From 280 Pounds To The Red Carpet Chapter 08
The Announcement
The manager finished talking. Dead silence.
Jessica stood up fast.
“Which director?”
The manager glanced at her.
“Director Kross.”
All the color drained from Jessica’s face.
Last year she camped outside his studio for a week straight. Couldn’t even get his assistant’s number.
Now Daniel Kross was upstairs waiting for me.
She forced a smile.
“Sera, you know Director Kross?”
Before I could answer, Nora’s call came through.
“Sera, you have eight minutes.”
“Kross said he’s coming down to get you himself. He’s already in the elevator.”
The room was dead quiet. Everyone heard every word.
Tyler stared at me.
“What exactly do you do?”
“I’m an actress.”
“That’s impossible.”
Jessica blurted it out before she could stop herself.
“Stellaris never signed you!”
I looked at her.
“How would you know?”
She choked on that.
Someone muttered: “Didn’t she audition for Stellaris like three times?”
Jessica’s face went bright red.
Right then, every phone in the room went off at once.
Eight PM sharp.
Stellaris’ official Instagram post dropped.
“Thrilled to welcome @SeraMalone to the Stellaris family. Big things coming. Stay tuned. 🖤”
Right below it, a second post.
“Sera Malone confirmed for the supporting lead in Daniel Kross’ upcoming film THE LONG DARK. This is just the beginning.”
The photo was me in the black velvet gown, standing by a floor-to-ceiling window. Every curve on full display.
Less than a minute and the likes and comments were already blowing up.
“Wait that’s actually her??”
“Top-tier contract??”
“Supporting lead in a Kross film?? She’s about to blow up.”
The same people who’d laughed about me borrowing money had nothing to say now.
Jessica was glued to the announcement.
“Supporting lead?”
“No way.”
“Kross is the pickiest director in the industry. You’re a nobody. How?”
I looked at her calmly.
“Because you auditioned three times and couldn’t get in.”
“I got in on my first try.”
That shut her up.
Her lips went white.
Tyler suddenly switched up. Softer voice. Gentler eyes.
“Sera, why didn’t you tell me you signed with Stellaris?”
“I always thought you had something special. Even back then.”
“All that stuff in high school, I was just going along with the crowd.”
The crowd. He glanced at Jessica as he said it.
Jessica stared at him in disbelief.
“Tyler, what the hell?”
“You’re the one who screenshotted her letter and sent it everywhere!”
“Enough.”
Tyler cut her off, annoyed. Then turned back to me, voice all soft again.
“That hug from earlier. I still owe you.”
“Since I promised, let me make it up to you now.”
He reached for my arm.
I pulled away.
“Who said I still want it?”
Tyler’s hand hung in the air.
“You were in love with me for three years.”
I laughed.
“People grow out of bad taste.”
Kayla jumped up.
“Tyler, you’re chasing her right in front of me?”
“Did you forget who your girlfriend is?”
Tyler frowned and shook her off.
“I’m just catching up with an old classmate. Stop making a scene.”
Total opposite of how he was five minutes ago.
Kayla’s eyes went red.
Footsteps echoed from outside the door.
Daniel Kross walked in with Nora right behind him.
Kross saw the gym shirt on the wall and the scale on the floor. He stopped dead.
“What is this?”
Nobody said a word.
I bent down and picked up the DO NOT FEED THE PIG sign. Held it out in front of Jessica.
“Director Kross asked you a question.”
“Wasn’t this your trip down memory lane?”
Jessica looked like she might pass out.
I pulled out my phone and hit play on the recording.
Her voice filled the room, every word clear as day.
“You were always the fat one back then. That’s the only reason anyone even paid attention to you. Because you were fun to laugh at.”
“Gotta have some entertainment at the party, right?”
The recording ended. Dead silence.
I looked at her.
“Now it’s your turn to entertain everyone.”