Chapter 1 - Good News

Tiffany

I stare down at my glass of water as numbers run through my mind. 

“Tiff, why are you so out of it?”  Beth motions her chin towards me.  “You have only ordered water, but I know you are hungry.  You look like you are going to jump the waiters every time they walk by with food.  What gives?”

Cassandra nods.  “Yeah.  You have been out of it.  Is something wrong?”

I take a deep breath.  Should I tell them? 

Beth whips her long blonde hair over her shoulder and taps the table in between us with her long manicured nail.  “Talk.  I’m not taking ‘I’m not hungry’, either.  Spill it.”  She narrows her piercing blue eyes at me, and I instantly know there is no getting out of this. 

I glance to the other side of the table at Cassandra, but she has the same look. 

My eyes drift back to the tasty glass of water while numbers run in my head again.  I tap both sides of the glass with my fingers and softly mumble, “I don’t have any money.”

Beth gasps, “What?  I thought you were getting enough small gigs to cover your bills.  Did they stop scheduling you?”

I sigh and shake my head.  “They didn’t completely stop, but they have slowed down a little.  If I don’t land a good acting role soon, I don’t know how I’m going to be able to cover my rent or any of my bills.”  I hesitantly glance between Beth and Cassandra, waiting for their reaction.

I gulp down the lump in my throat. “So, I’m trying to stretch what money I have for as long as I can.  No eating out.  I didn’t want to miss our time together, though.  It has been so long since we have seen each other.”

Silence falls down in between us. 

I shift in my chair and keep my gaze on the water glass, while I feel their stares bore into me. 

The clatter from the restaurant mixes with the smell of various foods and swirls around us.  The delicious smells fill my nose and taunt me like the place knows I’m starving.  I haven’t had anything to eat since yesterday.  I’ll have a small cheap meal this evening, but not right now.  No matter how hard I try, I can’t afford it. 

A small pain slices through my stomach, but I ignore it and don’t let my friends know. 

Beth taps her fingernail harder against the table before she lifts her hand into the air and snaps her fingers.  “Waiter!  We need to add something to our order.”

My shoulders droop. 

I want to protest, but I can’t.  Beth will make a scene if I do. 

She pokes her nail into my arm.  “Next time, don’t try to fake it.  We know you too well.  If you can’t afford it, tell us.  We will cover the cost of your meal.  Don’t worry about it.”

Guilt washes over me.  How can I have my friends pay for my meals all the time? 

Cassandra pokes my other arm.  “She is right.  Just tell us, and we will cover your meal.  You do so much for us.  Think of it as us supporting you and your dream of making it big in acting.  If a few meals will help, we will provide them.”

The waiter walks over, and Beth adds a few additional things to our order.   

Cassandra pokes my arm again.  “Have you done the audition for that one drama?  I can’t remember the name.  I thought you said it would last for several months.”

I nod.  “Yeah. They said the filming should last over six months. I’m hoping, if I get something in it, I’ll also get more small side gigs and promo work.  But there are a lot of other actors fighting for the few spots.  So, I’m not sure whether I will have a chance at it or not.  I have to admit it would help me out a great deal if I got a part in it and a steady income for a few months.  It would be exactly what I need right now to keep me afloat.”

It would be more than what I need.  My agent said they pay better than anything else she could get me .  If I budget well, I can get the money to stretch for quite a while. 

Beth shakes her head.  “Why are you so tight on money?  Did your parents guilt you into giving them money again?”

I bite my lower lip. 

She bolts upright and leans towards me.  Her eagle eyes already know everything.  I don’t have to open my mouth.  “Tiff!  You must stop!  They don’t care whether you end up homeless.  For once, put yourself before your need to please your parents.  They…”

Ring…ring…ring…

My eyes snap to my phone on the table, and my heart skips a beat.  It is my agent. 

Please, tell me it is going to be good news.  Please.  I need this. 

I’ll do anything as long as I can get this one break. 

With a trembling hand, I pick up my phone.  “Hello, Jane.  Do you have any good news?”

A soft chuckle spills from my phone.  “Oh, it is good.  To be exact, it is great!”

My heart hammers against my chest and my voice cracks.  “Okay.”

“Are you sitting down?”

My eyebrows knot together.  “Yeah.”

I glance at my two friends.  They are both leaning forward and eager to hear, too. 

Jane chuckles again.  “Okay.  I won’t stretch this for too long.  You sound like you are a little stressed out as it is.  You got a job.”

My mouth falls open. 

I got a job!  YES! 

I will be able to stay in my apartment for a while longer and I won’t starve. 

Beth taps my arm and leans forward.  “Did you get a role?”

I flash her a bright smile and nod while I bounce in my chair. 

Jane playfully adds, “That isn’t the best part, though.  Well, there are two good parts.”

My smile fades, and I stop bouncing.  “What?  I’m just happy I’ve got a job for a while.  There can’t be anything better than that.”

“Oh, but there is.  You are going to the female lead, your first one.  Congratulations.  I’m so proud of you.  Whatever you did, you did it right.”

I must be dreaming.  She couldn’t have just said what I think she did. 

Another hearty chuckle rolls out of the phone.  “The best part is your co-star is Trevor.  You have already worked with him in your first job a few years ago.  So, you are familiar with him.  He has already accepted the role and said since you are friends, it should be easy acting with you.  He doesn’t need to learn to get along with someone new.”

My mouth falls open again. 

This can’t be happening.

Jane asks, “Will you take the role?”

I close my mouth. My mind spins, but I pull myself together long enough to force out, “Yes, I’ll take the role.”

“Good.  I’ll get all the specifics and send them over to you soon.  They want to start filming right away.  They were talking about having a tight window to get this done in, but they didn’t elaborate.  I’ve got to go.  Again, congrats.  This is the big break you’ve been looking for.”

Before I can gather myself and say goodbye, the call ends, and I’m left with her words rolling around in my head. 

Trevor is my co-star. 

Oh my…

Beth taps my arm.  “Spill.  What did she say?  What part did you get?”

This can’t be real.  I must be dreaming. 

Cassandra pulls and shakes on my arm.  “Tell us.  We want to know.”

I shake my head.  “This can’t be real.”

Beth slides to the edge of her seat.  “You are scaring us.  Just spill it.”

Like a deer in the headlights, I look at her and then Cassandra.  “I got the lead.”

Both my friends erupt into squeals, but I sit there frozen. 

As quick as their excitement explodes, they settle back down and stare at me.  Beth hesitantly asks, “Why aren’t you excited?  This is what you’ve been dreaming about ever since you started.”

A slight frown forms on Cassandra’s face, and concern fills her hazel eyes.  “What else is there?  We are missing something. Who is your co-star?”

I look at her, but I still can’t believe what Jane has told me.  In a whisper, I reply, “Trevor.”

My heart slams against my chest.

My two friends stare at me with the same blank expression.  After a few moments, Beth tentatively asks, “The same Trevor who is your friend, and you have a crush on?”