This Is Us But You Still Playing

Chapter 8: It's All Happening So Fast

About a week later I was walking into a Dunkin Donuts/Baskin Robbins to meet with Alycia again. I ordered my frappe from them after they had their small freak out that I was actually there. I sat down at a table in the back away from most windows so it was more secluded for us since our fame and the paperwork we had to discuss. She walked in about ten minutes later and came straight over to me once she saw me.

"I'm so sorry. I got caught up on set trying to leave and it was just alot."

She rushed out as she put her bag down and took off her jacket and draped it over the back of the chair. Then she hugged me from my chair, kissing my cheek in greeting.

"It's fine, Alycia. Get your drink and we can catch up."

She nodded and walked up to the counter. Once she got her drink she sat down across from me and huffed out.

"Well, let's start off light since you seem stressed. What have you been up to since I last saw you?"

She took a few sips from her cup before she responded.

"Well, when you met me I was in college. And I did graduate with a master's in Business. Even though when you were there you saw me realize I wanted to act. But with my mom's pressure on me I still finished school. That summer though I made a bet with her. I already had a job lined up for me straight out of college. But I said if I spend two months here in America and I can't find a solid acting job, then I'll stay doing the job I was offered. If I do, though, I get to stay here permanently. She agreed and even paid for my ticket here."

"My search was failing miserably because I kept auditioning but not getting a callback. It wasn't until the last week that it came through. I was literally about to buy my plane ticket back when my then manager called and said that I got a callback. I barely let her tell me what it was before I agreed to it. Luckily it was actually a big gig and the next day when I walked in, I was handed a script for Commander Lexa. Because of the instant liking the fans took to me, Fear The Walking Dead called me and asked me to audition. So, once they killed me off, I just did full time on that. And I have been ever since."

I nod at her and smiled.

"Congratulations. I'm happy for you."

She smiled and spoke soon after.

"What about you? How's life?"

"Well, once I left you. I went back and wrote some more for people. Got slightly forced into singing a song with Camila, then all the girls in the group separately. After that I became a singer and rapper. I graduated somewhere in between that. I dated Kehlani exclusively for a few months. She cheated on me. Then a couple months later after lots of confusion and back and forth arguments and romantic moments, Dinah and I became official."

She nodded back at me smiling.

"That's great, Y/N. And your parents?"

I sighed and took a moment before I answered.

"My dad, um... you heard about the bombings that happened in Belgium a few years ago?"

She nodded and waited for me to continue.

"He was there that day. His unit tried to stop it, but some of them didn't make it. He didn't make it."

Her face fell and she let go of her cup to grab my hand.

"I'm so sorry, Y/N." I shook my head and smiled at her softly.

"It's fine. It happened a while ago. But, my mom has finally started dating again. Had a date a few nights ago actually. It's going good from what I understand. I think she's about to become exclusive with him"