my gut.

I want something else to get me through this semi-charmed kind of life, baby, baby. The familiar ring of my cell phone broke the silence in the room and shook me from my thoughts. My hands instinctively reached for it in the back pocket of my shorts, back arched up off of the plush cushion as I slid the phone out from under my body.

I stared at the strange number on the screen for a moment, allowing the phone to ring a couple more times before I tapped the screen to answer.

“Hello,” I answered brightly, a false boost of enthusiasm in my voice. Though my gaze didn’t shift, I could feel Logan’s eyes on me as I spoke.

“Hi Miss Jenkins, this is Sheila Hart from R&R Casting just calling to let you know that we’d like you to come in for another audition tomorrow afternoon. Your rendition of Addison was one that really stuck out for us, so we’d like to see what else you can do with the character.”

My heart was beating wildly in my chest, and I felt that rare sense of accomplishment, like I was some sort of artist or some shit, not just another ditzy teenage girl with no idea what she wanted to do with her life. They had liked my performance? No, they’d been struck by it? Wow, maybe I wasn’t as fake as I thought.

“Um, sure, that would be great. Thanks,” I replied, trying to keep my voice steady, though I was practically gushing on the inside.

“Alright, I’ll be seeing you tomorrow. Have a nice day.”

“Thanks, you too,” I could feel the beam across my lips begin to grow until it was taking over my entire face, eyes squinty, cheeks sore, just…happy.

My finger confidently hit the end button, and I slipped my phone back into my pocket.

For that moment, I had forgotten about Logan, and when I looked back over to him, his eyes were filled with expectancy.

“So…” I began, trying to tone down the grin on my face as I folded my hands in my lap. “I got a callback. They’d like me to come in tomorrow for my next audition, and if things go well…”

“You’ll be a big time movie star?” he laughed, his eyes squinting up at the corners as the slight indention of his dimples formed beneath his cheeks.

“Yes!” I squealed, completely giving into all of the bouncy, bubbly feelings floating around inside of me.

Logan celebrated with me, both of us hopping off of the couch and onto our feet, bouncing up and down as we laughed and shrieked like idiots, arms wrapped around each other.

Katie strolled into the room, big brown puppy-dog eyes narrowed in curiosity at us as she stood near the kitchen counter.

“What’s wrong with you guys?” she asked, raising an eyebrow at our display in suspicion.

“Uh, I just got a callback for the lead role in Varsity Vampires 3,” I announced. I just loved the way the words rolled off my tongue with a narcissistic sense of pride.

The younger girl stared at me for a moment, her lips slightly agape as she tried to formulate some plan in her head. Just like her older brother.

“Have you found an agent yet?” she asked, and I saw a hopeful glimmer play in her eyes.

I knew exactly what she was getting at, but there was no way I was going to let a ten-year-old manage my career.

“Actually no, I haven’t,” I replied honestly.

“Well, Knight Management is on the brink of becoming a major player in the talent management industry. We currently have two up and coming clients, so you should definitely consider signing on with us, and by us, I mean me.”

I couldn’t help but laugh a little to myself, a similar smirk on Logan’s lips, but Katie’s expression was completely serious. It was nice to see someone so determined and focused at such a young age, but I just couldn’t take her seriously.

“Um, sure, I’ll definitely keep you in mind,” I smiled as she handed me a crisp business card, complete with professional logo and three different means of contact.

The girl threw me a wink before wandering back into her bedroom.

“So you’re really thinking about letting Katie Knight be your agent?” Logan asked as soon as the girl was out of earshot.

I just shook my head, and we both laughed a little, but the mood shifted. There was this strange tension between us, and I noticed that Logan’s arm was still slung over my shoulders. There was something indescribable in his stare, in the way that his lips parted so effortlessly, how I could smell the scent of his citrus shampoo as he leaned in closer.

As his eyelids fluttered closed, I could feel my heart pound against my ribs and the air rush from my lungs. I was not ready for this, not with anyone, and especially not with Logan.

I just needed to escape.

I tried not to jerk away too suddenly, instead easing out of his arms with as much calmness as I possibly could.

“Uh, I just remembered that I have to do something downstairs. I’ll catch up with you later though?”

