I am Amanda Night by Rita Young (ebook e reader txt) 📕

It was a cold winter evening and two best friends were sitting at the table of small café.
“Do you remember our school years? They were so fun,” said Camilla.
“Yes, I do. Of course, there was lot of fun stuff going on those days, but everything wasn’t so fun for me,” Rebecca replied.
“Why?” Camilla asked.
“Because other schoolmates were teasing me. They called me Amanda, but that’s not my name,” Rebecca replied.
“The fact, that you look like Amanda Night isn’t so bad. Many celebrities pay their doubles to substitute for them in public gathering events,” Camilla said.
“Yes, they pay them, but she is model. I just don’t like models,” said Rebecca.
“Why not?” Camilla asked.
“Because they torture themselves with diets and they are wearing masks from make-up. They make others think, that natural beauty doesn’t exist,” Rebecca said.
“Maybe they do torture themselves with diets and are forced to apply lots of make-up, but they do it all for us. It’s their job to look good for others so they could represent companies which produce goods for others. Without models we wouldn’t know what’s modern this season or how it will look on others who are our look-a-likes.”
“I see your point of view, I’m not going to argue with you. Because I know how you like fashion and models,” sadly said Rebecca.
“Maybe her appearance can be used as an advantage,” thought Camilla.
“I know, what will cheer you up! Let’s have a makeover at you place tomorrow evening,” said Camilla.
“That’s a great idea! Well, see you tomorrow! Bye!”
“Bye!”
On the next day Camilla came to Rebecca’s house with camera and bag full of make-up.
All evening they were trying new looks, changing clothes and taking pictures of each other.
“I had such a great time! We should do such things more often,” said Rebecca.
“Yes, we sure do,” said Camilla.
Camilla had a secret plan. She decided to enter Rebecca in on of fashion magazine’s celebrity double competition. All she needed was to fill application form for contest and Rebecca’s picture.
Camilla picked out Rebecca’s best picture, filled application form on magazine’s website and attached Rebecca’s picture.
Two weeks passed. It was early morning and it was Rebecca’s birthday.
“Hello, I’m I talking to Rebecca Jones?” a man asked.
“Yes, who is this?”
“I’m Jeremy Smiles from Stars and us magazine. I would like to congratulate you. You won in our celebrity double competition!” said the man.
“Is this some kind of a joke?” Rebecca asked.
“No, it’s not! We have sent you e-mail with our coordinates. Will you be able to arrive tomorrow at twelve o’clock?”
Rebecca quickly opened her e-mail box, read their mail, looked at the location on map.
”Yes, I will be able to arrive there tomorrow!” Rebecca said.
“Great, than we’ll be expecting you. Goodbye!”
“Goodbye!”
“Hello, Rebecca! Happy birthday!” Camilla said.
“Hello, Camilla! Thanks! Tell me, did you enter me in that celebrity double competition!? Rebecca asked.
“Yes, I did!”
“Why did you do that? Why you didn’t ask me for permission?!” Rebecca angrily screamed.
“Look, I’m sorry, if my actions hurt your feelings. You were very sad lately, so I decided to make you a surprise gift for your birthday, “ Camilla explained.
“What if your plan failed?”
“I didn’t think it would fail. Other competitors didn’t look like their chosen celebrities.”
“Well, it was more shocking than surprising. You are my friend, I know you didn’t mean to hurt my feelings, so I forgive you. But don’t enter me in any competitions without telling me, ok?”
“Ok!”
Next day Rebecca went to another city to receive her prize. The prize was gift certificate for trip to Spain and professional photo shoot for their magazine.
Photo shoot lasted for whole day. Make-up professional and stylist made Rebecca look exactly like Amanda Night in one of her cosmetics ads. Flowers and exotic fruits were surrounding Rebecca. She felt like she is in garden of paradise.
After one week newest magazine issue with Rebecca on cover was for sale. Many of Rebecca’s friends and relatives congratulated her. Rebecca was already in Spain by that time.
Every day she was going to beach, eating fresh fruits, going to spa. One day she watched local festival celebration.
“Hello, Camilla!”
“Hello, Rebecca! So, tell me, how did your trip to Spain go?”
“It was amazing! Every day I went to beach to swim and suntan. I ate very delicious local fruits.
I took many pictures. I will show them later. I bought many souvenirs. I brought one for you.
Here, take it.”
“Thank you! But what are these things?”
“They are called castanets. It’s Spanish music instrument. Oh, I almost forgot, here it’s instruction for them.”
“I will learn to play on them. ” Camilla said.
“Too bad I won’t be able to hear you playing,” sadly said Rebecca.
“Why?”
“I’m going to live and work in other city. After I got on cover of that magazine one famous director called me and offered a job as an actress. I accepted his offer.”
“That’s great news! Congratulations! I knew your resemblance to Amanda Night is an advantage.”
“I guess it is. Well, I guess, this means goodbye for some time.”
“Don’t worry, we can always talk on the web. Goodbye and Good Luck!”
In the beginning of her career Rebecca got small roles in one of local soap operas. Her salary was pitiful, but she didn’t give up. She rented a small apartment. After filming every day she attended courses for beginning actors.
One year passed very quickly. Rebecca finished her acting courses. She met many new people and made many new friends. Most of her new friends were actors and actresses. They gave her useful advice on how to improve her acting skills. Rebecca didn’t want to stop on her achievements.
She was so obsessed with her career that she didn’t write or call her friends for months.
All of her attempts to improve her acting skills were successful. After many small and second plan roles Rebecca got lead role in new soap opera.
She was playing young woman who was struggling for survival in foreign country.
After two seasons of filming she bought a beautiful house and new car.

