Chapter 5: 5. You Gave Shiro Feelings

Shiro

“Shiro, are you even listening?” Lance’s voice intrudes on my thoughts. For the past five minutes, he kept droning about his audition while I stared into the amber depths of my beer, trying to banish indigo-blue eyes from my memory.

“Sure I am.”

“Then how was it?”

“How was what?” I ask, taking a swig, and our friends dissolve into helpless laughter. After the audition, Lance took me and my adoptive siblings, Matt and Katie, out to celebrate. Or mourn. We don’t know yet, but as Lance puts it, any opportunity to have a couple of drinks is a reason for celebration. A convoluted logic, but who am I to question it? Adam declined my invitation when I’d called him before heading out, saying he was too busy to drive to LA. He’s always busy these days. I set the thoughts about our crumbling relationship aside.

“How was reading with Keith?” Lance says, patience incarnate. If patience incarnate rolls its eyes so hard, they almost get stuck. Katie, our friend, chuckles into her glass, amused by our exchange. Her brother Matt gives me a soft smile and returns to typing on his phone.

“I don’t know. Okay, I guess.”

“So weird, he was even there.”

“Why? Aren’t lead actors always at auditions?”

“Not usually, no. Sometimes at callbacks. I guess the rumors about Voltron being Keith’s baby are true, but you still haven’t answered my question.”

“I told you it was okay.”

Warmth floods my face when I remember the purple eyes and the soft skin beneath my hand. To distract Lance’s penetrating gaze, I level a question at him.

“Didn’t he read with you as well?”

“No. He just watched, scowling the whole time, all silent and hot. But I hear he’s kind of a dick to work with. The hot ones always are. Did he seem like a dick to you, Shiro?”

I’d give a lot of my diminishing funds to stop Lance from saying Keith and dick in one breath. The images it conjures in my brain almost cause me to swallow my tongue. Thankfully, it turns out to be physically impossible, but I spend a long time choking until my throat works properly again, letting me squeeze out an answer.

“He seemed annoyed at first, but that might have been because the casting lady thought it was a great idea to waste everyone’s time on me. Other than that, he’s, ugh, okay?” The understatement of the century, labeling the stunning celebrity that got me through my freak-out as ‘okay.’

“Well, that’s a relief because I asked around, and people say he’s high maintenance. Doesn’t hang out with anyone, even dislikes interacting with the fans. Man, I’d love to interact with fans. Three at once, if possible.”

“Hey, there’s a lady present.” Matt unglues his eyes from the phone, looking at Katie, who punches his arm.

“Who are you calling a lady? I’ve heard much worse on sets.”

“And suddenly, I’m worried about your career choice.”

“It pays the bills until I finish my degree. Not my fault art doesn’t make as much money as your cushy tech job.”

“But wouldn’t it be better for you to work in a studio that actually does CGI instead of working as a PA?”

“Hey, it’s experience, plus it’s not like I get to choose where the agency sends me. This way, I was able to give Lance a tip about the audition, and now we’re going to have two superstar friends. Anyway, don’t worry, Matty. I can take care of myself if needed, and I definitely can take Lance.”

“Hey, what did I do?”

“You promised me your copy of Earthbound for Super Nintendo if I got you the audition. You went, auditioned, and… nothing. Cough it up, McClain.”

“Well, technically, you just gave me a tip, which, by the way, thank you for. Also, technically, my youngest brother found it, so it’s lost to us forever. I’m not fighting him for it. That thing is vicious.”

“He’s your little brother,” I point out.

“Exactly. Vicious.” Lance gives an exaggerated shudder. “Anyway, we’re way off topic. Shiro hasn’t told us at all about his first audition.”

“You won’t let this go, will you?” I ask, exasperated.

“Nope,” Lance says, popping the p at the end. “Spill, Papa Care Bear.”

“Only if you stop calling me that.”

“Never.”

“It’s against my religion, but I agree with Lance,” Katie says. “We want to know. I can’t imagine you acting. You’re so fucking honest you can’t even lie to get out of a parking ticket.”

“Language,” Matt says, head buried in his phone again. What’s been going on with him lately? He’s been fused to that thing twenty-four-seven. I make a mental point to check in with my best friend to see if everything is okay. Busy with my therapy and everything, I grew distant from the people I care about, and guilt plucks at my ribcage. I’ll talk to Matt soon. Once Lance’s out of earshot, preferably. A serious discussion is impossible when he’s around.

For a moment, Matt shoves the phone into his pocket and looks up at me. “Come on, Shiro, don’t make us beg.”

“There’s not much to say. I went in, read the scene with the casting lady, then with Keith so they could check our chemistry. He seemed like a normal guy, but he was hot. Nice! I mean nice.” Oh great, they’ll never let me live this down. Lance wolf-whistles.

“Shiro has a crush! OMG, you’re blushing; that’s cute. I’ve never seen you blush! Hey, that rhymes.”

“You’re a moron. And I’m not.” The heat in my cheeks says otherwise. Thankfully, Lance’s phone rings at that moment, prompting him to leave the booth. I can deal with Matt and Kattie.

“Sooo, tell us about your new celebrity boyfriend,” Matt coos.

“You guys are terrible. It was one scene. And I have an actual boyfriend. Fiancé. Besides, he’s straight.” My voice sounds uncertain even to my own ears.

