First Time Reading (FTR) or Re-Reading (RR)?
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Alicia
"Douchebag!"
Alicia unexpectedly slowed to get around a second car while driving to Skymotion Films for a screen test. Because of her beating heart, she had to stop staring at the time to avoid a stroke. That'll be her luck, right? At twenty-four years old, she would die before acting in a film that could change her life.
Traveling in LA could be deadly. She hit the horn again, trying to keep her anger at the driver after showing her the finger. Calm down, Alicia. Take a deep breath. She didn't need to worry about this before uncovering her Hollywood star potential.
Part of her may have been happy to never get there. The film could transform her career, but there was a catch. The catch proved massive. She must kiss another woman. She had to do more than hug, whisper, kiss, and stare at her co-star to make this romantic science fiction movie in three months.
Alicia used a group messaging app to convince her relatives and friends that this was just another gig. Even if everyone was oddly constructive, she heard, "You'll always be the same person as before. We love and support you."
It was nice to hear and all, but she had never privately labeled her sexuality. She liked people, and their gender or identity didn't affect who she preferred. Her motto: "Good relationships need a neutral vibe. Even if we don't vibe, we'll be alright."
Her family told her they loved her after she repeatedly explained that her primary goal in life was to be an actress. Still, hearing their sentiments was comforting.
She enjoyed dating and never settled. Her sexuality was once questioned because of her short hair and pantsuits. Since splitting with Nathan on Christmas Eve two years ago, she has avoided being with anyone, so she feared getting close to a new co-star. Especially since she was about to work with a female in romantic scenes. Her top priority was to look amused while someone slobbered all over her face like a dog licking a cat's mouth.
The traffic made her nervous, so she turned on the radio as a means to escape. Alicia's favorite radio DJ continually rehashed celebrity news.
"This just in," he gushed. "Raven Diaz is dating Love Without Bars co-star Xavier Hartley. Has she not dated enough people on set?"
While stuck in her lane, Alicia groaned. Rumors would later circulate about Raven cheating on her partner, their split, and then their surprise engagement. Why did celebrity stories matter? She stressed that fame could make her life comical.
As she gathered her thoughts, her Volkswagen made a terrible screech. She heard more unpleasant sounds under the hood and felt the car slowing down. To avoid an accident, Alicia turned on her blinker to exit the expressway. Near the gravel, the car stumbled to a stop.
It was just her luck that this breakdown happened when it wasn't necessary. Since the nearest Uber was too far away, Alicia had to walk to Skymotion Films.
She reached her location after seven minutes.
Upon crossing the gate, Alicia spotted a white rabbit hopping around the backyard. Then she slid off the curb while gazing at the animal and injured her arm. The adorable creature hummed and turned its head towards her left shoulder.
She loved naming animals and had a soft spot for them. "Sorry, Peppermint, but I have to go." Her arm tingled as she sat. Passing the screen test in her condition made her sigh.
"Where's your owner?" she asked the small critter.
The rabbit went straight for her leg.
"Want me to pet you?" She rose and turned toward the building. "Sorry. I have to go now."
She sped up. Pressed harder. Constantly boosting herself. When she went months without gaining a role, Alicia had to decide between the electric payment and groceries. It was the feeling of being constantly rejected, day after day, so she challenged herself. When she opened the foyer, she exhaled in relief. Three minutes late. Maybe they could understand her dreadful condition.
"Hi," she said to the desk clerk. "I'm here for a screen test for Kismet. My name is Alicia Steele."
"Lovely!" A woman with candy-pink lips and the name "Joan" on her name tag smiled wide. "Please sit; screen tests haven't started."
Was this happening? Was it her time to shine?
"May I use the restroom?" she asked, and Joan nodded.
"Sure. It's the door immediately to your right."
Despite her unkempt hair, Alicia was presentable after entering the restroom. She brushed her hair with her comb and cleaned her face to remove blood and grime. She despised that her appearance made people overlook her growing up. Her dark eyes, hair, large pink lips, and heart-shaped face were very feminine.
After cleaning herself, Alicia waited in the lobby. However, her brief contact with the rabbit resulted in an allergic reaction, causing her to scratch her nose and rub her irritated eyes. She resisted sneezing while waiting.
Then she waited...
And waited...
"Is there something wrong?" After sitting for more than half an hour, Alicia asked the desk clerk.
Joan scratched her head and mumbled, "Um..."
Then they heard a shout from down the hall just as a door opened. "Until we find her, we can't continue."
Joan's eyes went straight to the door where the yelling was coming from. "Hey, I'm not supposed to share this with anyone," she said, looking at Alicia. Her face showed that she was too happy to keep the good news to herself. "The studio has signed one of the romantic leads."
"Okay?"
"It's Raven Diaz!" Joan expressed her joy with a squeaking sound.
No way.
This cannot be true.
Raven Diaz? It couldn't be the Raven Diaz. The actress was a better fit for other roles than this sci-fi love story, which only a few theaters would show. Besides, she made her name selling the concept of love to tabloids with articles like "How to Please Your Prince Charming!"
Yuck!
