Lea couldn't believe her luck. It had to be luck. What else could it be? Just yesterday, her best friend Jonathan and she were scheduled to fly to Pittsburgh to audition for a role in a Troy Armitage movie. Struggling actors like them couldn't afford to pay for their tickets. Thankfully, the produ team liked their audition tapes so much that they also sent over flight tickets. They were ey, but better than going on their own. Then the worst thing happehey missed their flight because of a mix-up.

  All their hopes came crashing down. While Lea could go a few days ter sihe audition for her role was scheduled for the following week, Jonathan o get to Pittsburgh as soon as possible.

  Then something amazing happened. Lea's father offered to drive the two teens over to Pittsburgh—a six-hour-long car ride. Just when things were looking up, they faced one obstacle after another on the way, the biggest one being their car overheating. Luckily, there was a car repair shop nearby when it happened, but it wasted a lot of their time.

  During this time, Jonathan almost lost his ce to audition for the film.

  She felt bad for him. She wasn't as ied in the film because she was focused on her education, but Jonathan, who had finished school st year, had pinned all his hopes on this opportunity. It sounded foolish, but he was an idealist, not a realist. So while she had prepared for the role of Mary Elizabeth, she wasn't as ready as she could have been.

  "It's not in my hands," the casting director said apologetically. "The director and producer make the final casting decision, and they've already left. I'm so sorry."

  Lea was this close ting her cws out and starting a screaming match with the woman. But she didn't have to.

  "Wait," a calm male voice called out. "I'm still here and would love to audition… Jonathan and Lea, right? Although the Mary Elizabeth auditions aren't for another week, I make an exception."

  Lea could only gape at the boy standing in front of her, but she quickly regained her posure. She'd met a lot of celebrities in her short Broadway career and knew how much they hated fangirling behavior.

  Jonathan, oher hand, was oo subtle about his admiration for Troy Armitage.

  "Holy shit!" he excimed excitedly. "Oh my God! I 't believe I'm standing in front of you!"

  Lea resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Jonathan was breaking one of the biggest unwritten rules of auditioning—don't freak out if you're auditioning in front of a big actor or director. Thankfully, Troy just chuckled and took out his phone, dialing someone.

  "Stephen, e back. We have a st-minute audition to take care of. No, I'm serious," he said before diseg the call and turning to the two actors. "The director will be here shortly. Why don't you introduce yourself in the meantime, Jonathan?"

  It may have been phrased as a polite question, but everyone khat making a wrong first impression with Troy could end your career before it even began. Opportunities like this didn't e around every day for actors like them.

  Lea stepped bad let Jonathan take ter stage.

  "Hi, my name is Jonathan Groff, I'm 19, and I'm inally from Lancaster, currently living in New York," he had barely finished speaking when the back door of the room opened, and in walked a man who could only be the director.

  Jonathan took a deep breath before restarting his introdu for the director's sake.

  "That's good," the director said wherodu was done. "Why don't you start with the se you've prepared? Remember, your character Patrieeds to be fearless, full of life, and vitality."

  Jonathan nodded and slipped into character.

  (Break)

  Stephen Chbosky was tired. They had been w relentlessly on the film for a long time, and finally, when it was time to start casting, Troy would pull things like this. Why couldn't he just let the matter go? No, he had to call him back to audition a newbie with zero film experience. Sure, he had doheater, but it wasn't Broadway or even off-Broadway, so it didn't t. If they had to hire a newbie, then what was wrong with that Colton guy? Shaking off those thoughts, Stephen focused on the kid in front of him. He could see that Jonathan was nervous about the audition, so he kept a smile on his face to ease him a little.

  And then Jonathan started the se. It felt as if a switch had been flicked, and immediately Jonatha from a nervous boy giving his first audition to a fmboyant, fident gay teen. The more he performed, the more Stephen could see Patri Jonathan. It was like he was made for this role. Holy shit!

  "Troy!" Stephen called out urgently. "Help him do the football game se. We'll check your chemistry as well that way."

  Shrugging, Troy got up from his seat and walked over to Jonathan. It looked a bit weird because Troy was taller than Jonathan, but not by much.

  "Hey, nothing," Stephen called out, giving Jonathan his cue to begin.

