The rest of the week flew by, and with the actual filming beginning after the weekend I felt more excitement than I did nerves. Rehearsing with the documentary cameras everywhere helped me pretend they did not exist. Running through the scenes so many times I finally let myself get lost in the story and characters.
"This is how I wanted it to feel like," I said to Leah, Friday night leaving the studio. "It's all just make-believe...I love it!"
"I told you!" Leah said, wrapping her hands around me, "It's so much fun...and all the hard work is worth it."
I didn't notice the paparazzi until after Simon ran and jumped on my back, forcing me to run around carrying him, while he howled like a wolf.
"T G I F!" He yelled, howling.
"Isn't it past your bedtime?" I asked him as he jumped off and ran to Leah.
The flashing started and I became momentary blinded by the light.
"Guys follow me" Leah snapped, quickly taking the lead. I grabbed her hand, and Simon grabbed mine. Leah jumped into her jeep, and Simon and I dove into the back seat as she sped away.
"They appeared out of nowhere," I said, still seeing spots.
"Carrie's is not the only star..." Leah said, weaving in and out of lanes.
I realized she meant Simon. Technically Simon Fox's star did shine brighter than Carrie Sayer's.
"I forgot we are in the presence of Academy Award nominee, Simon Fox!" I said dramatically.
"Don't ever forget it!" Simon joked back.
As Leah sped to the Shire, I couldn't help but think if luck or Leah's manipulative talents broke down Simon's tough walls and maneuvered us into his good graces.
*
Julia met us back at the house, and the four of us walked up through the front doors and into the kitchen.
"I've missed you guys! I'm tired of seeing your pictures in magazines, and not the real-life lunatics in person." Julia complained, helping me grab waters from the fridge.
"We just escaped a pack of those idiots outside the studio," Leah said, dramatically.
"Banana!" Simon yelled.
"Oh my god, he knows Banana already. No more weekends without me!" Julia pleaded.
We carried the waters upstairs and unloaded our feast on the oak desk. Twelve bags of coke, Xanax, Oxycontin, and a gallon ziplock of pot. Weekend binges were slowly becoming a habit. During the week I limited myself to weed before bed only, and alcohol I replaced with large amounts of water, so this behavior seemed responsible.
First, we shared two bags of coke, a Xanax each, and two Oxycontin split between four. Then we sat on the magic carpet and passed the bong around for thirty minutes. I kept repacking the bong as it circled around.
"What does it feel like to be the most buzzed about actors in Hollywood?" Julia asked.
"Stop!" I pleaded, "I don't think it's quite like that yet."
"It's headed in that direction," Simon said, seriously.
"I think Simon's right," Leah said.
"Come on guys, next week it'll be somebody else. It's only been a page in Us Weekly."
"Actually the same article ran in Star and all the online blogs."
"Even if it's HBO and our agents setting us up, it seems to be picking up speed," Simon said.
"Banana!" I yelled
"Banana !"
Two more bags of coke, and another Xanax each.
"Music," Leah said, standing up and hooking her i-pod to my speakers.
Julia waltzed into my closet and started trying on clothes.
"Your closet is like a store, there are still tags on everything!" Julia yelled from the walk-in.
Simon crushed another Oxycontin and cut it into four lines. He snorted one, and handed me the rolled up hundred. I snorted mine and handed it back. We finished the OXY and joined Julia in the closet.
"This Phoenix stuff is insane! I love it." Julia said holding up a dark silver chainmail tank top.
"He did all our stuff from the gold party." I reminded Julia, "His line is launching in a few weeks, it'll be in Details and Nylon. He's also opening up a boutique in West Hollywood next to Daniel's office."
"I'm obsessed with all of it," Julia said, trying on a dark green chainmail top and an oversized gray hoodie cloak.
"Have you ever read Dune?" I asked Julia
"Yeah," Julia said, looking at herself in one of the mirrors.
"I have too," Simon said
"The Phoenix line reminds me of the series."
"Totally," Julia said, undressing, and hanging the clothes back up.
The Oxycontin hit me hard and I slid down the wall onto the floor. Simon slid next to me and put his head on my shoulder. Leah crawled into the closet and curled up, laying her head in Simon's lap. We watched Julia try on clothes for over an hour.
Leah raised her head up slightly and whispered, "Banana..."
"I can't move...." I said
Julia spun out of the room and returned with the mirror tray, and two more bags of coke.
Twenty minutes later the four of us ran circles around the room, screaming and running into each other, decked out in the Phoenix spring line.
