Chapter one

                      

                                         Odessa

   I woke up with a slight headache and an empty wine bottle at my feet. I must've gotten knocked out by the wine last night.

 I looked at the alarm clock on my bed stand, it was 11am. 

  

Everything that happened the night before started coming back to me.

  How did this happen?, how did I mess everything up?

  How did everything turn sour so fast?

 I went back to the night all of this started. The night I met Ricardo for the first time.

                                                ~

  I rang the doorbell one more time and the door opened. My sister was standing there with a big smile on her face. 

  “You sure took your time. I hope you had fun, and oh, stop forgetting your keys at home. You'll lock yourself out again.” 

  

 “You know it's stress, Evangeline.” I pulled my coat tighter, my focus was no longer on the trophy.

  “Yeah, stress since you were like ten” she rolled her eyes and leaned on the doorframe.

  

 “Girl shut up, and go inside. Why are we still outside?” I nudged her shoulder, laughing.

   I followed Evangeline into the already decorated sitting room of my apartment. 

  “What's with all the decorations, Evangeline? ” I wasn't surprised. My sister was very extra. 

  “Well my big sister just won actress of the year, I think I have every right to decorate this much” replied Evangeline. 

  

 “All my friends are talking about you, what am I even saying.. 

Everybody is talking about you. Tonight wasn't just award night, it was also your night.

  “ You're literally the best at what you do”. 

  

 It felt so good to be spoken about like that, but I wasn't the best, Evangeline knew this as much as I did. 

   

“Why'd you waste so much time anyways?”

 “I had to meet with a director, I'll be working with him on my next movie. His name is Ri…”

  

 “We should go celebrate somewhere else” she interrupted.

   “Oh I know, a vacation, you definitely need a vacation. Let's go to Brazil pleaseeeee” 

  

 “I still have work, Evangeline. I got cast in a new movie, and it's that famous director that's going to be handling it. What's his name again… Ricardo something. Anyways, I can't do a vacation right now”

    I was already pouring the wine into my cup. Man I needed to get knocked out and I was hoping this wine would help with that.

  “When are you gonna move out of this place anyway?” Evangeline asked. 

   

“You've been here since you finished college. You're a famous actress now, a MILLIONAIRE. Heck you hang out with politicians and business people, and you still live in this wacky apartment.” She added, then rolled her eyes. 

  “It's not wacky, it's my home. It's literally my safe space, and I have wonderful neighbours. I love it here” 

  I understood where she was coming from, but my home was ‘luxurious' in its own way.

  “Alright miss humility, alright” Evangeline teased, and we laughed.

                                             ~

   His perfume greeted me first as I entered the office, then his warm smile. 

  

 “Hello, I'm Ricardo Giordano, nice to meet you” there was something about the way he spoke, something calm, but something superior.

   “Odessa Vale, nice to meet you Mr Giordano”

   “I've heard a few things about you Miss Vale. Outstanding actress, aren't you”

  “Why, thank you. I've heard things about you too. I love your work” 

   His eyes were focused on the script he was holding.

  He was a middle aged man, or at least he looked like a middle aged man. He wore glasses, had his hair styled upward, his shoes were polished, and his demeanor was confident and calm. 

   He seemed like someone who knew what they were doing, Heck he looked like one too. 

  I found myself staring at this man, trying to find even the littlest sign of condescension. He looked up at me and smiled.

  “Have you gone through your script, Miss Vale?”

   “Um yes yes, of course. I mean most of it” I was embarrassed now. He definitely knew I was staring at him.

  “So what do you think? You got this, right? You can do it?” 

 He was staring directly into my eyes now, waiting for an answer.

  

 “Yes I can, Mr Giordano. But what about the sex scene? I've gotten roles as a whore, a queen, a farm girl, but there's never been any sex scenes. What do we do about that?” 

  I became very nervous. I didn't want to lose this role, but I wasn't that desperate.

  “Those are small concerns, Miss Vale. We could get a body double for that part, or if you want, I could take that scene out and replace it with something mild” 

  

 He was staring down at another script now.

  That was rare, he was actually considerate. All the directors I've worked with were really strict. They didn't give a damn if you didn't want to act the scene, they'd gladly give it to someone else. I mean it's not everyday you get a lead role in a movie. 

  

 A weight I didn't know I'd been carrying, slipped off my shoulder.

