Harlem's POV
The bar is basically empty today. I look around while cracking some fresh ice. I hear the bell above the door ring and I look to see to see who it is. Relief floods me. It's just Lex. I've been paranoid lately. I keep thinking those druggie psychos are going to march through that door any moment. Even worse, I keep thinking it will be Ezra Roth. Now, that I know his name I keep seeing him everywhere; on newsletters, billboards, articles, even when I open bloody social media. Like a curse.
"Hey babe. I got you lunch" Lex says sitting and placing a brown bag.
"Ooh, what is it? "I say snatching the bag. I'm famished. "Loaded fries, you're favourite. Suspected you might not have eaten anything, so I came as your guardian angel of course"
I pout. "You didn't have to." I inhale the scent of potatoes which are fried to crisp perfection with some chicken, cheese and sauce. Food is a blessing.
"Well, I kinda did. Because, I actually came here to ask you whether you've made up your mind yet?"
"Made up my mind on what?" I ask. "You know, Lucas's offer?" she says whispering. I blink at her. So the food is actually bribe.
"Lexi, not really. I'm still trying to gauge the situation" she opens her eyes wide in shock like I just told her I'm planning on joining a terrorist group.
"Gauge what Har? Listen to me, this is an opportunity of a lifetime, not everyone can get it. It's been three days since the Briggs event, I'm sure he'd be expecting your call by now." I sigh
"What if they're traffickers or the mafia?" I counter, looking for any excuse at this point. She folds her arms like a disapproving mother.
"Harlem Robin Tamrin. You cannot be doing what I think you're doing right now. You want to be making up cocktails for the rest of your life? No. I won't let you. I'll drag you there by myself if I have to. Besides, I'll happily go with you, so if they want to kidnap you, they'll have to go through me first. But as you know, I completed my blackbelt last year so I'm going to be the one wishing them luck." God, she'd make a great mother.
I sigh in defeat "Fine. I'll call him. In fact, I'll call him right now." I say walking over to where I keep my phone. "Better" Lexi says watching me closely.
I saved the number earlier on so I just dial it. It rings twice and someone picks.
"Hello?"
"Yes? How may I help you". It's a woman's voice.
"Am I speaking to Nexa Stage?"
"Yes, you are. Please who is calling?"
"My name is Harlem Tamrin. Mr. Lucas gave me his card a while back"
"Okay, I'll send the address to this number. Please be there tomorrow before 12 am. Have a good day" The line cuts. I furrow my eyebrows.
"What?" Lexi asks. "It was a woman and she said she was going to send me the address; it was almost like as if she was expecting my call" I say putting my phone back.
Lex gets up and walks up to the inside of the bar where I'm standing and she holds my face in her palm. "Of course, Har. They'd be lucky to have you. Anyone would. I know you said you want to go by yourself so please do give me a call before and after. I really wish you the best of luck girl. Just, look at this like the opportunity of a lifetime. I'm here for you" Could I possibly love this woman any more?
I hug her tightly and we share a laugh. "Thanks Lex. It means a lot to me"
"Good, because it does to me too. Alright, I have to get to work. I'll see you whenever I see you and please dress nicely tomorrow, I trust you. Bye bitch."
"Bye Lex, I will" I say to her tall and model-like retreating figure. She works at a nail salon during her free time; it's something she enjoys doing.
I sigh and get back to work and I pray that tomorrow, the universe has let the grudge it has against me go.
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I look at myself in the reflecting glass of the door. I think my maxi skirt and fitted top is doing wonders for me. Now, let's deal with the nerves. I have to be standing outside one of the most beautiful places in this town. I didn't even know a place like this existed here but I guess when your'e always working, eating and sleeping, you don't actually have the time to be moving around.
The building has a dome-like structure with pillars all around and intricate designs on the walls. It looks like a place you could get beautifully lost in.
I fluff my hair and walk in. I see a woman at the entrance reception and she smiles at me, maybe she was the one I spoke to yesterday. I walk up to her and state my business. She leads me through the building into a room where I see other people sitting in. I ask her if were waiting for something or someone. The woman just smiles at me. Okayy.
