Around a large cinema in Los Angeles, people crowded in to catch a glimpse of the celebrities on their way into the building.
Maggie sat in her limousine on her way to the screening of her new film. She stared at the floor, not speaking to her agent who sat on the phone across from her, and held a glass of champagne that remained unmarked by the lipstick she wore.
Her agent, Leroy, was boasting to someone about a deal he'd secured for Maggie, unaware of the young girl's silence.
Maggie swirled her glass back and forth and watched the liquid as it fizzed inside. There wasn't anything to be afraid of, she told herself. It's just like the videos she'd make for drama class at school.
Her hands started to shake and she put the glass in its holder.
"Leroy, I-" she started, but Leroy held up his hand to silence her, and continued talking to whoever it was on the other end.
She wrapped her arms around herself, suddenly finding the air cold. She took several deep breaths and told herself it would all be over soon.
The car rolled to a stop and through the windows, she could see the lights of cameras flashing. Leroy bid farewell to whoever was on the other end and said "Well? They're all waiting for you."
Maggie took a shaky breath and opened the car door. The sound of screaming and cheering grew tenfold and the spotlights trained on the car door were blinding. She shielded her eyes and forced a smile for everyone in attendance.
Leroy exited the car after her and they both began the journey up the red carpet.
"This is just a preview screening, right?" she called to Leon above the roar.
"The people love a glimpse of their idols. The more we give them what they want, the more they love us," he said, waving to the crowd.
Maggie smiled and waved as well, but her eyes darted back and forth on high alert. They reached the front door and when they were inside, a small plump woman approached them.
"Maggie Eleanor! It's such an honour to meet you! I'm Susan Darling, the owner of our lovely little cinema. I'd like to thank you personally for choosing us for your initial screening. Please, follow me! Your private booth is just over here!."
The plump woman took off at almost a run but the two had no trouble keeping up. She led them to a pair of large doors, beyond which, a pair of heavy black curtains hung. She pulled them aside and Maggie stepped through to find a spacious booth with two large plush seats.
The woman piped up, "If you'd like anything, there's a button on the table between you. Just press it and we'll come running!"
"Thank you kindly." Leroy said and the woman left, letting the curtains fall behind her. They were thick enough to omit any light that might have shone through them and measured so as to touch the ground perfectly, leaving no wrinkles or gaps for light to creep around.
They took their seats, Leroy's phone returning to his hand, and they sat in silence.
The screen was eye level with their window, and Maggie could see speaker holes surrounding their private suite, counting nine in total. Looking down, she could see everyone in their seats below, eating popcorn or talking casually with those around them. Among them were her co stars, her family, the director, the screenwriters and a portion of the film's crew. Everyone was relieved to have the four year project finally come to an end.
As people talked, then lights dimmed and the noise quickly came to a halt.
The opening scene was simply a panning shot of the night sky as credits flashed all over the screen, but Maggie's breathing slowed and her stomach began to tighten. The credits came to an end with a bright light and the film's title, 'Xenonaut' flashed onto the screen. The title faded, and the camera panned down slowly and from the bottom of the screen, Maggie's face appeared.
She was standing on top of a building in a black leather jacket, looking out over a city, and as she stared at her own face on the screen, time seemed to slow and she saw everything on the screen for what it was.
Acting.
She saw the face she pulled the day they filmed it, not looking out at a city, but at a big red 'X' just past the camera. The makeup she wore hid her freckles, but she could still see where they should be. She watched her eyes flicker from the wind on the night, a bizarre and embarrassing motion that occupied her mind as the camera cut to the scene of a robbery.
Her next appearance was a fight scene where she burst in on the criminals and took them out, but Maggie didn't know how to fight, so a stunt double was brought in for the action.
She watched the double dance around the screen with finesse as she brought down the villains, then the camera would cut and she would be back on screen, bumbling around like a trained orangutan.
Her stomach knotted. Her mouth parched. He hands were cold and clammy. She sat for ninety minutes, watching herself pretend to act. Up on screen, her voice would crack, her stride would falter, her face would do things all on its own, and all the while, she sunk deeper and deeper into her seat.
As the film drew to a close, she straightened herself and made ready to leave. She tried to distract herself from having to pay attention to almost no avail, but now she just tried to push through until it was over.
Then, the last scene dimmed, the credits ran and the lights came on. Maggie picked up her bag and made to leave, but before she reached the curtains, everyone in the room below erupted into applause.
She stopped and turned, and saw everyone was looking at her, up from below, cheering and jumping, clapping their hands, screaming, waving, and whistling.
For a moment, she was torn. She just wanted to leave, but everyone was so expectant.
So she smiled back and bowed, and gestured to everyone else in the room, trying to direct some of the attention away from herself. She didn't feel like celebrating. She was mortified from having to watch her dreadful performance, but no one needed to know that.
Story end. I ran out of time.
