Lost In Dreamland

"This is my chance!" I say into the phone, my fingers nervously playing with the thick white cord.
"I know! You need to go to Los Angeles and get the part!" Andy's voice comes out of the phone.
"But, momma won't let me. She thinks it's my job to watch Annie and pay the bills. No way can I go to Los Angeles and leave that behind." I frown in disappointment. This is where the hope fades and reality sinks in: I can not audition to be Alice Crawford in All The Days and Nights, the new movie with Marilyn Monroe. I'll have to stay here, in New York, and take care of my family.
"No way, Charlotte. Your going. Your family can stay at my house!" He offers.
Andy Ransom has possibly the biggest house in town, which was due to his rich parents. Offering a place to stay was like offering a sandwhich to them. "You would really do that?" I ask softly. Andy is my best friend, and almost a brother to me. But I never expected him to do anything more generous than take me out for lunch.
"Of course, baby." I smile, and he continues. "I could even come with you! How about that? I'm sure my daddy-o will say yes, but I don't know about mom."
I laugh excitedly. "Andy! Have I ever told you your my best friend ever?"
"I'm listening," He says. "Hold on a minute- I'll go talk to my mum."
I say okay, and continue filling out my address so the film company can send me my script. A few minutes later, he comes back to the phone.
"She thinks it's a wonderful idea. She also says hi." I squeal in delight. I'm actually going to Los Angeles!
"Are you serious? Christ!" I say.
"Yep. She's even letting us take the chevy."
Taking the chevy is a really, really big deal for them. It's one of their best cars- A sunliner! And they're trusting two sixteen year olds with it.
"Oh, my gosh, Andy!" I wanted to jump through the phone and give him a huge hug. "Thank you- So much! This means so much to me. I'll never be able to repay you."
"Forever in my debt, yes, ma'am." He says with a deeper voice than usual.
I laugh. "Do you want to come over, and we can hang out?"
"Righto. See you in a few." I hear the click as our connection ends, then put the phone back on the reciever.
Annie bounds out of her bedroom with a raggedy anne doll. "What's going on? I heard you from down the hall."
"Oh!" I grin. "I got a acting auditon in Los Angeles, and you and momma are gonna stay with Andy and his family."
"You're going alone?" She asks, eyes widening.
"No, no- Andy will come with me."
Her look of worry vanishes, replaced by a smile. "That's great! Charlotte Wright, movie star." She dramatically moves her hands in a semi-circle, as if imagining a sign with my name on it.
I laugh. "Thanks, Annie."
I make her a peanut butter and jelly sandwhich, sitting down and looking at the letter in my hands, already sealed. This is the first step to acting, I think. After this is sent, I could be one of the most famous movie stars.
A knock on the door startles me. I quickly get up and open the door, looking at a very tall, blonde boy by the name of Andy. I smile and hug him, squeezing my arms around him as tight as I can. "Hi," I mumble into his shirt.
"Hey!" I let go of him and look at his brown eyes, which had gotten darker since i'd last seen him. He plucks the letter from my hands, and reads the address. "Wow. Charlotte, we're going a long way."
"I know. It's worth the drive," I say quickly, not wanting him to back out of this.
"Oh, I know, don't worry. Anything to make my best friend into a star." He ruffles my hair, and I swat his hand away.
"Hey! I just brushed that!"
"Oooh, you got dressy for me? Your pretty enough, dolly."
"Oh, hush. Come down to the mailbox with me so I can mail this thing." He nods and we walk downstairs, placing it in the blue metal box. On our way back up, we run into the greaser from the cafe.
"Hey, dolly. See you got your boyfriend with you." He says snidely.
"Drop dead twice." I tell him, rolling my eyes.
"What, and look like him?" He replies.
"Get bent!" Andy says, taking my elbow and leading me upstairs.
"Let's go to my room. Momma doesn't know your here." I tell him when we get into my apartment again.
"This is doing wonders for my ego," He grins lopsidedly at me.
I roll my eyes and lead him to my room. He's been here many times before, so he just plops down on my bed casually, staring at the ceiling full of my sketches. I sit indian style on the end of my bed, watching him. "So, Los Angeles, huh?" He asks softly.
"Yep." I take my sketchbook out from my desk and grab a charcoal pencil. As he talks, I begin to sketch him.
"It's not going to be easy."
I sigh. "I know. Things you want are never easy." I give up on sketching him and lie down next to him. We face each other.
"You'll make it." He says confidently, taking out a piece of tobacco and popping it into his mouth. The sweet aroma of vanilla comes out of his mouth. "You'll be the best actor on television. Even more important than Marilyn Monroe."
"Oh, I don't know about that." I smile.
"She has 12 toes, Char. And you're way prettier than her." He replies.
I blush and look at my own bare feet. Yep, only ten toes. But no way am I prettier than Marilyn Monroe. "Thanks," I say.
Someone knocks loudly on the door. "Come in!" I shout. Andy stops chewing his tobacco and makes a motion to dive under the bed. I laugh.
