BAD ACTING

THE SHIRE

        Two days after Halloween Andrew rented a U-hall to move his stuff into the new house. He offered to stop by my apartment and pick up my things as well. Boxes of clothes, books, my TV, and the mat on my futon, the only belongings I planned to take to the house.

        Andrew and Matt helped me add my things into the truck, and we headed to the house.

        "Can I use your old apartment to film a scene for my film class in December?" Matt asked me, as we pulled up to the new house.

        "Sure, I don't care."

        "Sweet, thanks, dude."

        I handed Matt my extra set of keys.

        "I need them back the last week of December," I told him.

        "Got it."

        Leah met us at the house and helped me move my things upstairs. A beautiful oak four-poster, king-sized bed, already lived in my new room, but I brought the futon mat to throw on the floor as my magic carpet. I left everything else in the boxes.

        That night Julia's ex, recently back from another rehab stint, played a set with his band at a bar on Sunset. Leah begged Julia not to go because she hated her ex, but Julia stubbornly planned to attend anyway. To "keep Julia from doing anything stupid", Leah dragged me, Andrew, and Matt to the bar.

        Leah's plan worked. Julia seemed relieved to see us when we crashed the show, and we joked and entertained her, to distract Julia from possibly going home with her ex.

        "Come see the new house!" Andrew and I begged.

        The five of us left and waited outside the bar for Andrew to drive the car around and pick us up. Julia began to ask me about the house but stopped mid-word looking behind me.

        "Oh my god, there you are."

        I turned around, and the fall Diesel Billboard stared back at me.

        Brother and Sister

        "You two look like twins," Matt said.

        "Yeah..." I replied, feeling millions of miles away.

        "He's in shock." Leah teased, pinching me.

        "Ow!" I slapped Leah's hand.

        "Don't ruin his moment." Julia pleaded, patting my back.

        "This is super awkward," I said

        "Let's go, guys!" Andrew yelled.

        We piled into Andrew's car and drove off.

*

        Andrew and I nick-named the new house the Shire, after Lord of the Rings. The old trees in the front yard and the huge grassy backyard reminded us of the books. Originally a pool planned to be built in the backyard years before, but it never happened. Leaving the two-acre yard a green blank canvas.

        Living so close to Leah I began to feel as if we lived in her backyard. Leah appeared in my room whenever she felt like it, and I continued to sleep nights at her house. We also noticed Carrie sneaking in and out of the Shire between filming Hit List.

        "We are all technically living together now," Leah said, sitting with me on the magic carpet. Leah bought me a new cover for the thick futon mat, pattered like an Egyptian royal tapestry.

        "I guess so."

        "The Shire is like our clubhouse."

        "Okay, Nancy Drew."

        "Exactly!"

        "My rent is higher, and I don't live alone anymore, but I'm kinda loving my upstairs lair."

        "I love it too." Leah agreed. "Having the whole upstairs to yourself is basically like having your own apartment still."

        "Yeah, true," I said looking around.

        "You need to unpack your clothes now that you have a space for them."

        "The walk-in closet is bigger than my old bedroom."

        We sat in silence for a minute.

        "I'm so glad you moved to LA," Leah said, lying back on the magic carpet.

        "I am too." I agreed, laying back next to her.

        "I feel like everything is about to explode," Leah said.

        "Is that a good thing?" I asked

        "Yes!"

        "I decided I wanted to act, because I love playing make-believe, and I figured acting would be like that."

        "It is!" said Leah, sitting back up.

        "It is, but it's also really hard, and the business side of acting is confusing."

        "Playing make-believe can be hard and confusing when you're putting effort and skill into it."

        "True."

        "Barnabas and Ruby took work and effort. The laundry mat scene and helping me for the screen test both hard. But the final product...so worth it."

        "Your golden party..."

        "This year has been-"

        "Bananas!" I finished.

        "Bananas." Leah agreed.