Before the Fame

I sat in our hotel room, my mom coming out of the bathroom before approaching me.

“We have to move, Samantha,” she said suddenly in a monotone.

“What?!” I exclaimed angrily.

“In order for you to become a successful actress, we have to move here to California. We can eventually have a home in Florida again, but we have to move,” she said, but I stood in anger.

“W-what about my life there? My friends? I can’t just leave!” I protested.

“What friends, Sam? You never really had true friends there,” she said coldly.

“This is so not fair!” I exclaimed before walking out of the room, slamming the door behind me.

I walked down the halls, sighing deeply. What was I supposed to do now? The elevator stopped on the lobby floor so I walked out once the doors opened, walking straight into someone.

He had brown, curly hair and hazel eyes. He was at least five foot seven, and pretty slim.

“I am so, so, so, so, so, so sorry!” I apologized frantically.

“It’s cool. I should have been looking where I was going,” he said modestly.

“No, it’s my fault. I wasn’t paying attention, either,” I admitted.

Light laughter filled the air coming from both of us. A smile covered his lips before he spoke again.

“How about if we stop apologizing and we both take the blame?” he asked.

“That sounds OK, I guess,” I said in a shy tone.

“So, your name?” he asked.

“Oh my gosh, where are my manners? I’m Samantha, but you can call me Sam. I hate Samantha,” I said truthfully.

“I’m Kevin, but you can call me Kevin,” he said with a slight laugh.

I laughed also at his joke.

“Oh, um, I’d better go, then,” I said realizing why I was down here again.

“Me, too. I gotta find my dad. See you around, hopefully,” he said in a kind tone.

“See ya! Oh and good luck finding him,” I wished.

He nodded before getting into the elevator while I walked away to the front parking lot. He was a mysterious guy.

…

-A week later-

A whole week had passed since I saw Kevin, but I never saw him again for the rest of my stay at the hotel. My mom had packed us up, selling everything we didn’t want or need any more saying “things will be better in Los Angeles”, but I was still skeptical about it.

My dad found out about me passing my audition and becoming an actress of the UTA. Since my birthday had already passed, I was waiting eagerly for Christmas to arrive so I could finally see him. My dad was currently seeing a model and I knew mom didn’t like that.

Currently, however, my mom and I were out shopping for clothes with the money the UTA gave me for a starting salary and I had yet to meet the other cast members of Romeo!. I was nervous to say the least to see Noel again, but for some reason, I wasn’t nervous about acting.

My new phone rung, the name Noel flashing on my ID as well as a picture I got from Google as I ogled at it dreamily.

I answered it quickly, clearing my throat before speaking.

S: Hello?
N: Hey, Sam. It’s Noel.
S: Hey, Noel. I’m surprised you called me.
N: Really? Didn’t we just talk yesterday? How’s the new house coming along?
S: *laughs* Yes, we did talk yesterday, but the new house is coming along great. How are things with you?
N: Well, things are fine. Kind of boring and I’m sad since I found out after the film will be the last season of the show.
S: Really? That sucks..
N: Have you been reading your lines lately?
S: No, but I will do it after we’re finished setting everything up. My mom’s kind of a be-yotch when it comes down to things like that.
N: Ah, I see. *laughs*

His laughter made me smile.

S: So, when does filming start again?
N: Next month, I think. At least the first few scenes.
S: Are we going to be filming in Canada?
N: Yep-yep!
S: That’s cool! I’ve never been to Canada!
N: Great. Maybe I could show you around while we’re there.
S: What?
N: N-nothing. Um, well, see you when I see you.
S: OK. Bye.
N: Bye.

The phone clicked, signaling he’d hung up. A sigh escaped my lips as I thought the matter over. I might miss seeing my dad and that wasn’t a good thing.

…

December 8, 2005

I was currently in Vancouver filming the Romeo! movie with Noel, Romeo, Ashley, Brittney, Zachary. Natashia was with the director talking through with some lines while the rest of us were rehearsing on our own as a group.

