Chapter One
I leaned back in my chair and tossed a Tootsie Roll up in the air, catching it in my mouth. Colton was sitting next to me with a bored look on his face watching my talents. Corrine and Murphy, my make-up artist and hair stylist, had just walked out after completing my look and it was just Colton and I, for the moment.
“You remember when we used to have popcorn throwing contests at the movie theater back home?” he asked nostalgically.
“Of course,” I said. “I sucked.” Not my fault, though. I hated popcorn. But when you work at a movie theater for your after-school job, there wasn't much else to do to pass the time. That had been over seven years ago, though. “How much longer till I go on?” I asked, bringing my best friend back to the present.
Colton sat up straighter, shaking his blonde hair out of his eyes, and looked down at his phone. That phone was my lifeline – it had everything I had to do, every person I had to meet, and every meeting I was supposed to go to in it. When I first hired Colton as my personal assistant six years ago, I wasn’t sure if he was cut out for it, honestly. Over the years, I relied on Colton – both as a best friend and my assistant. Eventually, he took over the manager title so my mom could move back to Alabama. Sometimes we fought like cats and dogs, but who doesn’t?
“Let’s see,” he swiped his thumb up and down on his phone. “Jimmy goes on in about five minutes. Then, he has to warm up the crowd and do a little comedy bit. Then after the second commercial break, he’ll welcome you on. About twenty minutes, then.” He put his phone in his lap and straightened his skinny tie. “We only agreed to one rehearsal show, thankfully. So it shouldn’t take long.”
“Fantastic,” I said standing up and tossing the remaining Tootsie Rolls into the dish on the table in the middle of the room. “Let’s go meet the other artists.”
I looked in the lighted vanity mirror and inspected my appearance. My long blonde hair was down my back, spilling over my shoulders in soft curls. Corrine, my makeup artist, had put a hint of green in my eyeshadow making my blue-gray eyes pop. I smiled at my reflection and readjusted the straps on my black romper.
I turned to face Colton and his face had a star-struck look on it. "It's not another artist," he said his tan face paling, blue eyes wide. “It’s Kris Harris – MVP of the World Series.”
“In that case,” I smirked. “We have to go meet him.” Kris was Colton’s celebrity crush. All the hottest actors and rock stars could surround Colton and it wouldn’t faze him anymore, but get him near a professional athlete and he would fangirl hard. Kris was definitely the most delectable athlete right now.
I pulled Colton up out of his seat and dragged him towards the door. “We can only chat for about ten minutes, then they’ll come looking for you,” Colton said. “We might as well not waste our time.” I stepped out the dressing room with my name on the outside and bumped into Mason, the head of my security. His massive six foot five frame towered over us.
“Off to see Kris?” Mason smirked, lifting his impressive frame off the wall he’d been leaning against. He knew all about Colton’s celebrity crushes. He chuckled at Colton’s pale face. “Elena, you’re evil, you know that?” Mason fell into step behind us.
I laughed, “Just trying to help out a friend.” Colton rolled his eyes and pretended to be engrossed with something on his phone as we continued down the hall.
Kris Harris was nowhere near the star status that I was, so I knew his dressing room would be much further down the hall. After passing several doors and several people who all stopped to gawk as I walked by, we found the door marked ‘Kris Harris.’ It stood cracked open and I could hear voices inside.
“Hello,” I sang into the crack. “Anyone home?” I knocked on the door. There was a scuffling sound inside and the sound of a chair being dragged across the floor. A tall, hulking man with his five o'clock shadow coming in strong opened the door. Behind him, I saw Kris leaning forward in his chair trying to see who was at the door. When our eyes met, he stood up quickly and smiled.
“Matt, let her in,” he said. Kris was dressed in a nice gray suit looking very Hollywood. His cobalt blue eyes were much brighter in person and I knew they would stop Colton’s heart in a second. As I brushed past the security guard and into Kris’s dressing room, I heard Colton waiting by the door, unsure of himself.
