Leah: Hurry up, Ash!! We're gonna be late for the interview!

Ashton: Jeez, give me a break will you?! We landed literally 20 minutes ago!!

Leah: It's not my fault that the flight delayed!

Leah, my cousin and manager, and I make our way out of the airport and through the paparazzi. It's been 8 years since I left the Capital. I spent the first 2 years in acting school and the next 6 working in movies and dramas. There's so much I left behind here; my family, my friends and..... Claire. We hurriedly make our way to the hotel where the interview is scheduled.

Leah: Hahhh, Hahhh.. Man, I'm beat! But we made it in time!

Ashton: You need to workout more if that's all that makes you tired. You're gaining weight y'know.

I smirk and she glares at me. Yikes!! Her devil's glare sends a chill down my spine.

Leah: Care to say that again?

I gulp.

Ashton:... Oh crap! Look at the time! We're getting late!

Leah: Uh huh. Go fix yourself in the restroom, I'll wait for you here.

Ashton: Alrighty.

3 minutes later...

Leah: Looks like this is the room.

Leah and I approach the room I'm supposed to be present at.

Ashton: Sure enough.

I plaster my 'Angelic Smile' on my face and open the door. The Director of my new agency, Derrick Kal, greets me and so does everyone else. I deliver my greetings to them as well and take a seat, well aware of all the female interviewees' eyes. I'm just eye candy for them, aren't I? Meh, I'm used to it now. We go about about the meeting; going over my contact and deciding which works I should accept.

45 minutes later...

.... Would it be impolite of me to yawn? This is so friggin boring!! The plastered smile on my face starts twitching; threatening to give me away. I've been to hundreds of meetings and yet, they get to me everytime.

Derrick: That's about it for today. Dismiss.

FINALLY!! I just wanna go to the hotel and hit the sack! I'm about to scramble out of the room when Derrick stops me. Ugh, great. I quickly remanage to fake a smile.

Ashton: Is there anything I can help you with?

Derrick: Well, there's a celebrity gathering tonight at the Lily Hotel. You should attend it.

Celebrity gathering? That means I'll have to socialize! Although I don't really put it out that much but, I'm actually an introvert. Someone like me isn't fit enough to be in the showbiz, so I act friendly in front of everyone. Now, how should I turn this down? Hmmm.... Aha!

Ashton: As much as I want to go, I'll have to decline. I just landed from my flight, so I'm worn out... Mainly jet- lagged.

Derrick: Jet- lagged you say?

I nod enthusiastically. Please, please don't-

Derrick: I understand, but you still have a few hours until the event. You should rest in that time.

Well, that back fired.

Ashton: But!

Derrick: You'll be able to meet many important people, it could be quite beneficial for you.

I guess there's no choice then. I reluctantly agree and leave the room. Little did I know; this party was about to turn my life upside-down.....

I get out of the building and see Leah waiting outside.

Leah: Ready to-... Eh? You look like someone died.

I sigh.

Ashton: Let's talk about this in the car.

Leah: Okayyyy...? Where're we headed though?

Ashton: The hotel. I already have a reservation.

Leah: The hotel? Don't you wanna visit your parents? You've been away for so long, they'll be happy to see you!

Happy to see me? The only thing that they care about is me taking over the family business! And it's not like they'd treat me even as an aquintaince after I argued with them over that matter.

Ashton: Oh yeah? Well then, book me an appointment to meet with my old man.

I say mockingly. Leah frowns and grabs my arm.

Leah: I know how you feel, but that's no excuse to talk about them like this!

Ashton: No, you don't! You're only tagging along with me because you're indebted to them, aren't you?! Don't think I haven't figured that out yet!

Leah: Ash...

I brush her arm off and get in the car's back seat. She says nothing and sits beside the driver's seat.

Leah: T-take us to Silica Hotel please.

She instructs the driver, up clearly trying to hold back her tears. I sigh again and hold my head in my hands with guilt. Why did I get so worked up? I should appologise to her after we reach there. And so, after an awkward ride to the hotel, I stop her just before she goes off to her own room. I peer into her face and she looks away.

Ashton: Can we talk, please?

Leah looks around. Everyone seems to be staring at us and whispering something.

Leah: Not here. Come with me.

She leads me to the hotel gym which is empty at this odd hour before anyone can click any pictures for false news.

Ashton: Leah, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to say all that to you. It's just that I didn't want to be reminded of 'them' as soon as I reached back.

