Take Two

Chapter Five

Surprise double update! If you didn't see chapter four that I published earlier today, make sure to read that one first! Enjoy :)

Renaldo

I followed behind the man, grateful I ran into him tonight. Part of me felt bad for disrupting whatever plans he had before I stopped him, but I could not figure out where he could be going dressed the way he was. With baggy, comfortable pants and a large jacket that was too warm for the weather, he looked out of place. It was even stranger to see he had done up his hair like he had planned on going out somewhere nice.

Yet he still chose to abandon those plans to have a drink with me.

We walked in silence for only a couple minutes before he stopped in front of a darkened building. There was no indication that the place was open, let alone a place to get drinks.

I was about to say something when he pulled open the door. Light flooded out from inside with a soft tune of music playing. I suppose the place was truly open after all.

He stepped inside first before I followed. We had entered a small bar, with only a few stools at the counter along the left wall and a handful of table booths on the oposite wall. Only two small groups occupied the area and no one even glanced at us as we walked in. This was perfect.

"What would you like to drink?" I asked, already heading for the bar.

"Oh, you don't have to buy me anything."

"It is the least I can do for showing me this private place. It is perfect."

He looked as if he wanted to argue more, but he just nodded with a soft sigh. "Thank you. I'll just take a beer, I guess."

It was not until we had our drinks in hand - beer for him and scotch for me - that we found ourselves at the booth in the far corner. I sat facing the wall, feeling comfortable enough to take off the dark sunglasses, which greatly brightened the place up.

I watched him take a hesitant sip of his beer. He made a face, but quickly hid it with a second sip, only to make the face again. Did he not like it?

"Is it not good?" I asked.

He shook his head, setting the glass down on the table. "No, it's fine. Uh... Just I haven't had beer in a while, is all. It is fine, really. Thank you."

"As long as you are satisfied. I do not mind buying you something else if you prefer."

"Really, I'm okay."

We sat in silence for a long moment. I did not want to pressure him into letting me buy him another drink, even though he clearly disliked the one he had. I also was not sure how to change the topic and start a conversation, especially because I did not even know his name.

His name! That was a good place to start, was it not?

"I must apologize," I started, "but I realized I do not know your name."

His eyes widened. "Oh! Yeah, sorry. It's Micah."

I smiled. There could be no other name better suited for him. "Well, it is a pleasure to finally be properly introduced, Micah."

He looked down at his glass, his fingers tapping quietly on the edge of it. "To be honest, sir, I never expected this. I thought the big actors didn't really care about the crew."

"I am not like most actors," I replied slowly. "And please, call me Renaldo. 'Sir' is formal and unnecessary."

"Okay."

Another silence fell between us. Asking his name was supposed to lead somewhere. Why did it not? How could I call myself someone good with people when I could not make conversation with one man?

After a moment, he lifted his gaze to mine and spoke up, breaking the silence. "So, what made you want to be an actor?"

I smiled at the question, not only because it was a start to what would hopefully be a good conversation, but because I enjoyed talking about this subject in particular. "I always loved stories," I started. "In my home country, we did not own a television. It was only when my family came here that we could afford one. When I discovered the characters on the screen were played by real people, I knew I wanted to do the same. I am grateful my career has been as successful as it is. I never expected to get to where I am now."

"Well, you're an amazing actor," Micah said, almost as if without thought. He quickly looked back down at his glass. "I mean, everyone loves you and you've gotten some really big roles."

"Thank you."

I was not unaccustomed to receiving compliments. However, hearing Micah praise my work had me feeling something I could not identify. It was almost a mixture of glee that he knew my roles and embarrassment for realizing he knew me better than I knew him.

"What about you?" I asked. "You work the cameras, no? What made you want to do that?"

He shrugged. "I don't really know. I guess kinda the same reasons you went into acting. I've loved movies my whole life and working on them is great. I get to say I was part of something, especially when it's a big hit." He sighed gently before continuing. "Plus, I'd never make it on screen. I can't act and I'm not nearly good-looking enough to get away with bad acting. Nobody would want to look at me."

"That is not true," I said automatically. Then I cleared my throat when I realized what I had said. "The makeup crew does a fantastic job on everybody."

His eyes widened and I knew I still said the wrong things. Why could I not speak properly?

"I simply mean you cannot judge a person's appearance on television, as it is not what they truly look like," I continued, hoping to make everything better again. "I am sure, if you were to ever choose to act, the makeup crew would not have much to do for you."

Micah inhaled a long, slow breath as he stared at his glass. After a second, he picked up the drink and finished it off, despite it still being mostly full.

When he placed the glass back on the table with a disgusted look on his face, he stood. "I am going to get a couple shots," he said. "Do you want any?"

"Let me pay, por favor," I said. "I feel as if I made you upset. It is the least I can do. Paying is not an issue for me."

He crossed his arms over his chest. "You bought me one, I drank it. Now it's my turn and I don't care how much money you have. I'm buying shots. Do you want any?"

I inhaled sharply. People usually loved letting me spend my money on them if I offered. No one has ever said they did not care about my money before. Well, aside for Rosalinda, but she was the exception.

"No, thank you," I said. "It is not usually my choice of drink."

I also still had most of my scotch left. I had no reason to get more alcohol right now.

Although, if the night was heading where it seemed Micah wanted to take it, I would be buying myself another drink before I knew it.

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por favor - please

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