Sweethearts [1] || tom holland

Chapter 3: The Reply

January 25, 2016 (7:45am)

Two weeks and two days.

That's how long I've been waiting for Marvel to get back to me.

The first week I couldn't contain myself and I was walking around school grinning like an idiot. I even walked with a bit of swag when I walked into class, particularly Drama. But after that, I started to lose hope that I was gonna get a callback.

I sat on the bus on a drizzly Monday morning, two weeks and two days later, with my headphones in listening to Little Mix. The day started out normal, just like any other school day, getting the bus into the town centre where I could walk another 20 minutes to get to school. The bus was half-full of school kids on their way to school, wishing they were still in bed. Today was gonna be another boring day in the life of Mary-Ellen.

Until my phone rang.

'Salute' by Little Mix was cut off and the ringing of my phone echoed through my headphones. I looked down in my lap to see the screen lit up. The caller ID read "Marvel Studios".

Marvel Studios.

Fuck me. No way.

I panicked a little (actually, a lot) and my hands started sweating. My heart rate sped up and I panicked even more. I wasn't sure whether to answer or not. WHAT THE FUCK, MARY-ELLEN? YES! ANSWER IT!

I unplugged my headphones and clicked the accept button. I brought the phone up to my ear with shaking hands.

"Hello?" My voice broke at the end of the word.

"Hello, is this Mary-Ellen Donnelly?" An American lady asked on the other end of the phone.

I gulped and cleared my throat. "Umm, yes, yeah, this is Mary-Ellen."

"This is Sarah Finn, the casting director for Marvel Studios," the voice said. "I'm calling in regards to your audition tape that you sent in."

Oh, fuck. Deep breaths, Mary-Ellen. Calm yourself.

"Oh, yes." My voice started to shake again.

"We loved your audition and we wanted to give you a callback," Sarah explained. "We wondered if you would be free for a screen-test with the other actors in California on 6th February."

My breath got caught in my throat and I started coughing. My brain was fuddled and I couldn't get my words out. My heart was now thumping out of my chest and I almost dropped the phone. After a few moments of silence, I replied to her.

"I, erm, I am free, but, erm, I don't think I can afford a flight to California."

"Oh, don't worry about that," her cheery voice said. "Your flights are covered by the studios."

"Will I need someone to come with me?" I asked.

"Yes, since you're under 18, you'll need a legal guardian to supervise you. You're 15 now, aren't you?"

"Yes, I am. I'll bring my mom with me."

"Ok, that's great. If you email me a photocopy of yours and your mother's passports, I can order the tickets for your flight and hotel."

"Oh, erm, ok. I'll do that tonight."

"Great! I look forward to seeing you next week, Miss. Donnelly," Sarah said.

"Yes, I'll be there on the 6th," I replied, shock seeping into my tone.

Sarah hung up the phone. I moved my phone away from my ear and did a small victory wiggle in my seat, which attracted the attention of the kids around me. They gave me some weird looks but I didn't care. I had just got a callback from MARVEL FRICKIN' STUDENTS. My life could not get any better.

Wait, Atlanta? I have to go to America? Oh, I've never been to the States before.

————

"No way! Are you serious?!"

"Oh my God, this is crazy!"

"We told you you could do it!"

The girls were freaking out over my news. I couldn't contain myself when I got to school. I literally shouted at them when I met them outside the gates. They all jumped up and down with excitement and they hugged me in congratulations. I almost had teas in my eyes and I had no idea how I was going to get through the day.

"Did you tell your mom?" Grace asked.

I nodded. "I texted her as soon as I got the call. She said that we'll sort everything out when I get home."

"Oh my gosh, how are you gonna get through the day?" Charlotte asked.

"I have no idea. I'm trying really hard not to go home right now."

"How come they want you to do the screen test so early?" Paige asked.

I shrugged. "I have no idea. Maybe they don't trust me with a script."

"Well, you know how secretive Marvel is," Grace said. Wow, trust issues already and we haven't even met. How rude, Marvel.

The teacher on duty told us it was time to go to form and we separated to go to our form rooms. Charlotte and Paige were in the same form as me so we talked about the callback all the way there and for the next twenty minutes before we went to our first class.

The whole day my legs were shaking under the table and I was fidgeting in my seat. All I wanted to do was go home and get my passport emailed over to Sarah. The 3pm finish could not come faster for me. I didn't even wait for my friends I headed straight for the bus stops and got on the first bus that came.

————

I threw my bag on the floor in the hallway as soon as I got through the door. My mom was in the kitchen making a cup of tea. She turned around when she heard the clatter and smiled when she saw me.

"Hello, darling, how was school?"

"It was great," I beamed at her. "I just wanted it to end so I could get back here to do the email."

My mom gave me a cup of tea and her eyes widened when I finished my sentence. "Oh, yes! The audition! Right, I've got the laptop up and running. Let's scan the passports and get the email composted."

I sat down at the laptop and opened the emails while my mom put our passports under the scanner in the printer and scanned them. I typed the email out to Sarah and attached the photocopies to the email. After checking it for spelling errors and correct English (I'm a Brummie so my good English can slip sometimes), I sent it to Sarah.

"That's that then," I said, slumping in the chair.

"I'm so proud of you, Mary-Ellen," my mom smiled at me.

"Really?"

"Of course I am! You're my little girl and this is a big thing. You deserve this after all the shit you've put up with."

"Thanks, mom." I leaned over and wrapped my arms around her in a hug.

It's true, I have put up with a lot. I want to use this audition to prove to everyone that I'm more than the weak girl they bullied for years. In time, I'll do that. And hopefully, Marvel can help me make the first step.

NOTE: Jacob will appear in the next chapter. Tom and RDJ appear in the one after that.