22 The Interview
985 Words
The next day: In a coffee shop near the Lago Apartment - Cosette looked at the woman sitting in front of her, Anna Turner. She was the only agent who could come close to being compared with the great Elvin Tayler. Even now, she couldn't believe what had just happened. Anna had agreed to be her agent!
Although Cosette had been in the entertainment industry for a few years, she had always been a stand-up actor. Cosette didn't have a famous body of work, so she didn't know why Anna would agree to be her agent. And as these thoughts encroached on her, she could hear her Father's voice in her head, saying, "Cosette, girl, never look a gift horse in the mouth!"
Anna was wearing black professional attire. She looked competent and smart. "You don't have to doubt anything that's happening," Anna told her. "From today on, I will be your agent. That means that before you do anything – no matter how big or small it is, you must ask me before doing it. Think about it. If you agree, you can give your consent. Understand?"
Cosette nodded.
Anna was satisfied with Cosette's cooperation and took out a contract from her bag and handed it to Cosette. She said, "This is the plan for your career for the next five years. You'd better take a close look. If you are fine with it, sign at the bottom, and we will begin implementing it immediately."
Cosette flipped through the document, and after reading only two pages, she began to worry. The restrictions seemed too strict. "Why does the contract seem so strict?" she wondered.
Anna: "It is because you haven't studied systematic performance. I have viewed all of your performances to date. I can see that you have talent, but it is raw. Thus, I have customized a series of devil-style training sessions for you. I believe that if you take them seriously, your acting skills will be greatly improved."
After hearing Anna's words, Cosette almost spat out the coffee she had just drunk. "You're familiar with ALL of my work?" she gasped. "Certainly, not ALL of it!"
Anna spoke faintly: "You entered the entertainment industry three years ago. The first character you played was that of a maid with only five lines. The second one was a stand-in. I have carefully looked at those shots, and your lens feels better than those of the other actresses. I could go on, but I shouldn't need to. It is enough to say that, yes, I am familiar with your entire body of work."
Cosette looked at Anna and suddenly felt like she was about to start panicking. After all, even she wasn't familiar with every role she'd played over the last three years!
"Do you have any other questions?" Anna asked.
Cosette raised her eyes and said, "I'm afraid I'm not good enough to have you as my agent. I may disappoint you."
Anna smiled, and her smile stunned Cosette. Until this moment, she hadn't realized how beautiful Anna was. She could tell that Anna tried to hide her beauty, but it was impossible to hide it indefinitely.
Anna: "Let me be straight with you. If I thought there was any chance that you might fail, I wouldn't give you the time of day. So shall we get down to business?"
Cosette: "Umm… okay."
Anna: "Okay. This is how we'll start: I will ask you a few questions, and you will answer them truthfully. Do you understand?"
"I do," Cosette replied seriously.
Anna: "Have you done any other work before entering the entertainment industry? Or have you done anything that might threaten your reputation?"
Cosette shook her head, and Anna made a note in her notebook.
"I know a little bit about your life," Anna said. "It is your private business. I have no right to interfere. However, I still hope that you behave with a sense of decency. Once you become popular, you and your family will be fodder for the Gossip Mill, and if you make even one wrong move, the public will eat you alive. Do you understand?"
Cosette: "I understand."
Anna: "Have you ever been in love? And if so, what is the identity of the person or persons you were in love with - and are you still in touch with them?"
Cosette clenched her fists and asked, "Do I have to tell you?"
Anna looked at Cosette impatiently and said, "Well, you don't have to answer any question that you don't want to, but I'd like to be able to guarantee that these people will not threaten your future career."
"He will not," Cosette said. Her voice was unyielding, so Anna didn't push the matter. Moving forward, Anna asked Cosette where she lived. Cosette told her about the Lago Apartment, and then the interview was over. Anna told Cosette that she would have someone pick her up at the apartment on the following day to bring her to the company train. Cosette and Anna said farewell, and then Anna left the coffee shop.
Once Anna was gone, Cosette decided to call Edward to tell him the good news. Unfortunately, his phone was still turned off – and this made her feel sad.
**********
Washington – Earl knocked on the office door and walked in.
"Edward!" Earl said. "What are you doing here?"
Edward raised his head and motioned for Earl to sit down.
Earl: "Your father told us you'd gone home."
Edward scowled and said, "His news is ill-informed!"
Earl knew that Edward was in a bad mood, so he got straight to business. He said, "When you boarded the plane, you turned off your personal mobile phone. Would you like me to turn it back on?"
Edward: "No need."
Edward's voice was a little cold, and Earl dared not say another word, so he left straightaway. Earl didn't know that there was only one contact in Edward's personal phone: Cosette; and because she wasn't his mistress anymore, he wasn't expecting phone calls from her anymore.
- Writer
