The two days we had free passed quickly and next thing I knew, Alexa and I were getting Archie through to his loading zone and we were boarding a plane to schools across the country. We stopped in Phoenix, Arizona and picked a young girl who skipped two grade levels and was already a freshman in high school but of course she had to dress younger than everyone because she was small. Then to Beaumont, Texas where we found a male bull rider who had screwed up his cheek bone in a cattle accident and was now blind in one eye but he continued to wear the type of clothing that he performed in when he lost his vision.
Then to Tampa, Florida where we met a plus sized girl who was shunned in her school because of she dressed in a gothic manner and she wasn't afraid to talk back. Then to Erie, Pennsylvania to the star cheerleader who also was dating the star quarter back, we decided to use them both and have them in their uniforms. Then to Grand Forks, Minnesota where we met twins, a boy and a girl, who both suffered from poverty their whole lives and went foster home to foster home but the girl was perfectly content listening to Screamo music as her brother listened to classical but they both dressed like they were going to a rave on a daily basis.
We then continued to Hot Springs, South Dakota where a boy was the most popular kid in school dating a girl who had been unable to walk her entire life, he looked like the normal boy next door. In Laramie, Wyoming we discovered a girl who worked three jobs to support her ill mother and who was also a mother herself and she would wear her three uniforms in our commercial. In Grand Junction, Colorado, we met a kid who was known for getting into fights for defending the mentally and physically disabled in his high school and looked like he went to school dressed in his Sunday best suit. We then rounded back to Eugene, Oregon to meet a girl who supported her and others equality rights on her college campus who had her own style including dread locks. Then we were in need of one more person and we decided we could find them in our own state of California. James picked me and Alexa up from the airport along with Archie and we were on our way home when Alexa gasped.
"Oh my God, is the baby coming?" I asked from the passenger seat. Alexa giggled from the back seat.
"No! Well, I would've liked if she decided to come early. I'm tired of being pregnant." Alexa sighed. "But no, John. He's different, he's perfect!" She said. I smiled.
"I don't know if he'll want to be in the video." I said. She sighed.
"Maybe if James did it too." Alexa mumbled.
"We only need one more, if we do James we don't need John." I said. Alexa shrugged when I looked back at her.
"We could even do ourselves and Carlos in it. We are all under 25, for now." She said shrugging. I thought a moment, we all were pretty different.
James agreed to it and then we got back home. Carlos was with John in the backyard of Carlos's home with Baxter. Carlos was trying to teach John how to be a pro with mini helicopters. We asked if they'd participate and they agreed. The next morning all our candidates had been flown and Alexa and myself met them at the airport one after the other. We set them up in hotels and we were ready to film later that afternoon.
The interviews began and all of our people were here and they all looked so unique in their own ways. I was proud to see this come along. Then we were finished with them and they were all sent to have a free night in an LA hotel. Then it was just us, James, John, Carlos, and the crew.
"Are we doing the rest of you?" The camera guy asked. I nodded.
"Just give Alexa and myself five minutes to change into our interview clothing." I smiled as he nodded and headed to the refreshment table.
I walked back to the changing rooms and into Alexa's first. "You ready?" I asked as I saw Carlos in there as well. She nodded as she was getting makeup put on.
"You too?" I smiled at Carlos. He held up 'OK' with his hand and smiled. He was in his normal skinny jeans and tshirt look which was perfect. Alexa then was finished and was in her own everyday look of a pair of high waisted jeans and a nice top, you could hardly tell she was pregnant. I smiled and exited their room and knocked on John's next door. He was in a band tee of someone I've need heard of and his normal fit jeans and Vans. I smiled at him as he smirked. "Ready?" I asked as he nodded.
"Ready boss lady." He said back. I closed the doors and headed to James's room. He wasn't there. I sighed. I walked across the hall to mine and was startled to see James in my dressing room. He smirked.
"Hey." He smiled. I smiled back and walked in closing the door.
"What's up?" I asked him. He smiled.
"Just wanted to see what my love was going to wear as her everyday look." He said. I giggled and showed him. He looked down at his own clothing; a blue and white long baseball looking top with jeans and converse. "Am I not dressy enough?" He asked. I shook my head.
"No. You look perfect. I don't dress like this?" I asked James holding up the outfit on the hanger. He shook his head. He pointed at another outfit on a rack across the room.
"That is what you dress like everyday." James said. I looked at it, a sheer yellow tank top, with a white tank top underneath, with a white cardigan, dark wash jeans, and slip on shoes. I giggled and shook my head.
"You brought that from home." I told him pushing him. He chuckled.
"I ran home actually, because I came in here, saw what they had for you to wear, and then had to get something better. Now go change." James said. I blushed.
"Okay." I said kissing his cheek. I changed into the outfit and did feel at home in it. James and I walked out and I started knocking on the doors of everyone to let them know it was time to go.
"Alright, Carlos is first." I said from the directors chair as they started rolling. "Define perfection." I told him.