“Who, Adam? Does he know he’s engaged to a guy?”

“No, Keith. He mentioned it during the audition.”

You are reading story Star Quality at novel35.com

“Speaking of which, how are things with Adam? Better?” Katie asks, concern pooling in her warm brown eyes. Despite her love of snark and antique video games, she’s always been more insightful than Matt, who’s a genius at math, but a bit blind otherwise.

I shrug.

“That bad, huh?”

“Every relationship has a rough patch once in a while.” Except ours has been going strong for several months now. Since the injury that Adam can’t forgive me for. “The surgeries and the therapy weren’t easy for either of us. But I’m sure things will get better now that I’m healthy-adjacent.”

Katie’s brows knit in a frown. “Relationships shouldn’t come with conditions.”

“Maybe in romance novels. You know Adam didn’t want me to keep flying after we got engaged, so he thinks the accident was my fault.”

“That’s such bullshit,” Matt says. “No matter what the Navy says, everyone who ever saw you fly must know that. You can land on a pinhead. Adam especially should have your back.” Matt’s usually a calm guy, so seeing him enraged on my behalf is a surprise, but his support runs through my veins like mulled wine.

“Who knows, they might be right. The investigation didn’t reveal anything wrong with the plane.” I shrug, and the muscle in my shoulder twinges again. “It’s a wonder the Navy offered me a desk job after that.”

“They wanted to shut you up. You deserve better, Shiro,” Katie rubs her hand up and down my biceps, and I send her a grateful smile, then throw my arm around her, bringing her closer to press a soft kiss to her short hair.

“Thanks, Sparrow.” She giggles at the nickname. After my grandfather died, the Holt family all but adopted me, so it’s difficult not to see Katie as my little sister.

“Who knows, perhaps I’ll become a famous actor.”

“I didn’t just mean the job,” Katie starts, but Lance’s return stops whatever she wants to say.

“Hey guys, guess what!”

We’re great friends, so of course, we pretend he doesn’t exist.

He slides into the booth and steals my beer when he notices the server carried away his empty glass while he was gone.

“I said, guys, guess what?”

“You’re a booze thief?” I ask, trying to wrestle my glass back from him, but Lance bites my forearm, and I relent. Instead, I wave the server over to order another beer. A soldier must know to pick his battles. Even a crippled half-soldier.

“Bring us a round of shots as well, sweetheart,” Lance says to the server. The server sighs, probably because of the endearment Lance is intent on using despite my protests but leaves to fulfill our order.

“Once again, with feelings, guys, because guess what? I’ve just got a callback!”

“That’s great! For the Voltron show?”

Lance nods happily. As we all congratulate him, a brief stab of disappointment pricks at me, despite being excited for my friend. The casting people haven’t called, meaning they must’ve moved on. Which makes sense, considering I’m not an actor and wasn’t even supposed to audition. At least this solidifies my decision to stop moping around and start looking for a job. If I got excited over a stupid acting gig, maybe I’m ready for a new challenge. I’ve been putting it off because once I look for a job, it’s acknowledging my military career is over.

The server comes around to bring our drinks, and I toast Lance’s success, but then it’s time for me to call it a night.

“No, Shiro, stay. It’s no fun without you. Who are we going to tease?” Lance sticks out his lip, pouting.

“I have to get back early in the morning to catch Adam before he leaves for work. You have fun. I’ll stay with Colleen and Sam. At least I can say hi to them.”

“Mom and dad will be happy to see you. They worry, you know.”

Another warm arrow pierces my heart. I might not have any blood relatives, and the detritus of my career is sinking to the bottom of the Pacific Ocean along with the wreck of my plane, but I still have people who care about me, and for that, I am grateful.

Tears sting my eyes, and I blink to chase them away.

“Now look what you did, Katie. You gave Shiro feelings. Don’t cry, Papa Bear. We all love you.”

“That’s the booze talking, Lance,” I say, throat coated with a thick substance that makes talking difficult.

“It’s the truth,” Matt says. He reaches over the table to pat my hand briefly, and I’m humbled by my friends’ thoughtfulness.

“Thanks, you guys,” I say and want to continue, but my phone vibrates in my pocket at that precise moment. “One second.” I glance down at the display and frown at the unknown number. Who could call me this late on a Thursday?

“Lieu-erm, this is Shiro.” Old habits die hard, dammit.

“Shiro! Glad to have caught you. This is Romelle Allwood from Big Cattle Production. You auditioned for us yesterday?”

“Yes, I remember. Is your name really ‘Big Cattle Prod.’?”

“Don’t get me started.” Romelle’s eye roll is so loud I can hear it through the phone. “Anyway. I’m calling because we’d like to invite you for a callback. How does next Monday at ten am work for you?”

“Works fine,” I say, too stunned to get a proper response out.

“Excellent. We’ll be looking forward to it. I’ll send the confirmation along with the directions, script, and the rest of the info to the email address you left with us.”

“I, uh, sure. Thanks.”

Stunned, I hang up. When I raise my eyes, I find three sets of stares fixed on me.

“Hey, guess what, Lance? We’re going to a callback together.”

You can find story with these keywords: Star Quality, Read Star Quality, Star Quality novel, Star Quality book, Star Quality story, Star Quality full, Star Quality Latest Chapter