Chapter 1
(Saville 'Sav' Carter and Gillian Holter pictured above)
Saville's POV:
It started like a dream. I mean to say, there were days I would wake up and I was so happy and content in my life, I thought I was living in a dream. To think all it took was reading a few lines for my life to change almost completely.
It started 5 years ago on an uneventful day in my UCLA dorm room. I was writing a paper on 'Economical Development in new and emerging democratic countries'. While I was practically banging my head against my computer to write even a few words, when my friend Evan came barging into the room. She started talking a mile-a-minute and so I used this time to save the few words I had written, and then made her start over.
After huffing and puffing, Evan began to explain what she was saying slower and with more coherent language. From what she had laid out, there was a best-selling book series in television production. Apparently the auditions were open to new-comers, unknown personalities and the basic public. The books had become a cult favorite amongst teenagers, girls and boys alike. While it was based in fantasy and mythology, it had real world connectivity and teenage issues being illustrated.
My only question for Evan in this moment, was why on Earth she was here, explaining this all to me and practically hyperventilating. Well, her response was to inform me that I looked almost identical to the described main male character in these books. So, I again asked her what this had to do with anything.
Long story short, 5 hours later, I was standing in front of production assistants, directors, executive producers and creators reading lines for a television series. While I had been apart of some theater in college, I never focused on it as I would have liked and dreamed too because it didn't seem plausible.
Acting is such a cutthroat business and with its toxicity and unsustainable living wages for the majority, I pushed it away. I focused on other things, took other courses and little by little, I forgot what fun it all was. Before I got to my audition though, I had read through the script, and as silly as it sounded, these characters made a lot of sense. They were fleshed out, real people with complexity and intrigue which I immediately connected with.
I didn't even really realize until I was finished with my audition, that I had been acting. I just read, I felt the words and the emotions flow out and through me, into this room of people, openly judging me. After being asked to step out into the hall, I was then brought back in and told that I would be auditioning again, a week from now.
I went through about 3 more auditions in the next few weeks, and I noticed as I did this, the crowds kept getting smaller and tighter knit. Of course I was suspicious, I was worried and nervous about everything that was about to go on. My imagination and hopes were getting too high, and at some point, I was desperately hoping that they chose someone else.
They say 'hope breeds heartbreak', and these auditions were raising so much hope in myself, my talent and what I was really capable of achieving. If I'm being honest, college was like a swimming pool, you swim, struggle, or drown.
I was drowning there. I was suffering through class after class because I didn't really know what I was doing. I didn't know what I wanted to do with my life, and in my eyes, college isn't the place for finding your place. It wasn't like that for me anyway.
After the fourth audition, I was done. I wasn't going to be doing this anymore, it was becoming too hard, too difficult to deal with the rising hope and the inevitable disappointment. I went to one of the production assistants, and I told her, I was done.
She, in turn, alerted her boss who proceeded to tell me that I had gotten the part. A lead role in the upcoming television series, 'Dark Creatures', which was expected to break records. When those words hit me, I swear I blacked out for a second. I don't remember the precise conversation that followed, or what was said to me, but every nerve in my body lit up.
It's more than five years later now, and while the those years were the best of my life, I'm very happy about the ending of 'Dark Creatures'. My show ended beautifully, as it was always planned and to say it was bittersweet is underselling it. The fans were mad, worried, and overall emotional, but like I learned in this business so far...
You can't make everyone happy, and that, just has to be ok.
At 23, I'm being chaffered in a big, sleek, black SUV to the Oscar Award Show for the very first time. The nomination for Best Actor came out of absolutely no-where. I just began been shooting the last season of "Dark Creatures", while at the same time, filming a movie.
I was being woken up at 5am to start shooting and not getting back home, let alone in bed until after midnight. Everything I had went into giving my all to both these projects that had connected with me on deep levels. In the beginning it was hard to be away from home, but... let's just say it got easier.
You can say I'm being sentimental and sappy for thinking so far into my past, but, it's not for the reasons you think. And, I bet you can see it now, television turned movie star arriving at the Oscars, how glamorous... If I'm being honest, I'm dreading it.
As we pull up and the car slows to a stop, my manager and publicist are whispering in my ear. While, the only person whose hand I would want to hold right now, isn't here. I don't need it for strength, or emotional support, I just don't want to deal with the speculators and the questions about where my husband is...
