Dead Ends // Hugh Jackman

Chapter 16

My first day in New York is slow.

After Hugh showed me to the guest room, we were both starving but neither of us wanted to go out with how long and cramped we were on the plane for the last few hours. So, we ordered takeout. Jerry ended up answering the door, and we devoured the 2 boxes of pizza we got in record time.

When we finished, Hugh had to go to meet his agent to discuss viable projects for when he's done working with the Music Man. Apparently, if you're an actor, you have to book months in advance to stay in this line of work. I didn't know that, but left to my own devices, I decided to snoop around.

Since the only room, I really got to look at was the dining area, I went back to the guest bedroom. The walls are painted in a really light greyish blue. The bed is in the center, with two side tables, and there's dresser on the wall opposite of it. Beside that, is a walk-in closet. Other than that, the space is kind of empty. There's hardly any decorations in here, not including the one framed painting by the door and the three windows on the wall across from it.

The bedroom is located in a short hallway. At one end, is Hugh's room, which is off limits. Not because that's what he said, but because I said so. I'm already invading his home. No need to disturb his privacy too. However, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't at all curious.

There's another room between mine and his, where a bathroom is parallel to it on the other side of the hallway. I crack the door open, expecting it to be another bedroom, but it's not. Inside there are bookshelves covering every inch of wall available aside from where the windows are at. Each shelf is full. He has quite the collection. In the middle of it all is a small couch. A single seater but big enough that maybe 2 people could fit on it. Looks like a great place to cozy up and read.

I walk fully inside, leaving the door ajar. My fingers brush against the bookshelf closest to me as my eyes roam the titles. He has the entire Lord of the Rings series, as well as Harry Potter and ACOTAR. He's obviously a fantasy fanatic, but the next shelf is full of philosophical books. There's Marcus Aurelius and Plato. The third one is all on Romance. His taste is very diverse. I'm honestly surprised by it. Then again, it wasn't like I presumed he'd have a specific genre he favored most over the others. Still, it shows he's open minded, intelligent, and not afraid to display what he likes.

Once I've gotten my fill, I leave and close the door behind me. On the end of the hallway is the living room. It's huge. There's 2 sofas and 1 recliner, and a coffee table. The TV takes up a good chunk of the wall it's been mounted onto. It's a bit more chaotic than the bedrooms, but there's structure. A flat console stretches beneath the TV. In the clear panes framed on each cabinet, I can see his movies and gaming systems. On either side of the table, there are plants. When I touch them, I realize they're fake. Of course, or else they'd be dead by now. He's been in Wharton for weeks.

The second hallway is diagonal from the worst, almost like it's hidden until you get closer to it. I amble past the TV to get to it. It's a little longer than the first, but it has only 2 doors. The first is an at home gym. I don't give it much attention. I should probably exercise more, but I don't know how any of the machines work, and I'm certainly not going to test my luck and find out. What if I end messing things up when he has them all set to a certain position and weight? Best to just look from the doorway and call it a day.

The next room takes me by surprise. Not because it's unexpected, but because it's a man cave. There's a pool table, foosball, and a bar. Another TV is in here probably for sports and games with a large sound system. Seems like the perfect place for celebrations and parties, especially being famous and not having very many places to go without alerting the press. It's neat, but I don't belong in the this room either, so after a few minutes I head back to the living room.