Welcome To The Media (Dylmas AU)

7. Bad News

Dylan's pov

Well, I'm a shitty person.

A short breath of air escaped my lips as Thomas stormed away, an unknown feeling grabbing hold of my gut. He didn't look back as he left, but I didn't call out for him either; he simply disappeared out of the doors, like a speck of dust drifting out of the sunlight.

I blinked dumbly until a voice wrenched me from my stupor. "Ouch" I met the eyes of Will Poulter, who gave me a pitying look. "You really struck out on that one, mate."

I scrunched my eyebrows together. "Maybe..." I said. "But maybe he deserved to hear it." Even as I said it, I knew I was the only one at fault here. No matter how much I hated Thomas, calling him a terrible person crossed an unspoken line. It was the first day I had met him: perhaps I was being unfair.

"No offense, but you don't seem like the kind of guy to be so rude to someone. Did he do something?" Kaya asked from across the table.

I tilted my head. "Yes." Then I grimaced, reiterating, "No." I groaned. "I don't know. Maybe?" I put my head in my hands, frustrated that I couldn't put my thoughts into words.

Ki Hong patted me on the shoulder. "We'll just pretend like that made sense," he joked, sensing my frustration.

I groaned. Thomas was a jerk: that much I was sure of. I could tell he thought less of the cast and I because we weren't A-List actors like himself just from the look he had given me when we first met. It was almost as if he had expected me to kneel down and kiss the ground beneath his feet, and when I didn't, his puny little brain couldn't handle it. But still, I wasn't a victim of his actions yet, so I didn't necessarily have a solid reason to hate him. Yet every part of me did, from my fingertips to my toes, and every atom in between.

"He didn't do anything to me, per se...," I finally continued, ignoring Ki Hong. "He's just got a habit of screwing people, I guess. And..." I trailed off, not wanting to voice my other thought aloud. It hadn't struck me until I had met Thomas in person yesterday, but ever since it had, I couldn't shake the feeling it had left. My dislike had increased tenfold upon greeting him, and by the time we were done speaking, I had felt like I might throttle him.

"And what?" Ki Hong asked.

I sighed. "Nothing. Not that I want to, but should I apologize?"

"Not if it's going to be insincere," Will reasoned. He, in particular, was growing on me. He seemed like a well-rounded guy, but also had a sense of humor that matched mine quite well.

"At least someone finally stood up to him," Ki Hong muttered. I cast him a curious glance.

"What, is that not normal or something?"

Ki Hong looked at me like I was stupid. "Dude, he's like, the most beloved actor in Hollywood. Everybody knows he could ruin your career just by saying he doesn't like you. You've got to watch yourself around him."

Great, I thought. I ruined my career before it even started.

The others turned back to their conversations. I sat quietly, thinking to myself. Their dim chatter barely broke my thoughts, questions about their lives, their jobs: basic attempts to get to know each other.

I stared at my sandwhich, suddenly losing my appetite. Did Thomas deserve what I said? Was I being too harsh? For any other person, I would have said yes, but Thomas was different.

Deep down, I knew the actually reason I hated him. My stomach clenched and my eyes glazed over, suppressing ugly memories.

I couldn't let those thoughts plague me from my future, though. I knew I had to attempt to be nicer to him if I wanted to survive in Hollywood, but I was never one to lie to people about my opinion. I wore my heart on my sleeve, and I had every intention of keeping it that way. Yet, at the same time, if a fake smile and some small talk could get me more credit in work, could it be worth it? I was an actor after all; I'm sure I could pull off a fake facade.