Raven dated all the men who played the leads in her romance movies. No one would have thought that she would be in a movie about two women who love each other.
Alicia was deep in thought when she let out a huge sneeze that made her chair shake.
"But of course, famous people get what they want," Joan continued with a chuckle like it was all in good fun. "Unfortunately, her rabbit got out of her dressing room after she insisted on bringing it here. She is declaring that she won't start anything until we find the animal."
Of course.
It made sense to give them an animal to hold throughout the screen test. That is, if one existed. A demanding actress delayed the screen test until she held her pet. Was Raven professional enough to show up? She was a beautiful and talented person, Alicia reflected. A person's career must be easy to grow when everybody envies their curves and tries to imitate them.
Well... she also knew that Raven was an outstanding actress. Alicia set her lips in a hard line. She was still upset at the actress for mishandling things. She earned this for her efforts. Every suffering Alicia endured. First, her car broke down, then a wild chase, then...
"What does the rabbit look like?"
"She's adorable! It has the softest white fur and the widest hazelnut eyes anyone has ever seen!"
Alicia murmured, "Excuse me, I need a moment," as she stood up.
"Sure. We're not planning to begin at this time." The whole scenario appeared funny to Joan.
Whether the entertainment company did anything more or not, she presumed the receptionist was happy to keep her job and her salary.
Instead of thinking about the terrible circumstances, Alicia went outside to find the fluffy animal that caused her to fall. After finding the bush where she had seen her, she said, "Hey, umm... Peppermint?" She smiled at calling the animal she gave it. What else could she call the fluffy, white critter? "Come here."
She searched under the bush on her hands and knees, becoming dirty. She wasn't sure why she was doing this, especially given how little she wanted the role as time went on. Working with Raven Diaz for months? Did she truly want this?
She sighed. Diva or not, Alicia needed her huge break. Partnering with a famous actress in a film could help their careers.
She hunched even lower to search the ground for the rabbit.
The fact that the other actress was dating someone relaxed her. Alicia couldn't figure out why kissing and admiring the woman made her anxious. A romantic connection between them could fail. With Raven off the market, things were simpler. Actor chemistry was as important as talent when casting a film.
"Peppermint!" she exclaimed. A sneeze interrupted her "Pepper—"
She noticed something out of the corner of her eye.
She twisted, happiness flooding her as she saw the wonderful peppermint. The rabbit sat with her ears wiggling, peering at Alicia as if she wanted to be held.
"Hi, Peppermint." She secretly pleaded with the animal not to jump. "I apologize for my previous behavior. I didn't mean to ignore you."
The animal nervously moved toward her and nuzzled Alicia's palm. Peppermint instinctively cuddled her chest after being picked up. The contact calmed her throbbing heart, despite her irritated eyes. Perhaps she had a fur allergy she didn't know anything about.
Alicia has now sprinted to the studio twice today. She threw open the doors and asked, "Is this the animal?" with a rough gasp.
Joan stared at her for a single, intense second, her blue eyes sparkling. Alicia hoped she didn't take the wrong rabbit. Few people own rabbits as pets.
"Oh my gosh!" Joan ran to meet her. "I'm so excited to bring her to Raven!"
"Bring me what?" A stunning, hourglass-shaped woman entered the lobby foyer, chilling Alicia. While the actress's height six-inch heels were daunting, meeting Raven in person was even more so. Alicia was conscious of her filthy skin, given Raven's gorgeous dark hair, flawless brown complexion, and penetrating caramel-colored eyes.
"Oh my!" Raven grinned as she ran toward Joan and grabbed Ivory. "Thank you!"
Alicia said, "No worries."
"Where did you find her?" For the first time, Raven faced her head-on. "I took a call and returned to find Ivory gone."
"She was in the backyard."
"Why were you back there?" Raven was looking at the animal cautiously, and Alicia wished she could say that their exchange wasn't charming. But it was. She wanted to despise the actress, but Raven's hug softened her resentment.
Raven Diaz was embracing her, and she could smell peppermint in her hair. Is this a dream?
She knew that she wouldn't just hug her if the screening went well. There would be more things they'd have to do together. "So, the rabbit's name is Ivory?" Alicia asked.
Raven nodded while holding her pet. "Yep. She's my baby."
Alicia laughed as she said, "I was calling her Peppermint."
"That works too."
A second passed and a voice from behind them shouted, "What's going on? Both of you are wasting our time. Get in here."
"Let's begin this screen test," Raven said, beaming. "I'm Raven. Nice to meet you...?"
"Alicia!" she exclaimed, wanting to sink six feet under. "Nice to meet you."
One part of her wanted to stare into Raven's eyes, while another was unhappy that the screening started late. If she allowed this to distract her, the morning would get worse. Another sneeze broke her apart. She turned around and buried her head into her elbow, barely avoiding hitting the other two women with her snot.
"Are you okay, Alicia?" Joan asked.
"Do you need another break?" Raven studied her, likely concerned she would catch something from being so close.
Alicia's voice grew urgent. "I'm okay!"
