And I'll Carry On {Johnny Depp} o1

o1: Leaving For Hollywood

I ran through the high piles of snow and held down the hood of my big, downy-feather filled coat as the strong wind tried to rip it away from my head. I jumped over piling amounts of the white snow and finally reached the doors of the hotel where I was staying for the night. I walked inside, went up to the desk, retrieved my key, and walked up the stairs.
St. Louis, Missouri.
January 5th.

Right then, I was supposed to be in Los Angeles instead of this cold hell-hole. I was going to California to start a new, productive life with my scholarship in journalism and British Literature. I was planning on leaving the area where I had grown up and spend the rest of my years making a wonderful life and living amongst people who I had only known on the big screen.
I reached my door, unlocked it, and walked in. I turned on the light switch to the right and threw the key onto the over-sized, not so comfortable bed. All of my suitcases and things were already packed and ready to be shipped away with me. They sat in the corner, gathering dust slowly.

I stood before the mirror that was in the hotel-bathroom. It was shanty, but I really didn't give a shit. I would have to have money for my new place that my older sister bought for me. I glared at my flustered complexion that was pale due to the winter weather. My light brunette hair hung in loose curls to my shoulders. My gray-ish green eyes glared back at me, ready to begin a new life.
"Damn," I mumbled and leaned my head down so I no longer glared at my own reflection. "What am I doing? Leaving my family for L.A., that's what I'm doing. I shouldn't be leaving my parents for that..."

But it's what they wanted--a new life for me. A life that was easy and full of lovely things instead of the life that I was deprived of. They always tried their best to support my older sister and I, but they wouldn't please themselves. They wanted to give me something to love and lean back on, that's why they poured every cent they had into my education. They wanted me to get away from Carlinville, the small city in Illinois where I had grown up and lived and even gone to college.

I rose my head and stared back at my 27 year old reflection that looked only 22.

27?
Yes, 27. I went to get my Masters degree after normal college. I payed for that myself, though, no longer wanting to depend on my parent's wallets.

"I'll go like they want me to," I said to myself and walked out of the shanty bathroom, "I'll go and make them proud."
The next day, the flight to L.A. wasn't cancelled. I had already said my good-byes to my parents and I was ready to get the hell out of the cold weather. The flight was easy and simple. I feared it would upset me since I always had a horrible fear of heights, but since I sat by myself and not anywhere near the small oval circle that was the window, I seemed ok. When I got off and saw my reflection in the glass doors that lead outside of the airport, my face appeared pale though.

The hot L.A. sun was baking down on me, warming my naturally tanned skin. I smiled to myself and breathed in the smoggy, deadly air of the huge city. I stepped to the side and someone ran into me, and they didnt even say sorry. My smile just grew wider when I realized this was for real and not a dream. I rummaged through my purse and pulled out the sheet of paper that my older sister wrote the address of my new house on.
"Sweet," I said to myself and zipped it back up in my purse. I stepped over to the side of the road and got a taxi's attention. They pulled over, I threw my shit in the trunk, and I read them the address.

The outside world flashed all around me. Huge buildings and streets flooded with people. Who knows, maybe a celebrity here and there? When the taxi stopped and told me the cost of the ride, my happiness melted away. I handed the large, burly driver the last money I had. A $20 bill.

I got my stuff out of the trunk and the driver sped off quickly, leaving me in the dust, staring at my new home which was way too huge for me. How could my sister possibly expect me to pay for this thing? I dragged my bags up the sidewalk and towards the front door, I opened it, flipped on a light switch to the right and the lights came on above me. I sighed with please that the lights were able to work.
The room was huge and very empty besides a couch and entertainment system that my sister also got for me.. I'd have to get a new everything in it. I sighed and just threw everything aside, walking over to the couch and slouching down in it. I stared at my tennis shoes.

"Oh, Shiva, what are you going to do?" I said to myself and ran my hands through my naturally curly hair.

There was already a knock at my door, I groaned a little bit and stood up from my sulking position on the couch. I walked over to the door and opened it, not even looking through the little peep-hole. My sister stood before me sporting tight jeans and a stylish blouse. Her also naturally curly hair hung around her face, but not even to her shoulders.

"I see my little sister's finally arrived," she said laughing a little. I smiled and hugged her tight, and let her step through. She surveyed the house closely. "Just like I left it."