  "Suck it, virginity pledges," Jonathan said flippantly, the correct amount of bite ced in his words. "Suck. It."

  Troy turo Jonathan and said in a soft, hesitant voice, "Hey, Patrick."

  "Hey!" Jonathan grinned. "You're in my shop css, right? How's your cloing?"

  Troy looked arouantly, fully in character. "My dad's building it for me."

  "Mine looks like a boat," Jonathan said amusedly before tilting his head. "Do you wanna sit over here, or are you waiting for your friends?"

  "Oh, no, no, I'll sit," Troy said eagerly, though his expression was suppressed a lot from his usual super-fident demeanor.

  "Thanks for not calling me 'nothing,' by the way. It's an endless nightmare. And these assholes actually think they're being inal." All the while, Jonathan stared ahead, as if watg the game.

  "So, you like football?"

  "Love it! Love football!" Jonathan said without needing to think.

  "And se," Stephen stopped them. "Let's do the one where Patrick toasts to Charlie for being a wallflower."

  Both actors nodded before starting the se.

  "Hey! Everyone!" Jonathan called out loudly, gaining the room's attention, before l his voice. "Everyone, raise ysses to Charlie." He raised an imaginary gss high.

  Troy looked around a little unfortably before asking, "What did I do?"

  "You didn't do anything," Jonathan said fly, with a small smile on his lips. "We just wanna toast to a new friend. You see things, you uand, you're a wallflower."

  Troy didn't say anything but looked distinctly unfortable with the attention on him.

  "What is it? What's wrong?" Jonathan asked.

  "I didn't think aiced me," Troy said softly, with enough emotion to pierce Stephen's heart.

  Jonathan's eyes watered at hearing that, but he didn't let the emotion take over. He tilted his head bad said, with a smile, "We didn't think there was anyone cool left to meet. So e on, everyoo Charlie." Jonathan raised his gss high again.

  Stephe that moment that he had found his Patrick. This kid, Jonathan Groff, erfect for the role. He had effortlessly taken a rather sad situation—a lonely kid saying he felt invisible—and made it wholesome and inclusive for the kid. Troy was excellent in his portrayal as well, but then again, he was already a seasoned actor.

  "Perfect!" Stephen stood up and started g. "That was so good! Troy, if you agree, I'd like to finalize Jonathan for this role, right now."

  Jonathan gasped in surprise and turo Troy, who looked at him appraisingly for a few moments as if judging him harshly. Then he grinned brightly, "Fuck yeah, let's do it. As soon as you walked in, I had a feeling you'd be great for this role. And you proved me right. Wele aboard."

  "Oh my God! Oh my God! Oh my God! I 't believe this is happening!" Jonathan excimed excitedly before running to her friend and huggiightly. " you believe it, Lea?"

  Lea smiled and gratuted her friend. Only then did it click for Stephen—he had seen this girl in a headshot earlier today.

  "Wait," he interrupted their celebrations, "you're auditioning for us week, right?"

  "Yeah," she agreed. "For Mary Elizabeth. Troy said that…" She hesitated before finishing her sentence.

  Troy took over. "We should auditiooday as well. I have a feeling we save a lot of time and resources if we audition her now." He turo Lea. "Do you know your lines?"

  "Not pletely," she fessed. "I didn't know I was auditioning today."

  "It's firoy reassured her. "You read from the script. As long as you uand the character, we'll be good."

  That's ohing Stephen admired about Troy—he was quiake decisions. Where even some experienced producers would deliberate for hours, Troy just went with his gut feeling. His drive and passion for the project were amazing to witness in person.

  "Alright," Stephen agreed. If spending ara half-hour here saved him a full day week, it was well worth it.

  (Break)

  Everything was going so well for me right now. The sales of Crocs had skyrocketed after my endorsement, and the post-produ of my first film, [Brick], rogressing nicely—its first cut would be ready within a month. The pre-produ for the sed film was rock solid, and we had finalized the entire cast.

  Besides Jonathan Groff and me, Emily Stone and Lea Michele had also been cast. Just like Jonathaole the show. I didn't have to vince Chbosky of her casting at all.