“We just wanted to introduce ourselves,” I said and put my hand out to shake Kris’ hand. As he looked down into my eyes, I got the feeling I get whenever I feel like a guy is about to hit on me.
“Elena Lewis!” he exclaimed, his rumbly voice filling the room. “I am quite honored! I gotta tell you, I’ve seen all the Monument movies so far, and I am a huge, huge fan.” He shook my hand aggressively and stepped closer.
I smiled and dropped my hand, resisting the urge to wipe it on my clothes. “Thank you. You’ll have to let me know what you think of the new one.” I lowered my voice as if I was telling a secret, “I think it’s the best yet.”
“Anyways,” I said, glancing over at the door and back to Kris. “My buddy Colton here is a huge Cubs fan.” Kris briefly turned his eyes to Colton, whose cheeks were turning a light red, before directing his piercing blue eyes back on me.
“And are you a fan?” he asked. I sighed, feeling bad for Colton. Kris didn’t even look at him, really.
“I don’t really follow sports,” I said dismissively with a wave of my manicured hand. I looked around his dressing room trying to appear uninterested in him anymore. “I really just came because I wanted to see what treats and amenities they got you.” His room was bare. My room had my favorite flowers, my favorite candy, and my favorite drink. There was also a big movie poster with my face on it of the latest installment to the Monument trilogy that was about to open in theaters. Kris’s room didn’t have anything except the basic wall art and furniture.
Kris shrugged and looked around. “I don’t think Jimmy really cares if I’m satisfied. I’m lucky just to be on the same show as an A-list beautiful actress.” He winked and I almost threw up. I hated that. It’s one thing when a normal fan tries to suck up to you; it’s another thing completely when another celebrity does it.
“Apparently,” I noted. I turned to Colton and called my friend over. “Kris, this is Colton.”
Recognizing his cue, Colton cautiously entered the room, the pink hue in his cheeks getting more prominent. Once Colton was directly next to me, Kris finally turned his baby blues to look at Colton. Maybe Kris would catch on that the way to impressing me is to be nice to my friends. Colton reached a hand towards Kris, who returned the handshake, a polite smile on his face.
“Nice to meet you, Colton,” Kris said. “Always happy to meet a fan.” Colton let out a breath of relief and launched into telling Kris all about his favorite moments the athlete ever performed. I got bored of the conversation and sat down on the couch, pulling out my cell phone. I had two new messages. The first was from my agent:
You need to call me when you get a moment. Not urgent, but need to talk today.
Alyssa was a good agent. I had her as my agent since I was eighteen and starred in my breakout role in the film Empire Burning. That film was a lucky break. The studio and casting agents wanted a nobody for the leading role so they had a competition. At the time I was living in Alabama and had done a bit of print modeling, a few commercials, and a small bit on a local public broadcasting channel for a local soap opera. The producer of that soap opera told me about the competition and encouraged me to enter. Colton filmed my video audition and we submitted it online to the studio. Online it didn’t give any information as to what the movie was or who was in it. When I found out I got a callback, I flew out to Los Angeles and had a live audition. They called me a couple days later and told me I got the part. Then they told me what the movie was – a highly anticipated blockbuster based on a best-selling novel – and whom I would be co-starring with – Ethan Anderson, the biggest star in Hollywood with multiple awards and a never-ending list of blockbuster hits. It was very overwhelming, so I found Alyssa and she’s been my agent ever since. Alyssa lined me up with Melanie, my publicist, who was incredibly serious about her job, but yet incredibly laid-back as well. I couldn’t do my job without the two.
The second text was from Ethan himself:
Just got to NYC. Meet up for dinner?
Ethan was the closest and most caring friend I’d ever had. He was about eight years older than me and acted as my own mentor and sage – almost a savior, at times. He took me under his wing during my first film, and we’ve stayed in touch. He’s one of my best friends and I’d do anything for him.
