Notes: Rachel meets her appointment with Veronica and they discuss her possible options.
Rachel was nervous; she'd never actually met with a talent agent before. The tiny diva had only so far done all of the leg work on her own. Though she was nervous, Rachel had always remained confident. If there was one thing in this world that she was certain of it was that her talent and hard work would get her where she wanted to be in her career. SHe had come home to Lima specifically for this meeting, having high hopes it would develop into something that would give her rising star a bit of a boost. It was something positive to tell her dads, who had been going through a very difficult time as of late. Just to see the hopeful look in their eyes was reason enough for her to make the trip.
The meeting was at six, so the brunette arrived promptly at 5:15 on the dot. The office building was small but very nice, especially in Lima standards. Her instructions were to go straight to the fifth floor and she complied. Once she was on the floor she realized the entire thing was taken over by the agency and she smiled, thinking they must be a legitimate establishment. The small brunette went right to the receptionist's desk and introduced herself, explaining she had an appointment, but she was quickly told to sit and ignored from that point. As the time ticked past her actual appointment time Rachel began to feel a bit anxious, maybe this was a bad idea
Veronica The view from the 5th story window was below Veronica’s standards as it did not provide anything remotely outstanding for her to admire. Instead office structures of dismal standards bookended the picturesque window that she demanded to have specially installed for her; which turned out to be a massive waste of money. Letting out an exaggerated sigh her luxurious red Manolo Blahnik shoes led her to her expansively large glass table. A press of a button with a lacquered nail whirred the mechanics for the drapes to banish out the deplorable view and she went to work on her computer.
Very few appointments kept her occupied these days and her desire to leave the shithole of a city grew more and more inside her being; the soul purpose for not instructing Juan Pablo to arrange for movers is due to the fact she knew there must be secret talent in this Godforesaken place. A message bubble appeared on her screen indicating that the little girl she spoke to before, the much too eager to please starlet wannabe was here with forty five minutes to spare for the appointment. Veronica carefully typed back, stifling a bored yawn with the back of her thin hand as she yearned to get this dreadful process over with. There was no knowing what she was to expect from this as she’d been victim to awful auditions; all sorts of people think they have what it take to make it big. When in reality they’d do much better as vagrant street performers. The six o’ clock hour drew closer and she wrote back to Juan Pablo, telling him to break his instructed ice out of the girl to tell her to come inside her office.
Rachel The short walk into the office was one of relative slow motion in Rachel's mind. She realized during their first interactions that the woman wouldn't exactly be the most accommodating or even pleasant, but if this woman could get her one step closer to her dream than she would do what needed to be done.
Once Rachel entered the office she put on her brightest smile, the one she'd practiced for an hour before she left for that particular meeting. With an outstretched hand, the tiny brunette walked up to the brown skinned woman's desk and attempted to introduce herself.
"Hello. I'm Rachel Berry and it is a pleasure to meet you. I am very glad for this opportunity"
Veronica The frosted glass door to her office slide open as a girl purposefully walked in. Veronica took note of this self assuredness as a positive for most of the people that entered her office were close to pissing themselves with nervousness. Remaining behind her desk, her fixated gaze on the petite and rather short brunette stood before her very self; a hand extended out prompting Veronica to tut some. “Sweetheart. I am not here to shake hands or be your best friend.” Her stoned cold face surveyed the much too bright smile on child. “You are here to convince me why you deserve to be a star.” Her hand went up to the ceiling and mocking racked across the air. “Why you want to shine long and bright in the sky of stardom.” A mocking laugh escaped her painted lips and she sneered at this. “Show me what you’ve got. You can start when ready.” She dismissively waved over to a cleared out space behind the two chairs in front of her desk.
Rachel It had been worse than she'd expected, the woman was down right rude. Rachel was, at first, taken aback, but quickly regained her composure. There was a small spot on the floor that was slightly discolored, barley noticeable, but Rachel saw it as her mark. This crass woman was not about to break her concentration, questioning if she was meant to be a star was absolutely ridiculous. It was what she'd been meant for since birth. With a soft air of slight grace the smaller woman walked over to her spot and turned to face the woman with the seemingly permanent scowl. "Well I have prepared a monologue from The Way We Were, but first I will perform a the closing number of the iconic Broadway treasure turned big screen hit, Funny Girl. .." Rachel cleared her throat and began to sing My Man. .. She brought her total vocal and emotional game with her.... she just knew she was spot on the entire time. When she wrapped up the song after wiping a few stray tears, the young woman paused awaiting some sort of feedback, or rather... praise from the woman in front of her.
