Hell's Actor-Chapter 112: Surprise

"Why don’t you want to go?" Hyerin asked, shaking her friend left and right.

"It’s a waste of time. I have no reason to go. There will be too many people. I will have to talk to them, greet them, meet them, do a few lines in the bathroom with them, do a quickie in the toilet stall with a hot lady, piss on the floor, and so on. The list never stops, and the next thing you know, you are having an orgy. Who wants to do all that? It’s tiring."

The two ladies stared at him. It was difficult to tell whether he was a genius or a lunatic.

Hyerin embraced his arm and pulled at it. "Please, go. Please. Make it my Christmas gift."

She was practically begging.

"Do you really want to see me at an orgy, Rin?" He made a disgusted face. "Really? If I get caught, my reputation will be irreparable."

’It’s not irreparable already?’ Hyerin thought, bewilderment marring her expression. ’It could get worse?’

"What is the real reason?"

"Look, it will be a chore, okay? I don’t want to go, and that’s final."

"What if you win an award?" Min-Ha asked, her hands folded in front of her chest. "It would be a huge honor."

"What did you say?" Averie widened his eyes, drew close to her, and stared into her gaze. "Did you say it would be an honor for me? They should be glad if my feet came close to gracing their pathetic halls."

He began throwing a tantrum. The only thing Hyerin could hear was a low chant of ’I am great. I am fine. I am the best.’

"Then, what will you do? Watch from here?"

"I will rest, recuperate, and prepare for a new challenge."

He picked up his phone and called Director Groux.

"Hello, yes, how are you?"

He faked cheerfulness, but his eyes seemed to want to spew poison.

"So, I was wondering which role you had in mind for me, Director Groux. Is it the brooding man?"

"Yes," the answer came from the other side. "But there is one more."

"Sorry?"

"There is one more role I want you to play."

"And that is?"

"It’s the lady."

"What?"

"The lady, the main character, is the one I wanted you to play."

"I’m sorry?"

"You will have to play a woman."

Averie studied his reflection in the large mirror.

’What part of this looks like a woman?’

The eyes that looked like they had been tempered in the lava of Hell questioned whether they could replicate the beauty of a woman.

"Give me some time to think, Director."

***

"What do you mean they refused?" George, an executive at CBC, asked.

"Both Peter Dumfries and Marvin Watson have declined our proposals," said the presenter, pointing at the projected slide on the wall.

They were in another meeting, this one more serious than the one before.

George banged the table. "This is beyond stupidity. Why would they do that?"

"Marvin is doing well as an actor, so he doesn’t see the merit in doing a mockumentary."

"And Peter?"

"His demands are too extreme."

"Obnoxious, you mean."

"Yes, sir."

"That damned fool!"

The other executives glared at George, and only then did he quiet down.

"Then," a spectacled executive began. "What about the third one?"

"Averie Quinn Auclair, sir?"

"Who else?"

"We haven’t contacted him yet."

The spectacled man’s eyebrows twitched. "Why not?"

"Well, we were told not to reach him."

"When? And by whom?"

The presenter’s eyes turned to George.

The spectacled man sighed. "Mr. George White."

"Yes, sir," George answered.

"What is the meaning of this?"

"Sir, he has never done comedy. How could we place such a major responsibility in his hands? And this is different from acting. He will have the center stage."

"Cut it short, Mr. White. What was the real reason?"

George looked around the room and cleared his throat.

"Have you heard about his controversies?"

"Explain."

"Since his debut, he has been involved in enough controversies to put Hollywood to shame."

"While controversies are indeed damaging, Mr. White, tell me what celebrity doesn’t face them?"

"The nature differs, sir. This man has been accused of assault, theft, burglary, and who knows what else."

"Mr. White," — The man smiled widely — "I have read all about that."

Indeed, the spectacled man was thorough. He was the most senior of executives. Tasked with administrative duties, he always looked into the details of a new project.

He was the one who had made regular executive meetings regarding new projects a necessity.

"His issues can be ignored as long as he delivers," he continued. "And frankly, we have run out of options. We can’t simply hand such a project to the same old faces. So, contact him immediately. If we can’t start shooting in less than a month, I am calling this off."

With that last sentence, the entire room shivered.

A project being called off in pre-production wasn’t something new. But it being called off while nearing the pre-production was something every single person involved hated.

"I’ll contact them immediately."

"And Mr. White," the spectacled man called. "If you go behind our backs again, there will be disciplinary actions. Is that clear?"

George gulped. "Yes, Mr. Sloan."

***

The days passed.

And the day of the Golden Lotus Awards arrived.

Averie, as he had promised, was sitting at home.

Those who called him to ask why he wasn’t there were met with the same answer.

"The police are investigating, man. Shit, the pigs are here! Gotta go, bye!"

He cut the call and sighed.

In reality, the man was resting on Hyerin’s bed, eating potato chips.

"I would rather die eating carbs than die of embarrassment at these award ceremonies. They are the most boring affairs there are. These little ceremonies mean nothing to me. If I am going, I am going to big ceremonies."

In his hand was the script he received from the director.

The TV was on, and the two ladies were busy watching the commercials and making predictions.

"I bet Averie will win something."

"I doubt it. They don’t like him much, do they?"

While the two ladies were thinking about that, Averie was wondering whether he would have to wear ladies’ underwear if he were to take on the role of a lady.

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