Diva

8

*Luke*

"Wait, Anna!" I called as she practically ran out of the room. I stood up to follow her out, leaving the boys and Carl without a word. "Anna!"

Cursing as I got to the main lobby of the building and didn't see her anywhere, I quickly jogged to the doors and pushed them open. I looked around the parking lot when I spotted her standing on the sidewalk, looking around and breathing heavily like she was freaking out about something.

"Anna?" I questioned as I approached her cautiously, not knowing if she'd be happy to see me or not. Her head quickly snapped up and she looked at me with her face full of complete sadness, like what Michael mentioned seeing before the meeting earlier. "Anna, what's wrong?"

"Everything."  I closed the gap between us as she spoke the word, pulling her into my arms. With her legs failing to provide any support we slowly sank to the ground and I held her in my lap as she sobbed in the most heart wrenching way.

We sat together on the sidewalk for quite a while, holding each other so close that we might both shatter if one of us tried to let go. After an unknown amount of time consisting of me rubbing circles on Anna's back to try to calm her down the tears stopped and her breathing finally returned to normal, only interrupted by the occasional hiccup.

"Sorry about that," she whispered, pulling away so there was at least a foot of space between us. Did she turn into one of those people that's always like 'save room for Jesus' or something? Or does she honestly find me that repulsive? Wiping at under her eyes to get rid of any smudged mascara she continued, "I don't know what got into me, I guess I've just been a little stressed with my busy schedule lately."

"It's okay, don't worry."

"No seriously that was super unprofessional and not like me at all," she sighed, trying to sound haughty but instead just sounding tired.

"Seriously, Anna it's fine. And do you honestly think I care if you're professional around me? I've seen you do some very unprofessional things," we both laughed at that statement, remembering all the crazy adventures we had as kids, "and you've also cried in front of me multiple times so you can just chill."

*Flashback*

"Anna? What's wrong? Are you hurt?" I asked in a panic. I had never seen Anna this upset, not even when she broke her arm on the trampoline or her nose tripping over my legs in the middle of the night. I mean, sure she's cried in front of me before but not like this.

"I didn't get the part, Luke," she sobbed. "This is my third failed audition in a row! Why am I still trying? I'm obviously not good enough to be an actress I should just give it up and figure out a more realistic career I could have."

"Don't say that! You're an amazing actress but everybody gets rejected sometimes. Instead of giving up you should just listen to their criticism so you can improve your skills and nail the audition next time."

"When did you become so wise?" She asked with a giggle as the flow of tears started to slow down. "You're only ten but the way you're talking to me right now it's like you're 80."

"I've always been wise you've just never listened to me," I teased.

"I'm being serious, Luke! Where'd you get such good advice?"