Chapter 8: 8. Back Home

Shiro

Annoyed, I snap my laptop shut and set it on the table beside me. Another fruitless job search. Matt teases me it would be easier if I knew what I wanted to do. As usual, my friend is correct, but I can’t decide. Anything I’m qualified for reminds me too much of my old life, and everything else requires further qualifications, which I wouldn’t mind, but I’m living off Sam and Colleen’s kindness, which I don’t want to abuse longer than necessary. I need to find a job, a place to live and move out. Preferably in this order. The sliver of hope of getting an acting offer flickered out a few days ago. Even though Lance says these things take time, I can’t afford to wait. 

Letting the dream die hurt more than burying the only serious relationship I’ve ever had, which made me feel beyond horrible. I should be heartbroken, right? I loved Adam in the beginning, but over the years, we both clung to the idea of a relationship and lost sight of reality. In the end, we were not right for each other. Despite that, he’s a good guy that will make a great partner for someone one day. Just not me. 

Okay, enough wallowing. At least I can update my CV and maybe reach out to friends to help with the job search. Matt works for the same company as Adam, so that’s a no-go, but his connections in the tech business could lead to an engineering job, exactly as Adam wanted. How ironic. 

Decision made, I reach for my laptop again, but my phone rings at that exact second, and I answer without looking. “Takashi Shirogane speaking.” Good job; not introducing myself as a lieutenant anymore. 

“Shiro, good to hear you,” Romelle says. “Usually, we’d reach out to your agent, but since you don’t have one… Anyway. I’m calling because we’d like to offer you the part of Ryou you auditioned for last week.” 

It takes a couple of heartbeats for Romelle’s words to sink in.

“Oh, that’s great news.” 

“Yes, everyone loved you. Keith, especially, put in a good word for you.” Huh. I try not to dwell on that, but I won’t pretend it’s not a bit of an ego boost, either.

“Is the fact I don’t have an agent a problem? What’s the procedure if I want to accept? Sorry, answering that probably isn’t in your job description.”

“You’re right, it’s not, but I’m kind of invested now, considering I discovered you and everything.” If we were talking face to face, I’m sure she’d give me a wink. “You don’t need an agent, but if I were you, I’d get one. They can help negotiate the best contract and navigate certain trickier issues. And, of course, they can get you more auditions and acting jobs, provided you’d be interested in that.”

“I’m not sure at the moment. This is a bit overwhelming.”

“Not a problem. I have contact information for trustworthy agents, but it’s unnecessary. I would, however, strongly recommend hiring a lawyer versed in entertainment contracts. It’s a specific lingo. Do you know someone? Or your friend?”

Lance! I haven’t heard from him much this week, buried in my job search. Will he resent me for getting a part in the show? It wasn’t the role he auditioned for, yet I’ve succeeded without trying in a dream he’s been working on most of his life. I rub the short buzz at the back of my head.

“I’ll ask him, but if you could recommend someone, that’d be great too.”

“Sure thing. I’ll email you the contract and the contacts.”

“By chance, you wouldn’t know if Lance got the role?”

“Sorry, Shiro, I can’t share that information, but I suggest talking to your friend.” Romelle’s voice vibrates with warmth, making me hopeful that Lance’s thing turned out well and my friend won’t end up hating me. Granted, he probably wouldn’t, the laid-back guy he is, but I still blow out a relieved breath.

“Will do.”

“Excellent. I have a hunch we can expect great things from you, Shiro.”

“That’s a lot of faith I haven’t earned, but thank you, regardless.”

A peal of tinkling laughter resonates over the phone. “Oh, you’re precious. I’ll send you everything ASAP, and please know I mean it when I say this: stay in touch.”

“That’s kind of you. Thanks for everything, Romelle.”

“You’re most welcome.”

She hangs up, leaving me to stare into a wall, dumbstruck. My head is buzzing, thoughts flaring into life and dying before they can actually provide some aid in sorting through the tangle of emotions. There’s a lot of excitement fizzing through my veins like champagne, but I also worry about taking on such an important task with no prior experience. Plus, compared to a military career, acting seems so… frivolous. Adam’s poisonous words about being unable to take me seriously return, playing in my mind until their hiss drowns out my short-lived elation. 

There’s another reason that makes my heart kick up, one I don’t voice out loud, even in my thoughts. The reason has pretty blue eyes that verge on purple and apparently enjoyed working together, despite how aloof he seemed after the callback.

The phone in my hand plays the funky melody I assigned to Lance, so I don’t even have to glance at the display to see who’s calling.

“Hey, Lancelot.”

“Give it to me straight, Papa Bear. Did you get it?” 

Not one to dance around the subject, my dear friend.

“Yes,” I admit, screwing my eyes shut. Which isn’t at all logical. Lance can’t even see me, dammit, but somehow, this simple act of hiding from the world offers a measure of comfort.

“That’s awesome. We’re gonna be working together, dude! Are you happy?”

“I feel a lot of things right now. So you got the part? And you’re okay with the Canada thing?”

