AllFreeNovel
Share Us
‘OK, say I agree to this – what do The Tragedies and I personally get?’
‘What do you want?’ Zayan asks, a little doubt coming into his expression. ‘Within reason, I can probably get it for you.’
I pause, a little hesitant, before letting some of my desires spill into the space between us. ‘I want to be a professional actress. More than anything in the world. And from what you’ve told me, that’s not going to be an easy ride for someone like me. I don’t want to give a director – or a casting agent, a writer, anyone – an excuse to reject me.’ I inhale sharply, choosing my next words carefully. ‘I want you to teach me everything you know about acting – on film and on stage. I want your knowledge. Train me. Make me better than I am.’
Make me good enough, a quiet voice whispers in my head, but I don’t say that to Zayan.
‘I can do that,’ he replies softly, and I fear that his tone is pitiful, but it doesn’t sound exactly like that. The softness of it bothers me, nettles me, and I add one more stipulation to the agreement.
‘I also want an in. Casting agents, talent agents, directors – I want them there on opening night. For The Tragedies too – we want the chance to start our own careers.’
I’m not really sure if The Tragedies want to make their talents into careers or if they’re simply hobbies, but they deserve to get a foot in the door. Especially if people like the LSDCATS are going to be standing in the way.
Zayan mulls this over, an impressed look glimmering in his eyes. I try not to preen under it. ‘OK, I’ll set up a meeting with Lacey, me and you tomorrow?’ he finally says.
I nod, nerves buzzing at the thought of sitting in front of his agent. A question blinks in my mind. ‘How are you so sure people are going to be interested in our relationship?’
A roguish smile curls Zayan’s lips, and he leans closer, like he’s going to tell me the secrets of the world. ‘Well, who wouldn’t want to see two good-looking people together?’
I roll my eyes. This boy and his words. If we go through with this, I’m probably never going to have a normal heart rate again.
‘That’s not a good reason.’
He shrugs. ‘People love to see happiness. Maybe it’s because they don’t have it in their own lives, maybe it’s because they get to live vicariously through someone else’s joy, but everyone loves a power couple. That’s going to be us.’
His determination is so naked and honest it’s unnerving. He’s like a walking masterclass in how to utilize your emotions when you need to, and despite the gnawing worry that’s telling me all of this is going to end terribly, I am excited to learn from him.
‘If that’s all, I’ll take my leave,’ he says formally, while rising from his seat.
I walk him to the door, watching as he slips his shoes back on. Before going, he looks around quickly, eyes dropping to one of the many notepads Maha has scattered around the flat – this one is on the table by the door. He bends down, using the pen beside it to scribble something.
‘Here’s my number. Text me and I’ll send you the location of Lacey’s office.’
I hold the paper between my fingers, my gaze tracing over the numbers.
I’m holding Zayan Amin’s phone number. I wonder how much people would pay for it. Hundreds? Thousands? Millions?
‘That’s for you only,’ Zayan stresses, reading the awed look in my eyes perfectly.
‘I promise not to share it,’ I offer. ‘Unless you mess me over with all of this. In which case I will send this out to anyone and everyone who wants it.’
He smiles, before that pleasant mask slips back into place. Our fake relationship probably won’t thrive under scrutiny if he refuses to smile at me genuinely, but I’m sure he knows that. Or at least I hope he does.
We continue to face one another, unsure of what to say, and the awkwardness begins to scratch against my skin. Finally, I snap and fill up the silence.
‘Should we have a contract drawn up?’ I ask, and he takes a moment to mull it over.
I’m not sure why the thought of signing on a dotted line about all of this is making me anxious. Maybe because it’s such a cold concept. I know this relationship isn’t real, but a contract sucks the life out of every humane part of it. It’s one thing to have a written agreement to hire him for the play; it’s another thing entirely to employ one another as companions.
‘I’d prefer it if we didn’t. I can have one drawn up for the casting agents and the reassurances you’ve asked for. But I’d like to keep the truth about our relationship completely under wraps. Only you and I should know about it. Aside from my publicity team.’
Relief initially floods my system at his response, and then horror takes over.
‘My friends –’ I panic, thinking of Amal and Maha – ‘I’m awful at lying to them.’
Zayan’s eyebrows rise ever so slightly. ‘Remind me again … you’re an actress, right?’
I roll my eyes. ‘Aspiring. And you don’t need to be a good liar to be a good actress, OK? But back to my main point – I can’t tell my friends?’
