"Lucky Strike"

Night fell over the Los Angeles basin and I remained thoughtful, sitting on the steps of the door of my house while my friends, in front of me, carefully read Shawn's message that left me so intrigued.

"Who the hell wants to listen to you?" Maggie said as she held my cell phone up as she read Shawn's chat.

"Sounds a bit scary, I'm you and I wouldn't go." Miranda added, looking at me out of the corner of her eye.

"It's just that he didn't give me directions." she said with her arms crossed.

"Maybe he'll show up here." Maggie shrugs, giving me my phone.

"To take me to that place? no way." I rolled my eyes.

"Camila's coming back." Maggie said before she went back into the house.

"That?" I turned.

"Shawn seems like a good boy, I don't think he's doing anything wrong." assumes Maggie.

"You think so Maggie... but appearances are deceiving." Miranda adds, taking my place.

"Girls, I don't know which side to take, I swear to you." I put my hands to my head.

At that time, an engine noise is made to roar down the street to the front of my house next to the garage. The girls and I looked out as soon as we could and there he was, with his black motorcycle, leather jacket, torn white T-shirt and light jeans.

"Well, he comes... animated." Maggie nods watching him get off her motorcycle.

«Yes, how strange isn't it?» Miranda arches an eyebrow.

"In the end it won't be that bad." i smiled

"What's up girls? a pleasure to see you again. Camila, I saw that you saw my message but you didn't answer me.» she runs a hand through her wavy hair.

"Yes, I was puzzled. What is she about? » I frowned.

"I don't know if you noticed but Mike liked you a lot."

"Right now I'm not ready to have a stable relationship, thank you." I snorted.

"You have not understand. You are in the second phase of the casting and he wants you to come to his house tonight. Hence my message." she shrugged her shoulders.

"Was it to tell me that? You could have already explained it to me a little less dramatic." I patted her on the shoulder.

"Sorry if he scared you a bit, I wrote it in a hurry and with the hassle of auditions and Mike's orders..." she cocked her head.

"And what do I have to do?"

"First, it's a somewhat luxurious loft and there will be champagne."

"Then I better go change my clothes for something more exotic, okay? Wait for me here." I nodded and headed home to find some of my best nightwear.

"As you prefer." she raised a hand.

"Wow Shawn, giving our dear friend surprises." She nudged Miranda as the two of them looked her up and down.

"Yes, you have a great friend." she assumes crestfallen.

"We can't complain, for now."

"And can't you tell us like this between us why this invitation to Mike Montez's house is due?" says Miranda very intrigued.

"Those who go to the second phase are called by Mike for a new audition in the studio."

"But he said it would be in days maybe and Camila hasn't received any calls."

"Does that mean that...Camila has been the only one chosen?" Maggie asks with her eyes rolling.

"That's right or so I'm afraid, that's why I invited her to her house. Incredible, right?"

"He will be very happy when she finds out. Camila longs to become a star."

"Possibly it will be in a short time." she crosses her arms.

Clinging to his waist and clad in a tight black beaded dress and metallic blue heels, Shawn led me to the Montez brothers' mansion. She had an upset stomach but she was certain that something crucial was going to happen to her.

Arriving at the house, or rather a glass-enclosed mansion with many beautiful plants, Shawn left the motorcycle a few steps from the main entrance. She left his helmet hanging from the handlebars and walked me to the door.

"You are really beautiful." He shows a mischievous smile without taking his eyes off the door.

"Thank you..." I looked at the ground a bit shy.

"Shawn! It's good to see you." Mike hugs Shawn with great enthusiasm and then gives me a look that transports me to hellish paradises "Dear Camila, it's a pleasure to have you here."

"You're welcome, but thank Shawn that he's here. He was the one who insisted." I took over with my arms folded as I made way for his home.

"No dear, I asked you to be here. Shawn just spread my message." he put a palm on my shoulder and we went into the living room.

"Thank you for the welcome, very kind." he said without taking his eyes off his paintings.

"Please take a seat, as if you were at home." He pointed to a large, wide leather sofa.

"My house has no comparison with this palace." I looked away and took a seat.

"Can you stop being so spontaneous?" Shawn whispered next to me.

"Sorry, I just feel like I'm going to give a meeting for the presidency." I put the bag aside and put on the skirt of my dress.

"Mike is very natural, you just relax." The sigh.

"I'll try."

"Would you like some gin, vodka, rum, a Malibu?" Mike was asking from the kitchen.

"Better a Malibu, short" I frowned.

"A girl with few resources. Great specimen, Shawn" Mike smiled bringing me a drink.

"Here you go." He puts it on the table himself and I pick it up carefully. "Camila, you may wonder, what am I doing here? Why did I come here? And you owe it to your voice. After you left and after having passed a dozen auditions, your voice was still there with us, rumbling non-stop I spoke with my brother who denies that charm that your strings have but in conclusion and on my part, you have stunned me."

"Wow, I don't know what to say. I did not expect to see myself among the greats.» I looked at Shawn with flushed cheeks.

"That is why we are going to skip the other phases." he assumed he took a sip from his glass.

"In that way? as soon?" I looked at Shawn in a daze.

"I think you have a very high potential and that you should polish it however you can."

"I have not seriously considered getting fully into the world of music. I currently work in a bar as a waitress."

"Well, let's make a waitress, a star on the music scene." she spread her hands imagining my name between big neon signs.

"Sounds very tempting, eye-catching." I showed a narrow smile.

"Tomorrow I'm going to talk to a record company so they can listen to your audition that I have recorded here. According to her opinion, I'll get in touch with you and we'll go straight to creating your new image." he looked me up and down.

"This seems like a dream." I smiled again leaving the glass on the table.

"Well, she wakes up, because it's your reality."

"Thanks a lot."

"You're in good hands." Shawn added.