Yes, that was her house. She originally bought that house for her, but when she found out about me and my degree, she scouted out and found another house in L.A., fleeing to that house and leaving that one for me. Unknowingly, she already paid off all of the debts and insurance of the house.
"So, Shiva, you like?" she asked, turning to me, smiling wide.

"Yeah, it's great, but how am I gonna pay for this, Jill?" I asked her warily.

"Don't worry about that!" she said waving her hand in front of my face. "It's already all paid for. Now all you need to do is decorate it! Isn't that great?"

"Jill, you paid for it already?"

"Of course, how much do you think us editors get paid out here in L.A? I'll tell you, it's a lot. More than someone would expect."

Yes, my sister was an editor. A 32 year old editor of the L.A. Times. She was popular, kind, and very successful. I always wanted to be like her, but people just seemed to be drawn to her and not me. She got a job quickly after graduating from college, but it took me a while to get the to right job that would suit me. She noticed that I wasn't getting a job very quickly, so she talked to a few of her people and asked around. Her people said they would have to have a meeting with me. She had already done so much for me, how could I repay her?
"How do you do it?" I asked her smiling and shaking my head.

"Let's go out tonight and get some drinks, what do you say?" she asked happily. "Like...A welcoming or something. You like, yes?"

"Yes, indeed."

"How's mom and dad doing back in Carlinville?"

"Good, good. They miss you though."

"I miss them. I called mom the other day though and I talked to them both. So, instead of chatting, let's get your stuff put away, what do you say?"
We both went at it hardcore, putting stuff of mine here and there. I walked up the slightly twining stairs to the upper half of the house and found the master bedroom with no real problem. I dragged my suitcase up to the door and grabbed the handle, opening it. The room was huge and a bed was already in place. There was a walk in closet and a huge bathroom that I surveyed with excitement and a wide tv.

I quickly began to put my things away and before too long, it was time to go out.
Woot!
It was around 6 as I walked out of the house and ventured down the pathway towards my sister's car. I was sporting nice jeans, some nice black boots and a simple v-cut blouse. We rode through the streets listening to loud blaring music. We finally pulled up to an easy-going looking club and strode in after flashing our licenses to the doorman. The outside of the club was practically all black and looked kind of strange to me. It didn't really put me at ease.

"God damn, this is crazy," I said to Jillian after we got to the actual counter. She ordered us both simple drinks to start us off.

"I know, I love it!" she yelled over the loud music.

People were dancing and bumping into me. I wasn't used to the bar scene and never would get as used to it as my sister. During college, she was always more party-crazy than I was. I took a gulp of the alcoholic beverage and smiled at my sister.

"You know, this is the club that Johnny Depp owned," she said to me loudly.

"You're shittin'," I said smiling and hit her bottle with my own a little. "No way in hell, man."
"Bull!" she yelled. "Ask anybody, this is indeed The Viper Room."

My mouth was slightly agape but lifted up at the corners. I was smiling so strangely my sister busted up laughing at the sight of my expression. I leaned forward some, still grinning.

"You think he's here?" I asked sort of quietly but loudly enough for her to hear.

"Hell if I know," she said and glanced around the room. I don't see him, but there's a lot of people in here." She pushed me some and nudged me out into a group of people that were dancing. "Go look for him, idiot."

"No!" I said then reminded myself that I was 27 and not 15. "Psh, who cares anyway? Not likelike, well, who cares?"

"Apparently you do since you're trying to act like you don't," she sighed and grabbed my arm. "If you ever do meet him, don't swoon. I bet you twenty bucks he doesnt like it when bitches swoon over him."
"I don't have twenty bucks to bet," I said slowly and stared into her green-blue eyes. "How would you know anyway?"

"I met him, silly! Interviewed him, along with other people. This is L.A., Shiva. You're gonna meet people like him!"
"Yeah, yeah," I said and took another swig of my alcohol beverage. I glanced around the room one final time and ignored the fact that any celebrity could be in here. Shit, like I would care anyway. Some part of me always thought that they were fake and ignorant beyond all belief. But everybody has the other part of them that absolutely loves them and their talent. I shook my head, leaning against the edge of the counter, wondering if anybody could ever really love a celebrity.
That night my sister and I got home without getting a ticket or thrown through her windshield. She left me after giving me a nice hug and promised she was ok to drive herself home. I figured she was alright since she's done it more than once, and walked into my new home. I walked up the stairs and fell asleep in my new bed that didn't even have sheets on it yet, still in my clothes I wore out that night.
Sweeeeeet...
Thanks!