An Al Pacino fic: The Velvet Sky Over Manhattan

Two Broke Actors Sitting in A Tree

Friday came and I was a nervous wreck. I couldn't even remember the last time I had actually sang in front of people. I knew I had to do it though. I wouldn't be able to forgive myself if I chickened out and never got the chance to know if I was really good enough. My hands were freezing and my face was burning hot as I sat outside the auditorium with all the other girls. There were so many of them. As they all talked loudly amongst themselves and warmed up their voices, I sat by myself, bouncing my leg and playing with the end of my skirt.
"Sally!" I heard being called out. The girl whose name must've been Sally got up excitedly and rushed through the black door and onto the stage. My name was close to being called and, because of that, my heart pounded faster and faster as the seconds went by. I began to hum my audition song to myself and my leg continued to bounce at an uneasy pace.
"Scarlet!" I heard called out. My heart seemed to have gone cold. My leg stopped bouncing and I was frozen in my seat.
"Scarlet!" They called again. Slowly I rose from my seat and towards the door. The usher showed me through the door and into the stage room. The entire room was black and intimidating. The stage lights were so bright that you needed sunscreen just to stand in front of them. I squinted my eyes passed the lights to look out into the sea of seats. In that sea, I saw four people sitting and I could just barely make out their faces.
"You're name is Scarlet Carol." One of the people said as if to tell me and not ask me.
"Yes." I said, trying to muster up as much confidence as I possibly could.
"Ok Scarlet and how many musicals have you done before this one?" She asked. I felt my confidence chip away a little bit. "Uhm none actually..." I said in an apologetic tone. "Just plays." I couldn't see their faces but I could feel the judgement radiating from them. "Well I guess there's a first for everything right?" I said with a giggle, attempting to break the awkward silence. They didn't seem amused. "Ok Scarlet let's hear what you've got." The lady said. I take a deep breath and stand still for a moment. I hear the music start to play. Suddenly I was singing my heart out and prancing around the stage as if I actually knew what the fuck I was doing. I couldn't feel my body and my mind was completely blank but somehow I was soaring across the stage and it felt as if I were just acting in a play like normal. I thought I was doing amazing! Until the music stopped abruptly. "Ok Scarlet that's enough." The lady said. I stopped dancing and looked out in confusion. "Wait that's it?" I asked. "Yes, thank you, Scarlet we've seen enough."
I nodded my head and turned to leave out of the back door that led outside. The brightness from the sun made the spotlights seem like candles and nearly blinded me as I sat down on the stoop and looked out into the street.
It all had happened so fast. One minute I was on that stage feeling on top of the world and then I was sitting on that stoop like a child waiting for their mother, feeling pathetic and humiliated. They must've hated me, I thought. I cant believe I made such a fool out of myself. I buried my face in my arms and began to sob. How could I have been so foolish as to go up there? I regretted with everything in me that I let Monica and Peggy talk me into doing that. I sat on those steps, crying my eyes out, for what seemed like hours until I heard footsteps coming up the stairs. I kept my head shielded by my arms and tried my best to stop my tears coming out.
"Hey you alright?" I heard a familiar voice say from next to me. I knew who it was right away. How could I forget that sweet and comforting voice I've known for such a short time yet grown so attach to. Too afraid to let Al see me cry, I kept my head in my arms. I felt his hand grab my shoulder and give it a gentle shake. "What's the matter, Scarlet?" He said softly. "Do you ever feel like you just can't do anything right?" I asked. "Sure loads of times." He answers. "I guess everybody feels like that sometimes."
"Well that's how I feel right now." I say.
"Why?"
"I bombed my audition." I say, finally raising my head up, revealing my puffy red eyes and soaking wet face.
"Well hey don't sweat it that happens to everybody once in a while." He says reassuringly.
"I know it's just...God I really wanted this." I said, sniffling and trying to wipe my tears away. "This could've really been my break and I fucked it up. I must've been awful, they hated it."
