From The Dining Table [H.S]

Chapter 31:

I wake up early, ready for my audition. I only had less than a day to prepare with the lines they gave me, but I feel confident.

I walk downstairs and into my kitchen where I start a pot of coffee. I pull out my phone, opening the PDF file of the script.

I start reciting the lines out loud before I pour the brewed coffee into a mug. I sit on the sofa and continue practicing and sipping my coffee. I look at the time and decide I should start to get ready.

I go back upstairs after finishing up my coffee and start to get dressed. I put on a blue flannel shirt and some black skinny jeans. I brush my teeth and comb my hair, putting some styling spray in it. I run my fingers through it, brushing it off to the side.

After I finish getting ready, I go out to my car and put the address from the email into the GPS. I follow the directions and twenty minutes later, I arrive at the audition place.

I walk in and sign in, waiting in the lobby until I got called in. I sent a text to Nikki:

Me: Hey love! I'm waiting right now to go into the audition. Wish me luck! Love you! xx

I didn't think she would reply. She's probably still asleep with the time difference.

"Harry Styles" says a women, coming out of a room and looking at a clip board. She looks up and her eyes connect with me, she knows me obviously. She smiles and I stand up walking to her.

She holds out her hand and I shake it, "Hi there, my name is Tiffany."

"Hello" I say, and follow her through some hallways and into a room. There's a long table with four people sitting and an empty chair. In front of them is a large screen hanging up and a camera in the corner, facing that screen.

"Hi, Harry" says the man in the middle. I recognized him: Christopher Nolan. He is the director of this movie, of course he would be a big part in the audition process.

"Hello" I say and Tiffany takes her seat. I walk up to them and shake their hands, introducing myself as Harry. They all tell me their names but I'm nervous so I don't think I remembered them all.

"Alright, are you ready?" says Christopher. I nod and take a deep breath. "Just stay calm and do your best. No pressure, ok?"

I nod and close my eyes a second, getting into the character of Alex. The guy on the end of the table, closest to the camera presses a button on it.

"Okay, Harry, whenever you're ready look into the camera, state your name, age, and what role you're auditioning for and then say your lines" Tiffany says.

I nod and look up at the camera. This is it. This is my audition. It's now or never and I need to leave everything I got here.

"Hi! My name is Harry Styles. I'm twenty two years old and I'll be auditioning for the part of Alex."

I take a deep breath before starting the lines I've been given, "We don't need a volunteer. I know someone who ought to get off" I take a pause, "This one" I point my finger at the wall, "He's a German spy.

—-
"Thank you Harry" says Christopher, "We'll get back to you soon" he says and I nod. I walk up to them and thank them, shaking each of their hands before walking out.

I get to my car and drive back to my house. I just lay on the sofa and think of my audition. I couldn't stop thinking of it. There were parts I knew I could've said better. I probably could've put more emphasis on other parts.

My phone rings, causing reality to rush back to me. I pull out my phone out of my back pocket, eager for it to be about the audition.

My heart sinks a little when it isn't but I'm quickly brought back up seeing Nikki's beautiful face flash across my screen. I answer the phone, "Hello Love!"

"Hey, Harry" she says, sounding really tired, "How'd it go?"

"It went good. I wish I had more time to practice. I would've loved to practice in front of you so you could give me some feedback" I tell her honestly. I would've loved to hear what she thought about it.

"Well you can say your lines in front of me when you get back" she says and I nod, almost forgetting that I had to book a flight home.

"Yeah, we can do that" I tell her. It was a good idea and it might be fun, "I'm not supposed to say anything but I want to tell you. My part is for Alex. I don't think it's a huge role. I'm certainly not the lead but I think it's a great start to acting if-"

"Harry" Nikki says, cutting me off.

"Yeah? What is it?"

"I just wanted to ask how it went. I'm calling you long distance. My phone company is charging me every second I'm on the phone and for every text I send and receive long distance okay?"

I furrow my eyebrows, "I'll pay you back" I tell her. Money isn't an issue and she knows that.

"I don't want your money. Please" she says and I sigh and I think she can tell my frustration, "Just- when you get here you can tell me all about it okay?"

I nod, "Alright. Bye." I say hanging up, a bit annoyed. I was excited to tell her all about it. Instead she's worried about a phone bill.

I groan and grab my laptop from the kitchen and bring it with me to the sofa as I sit down. I open it up and go to my email so I can email Simon for him to get me a flight back home since he promised me one.

To: Simon Cowell
From: Harry Styles

Hey, I'm ready for my private flight back to LA. Preferably in a couple hours. Thanks.

H.

I look around on a celebrity news website to kill some time until I get an email back. Luckily it comes in quick:

To: Harry Styles
From: Simon Cowell

Harry,
There aren't any planes ready to go out today but I can get you one in three days. Sorry.

Simon

I roll my eyes, I could get on a normal airline and get a flight today!

To: Simon Cowell
From: Harry Styles

Never mind, I'll do it myself.

H.

I find an airlines website and there's a flight leaving in four hours to LAX. I call the airline so they know I am VIP.

After sorting that out I realize now I have like three hours to kill before I have to leave my house.

I'm closing out of all my tabs when I see the story about Nikki on the website I was on.

I look through it and I'm shocked. It's Nikki pictured with a guy. I furrow my eyebrows, not believing this.

I read the short article and it's all about how my new girl was with someone else. It included a picture of Nikki and this guy out at a place for dinner. The article explains this was last night and they arrived and left together. It also showed a picture of me coming out of the airport here in London.

I clench my teeth becoming very angry. I pull out my phone, ready to call Nikki and yell at her but then I remember she didn't want to talk on the phone because of the long distance charges.

I groan and throw my phone on the floor, surely cracking it. I run my fingers through my long hair, pulling on it. I don't know what to do with myself right now.

I can't believe she is doing this! She is cheating on me. She thinks that just because I go out of the country for one night she can get with some other guy.

This doesn't happen to me.