Leah nods and looks up at me with a sad smile.

Leah: It okay. It's my fault too though; I shouldn't have dug my nose where it doesn't belong.

Ashton: So we're good,now? I don't want you to quit 'cuz then the agency would fix me up with a boring manager.

Leah: Rude!

She smacks my arm. And we both laugh.

Ashton: But seriously, I guess I'll consider meeting them sometime.

Leah: For real?

Ashton: Uh huh. Oh, right, I have to attend a get together at Lily this evening.

Leah: YOU actually agreed to it?!

Leah looks at me, clearly surprised.

Ashton: I had no choice.

Leah: Well then, I'll arrange a suit for you. You get some sleep.

Ashton: 'Kay.

I head to my room and unlock the door. Huh, pretty chic. I expected a hotel room to look like... a hotel room but, it looks more like a well kept apartment room. I throw myself on the bed.

Ashton: Some peace, finally! My weariness to takes over me and I fall asleep, my eyelids getting heavier and heavier....

I think back on today's events. I got mad at Leah for no reason. What am I doing? Are all those years of anger management going to go waste?

After Claire broke up with me for the reason that 'an actor and journalist can never be together', something inside me snapped. I couldn't make sure if she was lying or not but it made me furious. I went against my family for her. I wanted to treasure her and give her a good life after becoming successful and she broke my heart for a petty reason like that in return?

Everyone and everything made me aggressive then. I realised that I shouldn't ruin my life for her, the person who was so cruel to me that she wouldn't even reply to my texts or calls and even completely disappeared from my life. I never knew what I did wrong but, I decided that I should move on. I packed my bags and left the Capital and went overseas where I got in touch with psychiatrists to help me with anger management and did small background roles that I got in stage plays. When I finally got the lead role, I was scouted by the agency I work under now. Then after 2 years, I got over my anger issues and made my debut in the film industry.

Even so, my anger problems got triggered as soon as I came back. I wonder how Claire's doing. I haven't heard about her since she broke up with me. I'm about to get up and reach for my phone in my pocket but stop myself. What am I doing? I was supposed to be over her by now. It's been 8 years and I'm still hung up on her, huh?

I've had girlfriends when I was overseas but I was just playing around. I was never interested in anyone of them. What have you done to me, Claire?

A while later, Leah gets me a suit and we head out to the venue. Even though I try not to, I can't help but I can't help but feel restless. Leah looks towards me through the rear view mirror and smiles.

Leah: Feeling nervous?

Ashton: ...! How did you know?

Leah: I've spent 3 years being your manager and you think I won't notice that you fiddle with your shirt's first button when you're nervous or restless?

I suddenly realize that I've been fiddling with my shirt's button without noticing it.

Ashton: I never knew I did.

I say, surprised and she chuckles. Seriously though, have I always done this? Hmm, I do remember losing the first button of my shirt a lot in highschool. Maybe it was because of this. The car pulls up at the hotel while I'm busy connecting the dots.

Leah: Now, off you go! I'll be waiting for you here. If you need anything, just shoot me a text.

Ashton: Gotcha.

I get of the car and the reporters standing outside start clicking pictures of me and asking me questions. I really don't feel like dealing with them right now. I ignore them and walk in.

I enter a lively room full of light, jazz playing in the background. I occasionally hear wine glasses clicking with each other for a toast. I look around and see popular actors, actresses, directors and producers. This world of glamour doesn't suit me well. I spot Derrick surrounded by some unfamiliar people and timidly approach him with a fake smile.

Ashton: Mr. Kal?

He turns to look at me when I call out his name. A smile spreads across his face.

Derrick: You came! Let me introduce you.

Derrick introduces me to some famous directors and sponsors. They occasionally give me compliments about my works and I return the favor.

After a while I go out to the balcony to get some fresh air. I should stand in the corner so someone doesn't come to talk to me. I take a deep breath as I lean against the railing. I can never get used to all this. I'm inwardly complaining to myself when I catch a glimpse of a woman's silhouette behind me.

I turn around to see a woman with short brown hair facing her back to me, her glimmering mint green dress complimenting her pale skin perfectly standing on the opposite end of the balcony. She looks like.... No, how could it be? Why am I comparing unkown women with her now? I quietly sigh and turn back so she doesn't notice me, but I can't help but feel they look similar.

The woman: I wish I could just get out of here....

She whispers this to herself. That voice!! There's no doubt! I whip my head around to look at her again.

Ashton: Claire....?