"Cmon how do you know they hated it?"
"Cause they cut me off halfway through the song and said 'Thank you, Scarlet we've seen enough'"
"Well what's so bad about that?"
"In theater when the director says that to you it's code for: You suck get your ass off the stage."
"Oh cmon Scarlet you don't know that. They could've really liked you."
I scoffed. "Yeah right." I said more tears coming out of my eyes. "You know when I was little I told my mother I wanted to be a movie star." I looked up at they sky and smirked. "And she just laughed at me. And then she told me 'Colored girls can't be movie stars'." I let out a soft chuckle. "I'm starting to think she's right yah know. Maybe I'm just not cut out to be a star. Maybe I'm just destined to act in low budget, off-broadway plays on weekends and wait at some shitty diner for the rest of my life."
"That's not true, Scarlet." Al said. "You've got way too much passion and strength in you. You know it and I know it. You're going somewhere, Scarlet. And that's the truth. And you know what? You're right. You're not a movie star. You're something so much better and more powerful than that. When I see you act I see this fire light up in your eyes and it is the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. Lets face it Scarlet, you're destined to go somewhere. There's no way in hell you're gonna be waiting at that diner you're whole life. You're too amazing for that shit. And if those bastards in there can't see that then fuck em, alright. Years from now, when you're on stage with an Oscar in your hand giving a speech, they're gonna regret they ever treated you like shit."
I couldn't help but laugh at those words. "Al, I appreciate the words of encouragement but, there's no way in hell I'll ever win an Oscar."
"Bullshit!" Al shouted. "Give it ten years tops, and you'll be in Hollywood, sipping champagne with Brando at some after party and you won't even be thinking about this."
I laugh and shake my head. Of course I didn't believe a word he was telling me, but he said it with such sincerity and confidence, it filled me with the hope of a little girl on Christmas Eve.
"You know, Al," I start to say, "you're different from any man I've ever met. I mean, I haven't known you for that long but when I'm with you I just feel safe. I feel comfortable. Like I can just be myself. Isn't that ridiculous?"
"Just a little." Al said. "But I'd rather us be absolutely ridiculous than absolutely boring." He leaned in and delicately wiped a tear off my cheek with his thumb. My eyes had finally dried up and I could see him clearly. He was so beautiful he almost drove me to tears again. I had never been that close to him and, for the first time, I could see flecks of emeralds in his dark haunting eyes. And, all at once, I was hopelessly, madly, agonizingly in love with him. I couldn't contain it any longer or else I would explode. I hesitantly leaned in closer towards him and pressed my lips against his warm, smooth cheek. I could feel his eyelashes fluttering against my face. I pulled away after a few seconds and he just stared at me with his lips slightly parted and cheeks turning pink. After staring at me for at least a century, he finally places his hand on my cheek, caressing my face with his thumb. We moved in closer to each other and let our foreheads meet and our noses brush against each other. And, within a flash of a second, our mouths were met like two planets colliding into each other. I can't begin to explain the rush of freedom and burning desire that overcame my body. I tangled my fingers in his thick and silky hair as he wrapped his arms tightly around my body, squeezing my breasts against his chest. We were stuck in a somewhat clumsy and warm embrace for what seemed like days on end. Finally we pull away from each other and I feel almost intoxicated and dizzy from his kiss. We both take a moment to catch our breath and just look at each other without a word.
"You uh..." Al began to say, half giggling as he said it, which made me giggle in turn. "You wanna go walk with me?"
"Where?" I ask.
"Oh we could go anywhere you'd like." He replied. "Mexico, China, Brazil...anywhere!" He stands up and reaches his hand out for me to grab. I stare at it for a moment and then up at him.
"What?" He asks, playfully irritated. "You wanna camp out here and protest this play? Which I'd be happy to do but I at least wanna grab some food first."
I giggle and finally take his hand and we walk off the stoop and into the streets together.