Raven nodded and took them to a regular conference room down the hall. Many performers had room in front of a large table at one end. Ivory slipped from her owner's arms into a cage. Alicia restrained herself from rubbing her eyes.
The film's director and casting directors sat irritably at the table. Knowing Raven had drained them, Alicia sighed. Although she laughed about it privately, her future depended on this role.
A large, flushed man remarked, "Thank you for coming in, Ms. Steele," but didn't look up from his notes. Director Oliver Smith. He sat next to the movie producer, Cheryl Alexander. Alicia met them at her first audition two weeks ago, and she wondered if they remembered her without her name on the headshots.
Oliver announced, "We need to see if you're the best fit to play the other lead. Please read the small script we've provided to proceed."
Alicia gasped. "A script?"
"Have you been living under a rock for the past three days?" Cheryl asked, curiously. "We have sent a script to your email."
Alicia shuddered. She may have had her worst day ever today, feeling numb, exhausted, battered, and with eye irritation from Ivory.
Another woman, whom she had not yet met, sighed and reclined in her seat. Her arms fell to her side in defeat. This woman had a frustrating morning like Alicia.
"I didn't see it."
"That's unfortunate. I'm Martha Landon, the intimacy coordinator. We'll excuse you because you went out of your way to find Raven's most priceless treasure." Looking at Alicia from head to toe, she clenched her lips. "You look like you just had the wind knocked out of you."
"I'm... I'm sorry."
Martha gave Alicia a screenplay to read. "Read Qala's character thoroughly."
"And just a little side note," Oliver added. "This movie is about an alien from a planet fifty light years away who meets Aryn, an astronaut on a space mission, and they fall in love."
After looking away from Raven, Alicia nodded. "Yes, I know the plot."
"Thank heavens. It's weird," Cheryl said. "You know the story, but not the characters. Continue, though. We need to see your chemistry to cast you two in the movie."
Alicia now considered this opportunity a favor. She strolled to the area marked with an X on the floor, but she urgently wanted to return to her bed and never leave.
Her teeth clenched. No. That wasn't her style.
She began reading the script. Alicia felt herself coming to life as she paid attention to the dialogue. Her body surged with adrenaline. She turned the page. Reading about Qala broadened her acceptance of the role. There was no stopping her now.
Alicia returned the script to the table.
"You've finished reading it?" Olivier inquired.
She nodded. "Yes. I memorized the lines."
"Okay." Cheryl eyed Raven after she scanned the room. "Are you ready, Ms. Diaz?"
Oliver peered over his shoulder at an older woman gracefully massaging Ivory, and Raven nodded.
"We can begin," she said, looking at Alicia before looking at her manuscript.
Raven then became Aryn, the beautiful astronaut who had won her heart, when Alicia watched her co-star nearing. She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. Having traveled all this way, she was not about to go back home empty-handed.
Her line came out calmly as she opened her eyes. "Why don't you want to go back to Earth?"
Raven smiled innocently. "There's nothing to live for there."
Alicia's heart raced as Raven inched closer, and she started moving backward by the wall. "Elleron is uninhabitable for humans."
"I know that." Raven placed her hand above Alicia and leaned forward, almost touching their chests. "But why live in a world without you?"
When Raven exhaled, her breath touched Alicia's cheek. Alicia was suddenly so captivated by Raven's contact that she froze and couldn't remember her next line. After realizing there was no next line, Raven kissed her.
Her mind screamed, and her fear made her lose all sense of who she was. The kiss was part of the script, and she knew she needed to get a grip on reality. Raven's hand on her wrist caused uncontrollable urges. The actress brushed a warm sprinkle down Alicia's cheek as she pressed a palm over her jaw and stroked it smoothly.
When Alicia looked into her eyes, time stopped. From how close they were, she could see every crease on Raven's face. Up close, the woman was perfect. Her beautiful face shone. Even though she was attractive, her black eyelashes covered her eyes.
Alicia jumped out of the spell when a sudden buzz broke it. Raven moved away and pulled out her phone while nervously looking at the table.
Cheryl beamed. "Your performance was amazing, Alicia. We appreciate your patience."
She replied, "Thank you for this opportunity."
Raven walked away with her phone to her ear. Alicia thought she would forget her and this moment in five seconds. The actress prioritized herself and her pet.
As Alicia walked out onto the street, she groaned. And what was the craziest thing that happened? While looking into Raven's eyes after they kissed, she thought for a moment that she could do this movie. However, she had to fight the urge to develop feelings for this woman.
The timing of their meeting smelled of kismet; something had brought them together, and it worked out perfectly. As she learned more about Raven Diaz, Alicia's curiosity about her grew.
Raven left an impact on Alicia that will stick with her for a long time. Possibly forever.
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Author's note:
Hi, everyone. Nice to see you again. The plot of Kismet is simple. Working together makes two commitment-challenged actresses more vulnerable. Surprising fun fact: Alicia's screen test positioning (where she stood on the X mark) comes from my theater and film training. The characters and narrative of this lighter story were fun to write. Like most of my stories, this one is character-driven. Thanks for reading and commenting. I appreciate your support.