I stood near Romeo and Ashley, tucking some of my mid-neck length, dark brown hair behind my left ear trying to get used to it being shorter than usual since I had to get it cut for the film from its shoulder length I was used to. I tried taking my mind off of it by studying my lines for the most recent scene. It worked sort of.

Noel approached me, but I hadn’t noticed. It wasn’t until he spoke, startling me when I realized he was that close.

“You know, we have to film the scene from the audition today,” he said in a slightly cheerful tone.

“Yeah, but don’t we also have to film the ‘happy’ scene today?” I asked getting a laugh out of him.

“Yeah. I think we also have a photo shoot today as well as an interview,” he answered, scratching his head a little as he tilted his head, reading the lines off of my paper even though he had his own.

A silent shaky breath escaped me as my heart raced just by him being around me.

“Alright guys. Time’s up,” Mr. Miller said to us.

…

We rehearsed the same scene Noel and I did without the tears and everything in my original clothes once before I had to change into this, my legs freezing in the cold weather.

I shivered here and there as I tried walking in the heels as I walked out of my trailer I shared with Ashley.

“You look great!” she gushed flashing me a bright smile.

I smiled just as brightly.

“Thanks. I’m having a little trouble in the heels. They aren’t my thing,” I admitted, tucking my newly re-straightened hair making it super-sleek and frizz-free from the damp weather.

“The trick is to get used to them. Once that happens, walking in heels will be a breeze,” she advised.

“Thanks,” I said in slight shock. I didn’t know that trick considering I wasn’t a heel type of person.

We walked to the scene as she waited with the other cast members Noel and I walking to the school building which wasn’t really a school, but was set up that way for the film while Romeo and the others were right behind us waiting for the filming guys next to them to tell them to go after we’re done to synchronize the timing.

“And action!” Mr. Miller said.

I pushed opened the doors, wiping my eyes as though I were crying before making myself shed a few tears.

“Angel! Angel, wait!” Noel called, but I continued walking a little faster so he could catch up to me.

“What was with you showing up with Myra? I-I thought you couldn’t make it tonight. That’s why you told me to go alone. Why did you lie to me?” I asked, tears streaming down my face.

“I-I’m sorry, Angel. I have feelings for someone else,” he said lying, his eyes shifting away from my gaze.

I walked closer to him before I began my lines.

“W-what do you mean someone else?” I asked, placing a hand on his arm before they went to his hands.

I improvised a little, catching Noel off guard. He got the hint, pulling his hands out of my own before speaking.

“I mean, I’m going back to Myra. What you and I had was great, but you’re not Myra,” he said in a cold tone.

“Y-you can’t be serious. You know you loved us! You know you prefer me over her so why, Louis? Why have you used me this way knowing how you felt-how I felt?” I asked shedding more tears.

“That’s not true. You know I l-l-l-,” he began, stuttering on purpose.

“You love who?” I asked, trying to get him to say it.

“I l-l-love you-I mean, Myra,” he stammered.

“If that’s how you feel,” I began, backing up a few steps, “then I’m gone. Don’t ask me to come back because I won’t.”

I turned from him before speaking my final line.

“Goodbye, Louis,” I said in a serious tone, wiping the tear the fell from my eyes before I walked away to the end of the sidewalk until Mr. Miller called “cut!’.

Everyone clapped as I wiped the tears away, the cold getting to me again. I shivered as I walked back, one of the crew members handing me a huge blanket to wrap around.

“Wow!” the gang gushed causing me to laugh a little just as Noel approached us.

“You guys made the scene look so real!” Zachary gushed.

I blushed a little before responding.

“Really? I didn’t think the improvising was wise. Maybe I should have left it out?” I began, but everyone cut across me.

“Oh, please!” they said in unison before we all started laughing even Noel.

Our eyes met and he nodded once to me while I smiled a little before we went back to the trailers to film the next scene.