down the street [Jace Norman]

Ch. 3

Emma's POV

7.38 a.m

Today's the day. I'm auditioning in about an hour. I'm so nervous. Not to mention that Jace is going to be there watching me. I have to be good, no I have to be great. I decide to run through my lines one more time when I heard my phone ding. I jumped on the bed to get it and check - it was a text from Jace. Not only that but Instagram had so many notifications I couldn't see all of them.

Before reading the text from Jace I wanted to see what was on Instagram that got so much buzz. Then I remembered, I posted that pic with Jace last night. I opened Instagram and had over a thousand likes and more than a hundred new followers and a lot of comments I don't even know how many. I decide to look at some of the comments. They were pretty cool.

"Omg Emma your so lucky!"

"Is that the real Jace Norman?"

"He's famous Emma that's not fair"

Then there was the comments from the people I didn't know:

"Who is that with Jace?"

"Jace has a girlfriend?"

"OTP I ship it. I hope they are dating"

Then I see one that's kind of mean.

"Ew why is Jace hanging out with her she's so ugly"

I didn't want to make a huge deal about it because there are plenty of people that would be jealous of me knowing him. I mean I'd be pretty jealous too. It's just one comment, I can let it go.
But then I saw another. And another.

"Why is Jace hanging out with such a fatass?"

"Jace should be with someone pretty, she's just fat"

"Haha Jace is so tiny and she so huge"

Wow. I didn't know people would say that. I mean I was picked on at my old school but that was because of Kayla. I feel like I'm going to cry. I have my audition today. I have to cheer up and be excited.

Just then Jace texted again. Shoot I forgot he texted me.

Jace: Hey. Ready for your audition?
Jace: Emma you're awake right? You don't wanna be late.

Emma: Hey sorry. I was on Instagram lol.

Jace: Oh yea I saw that pic that you posted last night.

Emma: It's ok that I posted it right?

Jace: Yea. I mean after your audition, when you get on the show we take cast selfies all the time. 😂

Emma: Well I don't even know if I'm going to get the part so... 😬

Jace: I think you will.

Emma: I won't if we keep texting. I gtg, don't wanna be late.

Jace: K. See you there. We're still on for Starbucks?

Emma: Of course. See you at the studio.

"Emma, come on we have to go now!" Mom shouts from downstairs. "Coming" I shout back as I grab my phone and look in the mirror one last time. Ok. Let's do this. I go downstairs and my mom hands me a granola bar for the car because I missed breakfast due to getting ready. I get in the car and put the granola bar in my bag.

We drive up to the studio and Jace is already there, waiting outside for me. "Hey" I say as I get out of the car and walk over to him. "Hey, how ya doing?" "Oh I'm good other than the fact that I'm about to audition to be on a tv show." "Don't sweat it, you'll do fine"
I hope he's right.

Jace's POV

As we walk in I show Emma where she has to go. I wish her luck as she goes in. I know she'll get it. I get an actress vibe from her. I open the door slightly so I can just about see and hear her.

Wow she's great. She seems so shy and quiet but I guess that's why she acts. She gave me her phone to hold while she went into audition, just in case it made any noises. I try to unlock it. Wow Emma, no password. I tap on Instagram and decide to hack her. I take a selfie and post it with the caption @emma_blakee: Hackeddd by @jacenorman7, and yes it's the real Jace. 😂❤️

I put her phone away and look up at her and open the door a little more so I can see the producers face. He looks impressed. I see her start to finish so I quietly close the door and act like I was sitting on the bench the whole time. "How'd it go?" I asked her as she walked out. "I think it went well, my manager said I should get a call later on today if I get the part." She said. "Wow that's great. Starbucks?" "Starbucks" she responded.

We go outside and wait for my mom to pick us up. She takes out her phone and it's got tons of Instagram notifications. Haha that's my fault. As she scrolls on her lock screen she smiled. I think she knew that I hacked her. However, her smile faded as she slowly stopped scrolling. "What's wrong?" I ask stepping closer to look over her shoulder. She swiftly moved her finger over the top of her phone and the screen went black. "Nothing why?" She replied. "You looked like you saw something that made you feel bad." I said hoping she would tell me what just happened. Something is definitely bothering her. "Oh, no I'm all good." She smiled and looked up as my mom pulled up to the curb.

Emma's POV

I have a weird happy feeling because Jace hacked my Instagram. At the same time I purposely took the password off my phone so that he would be able to. I don't know if he saw my locks screen a minute ago though. As I was scrolling through the comments on his hacked post there were all these comments, just like the mean ones from earlier. I tried to hide it but now I think Jace knows - or thinks somethings up. I put my phone in my bag and as I went to close it the sun reflected off of the granola bar wrapper my mom had given me this morning. I didn't have breakfast and I am kind of hungry. As I reach for the granola bar my phone buzzes on my arm, so I stop reaching to look at it. It was a tweet by Kayla.

@kayla_xo: Wow Emma auditioned for her part on a 'real tv show' today. Oh and she apparently knows and likes 'the real Jace Norman', and as far as Insta goes does anyone really think he posted on her Instagram? We all know that even if she might know him that he would never like a girl as fat and ugly as her. Em, pls take this as advise from your friend. Ly. RT if you agree.

I tried really hard to blink back any tears but I guess I didn't try hard enough. I think about what Kayla said, and what all those comments said. I look over at Jace, he's look at his phone screen. How could I even think that someone like him could like someone like me? The more I think about it, I don't really feel like having that granola bar right now. We pull up outside Starbucks and go in. "You can get on line, I'm just going to go to the bathroom real quick." He nodded. I get to the bathroom and pull out my phone. I go on Twitter, Kayla's post as over 100 retweets. I go on Instagram, more comments. I lock my phone and toss it in my bag. I walk over to the mirror and just stare. The more I look at myself the more I see why these people are saying I'm ugly and fat. I wipe a tear as it falls and quickly wash my face and reapplied some mascara. I walk out and see Jace on line. I go stand next to him.

"What are you going to get?" He asked me. Usually I would order a venti Vanilla bean Frapuccino but that probably has to do with why I'm fat. "I'm not sure yet, how about you?" I ask him as I think about what to get that has the least amount of calories. "Probably a large Vanilla Bean Frapuccino." He says. I look at him and wonder if he knew that was my favorite drink too. "That's my favorite." I said. "Yeah, I know you posted it on Instagram a lot." He laughed. "Were you stalking me?" I ask. "Maybe" he laughed. I laughed too. He orders. He got the Vanilla Bean Frapuccino. What if he only got that becuase he knew it was my favorite? I guess I'll get that too then. I order. We get our drinks and go sit down at a table near by.