Somebody

The Phone Call

Chapter 4

There he was, in broad daylight. Sitting at a table all by himself, with a styrofoam takeaway cup in one hand and a small hand-held camera in the other.

His eyes seemed even more green than I had remembered. Greener and much more intense.

The golden light coming from the wide windows surrounding the shop created an almost angelic glow around him.

We continued our little staring game until I noticed his fingers subconsciously loosening on his coffee, tilting the cup to reveal the open spout.

I opened my mouth to warn him but it was too late; dark coffee poured from the lid and onto his corduroy trousers.

I tried to not laugh as I watched him freak out at the brown spill on his lap. He gave me a shy smile before grabbing the napkins on the table to frantically wipe at his corduroy trousers.

I barely stopped myself in time from walking over to help him. What was I doing? Every second I saw Caleb made me want to know him more.

It was as if the universe was trying to drag us closer which wasn't exactly helpful for a girl with a serious boyfriend and a life under the spotlight.

I needed to get out of this coffee shop before I did something I would regret.

"You know what, there are plenty of other coffee shops. This place seems too full anyway. I'm much more likely to blow my cover and I really don't wan-"

"Too late. I just finished ordering for the both of us. Chill, Riley! You love the attention anyway!" Naomi gave me a knowing smile and patted my head.

That always annoyed me. Sure, Naomi Williams was a smart, beautiful, 20 year old woman who owned one of the most successful entertainment management businesses in the country.

But that didn't mean she could act like I was a little child!

Her black stiletto heels click-clacked on the wooden flooring as she approached the only empty table in the shop.

The table right next to a blushing Caleb who had only managed to make the stain even worse.

I groaned internally. Why me? What had I ever done to upset the fates?

I positioned my brown hair so that it hid most of my face. Sulking over to the table, I pulled out my phone and almost had a seizure from the blaring notification on my screen.

You have one missed call from Veronica.

Veronica had called me? And I missed her call? This day just wasn't working out for me.

All thoughts on Caleb and the universe were put aside as I jumped out of my seat and mumbled some excuse about family issues to a startled Naomi. Running outside in a hurried haze, I dialled my sister's number which I knew off by heart.

Please pick up. Please pick up. Please...

"Hello?" A familiar groggy voice answered.

"Veronica?" I squealed in delight. This was the first time I had spoken to my twin sister in over 5 months.

"Riley? You called back," she stated in bewilderment, her voice sounding wide awake now.

"Of course I did Ronnie! I'm always here for you! You should know that."

There was a long pause on the other end of the phone. I had to check to see that I hadn't accidentally hung up on her.

"Ah I see... Which is why you didn't come home for Thanksgiving?" She snarled.

To say I was surprised by the amount of venom in her voice was an understatement.

"Oh that... Well, I'm sorry but it had been a huge role! And I called you guys beforehand and you all said that it was fine!"

In fact they were more than fine. My family were almost happy to see me not come home for the holidays. It had hurt so much to know that they couldn't care less if I came home or not.

Veronica, I remembered bitterly, had been particularly cheerful.

"Jeez, Riley. You're not the only actor in the family you know."

And with that she hung up.

***

I don't know how long I had been standing outside the coffee shop before a worried Naomi ushered me back inside.

How could I have messed up so badly? So much that everything and anything I had with my sister was now shattered?

She had reached out to me, called out for me. And what did I do? Defended myself for ditching them during the holidays. What was wrong with me?

"Riley? Are you okay?"

I felt myself nod automatically. I always had to be okay. I always had to keep a brave face. I always had to be fine with whatever happened to me.

It was a price for the fame.

It was part of the game.

Naomi gave me my coffee and I held it between my hands, the warmth seeping through the cardboard material of the cup.

But I couldn't bring myself to drink it. I didn't deserve this coffee. I didn't deserve my sister. I didn't deserve my family.

Veronica's words echoed in my mind like a catchy song I couldn't get out of my head.

You're not the only actor in the family.

I felt dizzy. I wanted to just crawl into bed and wish this whole nightmare away.

And then it started.

"Hey is that Riley Grant?"

"OMG! I think it is!"

"I wonder if she'll sign this magazine for me!"

"Wait I'm taking a picture."

"Hey look, it Riley Grant!"

"I can't believe that's Riley Grant!"

"It's Riley Grant!"

Their whispers made the dizzy feeling even worse, each comment weighing me further and further into the pits of despair, reminding me of what I had achieved in return for the loss of my family.

And it was at that point that I realised that I wouldn't let that loss go to waste.

Taking a deep breath and holding back the stinging tears in my eyes, I plastered on my million dollar smile and waved to the crowd.

Amidst signing posters and taking photos with fans, I saw Caleb leaving the coffee shop, his head down and his eyes sad.

Looked like both us were having a terrible day.