It's Just Business (COMPLETED)

Chapter 2

"Oh you've got to be fucking kidding me."

How? How the Hell, after avoiding Roman for years, had Virgil bumped into him?

"Virgil, hi." Roman said, trying to smile but failing. Virgil just glared at him, dead-pan.

"It's official." He said. "The universe hates me. First my book and now this."

"I read your book." Aaron said as an attempt to either defuse the tension or to distract Virgil from trying to glare Roman to death. "It was really good."

Virgil glanced at Aaron. "And on top of Roman being here, we've got the guy who locked me in a coffee shop with him. Yeah, the universe hates me."

"Um, yeah, sorry about that." Aaron said, scratching the back of his head. "Anyway, um, Ace said to wait until they came back so..." He shrugged. "I guess we just wait?"

"Which is going to be a lot harder to do civilly with Sunshine here."

"Have you ever learned to keep your mouth shut, Roman?" Virgil snapped.

"This is what I mean." Roman said, resting his head in his hand. "You'll make an argument out of everything."

"Hm, I wonder why. It couldn't be, possibly, because you played with my heart when I was 15."

"Jesus, you're still holding on to that? I already said I was sorry."

"I've had trust issues for years because of you, Roman. Of course I'm going to hold on to the turning point in my life. And I've said it before a million times and I guess I'll have to say it again," Aaron shrank slightly behind the piano. The tension that had entered the room with Virgil was thick enough to cut with a knife. "Sorry means nothing. Especially coming from you."

The door opened again and someone with black and blue hair practically floated into the room.

"Hello." They said, their voice somehow lifting the tense atmosphere of the room. "Oh, are you three the only people who've appeared in the last," they checked their watch, "half an hour?"

Aaron shrugged. "Yeah. Roman came just after you left and Virgil just got here."

"So you're the famous Roman I've heard so much about." The person said admirably before their expression changed to one of speculation. "You know, you're very short for the 'Prince Of Film'. I'd thought you'd be at least a little taller."

Virgil snickered at their comment. They turned and looked at Virgil.

"You're..." They trailed off, clicking their fingers next to their ear. "The Summers guy, aren't you."

"Virgil Summers."

"Ace Brookes." Ace held out their hand for Virgil to shake but he just gave them an awkward smile and went to sit on a bench by the window. "Well, how about we wait, hmm, 15 minutes for everyone else to appear and then we'll get on with today. Sound fair?"

Roman shrugged. "I mean, you're the director, aren't you?" Ace nodded, grinning. "Then it's up to you." Ace clapped their hands once.

"Great."

"Virgil, who d'you play?"

"Hm?" Virgil looked up from his script. "Oh, um, Elliot March."

Aaron's mouth dropped open slightly. "You're the one with the amazing range?"

"Yeah?"

"Virgil, you have the biggest range I've ever seen! You sing really well."

"Uh, thanks." A small smile twitched the corner of Virgil's mouth up before he looked back at his script.

"You play Elliot March?"

"Why is it so hard to believe that I can do something with my life?"

"Hey, I didn't mean it like that." Roman said, putting his hands up. "I just meant... what about your-"

"If you're going to bring up my anxiety, Roman, save it. It's gotten a lot better since I left town."

"So you're playing the love interest... why?"

"First of all, it's the main character, second of all," Virgil shrugged, "go big or go home, right? That's one thing I learned from you."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"How'd you know it's meant to mean anything?" Virgil asked, a ghost of a smirk on his face. "So, tell me Roman, what 'fantastic' part did they give the 'Prince Of Film'?"

Roman was silent for a while. "Nathan Green." He said eventually. Virgil looked at him in disbelief.

"You've got seriously got to be kidding me now."

I've never been so happy to write a book! I don't think... Ugh, writing this is so fun! Like, just thinking about writing this gets me excited, which is saying something. Also, yes Allyster, something did happen. And it's something very bad... ish.
Bye,
Blaize