Veronica listened as the girl belted out the song, her body and voice moving in accordance with each note. As she sang E-mails came in and she started to read some, her attention half tuned to the singing girl. At the end of the song, Veronica let out a small laugh at a message that appeared on her screen from a friend of hers in Los Angeles. Slightly turning away in her chair she stared straight ahead and raised her eyebrows, the gesture wrinkling her forehead slightly as if she was waiting for more. When nothing happened she twirls her hand in a rotating gesture. “And the monologue?” her voice comes out as annoyed, almost like her time is being wasted as she looks at her polished nails and checks for chips.
Rachel as shocked. If it could have her jaw would have literally hit the floor. She had never had such an uncaring reaction to her performing before. Even the people who hated her recognized the fact she was very talented. It was one of the rare times she just couldn't find the words. "I ... the monologue... yes... Alright" Rachel turned to compose herself. She took a few moments to get her composure and turned to face the other woman once more. She began her performance as of nothing had happened. She put her all onto it and in the end knew in her heart she'd done a wonderful job
Veronica Waited to register any hint of backlash, any type of spark inside those big brown eyes that desperately sought out her approval. A flicker did dance across the iris but it was gone as quickly as it had come. This disappointed her and she leaned back into her chair; her posture stiff and dismissive all during the monologue. The petite girl did have talent, that was a given. It was also a given that this Rachel Berry was highly aware of it. Could this be used to her advantage? Possibly? But how? At the end she remained in her seat, eyes skirting up and down the girl as if eyeing a brand new dress from an exotic designer.
Eventually, after long minutes ticked away on the clock on her glass top desk, the older woman rose to her feet and walked to the girl; her strides long and assured as she circles the girl. Her fingers ran along the tips of the girl’s brown hair and she swishes at it. “First things first. You are to pay a visit to Nidal. And tell him to do something with this drab hair of yours. You come across as homely with this do and that’s not doing you any favors.” Veronica returns to her desk and pulls out a business card from a brand new stack in her drawer. Returning to flicks it out with a snap of her wrist and crosses her other arm over her taunt stomach as she waits for it to be taken. “Secondly you have the talent. You know you have talent, my receptionist knows you have talent. This whole city possibly knows you have talent. But the only thing that is lacking with you is a sense of actual passion. I don’t see any sort of flame within those big doe eyes of yours. That isn’t to say that you can’t get it. I’m not here to necessarily coach you on how to acquire such things.” Veronica steps back and surveys her once again. “We can work on the wardrobe and your skin as well. I can see your blackheads from here and that’s a no-no. Unless your ultimate goal is to solely be on stage and if that’s the case you can live under the thick layers of makeup they’ll slather all over that mountainous terrain on your face.”
Veronica returns to her desk and pulls up a list. “What are you standing there for? Sit down.” She says without looking over to the girl. While she waits she reads through the list and a few E-Mails.
Rachel felt completely insulted. What kind of professional would speak to a potential client? She took a deep breath and ground her teeth a bit in frustration. The tiny brunette eyed the woman who had just torn her apart. The brown skinned mean spirited beauty sat at her desk like the words she had just uttered had never left her lips. Rachel wouldn't cry; she wouldn't fly off the handle a very in-character at least not at then, not their very first meeting. After a few calming breaths she convinced herself that there is no harm in working on one's appearance. She nodded mostly to herself, screwed a slightly smaller smile back on and sat in the chair on the opposite side of desk. Her arms folded tightly across her chest and her legs crossed at the knee where evident signs of her irritation, but she spoke attempting to keep her voice level. "And after I have taken care of all of these things, what shall I do?"
Veronica is more than pleased by the glowering expression that painted the features of the young girl before her. The fire that she witnessed before in those dark brown eyes ignited again and Veronica's painted lips part to flash an endearing smile. Perhaps there is hope in this girl yet. The bores that traipsed through her doors before were just that. Boring. Not this firecracker, yet she still held back and Veronica wanted to nibble a little more at that protective shield that this Rachel Berry obviously wore. Only the time is yet to come.
"Afterwards, assuming that you do a half decent job, I will line up some local work for you. The choices are slim for the time being but it will help put together a portfolio for you." Her long nails clicked along her keyboard and she narrows down the list to Lima, Ohio. "Right here is a company in need of a beauty that matches your description. This will be for a six part television ad that will run during prime time hour. The company specializes in diary products." The older woman said as she stifled a yawn before looking over to her client's direction. "It's not pretty, sweetheart. But it is a start."
Rachel sat straight as a board in her seat. "Excuse me? I cannot supporting the miss treatment and extortion of poor defenseless animals. I will no appear in a dairy ad, I am strictly vegan.. I do have my principals. Can I not start with some other job?" She went from indignant to inquisitive within a matter of minutes. She folded her arms across her chest and sighed through tightly pursed lips. "Would I actually have to partake in these dairy products?"
Veronica: "Picky, picky." Veronica tutted as she pulled the screen away from the outspoken brunette and poured through the limited options. "Is jingle work beneath you too? Does it speak against whatever asinine beliefs you've obviously concocted from doing actual work?" the woman smoothly said as she clicks on the requirements needed to fulfill the role.
