young & beautiful

one

       As I turned the key to my brand new apartment and twisted the knob, the smell of fresh paint and new furniture wafted over me. I had never had a new house before. And I had never been more excited.

My luggage toppled over each other as I tried to situate them in front of the door and take a good look at the place. As I was surveying the area, an obnoxious noise came from the other side of the wall.

You've got to be fucking kidding me, I thought to myself. Of all the people in the world I had to get saddled with an idiotic neighbor. I went into the kitchen and stuck my ear up against the backsplash, since that's where the noise was coming from. It sounded like a few boys playing a video game or something of those sorts. They kept screaming "go go GO! Fucking idiot! No not there! AH fucking hell dude."

What followed was uncomfortable silence and then yelling once more. I decided to knock on the door and tell those little shits to keep it down. I didn't need to get no sleep the day before I started filming.

I knocked twice on the door and stood there for a few seconds before a scraggly looking boy around my age, which was 23, opened it. He was wearing a grey shirt with food crumbs on it and his hair was a brown mess.

"Hi, I'm Stella, I just moved in next door. Like literally 2 minutes ago-"

I was abruptly interrupted by the boy sneering at me and yelling something behind him.

"I don't live here, sorry kid"

His quickly went to close the door but I stuck my foot in the crack before he could.

"So Can I speak to the person who does? Listen I just wanted to say you guys are being really loud so could you maybe quiet down a little? I have a job, unlike you all probably do, and I need rest to be alive for said job. Get me, smart ass?"

The un-named boy stood blank faced in front of me and spoke behind him again, this time not averting his gaze from me.

"Leo some chick is here complaining about the noise."

I was startled by who walked over to me, considering I didn't know he lived here. Next to me. In my apartment complex. Next to me.

"May I help you, princess of the apartment complex?"

"Leo, shut the fuck up. We both have to go to the same place tomorrow, so I suggest you shut your stupid little mouth before I do it for you."

He looked confused for a second and cocked his head slightly to the side, but recognized me before not long.

"Oh, right. What's your name again?"

I could tell he was intentionally speaking down to me. Of course he knew my name, we were both starring in a movie together, that, as I said before, starts filming tomorrow.

"I didn't know you lived here." I questioned, cautiously waiting for his reply.

His hand reached up to the back of his head and gave it a scratch, looking behind him as if you get permission to say something in reply.

"Well, now you know. So I'm gonna go back to what I was doing before, if that's okay with you police? Oh, and yes, we'll keep it down."

I swallowed hard and gave a little wave to Leo and the boy that was still standing in the doorway uncomfortably.

I had only met Leo once before, just a few weeks back when I auditioned with him for my call back. We had no chemistry in real life, but on screen, we were magic. I couldn't stand him in the real world. Outside of filming he was an asshole. But inside the set he was a perfect, angel baby boy who could do no wrong. I guess that's why everyone finds him so attractive.

This is my first big acting role, ever since my few commercials as a kid, of course. I was so grateful to be able to get such a big part in a film so early into my career but it didn't feel out of place. It felt right.

Leo and I play lovers who are partners in training for the NYPD. Even though I was only 23, I looked really mature for my age, so that's why I was playing a 30 year old in the movie.

Basically, their careers interfere with their love life's and I end up killing myself in the end, which sends him into a rage, going on a murder spree and being arrested by the very people he was training with.

It was a heavy plot but I held it close to my heart, since it was my very first one. Leo, he was already well known. Just two years ago he starred in Titanic, one of the best selling movies of our generation. Of course I saw it in theaters. Who wouldn't?

I have to admit, I've always kind of had a crush on him. Until I found out what he was like in real life. An entitled brat who thinks he always gets his way. I can't wait to finally teach him the world doesn't revolve around him and that other people do exist.

I finished up unpacking my first suitcase as I quick as I could because I wanted to get to bed earlier tonight. I changed into a thin tank top and just my underwear. As I was heating the water up for my instant noodles, I heard mumbling from the other side of the wall.

I couldn't make it out, nor did I want to, so I finished up my food and headed off to sleep.

As I tried to close my eyes and drift off, I couldn't help but have Leo's face flashing in my mind. His beautiful smile, his sparkling blue eyes.

No Stella. You cannot do this. Not now. Not before you've even started filming a movie with this boy.

I groaned at my own stupidity and slammed a pillow onto my face, to which I screamed into. This seemed to calm me down a bit, enough to close my eyes and fall into a deep sleep.