His eyes immediately snapped open, a flustered expression on his face as he stammered. “Uh, yeah, that’s fine. See you later.”

I practically dashed out of the apartment, darting down the hallway and rushing downstairs to the lobby. As I stopped to catch my breath and gather myself, I couldn’t keep my train of thought from skipping all over the tracks.

What the fuck had just happened? Oh yeah, Logan Mitchell had just tried to kiss me, that’s what happened. Totally not strange at all.

It just seemed like everything was moving way too fast, and not just with Logan. Though I was grateful for how quickly things were picking up with my acting career, it felt like it was a little too much too soon. I barely had time to process anything, let alone how I felt about Logan.

And now wasn’t exactly the time to think about those things, I just wanted to get away from it all.

A heavy sigh arose from my chest, and I felt a little calmed down from letting it out. My eyes scanned the lobby for Jo, but she was nowhere to be found. Though I never felt easy about letting people into my personal life, I felt like I needed to talk it out with someone.

I spotted Maxine sitting on the couch, and she looked just as utterly confused as I was. Though I didn’t know her reasons, it was nice that I wasn’t alone.

“Hey Maxine, what’s up?” I asked casually as I took the vacant seat beside her on the couch.

Her lips hung open for a moment as she looked at me, not really sure what to think of me. I’d heard Jo trash talk the girl behind her back for lashing out at her in the lobby, but I’m the type of person that likes to think that there are two sides to every story, and I knew firsthand that sometimes Jo didn’t think before she spoke.

Maxine greeted me with a sigh, slightly shaking the thick dark hair from her face. “Nothing much. The guys are out, so I thought I’d come down here and do some people-watching, maybe get some inspiration for a song or something.” Her thumb stroked the worn spine of the notebook in her lap. “What about you?”

“Nothing really, looking for something to do. Have you seen Jo around? I kinda have some good news for her.”

“Nah, I haven’t seen her. Not that I’d want to or anything.” There was an edge in her voice, and I saw her roll her eyes slightly.

“Yeah, so what went down between you guys anyway? Jo was telling me that you like, cussed her out in the lobby the other day.” I tried my best not to sound completely nosy, but it was hard, and I was curious.

Maxine was on the defensive, immediately folding her arms against her chest and crossing her legs at the knee as she leaned back into the couch. “Oh, so now you have something against me too? You don’t even know me, Kandi.”

“No, I don’t, and that’s why I didn’t say anything when Jo talked shit about you behind your back. I just don’t see you as the type of person to freak out on someone for no reason, so I wanted to hear your side of the story.”

Her posture loosened, and her eyes focused in on the doodles across the cover of her notebook. “Jo said some pretty harsh and bitchy things about my music, so I’m pretty sure she deserved it. Who is she to judge my music? She’s just some two-bit actress anyway. No offense, of course.”

“None taken,” I smiled. “But yeah, music’s a pretty personal thing, so I get why that would totally piss you off. Actually, I can’t say that I blame you, I’d probably do the same thing.”

I swore I saw a faint smile cross her hardened features.

“But seriously, if I were you, I wouldn’t be all buddy-buddy with that Jo chick. She just comes off as being so fake and self-righteous, and maybe I’m overstepping my line by saying that, but it’s just how I feel.”

Maxine’s words confirmed the slight nagging feeling I’d had at the back of my mind ever since I’d met Jo.

“Thanks for looking out,” I replied. “But enough about Jo, let’s go do something. Get away from the Palm Woods. There’s this bowling alley right down the street, and I heard they have cosmic bowling on Sunday nights, a nickel a game. How about we go knock down some glow-in-the-dark pins with obnoxiously heavy balls?” I laughed a little.

“Eh,” she said with a shrug. “I’ve got nothing better to do.”

As we headed for the door, I saw Carley sitting alone by the door, sipping some flavored iced tea from a glass. Maybe I could put in a good word for James, since apparently now we had each others’ backs and all that.

“Hey Carley, we’re gonna go play some cosmic bowling, wanna come with?” I asked as Maxine stood at the door.

A bright smile lit up the girl’s classically pretty features as she turned towards us. “Sure, sounds like fun.”

The three of us exited the Palm Woods together, and though I wasn’t exactly sure where this makeshift friendship would go, I had to admit, it was nice to hang out with girls again.