I sigh and take a seat. I already informed Lexi that I was on my way here and she wished me luck. I look around me and think maybe were going to be having an interview. A point which could have been made by the smiling woman if she actually spoke a word.
I scroll through my phone hoping to pass time and wonder if I should go back and ask the woman if she can take me to Lucas. Maybe not a good idea.
The door slams open suddenly, cutting through the silence. A man wearing a dark turtleneck walks in, not Lucas, but you can tell he's important. He doesn't even greet us. He just drops a stack of scripts on the table like it's a war declaration.
"You have two minutes to scan your lines. Then we call you up." His tone is dry and brutal.
Everyone sits up straighter suddenly startled. The papers are shared round. I stare down at my script, it's just a page, a tense exchange between a woman and her lover about betrayal.
My palms are sweaty. I mutter the words under my breath, trying to pin down the rhythm, but my brain feels like static. Shit, I'm not sure this is what I was expecting. But yet again, I don't know what I was expecting.
A door is opened and I see that there's a stage behind the room, no, we were backstage the whole time. We all move towards the stage and stand. Christ, this is all moving so fast.
They call one girl first. She's confident, all smiles, but her voice is fake-sweet, like she's reading lines for a soap opera. She gets dismissed in thirty seconds. New Record.
The next guy tries too hard to be dramatic, practically shouting. He gets cut off mid-sentence. One by one, they're all torn down.
And then my name is called. Okay Harlem, Breathe. You can do this.
I stand at the centre of the stage and look to see a blinding light from above; I could feel my legs shaking. The man gestures with zero patience. "Whenever you're ready."
I grip the paper, inhale, exhale and start reading; but halfway through, something in me snaps. I stop looking at the script. My voice changes. It's not a performance anymore, it's me.
The words about betrayal aren't just words: they're my father's indifference, my mother's silent and broken personality, the night at the bar, Ezra's Goddamn smirk. It all crashes into my tone. My voice breaks in places, but it doesn't sound weak. It sounds real. I stare into the abyss of the blinding light and pour it all out.
I don't even realize I've dropped the paper until I hear silence. A heavy silence. The kind that fills a cathedral. Great, I fucked up. They're going to think I'm crazy.
When I finally blink back into the room, everyone's staring. Not mocking, not judgmental. Just… staring.
And in the doorway, leaning against the frame with a look I can't read, is Lucas. His arms are folded, but his eyes, his eyes look like someone who just struck gold by accident.
The man with the scripts clears his throat, trying to cover his own shock. "Thank you. That will be, sufficient."
I walk back to my seat, heart hammering. The others avoid looking at me now. For once, silence feels like victory.
Lucas is still watching. And I feel it, his respect.
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I'm in Lucas's office. And I can tell, it looks so… him. He looks at me from across the table. Those intense blue eyes I'm starting to get used to.
"You're hired" his monotone voice had a bit of amusement laced with it. "Oh. So, I didn't completely embarrass myself. Good to know. Because, if you were about to tell me I wasted everyone's time, I was ready to crawl under your desk and never come out. I trail off. I tuck my hair behind my ears awkwardly.
Luca looks more amused. "You're intense. That's what I want. Intensity cuts through the noise. You cut through." Yay. I do a little jiggle in my head.
"Thank you. It's just…I didn't expect this at all" I say gesturing with my hands. But I'm happy we met because I could get used to this" I say truthfully. He stares at me for some seconds like he didn't expect me to be honest and with a look I can't decipher but before he can reply, someone walks in and it's the smiling woman from earlier.
"Sir, you have a visitor." Lucas looks at her and motions for her to let the visitor in. She does and Lucas gives the person a polite smile before standing to shake him or her.
"Thanks for coming, Mr. Roth. It's a pleasure to meet you again" I squint at the empty wall in front of me. Roth. Where have I… Oh no. No, no, no. Not him. Not here. Not now.
I spin so fast I almost twist my head 360 and look up and up until I meet the shocked eyes of Ezra Roth.
Okay Universe, you win again.