CLOSE-UP & PERSONAL

#CHAPTER 1#

Chapter 1

I scrabble through my make-up bag, searching for some kind of magic remedy. There must be something in here which will make me look like a real actress.

My mind is racing on a million things at once. I have an audition in less than an hour with one of the biggest theatre companies in London. And although I graduated from England's best drama school this year, I majored in script writing. I have only ever acted in a handful of plays.

The lipstick skids out of my hand and falls to the floor. Damn. Maybe lipstick wasn't the look anyway. I turn back to face my reflection in the mirror.

Large, frightened grey eyes blink back at me from under a tangle of thick black hair. The best I can hope for is I get through the audition without making a complete fool of myself. I'll be lucky they don't laugh me out the door before I get to read my lines.

Lines. Another panic sets in. At least this I have prepared for. I begin muttering the learned words under my breath, like a mantra to calm my mind.

It doesn't work.

'Jeez, Issy. You look a wreck!'

Lorna, my best friend and housemate, breezes into my bedroom.

I say best friend. But since she was the one who swung this audition without asking me first, she is currently in my bad books.

'Lorna, they are going to take one look at me and burst out laughing,' I frown, turning to face her. 'It's obvious to anyone I'm not an actress.'

Lorna stalks over to the bed, folding her long legs underneath herself as she sits. She's a model, and manages to make everything she does look like a catwalk pose.

'Shhh,' she tuts, moving a tuft of hair out of my eyes. 'Calm down. You'll be great. Remember the college play? You rocked the auditorium.'

'That was at college, Lorna. This is the real thing.'

Lorna cocks her head to one side and smiles. 'We went to drama school, honey. They don't let anyone who isn't destined for greatness act in the final play. Besides, what have you got to lose?'

My dignity, my ego, my self-respect.

I look back to the mirror, letting out a long sigh.

Lorna shrugs. 'I couldn't have even got you this audition if you hadn't shown talent. Berkeley Theatre only lets top actors try out for their plays.'

The thought spikes me with a fresh surge of fear.

Top actors. And me. Great.

'And you're perfect for the role,' continues Lorna. 'Look at your beautiful dark hair and those great big eyes. You're a natural Lady Capulet.'

This is another reason why I'm annoyed with Lorna. She chose the role without asking me. And yet again, I've been typecast as an evil older woman.

I give my reflection a rueful smile. Thanks mom. In the few roles I've acted, my inherited Spanish features always get me cast as villainesses and femme fatales. Ironic, since nothing else about me suits those roles. I've only had two boyfriends and one of those was in first grade.

'Just think, if you get it,' continued Lorna, her eyes shining, 'you could get to meet James Berkeley in person. Or even Madison Ellis!'

I frown into the mirror. Right now, meeting the famous owner of the Berkeley Theatre company and his actress wife is the last thing on my mind. All I want to do is get through the audition without mangling my lines too badly and leave with my dignity.