  To save some more casting time, I reached out to a few old friends and co-stars to check their avaibility. I waoni Collette to py Charlie's mother, reuniting us after [The Sixth Sense], but she was busy with another project. So I called Frances O'or and Sam Robards, who had pyed my parents in [A.I. Artificial Intelligehey were free and agreed to join the film. We alsht on Mi Kunis to py my sister, dace, and Michael B. Jordan for the role of Brad.

  Michael actually called me himself.

  (Fshback)

  "Hi, Michael!" I greeted him enthusiastically. "How are you doing, my man?"

  "Could be better, but I'm hanging in there," he quipped, before turning serious. "Troy, I wao ask you for a favor."

  "Anything, man," I offered freely.

  He hesitated for a moment before saying, "I want a job. A film job, if possible."

  I uzzled for a moment before asking, "Aren't you uhat binding tract for the soap opera?"

  "I am," he agreed. "But I take a few weeks off every few months, like I did for [Brick]. I want to do more films, not be stuck doing this soap opera for the rest of my life. I called Rian for advid he told me that you're produg another film, so I wao see if there was a role for me."

  "I get you, man," I nodded in uanding, though he couldn't see me. "Alright, let me talk to the director and see if we find a role that suits you, and one we in a few weeks."

  "Thanks, man!"

  (Fshbad)

  After that call, I spoke with Chbosky, and we decided to make Brad Hayes an Afri Ameri character, hiring Michael B. Jordan for [The Perks of Being a Wallflower]. I admired Michael's initiative in asking for the role. I had been so lucky to find success so quickly, and if I could share that luck with others, I would gdly do it.

  It felt like nothing could g. Everything erfect.

  At least until I got the call.

  (Break)

  Emily was more than a little excited to start w on her sed film. Her role in [Brick] had been small, with barely ten minutes of s time, but it had taught her a lot about ag for the s. Rian and Troy's praise had filled her with fidence, and she was ready to take on her role in [The Perks of Being a Wallflower].

  "You got everything you need, Emily?" her mother asked with . "You'll be alone, far from home, hon."

  "That's why I got emancipated, Mom," Emily reminded her. "It'll be legal now for me to stay away."

  "Yeah, yeah," her mother replied grumpily. "I didn't like it, but I promised to support your dream. Are you sure you have everything?"

  "Yes, Mom," Emily smiled at her mother's g nature.

  "Okay," her mom nodded. "Let's drop you off at the airport then."

  As her mom pulled the car out of the driveway, their -door neighbor, Alice, called out, "Hey! Emily! Where you off to now? Shooting your imaginary film?"

  Emily wao march right over and knock Alice's smug expression off her face, but she held herself back. Anger wouldn't help her. Fug Alice. One day, Emily would show her long-term bully that she was a real actress—not a fake one.

  She sat down on the passenger side of the car, and they began their drive to the airport. Alice's tau pying in her head. It hit a nerve. Some of her cssmates thought she was lying about her role in [Brick] with Troy. Si was a small indie film, there hadn't been much ce, and people doubted her story.

  The thought lingered as they drove, so her mother took her hand in hers at the raffic light. "What's the matter, hon? You don't look happy. Are you sure you want to do this film?"

  "It's not that, Mom," Emily shook her head. "It's just... nothing. It's not important. Light's green, by the way, you go," she successfully ged the subject.

  Her mom looked up at the traffic light, saw it was indeed green, and hit the gas.

  Thehio hell.

  Emily watched the se unfold in slow motion. A Toyota SUV was barreling towards them, ign the traffic lights. It smmed into the passenger side of her mother's Honda Civic at full speed.

  Before Emily could even scream, the impact sent their car spinning. The airbags of the car were fully infted within moments. But still, a sharp, unbearable pain shot through both her legs. She g her mother, who seemed mostly okay.

  "Emily!" Her mother cried out in worry before undoing both of their seatbelts. "Are you okay, honey?" Desperation filled her voice.

  Emily could not say the words because of the paiantly, she pushed the airbag away when it had defted somewhat and looked down to see that the car was bent inwards unnaturally and was crushing both her legs. Tears flooded Emily's eyes—not just from the pain, but from the crushing realization: with a broken leg, she wouldn't be able to star in [The Perks of Being a Wallflower].

  _____________________________________

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