me & tomfoolery: short stories

COSTAR | A Cornell Young IV Short Story Pt. 1

This man is so beautiful he must be talked about!! The first non-athlete to be written about over here, so enjoy.

Everybody Knows Something

The first thing Maryn Rai Wilson noticed when she stepped into the hotel suite was that Destiny had already made herself comfortable. The second was that she had apparently ordered enough breakfast for six people.

"Girl."

Destiny looked up from the couch, a forkful of French toast halfway to her mouth.

"What?"
"Are we feeding the entire cast?"

"No. But I didn't know what you wanted, and I wasn't about to call you at seven in the morning."

Maryn dropped her bag near the door, "You called me at six forty-five."

"To ask if you were awake. That's different."

Maryn laughed, making her way toward the couch. It had been nearly four months since she'd last seen Destiny Collins in person, and somehow, the girl looked exactly the same. Her hair was wrapped beneath a silk scarf, her oversized sweatshirt hung off one shoulder, and her phone was balanced against a decorative pillow with a reality show playing quietly in the background.

It was a familiar sight.

During production of The Summer We Stayed, Destiny's trailer had become the unofficial headquarters for the cast. There was always food, a charger, and somebody's personal business being discussed.

Usually all three.

Maryn reached for a piece of bacon, Destiny slapped her hand. "Wash your hands."

"I'm twenty-two."

"And apparently still need supervision."

Maryn rolled her eyes but headed toward the bathroom.

"It's good to see you too, Tempest."
"Don't call me that. We're not on the clock yet."

Technically, they would be in less than two hours.

After nearly a year of anticipation, The Summer We Stayed was finally preparing for its premiere. The streaming network had organized a weeklong press run in Los Angeles, beginning with digital content featuring the cast and ending with a premiere event that would introduce the series to critics, entertainment journalists, and an audience that had already begun forming opinions about characters they hadn't officially met.

Maryn was trying not to think about that last part.

She returned to the living room and settled beside Destiny.

"So," Destiny began, passing her a plate. "How does it feel?"

"How does what feel?"

"Don't do that."
"Do what?"

"Act like we're here for a family reunion and not because our faces are about to be on somebody's television."

Maryn laughed.

"Honestly?"
"No, lie to me."

"I'm nervous."

Destiny nodded and agreed, "Me too."

"Like, really nervous."

"Same."

Maryn looked down at her plate.

"I feel like I was just in my apartment recording that audition."

"Because you practically were."

"Destiny, I had a whole setup. My roommate was reading Cameron's lines off her phone, I had two lamps balanced on storage bins, and I was using a curtain as a backdrop."