[1.1] Hope for the Hopeless

02 | feelings

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f e e l i n g s

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[leo's point of view]

It was a simple, September afternoon, with every step I took, the crunching of the leaves ensued.

I started trembling, my body rocking from side to side. I've done auditions ever since I was a teen, but why was I still scared? Probably for the reason that I'm auditioning for a very huge film company.

I walked down to the nearby coffee shop from the building, unlike the tall and big exterior, the shop felt tiny but cozy. I raised my finger up to show that I would like to have a single cup of coffee, then sat at a table near the window, where the I could see the building itself and different cars pass by.

Suddenly, my agent started calling.

"Hey, Leo, how was the audition?" He asked.

"Damn, Aidan, I was so nervous!" I said as I nod to the waitress serving my coffee, as a thank you.

"You need to stop it, being all nervous like that. You've been in movies since you were a teen, get over it! Everything is gonna be alright."

"I know, I know... Anyway, I've been meaning to ask you... Were there any other guys who auditioned for my role? And for the other parts?"

"A few well known actors did it, for the others... I only know a few, like Ophelia Cooper."

"Ophelia Cooper? The singer?"

"Of a rock band, yes, I hope she'll get the role, she seems very attractive and lovely."

"Hmm." I murmured, "She did make her film debut last year, right?"

"Yeah, in that 'Becoming of Age' movie, she played the mom." He blurted.

"Wow." I said, "Do you think I'll get the role? I kinda like her."

"Of course! And don't go thinking you're a bad actor. A professional actor is an amateur who didn't quit, you know."

"I guess you're right, Aidan. Thank you so much. I'll see you later, or tomorrow."

"Yes, Aidan, see you, also, I'm all ears, if you need anything, I'm right here." He said, ending the call.

I stood up from the chair and paid for my coffee. Soon, I went back to my car and drove home.

As I started driving, I wondered how this would affect me overall, I always worried about stuff like that. What if this ends up as a box-office bomb and it would affect me and my career?

I took those things off my mind, and thought of other things and drove around as the sun was setting on the city of Los Angeles, I didn't feel like going home yet, so I stopped at Venice Beach. I look at a group of girls playing basketball, then I got out of the car.

I looked past different T-Shirt stores and street performers, there's enough things to do in Venice that are downright pleasant and borderline charming. Many visitors make a beeline for the grungy Venice Boardwalk, admittedly an iconic L.A. attraction. But there's so much more to see beyond the boardwalk, from idyllic canals to quiet patches of sand that rank among L.A.'s best beaches.

Lastly, I decided to take a stop at Jerry's Ice Cream, a small ice cream store, but he's different. He's been my friend since I first moved to L.A., and basically helped me settle in. A very supportive man.

"Jerry!" I shouted.

"Hey, Leo. How's today?" He asked.

"I went to an audition today, but other than that the day's very normal. It's all I did today. Some days you're stuck with what you got."

"Hmm, I guess your right, but I feel like you should know, Leo. You're probably the only celebrity who's visited this place. Other than that, it's just kids and normal families."

"'Probably'? And have you been telling those kids and families about me?"

"Oh, no, I don't tell people that, it's my little secret. And, yes, 'probably', there's possibly people I don't know who are secretly celebrities."

"Jerry, please. I've been going here ever since I moved to L.A., the City of Angels! It was a rough move but you made me feel better."

"That's because I felt the same way, leaving France was hard for me but I did it for my family, America is simply a land full of opportunities! Left and right wherever you go! With time, you can get used to anything." Jerry sighed, "I remember one thing my wife used to say, 'They say people are like snowflakes, each one is unique, but I think they're more like skies. Some are cloudy, some are stormy, some are clear, but no two are ever the same.'"

"I guess you're right, Jerry. I wonder how my family from Washington is doing."

"Proud of you, and very happy! I know this because I feel it."

"You're a real one Jerry, and since you're a real one, can you help me?"

"With what?"

"There's one of these girls who auditioned for a role, who's supposed to be my love interest apparently."

"Oh, wow, is she different from your love interests in the past?"

"I guess so, I don't know that much about her..."

"What's her name?"

"Ophelia, Ophelia Cooper."

"No way! The rock singer? From Buzzkilled? That girl's very talented, many people love their music."

"I know, right? She's very beautiful." I said, pulling out my phone and scrolling through Instagram until I found her profile.

"Amazing singer and an amazing actress! She's doing well for herself if she auditioned here. Isn't she from New York?"

"Yeah, I guess she drove all the way here."

"I like that, she seems very dedicated. There is something timeless about her."

"Timeless? Timeless, how?"

"She's been around the music industry since 2005, and as the times changes, it doesn't seem like it mattered to her, like Adaline Bowman, you know?"

"Do you think she actually ages?" Jerry laughed.

"She probably doesn't." I laugh as well, "Time moves so damn fast."

Jerry stayed silent, meanwhile I kept scrolling down Instagram. "She's so beautiful." I said.

"You like her, don't you?" Jerry asked.

"What? I- I don't know... I-"

Jerry chuckled as he turned around, I looked at the sky finally going dark, though, am I actually catching feelings?