Behind The Scenes

Chapter Two

     I never pursued acting. Due to my own fear, I never continued my dream, but I was okay with that.

     I have a great job now, I work as the makeup artist director for the iron man movie. I just got hired, and we are starting the filming process in a couple of weeks.

     I went to college right outside of San Francisco and worked my way up to being a director. I've been a makeup artist in several family TV shows and movies such as, The King of Queens, Reba, the Titanic, and Saving Private Ryan.

     If I can't act, I might as well be around the people that can. I heard Robert Downey Jr. is suppose to be in it. We aren't suppose to know yet, but rumor got out, and LA is full of rumors.

     I've read the script, and I would probably prefer Robert to be iron man. I usually never get the script, but this time they gave it to me. I read the parts of Pepper Potts as if I were her. I acted them out in my trailer, and memorized some of the lines.

     Right now, I'm resting in my trailer, after not feeling well all day. My stomach as been aching, and I almost threw up three times. All of which happened because I was trying to get some sort of food in me, but my body thought quite the opposite.

     I've been trying to get rid of what I have by 3:00 P.M. since that's when our first official meeting is. Since I am the makeup artist director, and all directors, and lead actors are suppose to be at the meeting, I have to show up.

     Right now it's 2:45 P.M. and I'm still gazing at my ceiling, dreading that fact that I need to get up, when I'm pretty sure that I won't be able to walk fifty feet without getting sick.

     I take a deep breath and move the covers off of me. I stand up, and instantly get a feeling of regret. I waddle to the kitchen, to put on my coat that sat on the kitchen table. As I open the door, I start to shiver, even though it is LA and warm year round.

     I make my way to the main building where everything happens. Walking there, I felt nauseus and light headed, but I have to be at the first meeting of the production.

     After what seemed like thirty minutes but probably only ten, I make it to the meeting. About half the room was filled, and sure enough, the rumors were right. Robert Downey Jr was standing with some of the directors as I made my way to the opposite side of the room, hoping nobody will notice my pale face.

     Only about five minutes pass,  everyones showed up. The room was filled with about a total of fifty people in the room once the meeting began.

     It's nearly impossible for me to focus the entire time. I'm mostly focused on, not looking obvious, and trying nkt to vomit. Managing both of these at the same time is very hard, and disables me from being able to focus on what's going on around me.

     "Miss Charlotte?" At first I don't realize they are trying to talk to me until they call me again.

     "Charlotte Paxton?" I wake up out of my day dreaming and look up to everyone staring at me.

     "Yes." I say fighting against the temptation to get sick.

     "Is everything okay?" Jon Favreau, the director and actor in the movie, says.

     "Yes." I lie. I'm trying to keep the amount I talk to a minimum. It becomes very silent and i get very uncomfortable.

     "Are you with us?" I begin to get an anxiety attack. Something that only happens when I am up in front of people, and here I am, in front of fifty people staring at me.

     I start breathing heavily, I feel my heart beating out of my chest, and much more wanting to come out. I stand up not saying anything. I walk as fast as I can, holding on to the walls as I make my way out of room.

     "Miss Paxton." Jon yells as I reach the door.

     "I'll be right back." I say and push the door open. I run to the nearest bathroom which is only a hundred feet down the hall. As soon as I enter the stall, I throw up.

     I feel slightly better after the short bathroom visit, but not a hundred percent. I decide that feeling the way I am now is better than the way I felt before so I went back to the meeting room.

     Everyone is talking until I enter, and that's when the room became silent. I rush back to my seat, trying not to waste too much time.

     "Miss Paxton, is everything okay?" Jon asks me. I look up at him, and directly to his left Robert is looking down at his hands. He seems to be the only person not looking at me.

     "I'm better." I clear my throat as I put my hands on the table.

     "Okay, let's get back to what we were saying." He says, and we start talking about the deadline. I still have no idea what was talked about before I went to the bathroom, so I'll just find someone to catch me up on it.