Last shot

Liam Morgan never imagined that his life would be reduced to counting the hours until the weekend.He glanced around the sterile office, where the hum of fluorescent lights and the clatter of keyboards felt like a mockery of the life he'd once envisioned. Ten years ago, he was going to be someone—a star, a name people would remember. Now, he was just another face in a sea of cubicles, a forgotten actor who traded in his scripts for spreadsheets.His phone buzzed on the desk. It was Max, his best friend since drama school, the only person who knew what Liam had sacrificed. He almost didn't answer, afraid that Max's voice would stir up the restless ache he'd buried so deep. But something in him—maybe it was the same thing that once made him believe he could be more—compelled him to pick up."Liam, I've got something for you," Max's voice crackled through the line. "A role. It's small, but it's yours if you want it."Liam's hand tightened around the phone. A role? After all these years? He leaned back in his chair, eyes closing against the swirl of emotions rising in his chest."I don't know, Max," he muttered, though the idea already sent adrenaline coursing through him. "It's been too long."But Max wasn't one to take no for an answer. "You've got one last shot, man. Don't waste it."Liam opened his eyes, staring at the gray walls of his office. One last shot. He wasn't sure if he had it in him anymore, but the thought of walking away from his dream—again—was enough to make him sit up straight."Alright," he said, voice steadier now. "Let's do it."