Dreams of Stardom (Hollywood SI)

The shooting for the day was yet to begin, and since we were filming outdoors, I decided to check some of my financials in the meantime. The report from my business manager, Andrew Cohen, had been more than encouraging. Thanks to my active involvement in Crocs, their business was booming. The 2004 revenue had already reached $250 million, and it would almost certainly cross $500 million in 2005. I laughed inwardly, knowing that the company founders were probably regretting their lack of foresight in agreeing to my terms. By this time next year, I would own 20% of the company.

My other investments were doing exceptionally well too, making me one of the wealthiest actors in the world already, with my net worth nearing $400 million. If things kept going this way, it wouldn't be long before I reached billionaire status.

"Oh my God!" a lanky teenager called out nervously, pacing the room.

I looked up from the report on my laptop to see that my fellow scene partner didn't look too good.

"Are you okay?" I asked him.

"Do I look okay?" he shot back before lowering his voice. "Sorry, that came out wrong. It's just… this is my first big scene in this film, and I'm a little nervous about it."

It was a bit surprising to see a future superstar in another timeline panicking over a supporting role. My involvement in this timeline had changed things so much that Robert Pattinson, who would have become world-famous for leading roles in films like [Twilight] and [The Batman], was now making his film debut with this musical. Since he didn't get the role of Cedric Diggory in this timeline, he hadn't had any other major roles either.

When Dad sent me headshots of prospective actors for one of the supporting roles in the movie, I selected 18-year-old Rob without a second thought. He may not be the best actor yet, but he would grow to be one of the best. Not to mention, he was a good-looking guy. Stephen Daldry had taken his audition, which he cleared, so he must have done something right.

If only he had a little more confidence in his acting skills.

"Rob," I called out firmly, motioning toward the seat opposite me. "Sit."

He looked like he wanted to argue but thought better of it and sat down as suggested.

"What exactly is the problem?" I asked.

He was quiet for a few moments before admitting, "I feel as if I'll mess it all up somehow."

"Why?" I prodded.

For a moment, I thought he wouldn't share, but eventually, he did.

"I've only done two films so far," he said. "In one, they hated me so much they cut my part out entirely. In the other, a TV movie, although my part stayed in, I got terrible reviews. When I read them, I felt like my career would end before it even began. I wasn't expecting to get this role or any role at all after that disaster. But now that I have, I can't help but think, 'What if I do badly this time as well?'"

"You won't," I said with certainty.

He scoffed, "You don't know that for sure."

"Stephen Daldry selected you," I said. "He's the best when it comes to recognizing talent. He picked me for [Billy Elliot] before [The Sixth Sense] even came out. You just need to stay positive about yourself, and you'll do fine. I'll help you with that. Tell me, what do you think of your character?"

He pondered silently for a moment before replying, "He's a scumbag who can't even treat his girlfriend properly."

"That's a good start," I nodded. "What about his motivations?"

"What do you mean exactly?" he asked cluelessly.

This guy is a total novice when it comes to acting. I can't exactly blame him for not having any experience, but for some reason, I had thought he would have some technical knowledge or an acting process. Every actor has a method unique to them that helps them break down whatever character they want to play. At least good actors do. That is the biggest part of preparing for a role. The better prepared you are, the better your acting will be. I have worked with so many experienced actors till now that I had kind of forgotten what it felt like to work with a newbie. The cast of [Harry Potter] was pretty experienced by now. Even Emily had taken professional acting classes upon my suggestion, so she had a process of her own.

"I mean," I began slowly. "Think back to your character and decide why he is the way he is. If the script doesn't give you enough to go on, like in this case because yours is a small supporting character, make stuff up for your clarity. Maybe he had a tough childhood. Maybe his father abused him, and he is taking out his frustration on his girlfriend, or something like that. Whatever story you come up with, keep it to yourself, but stick to it closely in your head."

This advice didn't apply to most of the roles I have played because all of my roles to date have been the lead with fully fleshed-out pasts and motivations, but if I were to ever play a limited supporting role, this is what I would do to prepare for it. And from the contemplative look on Rob's face, he seemed to like my advice as well.

Suddenly, the door to our shared changing room opened and Jay, one of the ADs, poked his head in. "The scene is ready, Troy, Rob."

"I am as well," I stood up before looking at Rob, who gave a confirming nod of his own.

"Let's go then." The AD left the place.

I followed behind, only to hear the other teenager behind me. "Thanks, Troy."

I nodded at him once before heading out of the door. Time to show everyone some real acting.

