Page 4 of The Sitcom Star
“I’ll buy you something, as an apology.”He jerked his thumb over his shoulder.“There’s another bubble tea place down there, and they share the space with a Taiwanese fried chicken shop.They have a small patio.I’ll buy you whatever you want.I mean…” He scratched the back of his neck.“If that would interest you.”
This wasn’t the sort of thing that Maddie normally did.A dude she barely knew was offering to get her bubble tea and fried chicken?Yet somehow, she found herself going with the flow and saying “Yes,” as though she was doing improv.Lately, she’d had to say no a lot so she didn’t overcommit herself, but for once, she actually had time.
They headed down the street, putting on their masks as they stepped inside—luckily, hers had remained dry in her purse.She usually wore it indoors when she was away from home, unless she was with her family or on camera.Adrian asked what she wanted, and she told him, then took his shirt and went to the washroom to change.The polo shirt was a little loose on her, but not too bad.
By the time she exited the washroom, their bubble tea was almost ready.They took their cups and grabbed a seat outside.The patio was beside the restaurant, since it was on the corner.Not too busy, which was nice; there were a couple of drunk twenty-year-olds, but that was it.She put her cup in front of one chair at a four-person table, and Adrian sat diagonally from her.
“So,” he said, after a sip of his bubble tea.“I didn’t spill this one on you, which is a good start.What’ve you been up to for the last twenty years?”
From that crooked grin, he clearly knew what she’d been doing recently.
“I have this show.You may have heard of it.”
He rocked back in his chair.“Might have.I always knew you’d do something cool.There was no ‘most likely to succeed’ in our grade eight yearbook, but I would have voted for you.”
It sounded honest, as if he really had thought that.
It wasn’t like that with everyone.Some people said,I always knew you’d make it, not remembering—or purposely ignoring—that they’d told her a few years earlier to quit the entertainment business and go to law school.
Mom and Dad, I’m looking at you.
“Why?”she blurted out.
“Because.”He shrugged.“You were determined.A hard worker, unlike me.”
“What do you do now?”
“Went to U of T.Got a degree, work as a web developer.”
“Married?Someone special?”
He shook his head.
Geez, what was wrong with her today?Someone special…what was that?And what was with the weird bloom of pleasure in her chest when he said he was single?It didn’t make any sense.
Maddie wasn’t “on” today like she usually was in public, but maybe that was okay.It was just Adrian Ma, that slouching kid who was constantly pushing his hair out of his eyes, except his hair was shorter now.His posture was better as well, but he still carried himself in a laidback manner.
Maybe because he was from her past, before anyone knew her name…maybe that was what made it easier to let down her guard.It didn’t seem like he wanted anything from her, the way that some people did these days.
“Have you started filming the third season?”He shook his head with a smile.“I can’t believe I’m asking you that.Kinda surreal.”
“Yeah, it sort of is for me, too.”She paused.“No, not yet.I’m doing this weird thing called taking a break.I’m under strict orders—”
“From who?”
“My friend Jen.I’m under strict orders to relax and actually get at least six hours of sleep every night for the next month.”
“Well, this counts as relaxing, don’t you think?”Adrian spread out his arms, just as their popcorn chicken was brought over.“Thank you,” he said to the server.
“This looks so good,” Maddie said, practically salivating.
Really, what was better than fried chicken?
Food (and caffeine) had mostly become fuel for her in the past few years.She couldn’t remember the last time she’d been so excited to eat something.
Maddie picked up a piece of popcorn chicken, took a bite…and enjoyed herself for about two seconds before she realized that the chicken was really fucking hot.She gulped her brown sugar milk tea to cool her mouth, then ended up choking on some tapioca.
It felt like she was in a farce.