“Yeah, I’m okay with it. Not like I’m gonna miss the tiny-ass apartment I can barely afford or the roommates that keep stealing my food. The production should provide us with housing, so that’s a step up in my books. Haven’t you read the contract?”

“Not yet. Just got off the phone with Romelle.”

“Well, get on it and start signing, big guy. We’re going to Canada!”

“Could you get me the contact info for your lawyer? Mine doesn’t understand the entertainment industry.”

“Sure thing. I’m gonna call Katie and ask if she’s heard anything. How awesome would it be if we worked together?”

“Awesome and unlikely,” I say, smiling into the phone. Lance’s enthusiasm is contagious, working a great deal toward dispersing my gloomy mood.

“Nah, I feel good about this. See you soon, Shiro. Stardom awaits!”

Laughing, I hang up and head downstairs, where I find Colleen busy cooking.

“Can I help?”

“Oh, hi, Shiro. I didn’t realize you were home. You can peel these potatoes. Matt and Katie are coming for dinner, so I’m preparing food for a small army.” 

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I love how Colleen calls me staying with them simply ‘home,’ as if it was a regular thing. As if I belonged. A lump grows in my throat, but I work hard to push it down.

By the time my phone chirps with incoming messages, I’ve peeled the potatoes and moved on to making a salad, working with Colleen in well-organized silence. Then again, I’ve always enjoyed making myself useful. I wipe my hands clean and unlock the phone to check who’s messaging me.

Our group chat is buzzing with a flurry of messages that take me a while to sort through. Turns out, Lance guessed right for once, and Katie also got offered the part. What a freaky coincidence, but one that fills me with warmth, similar to when the sun breaks through the clouds after weeks of rain. Matt’s pouting a little, being the only one of our little group left behind, but we mollify him with the promise of sending lots and lots of photos and celebrity gossip. Besides, it’s only for six months, not forever. 

The message from an unknown number is more surprising.

Unknown: Glad to have you on board.

No idea who wrote that. Romelle’s contact is saved on my phone, plus I’m not ‘on board’ with her. Another member of the crew? The director, maybe? Somehow I doubt he congratulates every single actor on landing a role.

Me: Thank you, kind stranger.

Unknown: Right, you don’t have my number. This is Keith.

My heart speeds up a little. Before I can give this more thought, my phone chirps again.

Unknown: Of course, why should you when I didn’t give it to you? My bad.

Unknown: Well, you have it now. Please don’t put it on social media. It’s been almost a month since I had to change it. My record. I want to keep it going for the whole thirty days.

I barely save his contact when another message arrives.

Keith: Sorry for blowing up your phone.

Keith: Though I’ve just made it worse.

Keith: Please, could you delete everything I sent during the last five minutes except for the first message?

Keith: From your phone AND your brain.

A little chuckle escapes me when I see the onslaught of messages, Keith’s anxiousness shining through as clearly as the Moon at perigee. It’s a lot different from the stand-offish guy I met at the auditions but somehow feels closer to the real him. 

You’ve met him twice, Shirogane. You don’t actually know him. Get a hold of yourself.

Finally, I squeeze in a reply.

Me: Sorry, can’t do. This exchange will live in my brain forever.

Keith: Well, that sucks. But good for you, if you learn this fast, you’ll have no issue memorizing scripts.

Me: I haven’t officially accepted yet.

Keith: Oh. What a dick move of me, assuming everyone’s going to fall on their ass because of an acting offer.

Me: Don’t get me wrong, it’s incredible! Just want to go over the contract first, dot the Is, you know the drill. It’s a lot for a complete newbie. Still can’t wrap my head around it, to be honest.

Keith: Man, I’m jealous.

Me: Of what? Not knowing left from right?

Keith: The excitement, I guess. I’ve been in the business for ten years, and it makes things… I don’t know, faded. Man, that must sound so spoiled. I’m grateful for the opportunities, and the financial security, of course.

Keith: Anyway, if you need advice or anything, hit me. You have my number. Until I have to change it again :) 

Me: Hey, I’m not a press conference. No need for the rehearsed phrases.

Me: Guess I should take you up on that offer sooner than later, huh?

Keith: It would be my pleasure.

Heat rises in my cheeks, but Keith doesn’t mean anything by that other than common politeness. What is it about the guy that twists me up in knots? 

“What has you smiling so wide, Shiro?”

“Oh, I’ve just got some good news, but I think we should wait for Katie since it concerns her, too.”

“Really? What is it?”

“I can’t say yet, but don’t worry, it’s pretty cool. Great, even. And it means I’ll stop hogging your guest room, hopefully soon.”

“Shiro. You’re always welcome to stay with us.”

Unable to articulate how much her words mean to me, I come over and wrap her in a hug, engulfing her slender figure in my massive arms. 

“Thank you, Colleen. You can’t imagine how much this means to me.” 

“I think I have an idea,” she says, patting my back and disentangling.

“Now tell me. What kind of trouble have you and Katie gotten into?”

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