(Break)

Rob and Emily were having a heated argument some ten feet away from me. Suddenly, Rob grabbed her wrist and pushed her against the wall where they were standing, then started kissing her.

(Treat you better - Shawn Mendes)

~: I know I can treat you better than he can

And any girl like you deserves a gentleman

Tell me, why are we wasting time

On all your wasted cryin'

When you should be with me instead?

I know I can treat you better

Better than he can :~

I shouted the last line of the chorus while the song played in the background. As soon as the chorus ended, I dropped to my knees, feeling empty inside, knowing that the girl I loved so much was so near yet unattainable—because she chose that jerk over me. The fake rain pouring down only added to my misery.

It didn't help that they were kissing right in front of me. The story of the scene was that Emily's character, Bailey, was already in a relationship with Rob's character, when she met me at my concert. But theirs wasn't the best relationship. It was based more on passion than real feelings.

Yet, the feelings inside me felt more and more real as I watched. For some reason, I wanted Rob to stay as far away from Emily as possible. She was a sweet, innocent girl, while he was neither sweet nor innocent—nor a girl.

"Cut!" Stephen Daldry's voice rang out across the parking lot where we were shooting. "Print! Check the gate!"

As soon as he said that, Emily and Rob separated, and the water was cut off. I really hated being wet for the cameras.

"Good job, everyone," Daldry announced. "We're done with this song now. Let's continue shooting tomorrow."

I heaved a sigh of relief. Our filming schedule was getting more and more hectic by the day. We'd start early in the morning, and sometimes we'd be shooting even in the middle of the night, just like we were now. Although the scene was meant to take place around 8 PM, crowd control would have been difficult at that time, so we'd decided to shoot at midnight when the place was empty.

I got up from the floor and walked over to Emily and Rob, who were talking amiably now that the scene was over. Before I could reach them, Rob said something to Emily that must've been hilarious, because she burst out laughing, leaning her forehead on his shoulder.

I had to stop this, whatever it was, at all costs. This felt wrong. Emily was just sixteen. Not to mention, she was a great friend.

Yes. I was just trying to protect my friend.

"Hey, guys," I said, stepping up beside Emily. "Mind sharing the joke with me?"

"Rob is so funny!" Emily announced. "Did he tell you about the time he got expelled from school for selling adult magazines to his classmates?"

"No, he didn't," I said smoothly. "I would've loved to hear that and more stories, but we didn't have many scenes together. Too bad today's Rob's last day of filming."

I couldn't shake the feeling that the boy who was so insecure just a month ago had become overly confident now, flirting openly with Emily. Was it all an act back then, or was it one now?

"Well," Rob interrupted my thoughts, "I was actually thinking I could stick around, maybe do some odd jobs and learn something about filmmaking, while making a little extra cash on the side. I asked Stephen, and he didn't mind."

A lot of odd jobs were available on the crew, typically offered to supporting cast members first so they could make some extra cash. Supporting actors' salaries are relatively low, after all. For this entire film, Rob had likely been paid less than ten thousand pounds. While that was decent money for an 18-year-old still living with his parents, it wouldn't go far if he planned to live on his own.

"Don't you have school?" I asked. "Last I knew, you hadn't finished it."

He shrugged. "I'll manage. I rarely go anyway. If anyone asks, I'll just say my scenes got extended."

I wanted to find some reason to refuse him, but I didn't have one. Besides, I knew it would be cruel to stop someone from earning a little extra.

"It's getting late," Rob said suddenly. "If you want, I can drop you off, Emily. It's not safe this time of night. I–"

"That won't be necessary," I cut him off with a grin. "She's staying at my place, so we'll head there together."

Despite what Emily or Rob might say, my tone wasn't smug at all.

Rob looked between the two of us in surprise.

Never one to let a conversation pass without adding her input, Emily explained, "When he offered me the film, Troy also invited me to stay with his family. He even arranged a car and driver for me. Troy's parents are just the best."

I didn't understand why she felt the need to explain it to him. Let him make whatever assumptions he wanted. As long as he understood that Emily was off-limits, I didn't mind him drawing his own conclusions.

Rob nodded slowly before stepping back. My smile grew with each step he took. The best part was that he knew I'd won this round. He gave me a nod before turning to Emily. "See you later, then."

Once he was out of earshot, Emily turned to me and slapped my arm.

"Ouch," I yelped. "What?"

"What the heck was that?" she asked heatedly. "What exactly were you doing back there? And why were you acting so… different?"

