‘ Tempting, isn't it? ’

I understand that tens of thousands of people will go to this casting. There are also very talented people in New York, but at the same time I realize that this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

I told my parents earlier that I wanted to make movies but they didn't take it seriously. They always told me that I needed an education to build my career, not to go to auditioning. And when Jenny showed me that they needed an actor for the lead role, I still decided to try, because if you don't try, you'll never know.

‘ So, where will the audition take place? ’ I ask as if I don't care.

‘ I'll tell you in a minute, ’ Jenny says. Her hands were shaking with overflowing emotion; she's a fan of the novel, and even belongs to a couple of fan accounts on Instagram..

‘ There! Found it.  Auditions will be held at «Webster Hall». ’

‘ Jake, you have to try, ’ Bella says.

‘ Totally agree with Bella, you have as good a chance as anyone, ’ Jenny says.

I always lacked something. In my family, my dad is a doctor and my mom is a math teacher, and acting is not a job for them. I don't know why they went into it, because they had other dreams. My dad always wanted to sing, he's a great singer, he even put together his own band in high school called «Guys From Brooklyn». But I can't condemn him, because it's his choice.

And Mom… God, she had such delightful poems, she had such a delicate sense of everything, these poems could have been quite readable and Mom could have written a great collection of her poems. She still keeps them in her notebook.

What about me? I want billboards with my name on them. Here's what I want: I want millions of people to know about me many years from now.

Bella takes my hand and says:

‘ I believe in you and I know you can do the role. ’

‘ With the role of Chad, ’ Jenny says.

‘ Yes, exactly! ’ Bella says.

A second of silence is interrupted by Jenny.

‘ Do you have any plans for tomorrow? ’ she asks.

I'm starting to remember that tomorrow is my work day, and I just can't not go.

‘ I have work, ’ I say immediately.

Every summer, since ninth grade, I work at the «Green Hill Bar» about six people come there a day, it's not much, but you don't have to choose. It's not really hard work, some new faces come in. It's also not bad pay.

‘ Well, then Bella and I are going to pick up a mountain of food and put on some TV shows.  Are you in? ’ Jenny asks Bella.

‘ Of course, ’ Bella says with a sly smile.

‘ I think you'll have a good time, ’ I say.

I say goodbye to Jenny and Bella, then they leave. After closing the door, I sat at home for ten minutes, thinking about the audition for «Love at a Distance». I still realize that it's a long shot, with tens of thousands of people coming. But every time I go to an audition I believe that one day I will be noticed and then everything will change.

The last client left like an hour ago. Suddenly I got a message from Jenny. I stopped wiping the dust that had accumulated on the fan, put the rag on the bar table, and picked up my phone to read the message.

‘ Jake, there will be an audition tonight for the movie «Night Ride». I'll send you the address now. ’

The message said that the audition was from 12:00 to 4:00 pm. I worked my hours, handed my keys to my boss, Frances, and drove to the audition. I drove up to the designated location and walked into the building where the audition announcement was hanging. There were only two people that came my way, but they looked like they were working people, not actors. I walked a little further and saw a girl standing by the stairs.

She looked ridiculous. She wore glasses, a multicolored sweater, her hair half-brushed, and a huge pile of papers that barely fell out of her hands.

I went closer to her.

‘ Excuse me, where is the casting for the movie «Night Ride»? ’

Placing this pile on the chair next to the door, she began to gesticulate and speak at the same time:

‘ You go up to the fourth floor, turn right, go to the end of the corridor, and there's a door at the dead end. A lot of auditions for short films take place there. ’

I told her, «Thank you» when I was already in the middle of the stairs, from where I met her. I ran up to the second and third floors, doors all around, and no one was there; the corridors were empty. I quickly ran up to the fourth floor, turned right, ran to the end of the hallway, and saw the very door. When I was as close to the door as possible, I saw the announcement that the casting call was over. I knocked on the door and started pushing the knob down, when suddenly a man opened the door. He was shorter than me; he had gray hairs in his stubble, and his cap was pulled back with a visor.

‘ Can't you see what's written? ’ he asks in a gruff voice.

‘ I do, but it's still casting time, ’ I say.

‘ We've already found the actor! ’ said the man and closed the door.

I wasn't going back as fast as I was going up. I was frustrated, going through the floors and the closed doors. Thoughts like: «Your place is a theater», «Stop, cinema is not your thing» and things like that. When I got down to the first floor, that girl was still standing by the stairs, reading something in her papers.

I walked a little further and she raised her head and shouted at my back:

‘ You didn't get the role? ’

‘ No, ’ I answer, turning to face her. ‘ They found an actor. ’

‘ A lot of people left there today in a bad mood, ’ said the girl.

‘ And I'm one of them, ’ I say.

I got out of the building and called a cab. While the cab was on its way, I typed Jenny a message:

‘ They've already found an actor. Going home. ’  And put the phone out.

When I got home, I took off my jacket, threw it on the coat rack by the front door, went into the kitchen, took a sip of water, and went into the hall. I sat down on the couch and at that moment I thought again: «Maybe this isn't all for me?» and a knock on the door interrupted my thoughts. I opened it, and in came Jenny, who was outraged.

‘ How dare they! They didn't even let you show yourself! ’ she exclaimed.

I pressed my lips together and looked at Jenny and shrugged.

‘ They just didn't realize who they lost! ’ Jenny says, and smile sweetly at me.

‘ The audition for the part of Chad is in two days! ’ Jenny continues.

‘ Is it worth going? ’ I say, raising one eyebrow.

‘ It's worth it! ’ Jenny says.

We talked until ten o'clock in the night, and Jenny got ready to go home. She put on her jacket, came over and hugged me, and headed for the exit. I closed the door, put my phone on charge, took a bath, then got a book out of my locker called «Among a Thousand Faces» and started reading.

I woke up this morning with one thought in mind. The thought of what to get Bella for her birthday today. Typing in a search was useless; first I got a bunch of trinkets, and then a gift set with hairpins and other stuff.

I started scrolling through all of our conversations, and I remembered one moment when Bella was telling me about the time she'd gone to Pennsylvania with her family before her cousin. She told me how she had spent time at their place and how she had played with their dog Jasper. And at the end of our conversation, she told me that she was going to get a dog someday.

I read an ad on a website that a woman was selling a Hawaiian Bichon dog. I contacted her by e-mail, and now I was going to see her. I opened my dresser drawer, and pulled out my paycheck, or rather what was left of it. That money was just enough. I took the money, grabbed my cap, put on my sneakers, and left the house. She lives at 704 President Street. I pressed the doorbell twice, and within seconds the door opened.