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“Cut!” the director’s voice boomed.

Nova slumped her shoulders and dared a peek at his direction. This was the 51st take of one single scene and the sunlight was burning her in her voluptuous Snow White costume. This was how a vampire would feel under the sun, she thought sarcastically.

 “Snow White’s supposed to be sad thinking about her late mother.” he shook his head. “You looked freaked the hell out. This is her birthday. She is ‘lonely’. Again!”

Her jaws felt so stiff, almost paralyzed with trying to get into that sad smile the director wanted for hours straight. Before she was ready, the director shouted, “Action!”

She looked at the giant birthday cake and sighed.

“Happy 16th Birthday, Princess,” said the co-actress.

She smiled wryly, or tried to. Thankfully, it worked!

“Cut.” Director Clark rose from the chair. “Good job, everyone.”

She exhaled in relief, before slumping down into a nearby chair. For today’s scenes which started at six am in the morning, she had to wake up at 1 am for make-up, costume, and to read the dialogues. And, she only got to sleep an hour before that because of her step-mother. Despite all that, Nova took her acting career very seriously. She did enjoy living different people’s lives, having different emotional experiences.

“Miss Esterlin,” said a new voice.

She switched her attention back to see a woman in her twenties. In a pantsuit, and in her outstretched hand was a phone. A reporter. Nova smiled at her politely. Her questions were mostly about her career. Only a few were about a topic she didn’t know how to answer: ‘vampires’.

Her current show included vampire characters and this portrayal of vampires was inaccurate, the reporter said. How did she feel about it? She asked.

Nova tried to recall what she knew about vampires. Most she knew about them was hearsay. They had a kingdom of their own, the sun could kill them, and they needed blood to live. And one more thing: most born vampires were good-looking. 

“The culture of vampires in the show is far from the truth. I’ve been in their kingdom once,” said the reporter proudly, with her chin raised. “Don’t you want to agree the show is a horrible mistake?”

“I don’t know,” Nova responded. “I’ve never been to their kingdom. I’ve only met a few tourist vampires.”

“Obviously. Not everyone can visit the kingdom of vampires. Their visa standards are extremely high,” the reporter said condescendingly. “Still, don’t you agree–”

“I’m so sorry. My stepmother is waiting for me.” 

She left the frowning reporter. The vampires, everyone was so crazy about vampires these days. It had been a hundred years since the vampires had revealed their existence and their kingdom to the world. Having vampire friends or having traveled to their kingdom was cultural status. Things to be boasted about.

What she had told the report was not a lie. She had spotted Ruby just earlier, glaring at her near a fake pillar. Ruby Angel, her stepmother and a famous actress, unlike a newbie as her, had never bothered with her schedule. But last night, she had told her she wanted to accompany her to her shooting, strangely enough. Her sudden interest was not good news to Nova. 

As soon as she put one foot into the van, her hair was yanked painfully.

“Urgh.”

“I’m not your assistant. What took you so long?” Ruby gritted out, still pulling the strand of hair that was stuck with glue. “My time is a hundred times more precious than yours. You’d never get this gig if you were not my stepdaughter. ”

“Why were you waiting for me then?” she retorted.

Instantly, Ruby gripped her chin hard and drew her closer to her. She had no choice but to look at her angelic face just like her artist name ‘Angel’. Ruby was still young, too young for her father, actually, since she was only in her late twenties and her father was in his forties.

“Listen, you disrespectful snobbish brat. I am here to look out for you. You should feel grateful.” 

“Lat mwe go!” Her voice muffled. Her jaw was hurt, and tears pricked her eyes. 

Besides her, Sophia and Clare, her personal assistants looked away, pretending not to see anything as usual. 

“No. I was so damn surprised you lasted this long in the show because you are just a talentless pretty face. Today, I knew why. The old man was eye-fucking you the entire time, and you were obviously enjoying that.”

Nova blinked hard, ashamed. “The old man? You mean Director Cla–”

“Yes. The director!”

“Impossible. I’m not even 18–”

“Shut up! I’ve seen predators like him, and sluts like you far too man. Go to the make-up room, take off that costume, and go straight home.” Her jaw was released.

In tears, her eyes trailed Ruby’s back when she saw her stepmother approaching her crush. ‘Ezra Klish, 20 years old and Aquarius, loved sunsets and football,’ The words replayed in her head. He was an actor. Though he had yet to play a major role, she thought he was so talented.  His lips crinkled into a warm smile as Ruby slapped his arm lightly. They were exchanging words she could not catch from the car.

“Let’s go, Mr. Thobe,” she said to the driver. Their interaction made her sadder. 

She entered the apartment, her Snow White gown gone, now in a tank top and short denim. This was their temporary abode where they lived during the filming period. Her home was in DC but everywhere was the same with her father always away. He was almost never at home except for short intervals. 

She made sandwiches for her dinner, alone in the apartment, when the door lock beeped. The hams and the vegetables were suddenly tasteless.

“After your dinner, go to your room,” ordered Ruby. “You’re grounded. No shooting for you from now onward.”

“What do you mean?” She dropped the sandwich onto the plate.“No shooting for me? I have one tomorrow.”

“I won’t allow you to go to that perverted old man anymore.”

“Are you telling me to stop acting?”

“Yes,” Ruby curled her lips. “That’s exactly what I am saying. Obviously, you’re dumber than I thought.”

“He’s not a pervert.”

Ruby tossed her Hermes bag and burned her eyes into hers.

“You don’t realize how awful your actings are? You have no future anyway. You better stop right now for your own good.”

“I’m not awful. I’m not awful! I’m going tomorrow.”

That sent Ruby trembling with anger. She crossed the room so fast and slapped her face so hard Nova fell down the chair. Hurt, she glared at her stepmother who curled her lips distastefully.

Nova ran to her bedroom and locked the door behind her. This was not the first time Ruby hit her. Ruby and her excuses for hurting her, whenever she would have to explain her father. 

‘She overreacted because she cared about her too much’; ‘She was only thinking about Nova’s own good’ and so on.

Her father would always forgive Ruby. He would not even raise his voice. Peter loved his wife so much.

Sometimes, she just wanted to run away. But where was she supposed to go? She was a minor. Still, she would not give up her chance to be a famous actress. That was why when she woke up before dawn the next day, she tried to sneak out of the apartment. 

She put her ears against the next door. So quiet. Ruby was still sleeping. 

Nova quickly took a shower and put on a simple T-shirt and a miniskirt. She combed her messy black hair. Her original hair was blonde but it was dyed black. She whispered to Sophia on the phone to get the car ready, putting on her favorite purple sneakers.

Hanging up the phone, she held the doorknob. An ad showed on the screen. A booming voice declared:

“Your CHANCE to win a tourist visa and a flight to the kingdom of vampires! The kingdom of vampires! ”

***[Hello, everyone. Aurielle Lin here. This is the very first chapter of another story I'm working on. As promised, I've uploaded the chapter here, but, to be honest, I am having second thoughts on this one. I'm not entirely sure if I'm going to publish it or not. This is set in an entirely different universe from the VPAH's; they are not unrelated. Another thing is the next chapter will be the last chapter of the VPAH, and on that note, I intend to edit the story and publish it in book form. I might also have some extra plans. I guess you could search me up if you'd be interested. Thank you so much, my loves.]***