The television mounted on the wall across from the couch showed Jimmy Fallon taking the stage. He began his opening monologue about today’s current events with Steve Higgins contributing a lot of quirky jokes. I looked back at Kris and Colton who were having quite an extravagant conversation. It looked as if Colton was reenacting his favorite plays. Kris was eating it up – laughing and reminiscing with Colton.
“Colton,” I said interrupting their chat. Both of the guys turned to me – Kris looked at me eagerly and Colton looked at me impatiently. “Ethan wants to know if we can meet for dinner. What do I have going on after this?”
Colton sighed, pulling his phone back out of his pocket. “You have a phone interview with Ryan Seacrest, on our way to your Cosmo interview at six.” He scrolled through his phone a bit more saying, “We could probably get that wrapped up in about thirty minutes. You’d be free around seven.”
I smiled and looked down at my phone to begin texting Ethan back. “But,” Colton interrupted me. “You have to be the Plaza at eight for the meet and greet.” I frowned.
Kris shook his head and sat down on the couch next to me, “Man, it is busy to be an actor.” He had no idea. Ignoring Kris, I texted Ethan back and told him we could possibly eat dinner near Central Park or at the Plaza. That way maybe I could knock out two birds with one stone.
Pretty soon, a flustered assistant poked her head into Kris’ room. “There you are,” she breathed a sigh of relief. “We need you at stage left.” I looked up at the TV again. Jimmy was seated behind his desk finishing up his Friday night ‘Thank You Notes’ bit. Had that much time already passed?
"We have a big night for you tonight," TV Jimmy said reaching behind his desk. He brought up a letter-size flier of the new Monument film, Destruction. “Oscar winner and multiple Academy Award nominee, and the star of Destruction - the third installment of the upcoming Monument trilogy: Elena Lewis is here!” The crowd on TV went nuts. Jimmy placed the flier off to the side and clasped his hands together. “Also, World Series MVP Kris Harris is in the house tonight, folks. Kris Harris!” More cheers erupted. “And later,” Jimmy continued. “We’re breaking glass in a fun game with Elena & Kris! So much fun!” More cheers.
"I'm sorry, Miss Lewis," the assistant said her eyes widening behind her black-rimmed glasses. "But we really need to move."
I sighed and stood up. Kris moved towards me, his arms outstretched for a hug, “It was so great to meet you. Seriously, just made my whole day!”
I leaned forward to embrace Kris, who moved his hand at the last second bumping it right into my cleavage. “Watch it,” I said surprised. Kris’ eyes widened and he snapped his hand back to his own chest as if he’d been burned or slapped. Mason, who had been standing by the door chatting with the other bodyguard, heard the alarm in my voice, turned quickly and took a couple steps toward me.
“Oh god,” Kris said shaking his head. “Oh my god, I thought maybe I could give you a hug… but then decided maybe you’d rather do a handshake… So like… I didn’t mean to!”
Mason looked at me trying to gauge the situation. “Hey,” I said. “It’s fine. I mean, it’s not okay to just grab my boob, but I know it was an accident.” I laughed and waved it off.
“Um,” the assistant said from the door. “We have thirty seconds…” It looked as if the assistant was about to get sick to her stomach.
“Nice to meet you,” I said to Kris as I followed Colton and the assistant out the door with Mason trailing me. Kris said something to my back, but I couldn’t hear him as I was already being hustled down the hall while the assistant whispered into a headset.
When we were just behind the large curtains where I would walk out, Mason and Colton stopped at a marked location where they could watch a TV mounted on a wall of my interview. “Remember,” Colton said. “Talk up the director. Russ is an amazing director and you’d love to work with him again. The movies wouldn’t be what they are without him.” I nodded, smoothing my clothes out with my hands.
On TV, Jimmy held up a magazine cover with my face on it from when I was on the cover of Posh and began talking again, “Alright, tonight’s first guest is an amazing woman! I love her to death. So much fun to be around. And so talented with so many awards. She is starring in the third Monument movie called Destruction alongside Mitchell Hayes and directed by Russ Putnam appearing in theaters tomorrow. Everyone, welcome the beautiful, the talented, Elena Lewis!”