Andrzej looked at Paulina. The woman was his year, so she was two to thirty, so she no longer looked like a teenager, but was still very pretty. She was quite tall for a woman, so she should avoid too high heels with Dominik. Although she was four years older than him and already had an eight-year-old daughter, her maturity could prove to be something a sensitive actor could rely on. She was strong and brave, so she gave herself support. Physically - very feminine - she often attracted the eyes of men. Andrzej loved her like a sister and knew how wonderful a person she was. He knew Dominik less, but had already liked him a lot. The two could really fit together.
Paulina laughed, which brought Nowicki back to reality. He looked at both - they seemed to get along quite well. The photographer smiled under his breath and with a fork cut a piece of apple pie.
"I did not know that you know Andrzej" he heard the voice of his friend.
"It's quite a new thing" explained Śliwiński and looked at Nowicki. "Would you let me tell the story?"
Dominik looked relaxed. It was as if going out and meeting a new person was something liberating for him. Just not to be too relaxed. Andrzej was afraid that, in his naivety and innocence, he would want to entrust Paulina with his painful secret, and although she was trustworthy, they still remained in a public place.
"Actually…"
Śliwiński turned his head away from him and devoted all his attention to Paulina, who was just radiant in his presence.
"We met a few days ago. I had a little accident at home. Andrzej, seeing that I was a bit darkened, ignoring the fact that he was supposed to remain invisible, came to my aid. He didn't leave until he was sure I was okay. He was incredibly caring."
"All Andrzej" laughed Paulina. "When my Martynka has the flu, Andrzej is the best nanny for her."
"Hey!" He was indignant at revealing the secrets of his personal life so openly. He felt uncomfortable under Dominik's attentive but warm gaze. Without knowing why, he was tempted to run away with his gaze into a piece of cake. Why was he suddenly embarrassed?
He knew the two were still talking, but he paid no attention to their dialogue. He pretended to be busy with the apple pie, while all the time he had Dominik's last glance before his eyes flashed away from him.
It's completely natural for a guy to have an instinct to protect the weak. After all, that is why, since the dawn of time, men carried clubs, spears and swords with them. Historically, they were mostly doctors and shamans, so why was such a stir that he would look after the goddaughter during her illness? Or someone injured? What was abnormal about it?
Nothing, goddamn it, absolutely nothing. So why was Dominik looking at him so penetratingly and warmly?
This isn't about me, he realized, it's about him. It is he who has been in a toxic relationship for seven years, which separates him from the normal world and makes what is natural for everyone to him become foreign. It is Marczak's fault that Śliwiński has been deprived of his faith in man, and that the only thing he feels about him is fear.
"Will you take me home? He heard unexpectedly."
"Hm?"
"It was a very nice experience but tiring and I would like to lie down."
"Eh, sure. Sorry, I didn't think."
In fact, he did not think that Śliwiński's back might not be completely right yet. Even the best ointments and lozenges will not work that quickly.
They got up from the table and Andrzej looked around in search of Paulina.
"She already said goodbye to us."
"What? Really?"
"Man, you really drifted away" smiled Śliwiński.
Andrzej felt that he was blushing. He was angry with himself. He invited Dominik to dinner, and meanwhile, preoccupied with his own thoughts, had almost completely forgotten about him.
No its not like that. All the time he thought about Dominik, making theories about his past and future. He just forgot that he had a real man from the present in front of him.
They returned in silence. Andrzej could not believe that they had spent more than two hours at lunch. No wonder that Śliwiński felt tired, which was clearly visible in him. He fell silent completely in the car, and apparently feeling safer here than in the restaurant, he allowed himself a slight pimple on his lips.
And yet he was playing, thought Andrzej. But did he act like an actor or like any normal person who doesn't show everyone his whole self? Nowicki apologized to him again, at which Dominik smiled warmly, though a bit pale, and announced that he had not had such fun for a long time. Andrzej did not know if this confession was one hundred percent true, but he did not want to tire the actor even more with conversation.
Once in Wola Grzybowska District, just a few hundred meters in front of the actor's house, Dominik turned his face towards Andrzej.
"If you want, you can come in and make yourself comfortable. I stand by what I said before that you can feel at home with me. However, I definitely go to the shower and then to bed."
"Thanks, but I should do my job. I have several directories to sort".
"Ok" Śliwiński smiled faintly. He was really very tired.
When they got to his house, he was sitting in the car for a while, looking at his lap.
"Thank you," he said softly. "It was a really very… good day."
"So maybe we'll do it again sometime?"
The aquamarine eyes fixed on him shone like real jewels.
"I'm taking your word," he said quickly and jumped out of the car.
Strange, thought Andrzej. Weird but in a positive way. He really liked the boy and smiled to himself at the thought of going out to dinner together someday.
What Andrzej said when he was parted about having a job was not entirely true. Whether on purpose or not, their relationship became more intimate. The photographer even took Śliwiński to his favorite restaurant and introduced him to his friend. Privately, he knew so much about him that he could impress more than one tabloid, but he didn't really know him at all. He also still had almost no idea about his acting, and was starting to feel a little uncomfortable with it. He decided that he was missing something and on the way home he bought all the films he could find with Śliwiński. There weren't that many, just seven, and each title had made him head over heels more than once due to box office success or a prestigious award - or both.
The photographer entered his slightly neglected flat and threw his shopping on the table. As always, the first thing he did was open a window. Dry, warm air forced its way inside. There was something heavy about it that made you suspect that there might be storms. It hasn't rained for a long time, so even he will enjoy withering nature. Andrzej returned to the table and started selecting the film.
He decided to start over. "It's not your fault" was Śliwiński's acting debut, and that was how the inscription on the cover screamed, where his teenage face was as exposed as the stars he was partnering with. Seven years ago, the cover looked completely different. It was the success of the young actor that made many people reach for this maybe too ambitious film. His name and face were driving the sale.
It was a debut that brought fame to both the actor and the production.