It was late night when she returned home. She was very exhausted after 24h nonstop filming.
“Where are those keys?” Rebecca thought.
She was digging in her handbag. Suddenly she dropped and all of bag’s content fell on the ground.

That made Rebecca very angry. She started to pick up her stuff. She found her keys. She also found an old picture of her and her friend Camilla.
“That’s lovely picture! I remember that day. We went to concert together. I should call her. It has been 8 months since I called her last time,” thought Rebecca.
Rebecca was too exhausted to do anything. She unlocked door, went in, threw her handbag on the table, pulled off her clothes and went to bed.

Next morning she decided to call Camilla.
“Hi! It’s me!” Rebecca said.
“Hi!” Camilla said.
“I wonder, who is that?” Camilla thought.
“How are you doing? What’s new?” Rebecca asked.
“I’m fine. Well, many things happened lately,” said Camilla. She still didn’t recognize Rebecca.
“I miss you so much! It would be so great if we could meet. Can you meet me in that cousy, small café on Saturday?” said Rebecca.
“Yes, I can. What about six o’clock? Camilla asked.
“Great, see you then!” Rebecca replied.
“I know, it’s one of my friends, but who exactly is that? Maybe it’s Stacy, but her voice sounds little different. Or perhaps it’s Corrine, she usually talks this way,” Camilla thought.
It was Saturday and Camilla was sitting in café, waiting for mysterious caller.
“Hello, Camilla! Long time no see!” Rebecca said.
“Hello!” Camilla said.
Rebecca sat down on chair.
“I still wonder, who is that? She doesn’t look like one of my friends. She’s so skinny. Blond hair.
Clothes like in fashion magazines. But I can’t tell her I didn’t recognize her or she’ll get offended,” Camilla thought.
“I have so much to tell you. So many thing happened to me during past year,” Rebecca told.
“That’s great,” Camilla said.
“But let’s talk about you first. What interesting things happened in your life?” Rebecca wondered.
“I can’t tell her any personal information unless she is one of my friends. She may be poser who is trying to get information from me,” thought Camilla.
“Well…” Camilla didn’t mention to finish her sentence when young teenage girl came to their table.
“Are you really Rebecca Jones?”
“Yes, I’m,” Rebecca said.
“I’m you fan. Can I get you autograph?” teenage girl asked.
“Of course,” Rebecca said.
“Where can I sign?” Rebecca asked.
Girl gave her notebook, pen and she signed.
“Would you mind if I’ll take picture of you? Because my friend won’t believe, that I met you,” girl said.
“No, I don’t mind,” Rebecca said.
“Thank you so much!” girl said and went out of café.
Rebecca looked at Camilla. Camilla was sitting with her mouth wide open. She was shocked.
“You look surprised,” Rebecca said.
“I’m surprised! I didn’t recognize you. Your voice, your appearance. You have changed so much since we last met. You didn’t call or write for long time. I wondered, where have you disappeared,” Camilla said.
”Look, I’m so sorry! Since I job as an actress in soap operas I don’t have much free time. Sometimes I have to work 48 hours,” Rebecca complained.
“I understand, that you are busy, but couldn’t spare just five minutes of your time to call?” Camilla asked.
“Only spare time I have is at night and you sleep at night,” Rebecca said.
“But let’s forget about sad part and talk about you. How are you doing?” Rebecca asked.
“Well, I got new job as a manager in logistics company. My salary is bigger than in my previous job, but responsibilities are also bigger. My sister had her second baby about a month ago. I finally learned to play on castanets. Mike and Leila opened their own company,” Camilla said.
“Congratulations! I’m glad, that you got the job. Those are really good news!” Rebecca said.
“What is Mike’s and Leila’s company doing?” Rebecca asked.
“They sell nature friendly cleaning products,” Camilla said.
“Finally, someone in this town started to think about environment,” Rebecca said.
“What about your career? What character do you play now?” Camilla asked.
“I got on of lead roles in soap opera called “Love knows no distances,” Rebecca replied.
“I was right, resemblance to celebrity is an advantage,” Camilla said.
“I wouldn’t say that. One of other actors who also plays lead role in this soap opera wants to date me because I look like Amanda Night. He said, that he wants to be with me and he’ll do everything for me.”
“Did you go out with him?” Camilla asked.
“Nooooooo!” Rebecca screamed.
“I wouldn’t date him even if he would be last man on this planet! He’s obsessed with Amanda Night. One of my friends told me, that he wanted to date Amanda. He sent her gifts, flowers.
He followed her everywhere. She threatened to sue him if he’ll try something like that again. I said to him, that I’ll sue him if he’ll say anything about being with him,” Rebecca said.
“I guess, when you lose the original you try to get a copy,” Camilla laughed.
“I agree, many do like this. I think, he has low self esteem and he’s pitying himself and that’s victim’s