'You want me to say something to them?' The driver said looking at Shawn through the rear view mirror of his blue Audi A6.
'Oh No, it's alright. It'll clear up any minute now.' Shawn replied with sincerity. He wasn't in a rush to reach the studios and hurrying a junior-high parade wasn't necessary. He patiently watched as about a hundred students passed by his car.
He enjoyed the view. It made him feel like he was a normal guy after all. So many people around him yet nobody could see him, thanks to the tinted windows. No hyped out fans asking him for a photograph, no fake smiles for the cameras. He found his drives in the unending traffic of New York to be surprisingly relaxing.
'It's a Monday for Pete's sake!' The driver whined, slamming his hands softly on the steering wheel.
Shawn chuckled from the back seat. 'What's the parade for?' He enquired, ignoring the lack of professionalism one would expect in an employee of one of the biggest film-studios in the country.
'Hard to say. Breast cancer? Minimum wage? They use children to win battles. Kinda sick, don't you think?'
'Hmmm.' Shawn retorted, ending the subject right away. He didn't want to encourage a conversation with a man who was temporarily designated to him by Cadlere, and he didn't trust anybody with his political views let alone a practical stranger like him.
But, he had another hour to kill before he reached the sets.
Shawn checked his cellphone. Still no messages from Kate.
He had gone on a date with her in Melbourne, a day before his performance in Sydney last month. Things had gone well between them at first. She had taken him for a surprise chariot ride in the streets at night with minimum traffic. It hadn't been easy to avoid a mob scene but they had somehow survived.
After a romantic evening and then dinner, they had to part ways because Shawn had to go back to his crew so they could leave for the show. They ended the date with a kiss – but there was something missing. There was no heat.
She didn't make him nervous.
Maybe she was too honest about her feelings. After the date, Kate hadn't tried to make any contacts with him. Did he make it too obvious that he wasn't interested to go further, he wondered. Maybe she expected him to say something first, or maybe she too didn't see a future between them.
He wanted to end things with honesty but he didn't want to initiate a conversation right now or ever. He wasn't prepared, he wasn't willing. He thought he would come up with something later if she ever decided to confront. The dilemma was pushed back in his head with all the touring and now it had almost dissolved.
He checked himself on his phone using the front camera lens. His face looked tired. A lack of sleep was clearly visible under his eyes.
He opened the mini fridge that had replaced the fourth seat of the spacy car, and always had some pineapple juice and beer- Shawn's most preferred cocktail combination.
He grabbed one of the cans of preserved juice, guessing some citrus could help bring color on his face. He also used two chilled tea bags and put them on his eyes to get rid of the droopiness of the eye lids, hoping it worked or else they would have to postpone the shoot for a couple of hours which would convert into more lecture from his manager; his older sister Dina.
***
'Mr. Rayo, I'm sure I don't need to remind you about the contract you signed with us not two weeks ago but, you can't go on telling people about things that you are legally prohibited from revealing.' Clive Dunh said with annoyance.
'Umm… What's this in reference to?' Shawn glanced at his sister who had also joined the production head in the conference room.
Dina responded with a confused look.
'Shawn, casting Itika opposite you was confidential. You apparently told this to someone yesterday and now it's on the internet.' Dunh added with a touch of care, almost like it wasn't the pissed off producer talking to his crew, but like a concerned uncle.
'So? I may have mentioned that she could BE there, like there was a possibility, but I never confirmed it. There are speculations all the time. Right?' Shawn replied with a surrendered tone.
'Yes, but that's why we have a special contract this time. Using Itika had a purpose and you ruined it.' Dunh added, clearly trying to suppress anger.
'Using? Is that the word you are going for?' Shawn asked, mocking him with his cocked head.
Duhn sighed and turned his head to Dina, his body language stiff from bottled anger. 'You gotta be serious!' He then turned back to Shawn and said, 'We are replacing Itika right now. It's not going to be difficult. And it's evidently your fault. I'll make sure I tell her that… Now, the creative team will be ready by twelve. I guess you'll be there on time.' Duhn shook his head in disbelief and got up, grabbed his laptop and left the conference room. His two assistants followed without purpose.
Shawn's eyes had widened but he didn't say anything to stop Duhn. 'Can he really do that now?' He asked his sister.
'Hey, a man like Duhn casting a NOBODY must have had a clause in his contract saying they could replace her any moment. She should have seen it coming.'
Shawn sighed in disgust. 'It's times like these I hate working in this field.'
'You mean Show Business? The industry that got you more money than you can count so early in your career?' Dina rolled her eyes, and started to use her phone.
'Yeah. Whatever.' Shawn rolled his eyes back. 'Maybe I should talk to her.'
'And exactly what are you going to talk about? How you ruined her big break working with one of the top most ad networks in the country, and opposite Shawn Rayo?' Dina ended her sarcasm with a laugh.
'I do not like the mockery, by the way.' Shawn replied with a sudden seriousness that made Dina uncomfortable.
'You can do whatever you want. Just make sure not to create any more problems.'
Shawn wondered what his big sister meant by MORE problems. Her tone had suggested that she was referring to something else, probably the little incident from last night. But his staff and Silvers were under a confidentiality agreement. They couldn't have said anything even if they wanted to.
Shawn decided he was over thinking, and got up to straighten his shirt from the back, and trudged out of the room saying nothing to Dina.