Lights, Cameras, Outsiders!

Chapter 59

LCO 59
FLASHBACK
********
I struggled to pop the trunk with my keys and cups of coffee in my hands. I stuck the keys in my mouth and lifted the trunk. I tried pushing as many grocery bags on my arms as possible when one of them broke and coke bottle fell everywhere.
"Shit," I muttered.
"Hey, hey, hey, hey!" Some man behind me said, catching some of the bottles of coke. I was on my hands and knees, picking them up and cowboy boots appeared in front of me. My eyes trailed from the feet to the top of a cowboy hat. Jeans, tshirt, plump lips, brown eyes, thick eyebrows, and long brown hair.
"Thank you," I said as he put the bottled back in the plastic bag. I had spilled coffee everywhere.
"Crap..."
"Let me help you with that," he said, grabbing a couple bags and a coffee cup.
"Oh, thank you so much," I said getting up to pick up more bags.
"No problem," his voice was deep. I grabbed the rest of the bags and closed the trunk and locked it.
"Where you headed?" he said.
"Fourth floor," I said.
"Oh, I'm going there too," he said as we started walking.
"Really? You tryin' out for Tex?" I said.
"Yep. Why are you headed up there?"
"I'm working on the movie," I said.
"Oh. Gopher?"
"No, but it feels like it," I said, and it became quiet for a while. He opened the door.
"I'm Matt, by the way," he said.
"I'm Essie."
"Essie?"
"Yeah, E-S-S-I-E. Essie."
"That's a weird name," he said.
"Everybody else in my family have normal names. I'm the odd ball," I said.
"Yeah, I got some pretty ordinary siblings," he said.
"I'm sorry, where are you from? Your accent is just-"
"New Rochelle," he said, clicking the elevator button.
"And that's?"
"North of Manhattan," he said once the elevator opened up.
"So you're not a country boy?"
"No, no, I'm just dressing the part," he said. It was really quiet in the elevator and once we hit the fourth floor we weren't any louder.
"Wait here," I said, stopping in front of the audition room door. I put my things inside the room while winking at Susie and then going back for his load, and then bringing it back.
"Thank you so much for helping me," I said from the doorway.
"No problem, Essie," he said, before turning around and going to take a seat.
"Who was that?" Susie asked.

"Okay, Matthew Dillon," I poked my head out the doorway and yelled. He popped up from his seat and came running to the door.
"You ready?"
"Yeah."
"Okay, then come on in."
"Wait, before I go in, can I ask you something?"
"Hmm?" I leaned against the doorway and brought the edge of the clipboard to my stomach.
"Are you...are you single?"
"Yes, I am," I smiled. Please God, ask me out.
"Would you want to...to grab dinner later?"
"Sure. I'd love to," I said. He nodded.
"Okay...eight? Muriel's?"
"Sure. Now are you ready?"
"Yeah," I said, leading him in.
"Matthew Dillon. This is Tim, the direction, and S.E. Hinton, the writer," I gestured to them before sitting back down.
"Hey, S.E! I thought you was a man!"
********
"Wow, just boatloads of charm, huh?" my mother muttered. Matt came closer and wrapped his arm around my waist.
"You know, Mrs. Hinton, I really don't think you need to keep muttering sarcastic comments under your breath. It's really uncomfortable," Matt snapped. I grabbed a hold of his shirt.
"Excuse me?"
"Francine, he's right. Stop it, it's extremely unnecessary," my dad said.
"This visit is unnecessary," she snapped.
"Okay, then maybe we should just go," I said.
"No, Essie," my dad said.
"No, I really don't need this,
Matt doesn't need this, Dad's telling you to stop this. So maybe you do need to shut the hell up," I snapped. Matt tightened his grip around my waist.
"Essie Eloise Hinton, you get down on your knees and ask God to forgive you for saying that word," she said. I stood up and started towards the door.
"Dad, I'll see you tomorrow. Matt, come on," I said. He quickly made his way to the door and both my parents stood up and stared.
"Bye," I said. My dad walked to the door and opened up.
"Thank you," he said before closing it after us.