Between Then & Now // Hugh Jackman

3 // A Friend of a Friend

"So, this is a gift for your grandpa?"

Hugh continued to fiddle with the wristwatch. Almost as fascinated as I was when I initially found it at Wayward Reliquary. His gaze lingered on it even as he talked.

To fill the silence, I told him more than I probably should've. At least, that was what I chose to believe. Hugh had this captivating personality that automatically made me want to trust him, to spill all my secrets. It was going to be hard keeping things from him.

"Yeah, he's turning 80." I leaned forward on the table, clasping my hands together.

We were still at McDonald's, though we had finished eating a while ago. The conversation after the shock of finding his initials on the back of the clock came a bit easier. There was still some tension but not as much awkwardness.

"He's going to love it." Hugh finally put the watch down. "I think I know more about him than I do about you though. You haven't told me your name, and I already gave you mine fully, which I never do by the way."

Was it because it was too close to Michael Jackson? I wondered how many jokes he had to endure growing up, so I refrained from adding onto it.

"It's Kinsley Hale."

"Well, it's nice to meet you, Kinsley," he said with a small smile.

"Nice to meet you too, Hugh." I returned the gesture.

Never knew this was how I was going to meet such a well-known actor. A much younger version of him than the one I currently knew but still I had to jump through time to do it.

"I just want to apologize for Mason again. I know this doesn't make up for what he did, but I hope you're feeling better now," he said.

Was that what this was? This invitation to eat? Now I felt bad for lying to him as he was trying to console me for it. I mean it worked. Like a charm. It distracted me from the fact that I was stuck here. Having a late dinner, finally getting something in my empty stomach, I felt good. Enough that I could look at everything from a more levelhead without the panic creeping in.

I took the watch, wrapping it around my wrist so I wouldn't lose it. "Yeah, I'm feeling a lot better. Thanks for this."

"Of course." He piled our trash onto the tray. "I can't believe he just left you there. Was he going to give you a ride home after...you know whatever you guys were doing?"

The last bit came out uncomfortably. Despite knowing how Mason was and what he got up to apparently, I didn't want to Hugh to have the same impression about me.

"We weren't doing anything like that," I quickly countered, and I swore I saw relief slacken his perplexing expression.

Then I carefully spun another story that held more truth to it than the scenario he thought of when he had found me in that classroom.

"I'm not from around here," I went on, keeping my eyes on the watch rather than him. If we locked gazes, I didn't think he'd believe me, even though the next thing that came out of my mouth wasn't entirely a lie.

I was just reaffirming what he already knew back at the Actors' Centre. He'd noticed right away that I didn't belong. My lack of an accent and clothes automatically were a dead give away.

I wouldn't say I looked too out of place, but I was in very baggy sweatpants and an oversized shirt. The collar was so big it slid off one shoulder, which I'd suddenly became very hyper-aware of, but left it alone. I couldn't really do much about it now, plus it helped prove my point.

"I just got here today."

Another truth.

"I lost all my luggage and my wallet."