Sweet | h.s.

thirty six

Harry

I pull up to the pretty, white bricked house and put my car in park. LA was just how I remembered it, although I had only been gone for a few days. Sunny, and warm. Our incredible time in Italy had come to an end, and it was back to all things work. 

I sigh, examining the exterior of the house, with its arched detailing and front yard garden with desert like plants dug into a pebbled ground. 

"You ready?" Jeff looks over at me from the passenger's seat and I nod, pushing my sunglasses to the top of my head. 

"Yeah. Anything I should know?" I ask, wanting to make a good first impression.

"Nothing you don't already know." He shrugs, and with that I pull my keys out before we both make our way to the door.

I ring the bell and wait, blowing air out of my cheeks and shifting my weight back and forth slightly and locking my fingers behind my back to keep from fidgeting with my rings; a habit I still haven't seem to have broken.

"Deep breaths, Mate." Jeff tells me, touching me gently on my shoulder.

Through the fogged glass windows on either side of the door I see a figure approaching closer. Then, the door swings open, revealing a bright faced Olivia Wilde, smiling widely at us.

"Hi! Come on in." She greets, and steps aside. Her home was brightly lit, the windows allowing an abundance of natural sunlight in. It was clean and decorated cozily, not overly modern, but still a "Hollywood" abode, nonetheless. Luxurious, and expensive. "Please, take a seat. Can I get you two anything to drink?" She asks.

I look at her, noticing her sharp facial structure and fox-like eyes. Her hair was brown and straight, and she was dressed in simple jeans and a casual blouse, as if she were just running errands for the day. She was relatively tall, and very lean.

"Erm - a water, would be great." I smile, and Jeff asks for the same. We both sit on the two love seats across a long couch, as Olivia exits the room. I glance at him nervously, and he gives me a comforting smile, nodding in unspoken support.

"Well, it's great to meet you both." She smiles as she reenters, two Fiji water bottles in hand. Jeff and I thank her and take them, and I immediately unscrew the cap, taking a long drink to ease the dryness creeping into my mouth.

"Likewise. We're excited to chat." Jeff answers first.

"Yeah, thank you for the opportunity to join the cast. I'm thrilled to be part of this." I nod, twisting a ring absentmindedly around my finger.

"Well, thank you for wanting to audition. We thought it was great. I was able to watch the recording back. I know that it might feel like you're Shia's replacement, but we do feel like you're gonna fit right in." She flashes a smile that seems overly enthusiastic.

But I am his replacement. I think to myself.

"Have you gotten a chance to meet Florence yet?" Olivia asks, and I look over at Jeff.

"No, we were told she wasn't available for two weeks. The chemistry read will be on the 14th." Jeff tells her.

"Oh, yeah. No problem." She waves a hand. "Regardless of how that goes, I'm confident you'll stay on the project. You'll bring in a whole new audience with your fans, and it'll be great to have your name and face attached to it."

This comment doesn't sit well with me, and Jeff knows it as he shifts uncomfortably in the plush love seat.

"We think it'll be a great way to showcase Harry's acting skills and the growth he's made since Dunkirk." He says, attempting to focus on my talent rather than my fame.