“Where is my Romeo?” said Noel in a saddened, yet playful tone. Noel felt chills of excitement as she saw the curtains closing.
“CUT! Excellent job today, Noel! This filmed play is well on its way to success. Look, I got you an audition for the upcoming movie, SugerGirl, I think it would be a great advantage for you if you checked it out. Why don’t you take the rest of the day off?” The director said with much excitement.
“Thank you so much! This is great news. I’ll ask my parents about it tonight. When is the audition?” replied Noel, grabbing her script as she got her stuff together.
“A week after New Years.”
“Oh man, that’s when exams start. I’ll really have to consider it, I’ll see you on set tomorrow at four.”
Noel rushed out the studio and sprinted back to her shiny, red, car she got as a gift from a previous role she’s done. She fumbled with the keys and the gear shift as she flipped up her hot pink cell phone. She texted her mom.
“SRY MOM 4 B-ING L8. I’LL B HOME IN TEN MINS. I’VE GOT GR8 NEWS BTW J. NO DINNER 4 ME 2NITE.”
She raced home, past the night life of Hollywood, the heat of the late sun and the smell of the salty, ocean water. Past the people in the streets, some loud, and beautiful with already stored, promised, potential in the future and some, sitting on the sidewalks, playing their year old instruments and singing with all they have, begging for money and opportunities. She wondered where she’d be in the future. She pulled up to her home and ran to the mailbox, picking up every envelope she saw. She darted to her room and closed the door, ignoring her mom’s questioning of where she was. She rippled through the stack of letters until she saw the one she was looking for…
“Harvard University,” she gasped. “this is it!” she said to herself.
She tore the pale, crisp, envelope open. Leaving teeny shards of paper on the floor raining down to her carpet. She quickly skimmed the letter to herself, but brought her attention to the first sentence of the letter again.

“…happy… accept…at Harvard University!” she stumbled as she read.
She screamed joyfully and jumped on her bed until her great house shook. Frightened by the noise, it brought her parents upstairs. They went to her room to see what Noel was squealing about.

“Noel! Off the bed this instant! Are you finished with your homework? You know that just because you have this acting career at hand does not mean you get to slack off the rest of your two years in high school!” yelled her father, Marshall, pointing his finger at Noel.

“Except, this is even better! You won’t believe the great news! Mom, you might have to sit down for this.” Said Noel, more excited than ever.

“News?” her mom, Tami, asked. “More than one great thing on a Monday night? This better be good.”

“Oh, trust me, it is.” Promised Noel, “First, when I was finished filming my first act of Romeo and Juliet: the Film, the director stopped me and told me he placed a private audition for an upcoming movie that is supposed to be HUGE.”

“Oh, that’s fantastic news!” Tami said, Marshall nodding his head in agreement.

“That’s not all,” Noel smiled. She pulled out the letter from her back pocket and folded it open, smoothing out the crinkly corners. She handed the letter to her eager parents in front of her. She was over joyed at the sight of her parents, her mother smiling, hand over her mouth to keep her from screaming in happiness, with tears streaming down her face. Her father with his straight, serious, face trying not to show an expression, but Noel could see the tears in his eyes.

“Honey, there are no words that can express how happy I am!” her mom cried, scurrying to hug Noel.
Noel was happier than ever. She was soon to be the future leading woman and top paid actress of America. Nothing could ruin her night, until her dad raised his palm, eyes closed.

“What?” questioned Noel.

“When are these auditions for the movie?” demanded Marshall.

“During exams…I promise I can do it! I’ll just study during lunch break, makeup, and wardrobe!”

“No, Noel. Harvard is a one in a lifetime opportunity. This is your future! This can promise anything. With acting… there are no promises. You never know what you can expect. One day you can be on top of the world, the next day you could be no more as important than your mother and I.” implied Marshall.

“But I can do this! Please, my grades all well over 120% and my community service hours are probably more than anyone else’s in the school combined! I joined every extracurricular activity available and was able to maintain a social life! If anyone can do it, it’s me!”

“Look, Noel. You’re too old for me to tell you what to do and what not to do. Just remember, it’s your life. You can make your own decisions. Bad or good, you will learn from it in some way.”

“Dad, that’s the worst advice a father can give,” Moaned Noel. “I’m going to bed; I have three tests tomorrow, ‘night.”
All throughout school the next morning, Noel couldn’t decide. If she chose the role of the movie, she immediately knew Harvard was out of the question. There’s no way she could go to school in Harvard and shoot a movie over in L.A. If she chose Harvard, then forget about the extravagant designer clothes and shoes. It would be studying and working day to night. She thought of her dad’s advice. She had to choose, brains or beauty.
She headed back to the studio to complete the last act of the movie.

“Here’s the script for SuperGirl. Glance at it and report by tonight your decision. Auditions fill up fast. This is the last chance you’ve got.“ Mentioned her director.

“Thanks.” Noel replied, bothered by the fast deadline.
Later that night, she laid in bed staring at the two papers.
Hollywood or Harvard? She constantly thought. She flipped her cell phone open and texted her decision to the director.

“I WANT IN ON SUPERGRL. I’LL BE @AUDITIONS TMRW. C U THEN.”
Less then a minute later she got a text:
“THAT’S GR8 NEWS. I’LL TELL THE PRODUCER, B THERE @ 3:30 PM. DON’T B LATE. XOXO.”
She slept, dreaming about her audition… she dreamt she walked in the set, big flashing, glaring lights staring at her. And in front, were four men and woman, dressed in black with perfection. Noel couldn’t spot a flaw even if she tried. She read the lines, shaking and stuttering as she did. She even dared looking at the men and woman just to see what their reaction was. Blank stares were what she got, mean, blank, stare. Some not even looking, just picking at their nails as if they were bored of her auditions. She dreaded the words that came out of the one woman’s, red, thick lips. “NEXT.”…
She shot up at the sound of her alarm screaming at her. She knew what her dreamt meant, it was a sign. She sighed as she picked up her cell phone.
“CALL OFF AUDITIONS!”
Noel took her dad’s advice into consideration. She made up her mind: she wanted her brains over her beauty.