My mom walks in, holding a bottle of whiskey in her shaking hands. "I never said you could have friends over, Charlotte." She slurs, using the bottle to point at Andy.
"It's just Andy, momma. He's been over thousands of times. Besides-" I say, looking at Andy. His eyes are wide and he takes ahold of my elbow. He's never seen my mom drunk before, and I don't blame him for being weirded out. She's pretty scary looking drunk. "-Him and Miss Royce are going to let you stay in their guest room for a few weeks."
"Why would we need that?" She asks, scrunching up her face. "We aren't some charity fund."
"No, momma, it's not like that. I've got something in Los Angeles to do, and Andy is taking me. You and Annie will stay at their house."
"Why?" She asks, getting angrier. I sit up, running a hand through my hair quickly.
"Because." I say gently. "I have an acting audition."
"WHAT?" She yells. Andy sits up, too, and nudges me. I nod, knowing what he's asking. He squeezes my hand and gets up, moving past my mom and out the door.
"Bye," He calls out. "I'll see you in a couple days."
I nod, and continue my discussion. "There's an acting position in Los Angeles, momma, and if I get it, we won't have to worry about food, or bills, or heat-"
"You are NOT going to Los Angeles!" She screams.
"Why not?" I stand. "Give me one good reason."
"Because-" She says, trying to think of one. "Because, if you go to Los Angeles, who's gonna pay the bills?"
"Nobody!" I say, getting impatient. "You'll stay with Andy's family!"
"That makes no sense!"
"I'm going to Los Angeles for an acting position! Your staying with The Royces! I'm getting a ride with Andy, and that's it!" I say, ending this.
"No!"
"I'll talk to you when your sober!" I walk out of the room and into her alcohol cabinet, taking the bottles and bringing them to the window.
"Don't even think about it!" She screams. I throw them out of the window, listening to the satisfying shattering sound. "You bitch!"
I shake my head and go into her room, where a half open bottle of vodka sits on the nightstand. I throw that out the window, too, along with the flask she had hidden under her mattress.
With all the alcohol from the house gone, I go into my room and close the door, locking the latch. Annie's inside now, sitting on our bed and staring in fright at me. "Sorry, Annie." I mutter, laying down next to her and stroking her hair. "Nothing bad is gonna happen. Promise."
She nods. I blow out the candle next to me, and the room goes dark.
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In the morning, I jump up from bed and run downstairs, checking my mailbox. Yes! A letter with my script was there. I take the other mail and bring it all upstairs, opening my letter curiously and throwing the rest on the couch.
"All The Days And Nights." Was the title.
I flip the page, scanning over my lines. I was to play a fifteen year old girl, who was Marilyn Monroe's maid. They were supposed to grow close, until Marilyn realizes that it's wrong to keep me as a slave. She signs release papers, and i'm free. The lines are simple, quick, and clipped, which I could do just fine. I had to speak in an english accent, though, which I knew Andy would laugh at me about.
Humming, I make Annie, my mom, and I eggs and raisin toast. Momma is still upset at me about throwing away her liquor, buy she seems defeated, somehow. "Morning, momma." Annie said, sitting at the table in her school uniform. I'm not in mine-Andy will be coming by in an hour to pick us up.
"Morning." I look up and see her staring at me. "When are we leaving?" She asks me, with an emotionless tone.
"In an hour- Why don't you eat and take a shower." I say. It's strange, how I felt like more of a mother to her than I did as her child.
She nods and takes a fork out of the drawer. "Morning, Annie, honey." She says, kissing Annie's cheek. I see Annie try not to scrunch up her nose.
We eat, and my mother goes in the shower. I run in my room and pack up some things. Getting dressed in my best white sundress with rose patterns on it, I look at myself in the mirror and smile as I put cherry-red lipstick on. Andy gave it to me for my birthday. He said it made me look more grown-up.
Annie walks in. "I need to go to school!" She announces. "It's picture day!"
I nod, and put on flats, taking her hand. "Jack's gonna drive you." I tell her as we walk downstairs.
She grins. "Kay."
Jack's waiting at the bottom of the stairs. I had called him the night before, after Annie had fallen asleep, and let him know what was going on. "Morning." I say to him.
"Morning, dolls." He grins and gives me a bear hug. He smells like old spice and cedar. "Good luck, Charlotte." He whispers in my ear, giving me a quick kiss on the cheek.
I burn deep red. "Thanks for taking Annie," I say.
"No problem."
"Okay, well, bye, I guess."
"We're still friends, even if your some movie star, right?" He asks.
"Of course." One more hug, and I go back up the stairs, saying good-bye to Annie.
My mom is waiting for me back at the apartment. She has two briefcases packed and in the corner of the room, and her wet auburn hair was pulled into a side bun. She was wearing a beautiful green dress, and makeup to cover her bags. The usual plum lipstick was on her lips, as well as a hint of eyeshadow. I smile.
"You ready?" I ask.
"Yes." She says. We wait for Andy to show up. I tap my foot impatiently, twirling a curl with my finger.
Finally, a farmiliar red sunliner pulls into the lot.