Rachel: rolled her and her neck slightly looking away from the other woman. "My principals are very important to me I'll have you know and everyone should have their own. I am a very hard worker and very dedicated to my craft... Jingle work is perfectly fine, yes" She finally looked at the woman once more straight faced as she nodded.
Veronica: gave the girl an amused smile before reading out loud what the jingle people are in need of. "In search of young (18-25) female vocal talent for three thirty second radio jingle. Script and music sheets will be provided to interested candidates." Veronica nodded as she finished and minimized the screen. "This is child's play. No bells or whistles only straight up singing." both of her hands clasped on the glass top and weighed the girl again before she continued. "Do you or your principals have any qualms with mufflers? This will be an advertisement for the local auto shop."
Rachel: "No I don't have a problem with mufflers or auto body work of any kind." Rachel relaxed in her just a bit, the other woman's making just slightly less uncomfortable than before. "So I will take of the things you suggested then there will be an audition for a commercial?"
Veronica: "That is correct." Veronica says as she puts her hand on her watch and turns it around her wrist to read the time. "The sooner you tackle those pesky obstacles the sooner I can place this phone call. You will need to get on it for this opportunities do not wait on you." The emphasis on 'not' lingered before she finished the sentence, her eyes burning directly into Rachel Berry's eyes. "Do not embarrass me and I will ensure that you will work your way into better job." Veronica hurriedly typed a message before she finished her sentence and made a show of pressing the enter key before looking back to Rachel. "That's it. You can go."
Rachel: Rachel's jaw dropped for what seemed like the hundredth time during that meeting. She parted her lips then closed them again with a huff. Who in the name of Barbra was this woman. Rachel sucked her teeth and stood. "Embarrass you?... " After closing her eyes and counting to ten.... twice, the tiny brunette nodded and through gritted teeth she spoke. "I will take care of those things. i am never one for procrastination and I take opportunities when they present themselves. have a good day Ms. Winters"
Veronica: "Sweetheart. You must learn to not leave your mouth open or people will get the impression that you're ill bred." she said as her door softly opened and her assistant entered with a Lima Bean cup. She grimaced when she saw it. "What did I say? I wanted Starbucks. Not this petty excuse of a coffee chain. Don't come back until you bring me back what I asked for in the first place." Veronica snipped, her voice remained even but she was obviously infuriated. "Why can't people do what they are told?" she shook her head and noticed that the girl remained in the room. "You're wasting valuable time here. I expect a phone call from you tomorrow afternoon. If I don't hear from you then I will assume that you are not as serious as you make yourself appear."
Rachel: shook her head at the interaction between Veronica and her assistant. Why was he taking that abuse.... why was she. She should just leave and never return to speak to this awful woman again... but her dream, it was the best thing she had in her life in that moment and she would forever fight for it... Even if that meant dealing with Veronica Winters. "You WILL receive my call... I'll be going now" Rachel walked out wondering what in the world had she just gotten herself in to
I have to keep entertained and resorting to this website has kept me from frequenting one of the unsavory bars that take up more than half of the business in this city.
Veronica Winters. A talent scout from Los Angeles that has been sent to this shitty town to shift through the equally shitty inhabitants to try to uncover anything worth representing.
No, it does matter because you seem quite interested and it’s not something that one would say is normal, so I would rather have it that you answered my question without a cop-out.
You want the truth? That particular shade of red appears as if you've been bled on. The wardrobe itself is drab and yawn worthy. You've made it perfectly clear that you do not wish for my opinion so I will not express it after I end this sentence unless you feel the need to indirectly ask for it again.
You've listed all that I am looking for. Through my years in the field I there are many that come through my door and think that they are what the entertainment world is looking for. That they are special. You obviously come across as a starlet wannabe that has an idea that she will shine brighter than the rest.
That is correct. Who are you exactly? What is it that you consider to be extremely talented? I do not consider cow wrangling or being able to play the Star-Spangled Banner with spoons as anything worth demonstrating.
I have used this account on and off for a month and all I see are teens complaining about their troubled lives and how they wish they can be heard by some equally shitty person I don't give a fuck about.
Is this not the place that people showcase their talents by the means of video uploads of performances or scanned images of their artwork? As of all this time I have seen close to nothing produced by the people in this mundane city.
If I don't see something soon my assistant will pack my bags and so I can jet off to an actual city with talent.
Well that is very interesting. I mean how would one go about being apart of such an agency? What types of talent are you most interested in. I happen to have many talents, though the audition process has been a bit of a puzzle for me so far. i am working on it, but I am sure a talent agency would help things along
Aren't you an exuberant little spark plug? Typically this type of eagerness turns me off from a candidate, but I suppose I can make room for you to come by my office and display whatever it is that you might view as a talent.
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