_________
I'm polite and appreciative when my driver for the night drops me off at my home in Calabasas. Walking up the fee steps, I proceed to unlock the front door. Struggling to control my anger long enough to disable the alarm system and just as I had feared, my little sister runs in from the living room screaming.
"Saville! Oh my god! Savvy!!" Sabrina screeches, using my real name and nickname. Obviously having seen the award show, she's bubbling with excitement before she registers the look on my face and drops her mood instantly.
"Where is he?" I ask, seething the words from out behind my teeth. Knowing the asshole is home, seeing his obnoxious car parked in the driveway and the lights on in my bedroom, the question unfairly falls on Sabrina. Re-thinking my question, I change it while trying to stay calm long enough to be nice to my sister. It isn't her fault after all...
"Which one is here?" I pose the new question in a calmer voice as I try and suppress my rage.
"I think... the surfer." Sabrina responds in a unique tone. If it came from anyone else, I wouldn't understand it. This has been going on so long, now when she has to answer these questions her tone is a special one of reservation, sadness, and anger.
Blinking back at her, I inhale and exhale a few times before bounding up the long staircase. Sabrina's voice calling out for me is a faint whisper as I storm my way to the second floor.
Walking down the long beige, tastefully decorated hallway, I reach for one of the double doors in front of me and slam it open. Just as I had expected, my husband is mid-fuck with some blonde surfer twink in our bed. Though this bed and this whole room hasn't really hasn't been ours in almost a year.
After all the bodies that have traipsed through here, I would rather burn it than sleep in it.
The petite, blonde bobble-headed boy at least treats me with respect and rightful shame, by shrieking and pushing my rutting husband off him. Launching himself off my bed, he desperately searches through the room with his eyes, looking for his discarded clothes.
My husband, Gillian, on the other hand simply and very lazily turns over onto his back and gives me a bored look that begs me to yell. Throwing the stupid, naked, gold Oscar award onto the ground in the corner, I proceed to scoop a stray shirt and pair of pants off the ground.
Looking at the young, barely-legal naked boy, I politely and slowly hand him his clothes. In the few seconds that our eyes connect with each other, I feel strangely sorry for this boy. Because he is so young, because my idiot husband toyed with him and his emotions... Mostly because I see myself shining back at me like a liquid mirror.
Turning away from that quickly, I hear the boy's feet quickly but quietly leave the bedroom before I begin to scream at my husband.
"It baffles me Gil, truly baffles me that you can run a successful Fashion brand. The same one I bankrolled and stuck my neck out for, yet, you can't seem to make it to one event." The words flow from my mouth. The same words I have used in the past, the same fight even, only the circumstances change. this time, this time was different though.
"It's not like I actually expect you to care or give a shit about anything that concerns me, I only ask that you SHOW UP! It was the fucking Oscars Gillian!! I was not only photographed without you, but I had to get up on that stage and accept my award while everyone knows and whispers about how I'm sitting completely alone."
I pace the room as I expel every over-boiling emotion out of my body. Gillian doesn't care, and at this part in our relationship, like I said, I don't expect it. His dull, bored stare hits me in the chest, in the heart as he replies.
"Saville, I'm sorry."
"96." The number escaped under my breath as I start to undress, defeated and exhausted from everything.
"What?" Gillian asks, mostly just for to make himself feel better and not ever really out of concern, care or worry.
"This is the 96th time we have had this fight." The way my words come out sounds like the life and air was suck out of me.
At 23 years old, I shouldn't have this much regret in me while supposedly living a 'dream life'.
One thing I'm completely certain of is that I am in desperate need of a change. My next film, a remake of "Breakfast at Tiffany's" is starting production in a week in Manhattan. Thankfully it will be a 2 month production, which means a 2 month escape from this prison of a life I'm living.
Then again...
What can really happen in 8 weeks?
Hey HoneyBunnies, whether your coming from my "Love Through..." Series, or not, I'm happy to start this book off with a cliffhanger. Hopefully you guys fall in love with these flawed but beautiful characters that have really taken a life of their own.
Don't worry, the "Love Through..." Series isn't over yet, I just simply needed to get this story out now. It's been burning in my head for weeks and I honestly needed a break from my Series for a little brainstorm and refresher.
I'm so happy and ready to introduce you guys to Saville, Elliot and Alex... I truly believe you'll love them as much as I do.
Always remember to comment and vote on all the chapters you like, it doesn't even have to be mine, but please do it for anyone's writing that you truly like reading... It helps us and inspires us with confidence and motivation to keep expressing ourselves.
Love ya HoneyBunnies 😘😘