"My wife." Carlos said smiling like a goof ball. "Really, all the things she does for me is amazing. She is always ready to cook if needed, she is always looking after me and cleaning things for me. She's even blessing me with the honor of becoming a dad." Carlos smiled making me smile.
"Do you think society's idea of perfection is dead on or dead off?" I asked him. He thought a moment.
"Perfection is subjective, what is wrong with society is they don't invite other opinions into their own and they believe you either believe what they do or you're wrong." He answered.
"Perfect. Now we will shoot you doing what you're known for." I smiled as the camera pulled back and Carlos stood from the chair and a crew guy took it away. He then flew a mini helicopter around that'd we soon slow down for the commercial. Then it was Alexa who wanted to go next.
"Alright, define perfection." I told her. She thought a moment.
"Perfection is when you know something is worth fighting for or worth being around. You feel like the perfect thing or person can do no wrong." She said smiling at Carlos.
"Do you agree with society when it comes to perfection?" I asked her. She shook her head.
"I believe perfection is about your own being. You could think one person or thing is perfect, but then someone else is saying it's awful. It isn't about what is on the outside anyway, it's what is inside and if you can feel wonderful with that perfect object." Alexa said confidently. I nodded smiling.
"Alright, John." I said after we filmed Alexa simply rubbing her baby bump for this commercial. John nodded and sat down.
"Define perfection." I told him.
"The innocent in people is perfection, whether that's when you meet an untainted child or when an adult has a piece of childhood within them." John said. I smiled proudly at my brother.
"Do you think society's definition is correct?" I asked him.
"No. Of course not. People believe what they want when it comes to society. People are in such a rush nowadays to do things, such as find love or get to know people that they don't realize that taking it slow not judging by the outside of the package, you might miss something perfect in the simplest places." John said very intelligently. I smiled even more proud. We were going to use his as one of the highlights of the commercial.
"James." I smiled after we filmed John standing with a book of poetry in his hand. James took a seat in the chair and smiled.
"Define perfection." I told him.
"Perfection is beauty, genuineness, loyalty, honesty and uniqueness all in one bundle of greatness. Someone who isn't afraid to be themselves without fear of what others, even those close to them, may think because they know God made them in their image." James said smiling at me. I hid my face and then asked the next question.
"Do you believe society's idea of perfection is corrupted?" I asked James. He sat quietly and then nodded.
"Of course. Society is screwed up to the point of, if two people love one another whether they be of opposite sex or same sex, they say it's wrong. They also say if two people don't necessarily look like they belong, such as a male and a female because ones plus sized and the other is not, that those two are walking freak shows. When I believe it's absolutely beautiful that they've not only fallen for each other's looks but also for their souls. People say it's also okay to go out every night and not be tied down to one person and one person only. Society has taught the younger generations to be scared almost to be themselves because they think fitting in is easier. While it may be easier, fighting for what you love and what you stand for is much more rewarding. Society is definitely corrupted." James said basically speaking about our own relationship. I smiled as they took his chair away. He simply stood there. He only stood. He didn't have a prop, or anything really to do, we just zoomed into his face.
"Okay, Lizzi. You're turn for the camera. Do you remember what to say?" Alexa asked then sitting in my directors chair as I nodded. I then went to sit in the chair as Lex called action.
"Hi, I'm Elizabeth Allen. I'm here to tell you watching that you hold true perfection in your hands. We as the younger generation have the ability to tell the world that we will not believe their corrupted ideas of perfection. I believe full heartedly that we can all be thought of as beautiful because we are all unique. We all share being human and what else does anyone need in order to know they are perfect the way they are? Being the CEO and founder of 'Be Perfection' Foundation and Knowing since I myself was picked on and judged as a young adult, that I wanted to make a stand against any form of bullying or self esteem issues. Young people today don't get told enough that they too are perfect just how they were born. Take the stand with me and say 'no' to society. Be the ones who change the world. Be the ones who redefine perfection in our own words. Be the ones who take a stand to say we all are perfect even with imperfections. Be the ones to teach people that there's a new meaning to perfect. Be Perfection." I said passionately as Alexa called cut. Everyone clapped as I stood to do my own slow motion close up or zoom out. I blushed and then stood.
"Be fierce!" Alexa yelled as she then called action again. I stood with my chin tilted up and my sass evident. I shifted my weight back and forth and then rested my hand that wasn't already on my hip on my head and looked at the ground.
As I finished my close up take, everyone clapped including the crew. It was all done, just needed editing and we were good. I got many compliments from the crew about the foundation and I couldn't help but feel gratefulness towards each and everyone of them. "You were amazing." John said giving me a hug. I laughed.
"Thanks." I said as James stood behind and smirked. I walked over slowly and smiled.
"You looked freaking hot." James whispered before wrapping his arms around my waist. I giggled.
"Save that passion for later." I told him kissing him once. "For now, we are going out to celebrate." I whispered as I pulled him along and got the rest of our crew and loaded up our stuff and headed off for a celebration.