Those Who Stare Into the Sun

Chapter Twenty-two: The co-actor

Everyone was done, and Ephraim and the woman - who I overheard was namned Clara - came to us in the waiting room. They told us to come back inside to the salon. 

"Only one more part left of the final audition. Though we have come to a dicision to sort out only four of you. And that means that two of you will leave right away."

My heart stopped. I wasn't ready to go home. If I wouldn't make it to the next part, I would die. 

"And the man and woman that will leave us now, is-"

Every muscle in my body was tensed. 

"- Matthew and Rachel."

I wanted to scream of happieness, but that wouldn't be very professional. I put my hand over my chest and smiled, because - come on, I was allowed to be happy. 

It made since though. I would have been quite shocked if Matthew had beaten either Joseph or Alexander, and Rachel - The Amanda Seyfried-look alike - was just too... petite. I couldn't stop imagining her and Alexander on the big screen. That would never work. 

Ephraim, Clara and the other man made a sad face, and hugged Matthew and Rachel goodbye and good luck with their furture endeavours. Then Matthew and Rachel came up and hugged all of us. I told both of them that is was nice to meet them. They muttred something that I couldn't make out back to me. And then they left.

The crew then smiled at us. We smiled back, stiffly. 

"So the next part is to really get a view of your chemistry with each other. And that is why we will implement a kissing scene."

They all made funny faces at us, and luckily all of us were able to laugh. It felt better that they made a funny thing about it, other than just beeing serious. 

"We have also decided that we've gotten a feeling about your chemistry with each other, and can therefore devide you in to couples - meaning you'll only have to make the scene with one person."

Somehow I hoped that it would be Alexander, but that was just because I didn't really feel attracted to him. And, for all I knew, he didn't have a wife. 

But then again - since when did it matter to me if a man had a wife? Sigh. 

"So, Anya - you'll make the scene with Joseph."

My heart pounded and I instantly felt myself blush. I looked over at Joseph and he had this smirk on his face, which made me laugh. Maybe it would be okey, after all. 

"And thus, Amanda - you'll work with Alexander."

Amanda looked thrilled. 

Clara came up to us, handing over a new two-page script. 

"Okey, you will have ten minutes to rehearse this, and then you'll preform the scene infront of us and the cameras. We do not expect this to be perfect, we just want you to get relaxed with each other and see your chemistry. Now, this is a love scene between Giordana and Kane, so it is a very important one."

I took a deep breath and felt really nervous. My twenty-something self would never had believed this if I went back in time and told her. 

They showed us towards two seperate rooms where we could study the script. We shut the door after us, and there we were, me and Joseph Morgan. 

Joseph already had his nose in the script, he looked up and smiled. 

"Okey - so we'll take a minute to read trough the script?"

"Yes" I said and sat down on this couch in the corner of the room. The room was all beige, and very... waiting room-like. Joseph sat down next to me. He seemed all calm. Then again, he must have done this hundreds of times.