Date: September 13, 2013
Alyssa-Rose sat on the couch of her apartment back in Atlanta. Candice, Phoebe, Claire, Kristen, Ian, Joseph, Paul, Cole, and Daniel all sat with her in her living room. They'd invited Nina and Michael Melarkey (who'd just got the role of Enzo St. John as a recurring character in season six and would start filming at the end of the year) but both of them had been busy.
Paul, Phoebe, Alyssa, Ian, Joseph, and Candice sat on the main sofa (in that order), as it was big enough to fit all of them. Kristen and Claire sat on the floor comfortably in front of them. Cole and Daniel sat on the two armchairs on either side of the sofa.
"Okay, guys! Pick a movie!" Alyssa smiled, placing the popcorn and drinks on the coffee table in front of them.
"Ooh! How about legally blonde?" Candice suggested happily, getting comfortable from the other end of the sofa, sipping her diet coke. They'd strictly agreed that this was just a friendly sleepover, which meant no alcohol allowed! They didn't want to wake up with hangovers.
"You're only saying that because of this!" Joseph pointed out, mockingly pulling at her blonde locks.
"Can you blame me?" Candice giggled, swatting his hand away, causing him to chuckle in amusement. "Blondes rule!"
"Cheers to that!" Claire laughed, holding up her lemonade. She and Candice knocked their drinks together in a 'cheers' before drinking.
"Why?" Paul complained. "I don't want to watch some chick flick! What about Star Wars?"
"We watched that on the night of Al's return! Now it's our turn to pick. Suck it up." Phoebe replied, smiling at Paul.
"Okay, then. Legally blonde!" Alyssa turned 'Legally blonde' on as Cole stood up to go dim the lights.
As they settled in to watch the movie, a shrill ringing of a phone interrupted them only six minutes in.
"Seriously?" Candice groaned.
"Turn that thing off!" Daniel groaned, already munching on the salty popcorn.
"Sorry!" Alyssa sighed, taking the sweet popcorn off of her lap and placing it back onto the table as she stood up and grabbed her phone. "I'll be right back." She stood up and quickly exited the room, heading into the kitchen.
She answered the call.
"Hello?"
"Hello, Alyssa. This is Kevin Feige, the producer of C--"
"Captain America: The Winter Soldier! Yes, I remember you! Hi, how are you today?"
"I'm doing good, thank you. And yourself?"
"Oh yes, I'm fine. Adjusting to being back in Atlanta, I suppose. So, I'm guessing this is about my audition?"
"Yes, it is. And I can tell you that the news is not bad at all. You have got the role, dear."
"Really?! Oh my god, that's amazing! Thank you so much! When do I start filming, then?"
"Lucky for you, not until the start of next year. You still have time to say your goodbyes, and next year at the very start of February, we will send a jet over to collect you."
"Um, I'm sorry, I think we have a little misunderstanding... what do you mean by 'say your goodbyes'? I thought Seb would've spoken to you about moving filming here to Atlanta."
"He has, yes. It is definitely possible, but I am not sure it is what's best for the rest of the cast. The Marvel studio has always stayed put here in New York. I am sorry."
"Um... okay, well... what about The Vampire Diaries, and MY cast? We're placed here in Atlanta."
"Oh! I'm very sorry! When you came for your audition, I was led to believe that you'd be leaving The Vampire Diaries for Marvel."
"What? No! No, I'm sorry, Kevin, but The Vampire Diaries and its cast has been a big part of my life for four years! I wasn't planning on leaving at all."
"I-I don't know what you want me to say, Alyssa, I'm afraid. If... if you wish to stay, we cannot force you to leave your home. We will just have to find somebody else--"
"No! I mean, um... could you maybe just give me a little bit of time to think everything over?"
"Of course. We will need your final decision by no later than December 2nd."
"That is more than enough time. Thank you, sir. I will get back to you as soon as I can."
"I don't doubt it. Talk to you soon, dear."
Hanging up, Alyssa drew in a shaky breath as she contemplated her decisions.
She could leave TVD and start again. She could meet other cast mates that she could grow a family bond with, too! And it wasn't like she'd stop talking to the TVD cast. They would still always be her family. Yes, they'd drift apart, but which cast doesn't after a while? And she could come and visit from New York, and they could visit her! Plus, this could strengthen her relationship with Sebastian.
Alyssa went to pick up her phone again to tell Kevin that she'd already made up her mind and would accept the role, but before she could... she froze and thought about her decisions again.
TVD was her family... her home...
She was back to square one.