   I was pleased.

  “I didn't even have to convince you. Thank you Sir”

   “Convince me?” He was staring right into my eyes, again.

  “Well you could easily find someone else to play the role. You didn't really have to compromise for me”

   

“That's not true.” He placed the script down on the table, leaned forward and rested his hands under his chin.

  “I didn't compromise for you”

 I wasn't too pleased with this answer

   “You see, Miss Vale, I've worked with many famous actors and actresses, and one thing about me is I'll always have their best interests at heart. And mine. 

   

You're a very good actress. You portray emotions on screen in a way most people can't. You're also stunning, the public adores you. You're the people's princess, the new ‘Angelina Jolie’. I'd be a fool to lose you over some ‘sex scene’, okay?”.

  His calm tone made it difficult for me to tell if he was being kind or not.

  

 Honestly, I couldn't care less if he was.

  “I'll go through the rest of this at home, thank you”

  “Thank you for your time, Miss Vale,” he smiled.

  

                                       ~

   I crossed the street and made my way to Julio y Paloma cafe. Its name was in Spanish. 

   It was my favourite cafe, it’s been my favourite cafe since I got into NYU. 

   I thought I'd move out of my place after I graduated and far away from this cafe, but I guess I got too attached to this environment. 

   I saw Mr Julio as soon as I stepped into the cafe. He was the owner of the cafe. Him and his late wife, Paloma.

   Julio and Paloma were like the grandparents I never had.

   I was good friends with their grandson, Miguel when I was still in college and that was how I met them. 

   They were really genuine people. I actually felt terrible when we lost Paloma.

   “Hola señor Julio, ¿cómo estás?”

   “Estoy muy bien” he wore a big smile on his face. 

   He was always smiling.

   “How was your interview, mi hija?”

   He was fixing the cappuccino machine, that thing was always having issues.

   “It wasn't an interview. I already got the role. The director just called us in for a meeting to see if we were okay with our roles.”

   “Are you okay with your role, mi hija?” he asked, genuinely.

   “Oh it's perfect for me”

   “What is your role? Tell me about your character, about the movie” He seemed really interested.

   “It's a story set in the early 1900s about two lovers who had to love in secret, because of certain complications.”

   “What complications?” The cappuccino machine had started working again.

   “Well, she is the wife of a president and he is a soldier” I spit the words out so fast like it was venom.

   “Oh, that's… not going to end well, is it?”

   “Well you'll find out yourself when you see the movie, señor Julio” I couldn't hold in my laughter, and the whole cafe was filled with it now.

   He was laughing too.

   “So who's your character, mi hija?”

   “Mary Anderson” I saw Miguel walk in with his wife and son, from the corner of my eye.

   I hadn't seen Miguel since Paloma was buried, which was two years ago. His son should be three now. 

   Miguel led his wife and child to a table. They sat down, but he was still standing. They were talking about something. I would guess he was asking her to place an order.

   “Who is that?” I was snapped out of whatever trance I was in. 

   “what?”

   “Your character, Mary Anderson, who is she?” Mr Julio handed me a cup of cappuccino.

   “Oh, she's the president's wife”

   Mr Julio let out a dramatic sigh “my goodness, you're the lead”

   “Yes sir” I was so proud of myself.

   “You're always the lead, mi hija, but it's still something that makes me really proud”

  “Thank you Abuelo” I called him this only when I was really emotional.

   “What's a superstar doing here?” I looked up and saw Miguel.

   He looked good, healthy like he's been eating and living well. He was smiling and his arms were wide open for a hug.

   “It's been a while, Mimi. How is the family?” I entered his open arms. 

   “I've told you to stop calling me Mimi” he looked displeased.

   “And I've told you to stop calling me superstar” 

   “But you are a superstar. I watched the award show, and I've seen a few of your movies. 

   You've outdone yourself, Miss Odessa Vale. You're incredible.” I felt weird now.

    All the praises and compliments were weird now. I wasn't perfect, I wasn't all that. 

   I know I'm talented, and I know I have passion for acting, but I am not perfect.

   I looked up to see Miguel and Mr Julio having a conversation. I turned around and saw a little boy heading our way. 

   It was Miguel's son. Miguel's wife stood up and started heading this way too. 

   I wasn't part of this family or the obvious reunion they were about to have. I stood up and excused myself.

I left my cappuccino there, untouched.