Finding Us (Christian Interracial Romance)

A Different Light

Jeremy

The phone buzzes on the table, jolting me from my thoughts. I'm sitting at the kitchen island in my parents' house, where the soft hum of the dishwasher and the aroma of my mom's famous apple pie fills the air. It's a welcome change of pace. Since I left The Murder Diaries two years ago, things haven't exactly been smooth. Typecast as a killer, an antagonist—it's been hard to break out of that mold. But today feels different. Today, something new is happening. I pick up the phone, and it's Amaya.

"Jeremy!" Her voice is warm, familiar, and excited.

"Amaya," I respond with a grin I can't help but let slip through. "I take it you saw the premiere?"

"Of course I did! You absolutely killed it—well, maybe not the best choice of words considering your history," she teases, laughing softly. "But seriously, you were amazing. I can't thank you enough for being a part of this."

I stand up, pacing a little as I speak. "It was an honor, really. You didn't have to thank me. I should be thanking you. It's probably the best thing I've done since..." I pause, swallowing hard, "...since leaving The Murder Diaries."

"You're so much more than that show, Jeremy. This video... it's something else. It's raw, emotional, and you're the heart of it."

Her words make my chest swell. The role I played in Amaya's music video for "Fading Into You" is such a far cry from the darkness I was known for. It's a tragic romance, yes, but there's love, passion, something human I haven't felt in my roles for a while.

"I just wanted to make sure you felt seen in this," Amaya continues. "Not just as the guy who plays a villain. You brought something deep to this, and I couldn't have asked for anyone better."

"Thanks, Amaya. That means a lot coming from you."

I can hear a faint laugh on the other end. "Don't be so modest. You really did bring everything to life. Sven was raving about it to me just a minute ago."

"Sven?"

"Yeah, the director. He said you're the emotional anchor of the whole video. And he's right! Even Karen from Redwood Productions sent me a text saying it's your best performance yet."

"That's insane," I say, letting the reality sink in. It's been years since I've heard anything like this. Not since before I became "the killer" on TV. "I don't even know what to say."

"Say you'll take the compliments," Amaya says, laughing. "Seriously though, I'm grateful we did this together."

"Me too," I reply, my voice softening. "It felt good to do something different. Something that's... not so dark."

I hear a pause, and then Amaya's tone shifts slightly, becoming more thoughtful. "By the way, can you do me a favor? Let Cecilia know congratulations on her Grammy win and let her know that Madison's got a new phone number. She needs her number."

Cecilia. That name hits harder than I expected. I haven't been able to shake the guilt since. But still, I promise Amaya.

"I will," I say quietly, even though I'm not sure how I'll manage it. "I'll make sure she knows."

"Thanks, Jeremy. You guys were close. I hope things get better between you two."

"Yeah," I murmur, avoiding the weight of that thought. "I hope so too."

"Anyway, I've got a ton of calls to make, but I wanted you to hear it from me first. Congratulations again, Jeremy. The video's blowing up. You're already trending."

"That's crazy. Thanks again, Amaya. For everything."

"No, thank you," she insists. "I'll talk to you soon."