Chapter 7

[2020]

There was this funny, almost surreal thing that happened one afternoon when me, Yossi, and Ella were hanging out at the food court in one of the malls, killing time before our movie started.

We were camped out at a sticky table in the middle of one of those big, air-conditioned malls in Jakarta — the kind where the smell of teriyaki chicken and Cinnabon just hangs in the air forever. My tray still had half a pretzel on it.

That's when a guy we had never seen before walked straight up to our table.

"Heyyy, ladies. Mind if I get to know you?"

The three of us looked up at the exact same second.

He was tall. Built. Like, obviously-gym-five-times-a-week built, shoulders broad under his tight black t-shirt. But when he spoke, his voice was soft. Almost too soft. Feminine soft.

My eyes darted to Ella in a panic. Ella darted to Yossi. Yossi darted to me. We were doing this ridiculous triangle of silent eye-conversation that probably looked insane from the outside.

The guy cleared his throat, breaking the awkwardness with a practiced smile and said, "Sorry. Hi, I'm Ollie, talent manager at Star Production House. Can I get your names?"

His hand stretched out toward me. Between his perfectly manicured, almost glossy fingers, there was a sleek little business card.

"Ummm..." I glanced at Yossi and Ella, completely lost and suspicious. But they both gave me this tiny, almost invisible nod. Like, just take it.

I told him my full name, hesitant, my voice barely above a whisper. And then he did something that made my stomach drop — he typed my name and my cell number into his phone, right in front of me, saving it. He asked Yossi and Ella too.

"We're currently hunting for new talents for an upcoming campaign. The closest one is a shoot for beauty products targeted at teenagers, exactly your age group. If you're interested, you can come in for a casting to the address on the card. You can call first if you have questions," he explained, pointing at the card that Ella ended up taking, because my reaction was too slow. At least, that's what Yossi told me later after Ollie had already left.

My eyebrows knitted together listening to him. Wait — who exactly was he asking to come to the casting? All of us? Or just...

Ollie threw a smile directly at me. A very intentional smile. "Seriously, come, okay, Tamara? Your profile is quite unique and has a lot of potential. It would really complement our existing portfolio." He winked at me. One eye. Slow. "But all three of you can come for casting. We'll keep your data on file, and whenever we need a character that fits you, we'll contact you."

I burst out laughing the second Ollie left our table and walked away, his shoulders swaying.

"I swear his full name is actually Olivia," Ella whispered.

Yossi and I cracked up.

"You're pretty macho yourself for saying that, La," Yossi said, grinning at Ella.

Yossi's comment was met with a scoff from Ella. "Of course. Bring him to my dojo, I can KO that Olivia in five minutes flat."

Ella had been doing Taekwondo since middle school. She was the definition of a heavy tomboy. I don't even know how many championship medals she'd already won. She was that good. That lethal.

"But Ollie's body is pretty ripped though," I chimed in. "Maybe he really does like the gym."

"Big, yeah, but not as ripped as my friends at the dojo who train hard every day. Their muscle mass is leaner because it's trained naturally. Olivia over there probably got his from drinking steroids or high-protein milk. Instant booster."

I stuck my tongue out hearing Ella. It sounded like she was speaking alien. I understood absolutely nothing.

"By the way, what was that casting for again?" I asked Yossi and Ella.

"Beauty products. Makeup for teens," Yossi answered.

"Beauty products? You mean failed products, right?" I joked. "I mean, can't he see what my skin and my hair actually look like?"

"Probably knock-off products," Ella replied while handing me the business card she was holding. "Here, maybe you want to join?"

Yossi cleared his throat. "Yeah, Tam. Just for fun. Who knows, you might win a prize. The prize is Oliv."

We burst out laughing again.

Ella looked at me. "There's no harm in trying. We'll come with you there, if you're not confident enough to go alone."

This time I scoffed. My lips curled in a sneer. "So I'm suitable to be the face that advertises fake beauty products, like the 'before' treatment photo, or like the example of a girl who doesn't take care of herself..."

"Jeez, here we go..."

"Tammy's sensitivity is acting up again."

"I know you guys are my most loyal best friends. The best. But, that little intermezzo just now was quite entertaining. Didn't you guys hear what Ollie said? He said my profile wasn't in their model list yet, and it would complete it. What does that mean? It means they already have a lot of photos of pretty models."

Yossi and Ella exchanged glances without speaking. I continued my speech.

"Besides, we're in our senior year now, exams are coming up soon. I don't want to fail my exams because of Ollie's bullshit that you can't even trust."

Yossi pretended to be busy with her drink, while Ella started cleaning up the leftovers on our table.

"Hey, by the way, he also offered you guys to come for casting! Why are you pushing me to go?"

Besides, who even wants to be a commercial star?

"Trust me, Tam, Olivia was just being polite to Yossi and me. That offer was actually just for you. Right, Yos?" Ella nudged Yossi's arm. 

"Yup. From the start Ollie was looking at you, Tam. I'm sure of it." Yossi backed up Ella's words. "Unlessss... they need someone to fetch towels, pour soap or shampoo, be a lamppost or a potted plant."

We all giggled together hearing Yossi's joke.

Not long after, we headed to the movie theater because showtime was about to start. And that incident was immediately forgotten by me. Completely erased.

Until a few days later, someone from the Star Production House office called my phone to remind me about the casting schedule which was just a day away. They hoped I could come that day.

HUH?! ARE THEY SERIOUS???

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