"Was I?" I feigned innocence. "Didn't realize. Anyway, we should go. He was right, It's getting pretty late."

Emily gave me a suspicious look but nodded nonetheless. We headed toward my car.

(Break)

I played the final notes of the song on my guitar. The crowd in front of me went wild, but I didn't care about them. All I cared about was the girl I loved more than anything in the world. I dropped my guitar on the stage and rushed out through the back door, ignoring what anyone might think. I sprinted toward the road and flagged down the first car that came by.

"Holy shit!" A girl in her early twenties opened the door and stepped out. "I'm your biggest fan, Troy."

"Then do something for me," I said urgently. "I need your car. I'll pay for your time and any inconvenience, but please, this is a matter of life or death."

She quickly slid into the passenger seat, and I jumped behind the wheel, hitting the gas as the car sped down the relatively empty streets. I reached my destination: the railway station.

I pulled my wallet from my pocket and handed it to the girl as compensation for the car, then bolted toward the platform. Only then did I realize I'd left my wallet behind with her. Now, I didn't even have money for a ticket. Not caring, I jumped over the barriers to avoid ticket checks and kept running.

Unfortunately, the security guards weren't pleased and tried to stop me. Tried being the key word here, because a few female fans saw me, and once they realized my intentions, they held off the guards.

"Thanks, girls!" I shouted back, but didn't slow down. Finally, I spotted the girl I'd been dying to see.

"Bailey!" I shouted, making her turn around. The more I looked at her, the more I realized she was one of the most beautiful girls I had ever laid eyes on. I ran up to her and pulled her into a big hug.

"Why are you doing this to me, Bailey!?" I demanded after stepping back, holding Emily's face in my hands. "Don't you realize that I fucking love you? I don't want fame or fans or anything like that. I want you, first and foremost."

Since the Motion Pictures Association of America only allows one f-word in a PG-13 movie, we might as well use it here to add to the scene's intensity.

Emily's eyes watered, and soon she was sobbing in my arms.

"I'm sorry, Troy," she whispered in my ear. "But she's gone. I need to fulfill her last wish."

"Then I'll come with you and help you do it," I replied firmly.

"But your world tour—"

I placed a finger on her lips. "Shhh," I whispered softly. "I don't care about that." Then I closed the space between us and kissed her.

Her lips fit perfectly against mine, as if they were always meant to be together. We moved slowly, savoring each second, oblivious to the world around us. I ended the kiss with a goofy grin and leaned my forehead against hers, met by her soft smile.

Originally, we'd planned to shoot this scene at an airport, but then Daldry pointed out how overdone airports were in romantic films. So, we shifted the setting to a train station instead.

"And cut!" Stephen Daldry's voice echoed across the platform. "Perfect shot, everyone. That's a wrap for today. Just one more week, and we'll be done with the movie." I reluctantly released Emily. Though we'd filmed the kiss multiple times, I couldn't help wishing the moment could have lasted a bit longer.

"You were incredible," I told her.

"Thank you," she replied with a smile. "But you were even better."

Before I could respond, Robert Pattinson walked over, handing each of us a bottle of water.

"That was an Oscar-level performance, Emily," he complimented her. "You're such a talented actress. Think you could give me some tips?"

Emily smiled. "Now I know you're teasing. Troy was way better in this scene. You should ask him."

Rob shrugged with a grin in my direction. "No offense, Troy, but I'd rather learn from someone as pretty as Emily than a bloke."

Certified asshole.

"Why don't you take some professional acting classes?" I suggested. "If it's the cost, I can cover it for you."

"I don't want a teacher who's just in it for the money," Rob replied sagely, as though it were a reasonable excuse.

I started to respond, but Emily cut me off. "Okay," she said, surprising both Rob and me.

"Okay?" Rob asked.

"I'll show you my acting method," she agreed. "When and where do you want to meet?"

Rob's grin widened. "There's this lovely little out-of-the-way café near my place. I could pick you up tomorrow morning if you're free"

"Okay," Emily nodded. "I don't have any scene tomorrow."

If Rob hadn't already wrapped up his scenes, I'd have fired him right then and there.

___________________________________________

AN: Happy Holidays everyone! I hope you all had a wonderful year. I wanted to thank each and every one of you for being my loyal readers. In the holiday spirit, I wanted to give you all a small gift.

Use code HOL25 on my Pat/reon and get a 25% membership discount on all tiers for the first month of membership. It is valid only for a few more days, so hurry if you wanna read ahead.

Link: www(dot)pat reon(dot)com/fableweaver