A sunny Southern California beach isn't exactly where you'd expect to meet a gorgeous movie agent vampire, who will soon transform you into an anguished immortal, but that's where it happened to me. I swear. The whole thing about vampires being obliterated by the sun? Bull-shit.
It was the Summer I graduated from High School and Mercedes and I were hanging out in Santa Barbara. We'd driven an hour and a half to get away from the scorching heat of Diablo Valley. Graduation was a week away and Mercy and I were trying to forget my upcoming big decision...
"This is so nice," Mercy'd sighed, glancing lazily at the white houses teetering precariously on the lush green cliffs overlooking the bright blue, sea, just like on tv." "Look at that little boat. It doesn't even have a sail. It just wobbles around on the water..."
Her brown, moon-shaped face had crinkled up into a satisfied smile behind her sunglasses.
"It's lazy, like us," I'd joked.
"Lazy like me--" she'd protested. "You got into a good school."
She'd leaned back on the beach towel and some grains of sand had salted her raven-black hair.
"You got into college," I'd reached out and rubbed the sand from her hair.
"Sure. Community college. It's hard not to get in."
She'd looked away, past the wobbly little boat, towards the horizon, and I knew what she was thinking.
"Well, I hope they'll let even me in, then."
"Stop it...I can't let you do that. You got into Stanford. On a fucking scholarship," she laughed, "I love you, baby. I don't hate you. I'm not gonna make you throw your future away!"
She'd reached out and her soft fingers touched my stubbly chin, when a shadow fell on her.
"Excuse me. I'm with an agency and I was wondering if you'd ever considered acting."
She'd let out a gasp. A tall, blond man, wearing dark sunglasses and a sharply tailored suit, was leaning toward me, holding out a business card.
Mercy'd giggled nervously, "Are you sure you're not an actor? You look just like Alexander Saarksgard! Or Michael Pitt, but taller!" then, turning towards me and poking me in the chest. "I told you so! I told you you should try acting!"
I felt the heat rising to my face.
The tall stranger had smiled and said, "Uh, well... I'm a talent scout, actually, and I think your friend--"
"Jaime," Mercy'd said, taking the card and shoving it into my hands.
"Jaime,"he'd smiled and held out a cool, pale hand, "might just be what we're looking for in future project. I'm having a party next Friday and there are going to be a lot of industry types there, maybe you want to check it out? I'll write the address on the back of the card."
Mercy had squealed excitedly and I had smiled uncertainly and glanced at the card. Maybe this was a way to stay close to Mercy and not worry about college for a while. Dad would be pissed, but then again, he wasn't paying for college, so it wasn't really his choice.
Thank you," I'd said, not aware that in accepting that invitation I was myself throwing not just my future, but my whole life away.
