'Calix is meant to reach for the stars, because he is the sun.'
- An Excerpt from Don't Blame a Daydreamer, Marianne's POV
Calix had been staring intently at his phone for the last hour.
Whenever the screen lit up to display a new notification, the young A-List celebrity would stiffen his back in attention, posture brimming with anticipation, only to deflate later on, slumping in his seat. It was a vicious and dizzying cycle to watch, because the disappointment that lingered on his face grew more pronounced the longer it went on.
Eric had been watching him the moment the meeting began, his eyebrows knitted in pure confusion. As the songwriters, producers, and band members talked among themselves, pitching ideas and concepts for Calix's next album, Calix was hardly contributing, his focus aimed towards his phone instead with such uncharacteristic fervid intent.
It was quite strange.
Usually, Calix would be an active participant during important discussions about his work, but he seemed to be distracted today. Although he wasn't inattentive to the point of ignoring the important matters discussed in the meeting, he was quieter and more absentminded.
As Calix's Personal Assistant since his debut, it would not be presumptuous to say Eric knew him quite well by now to know that he was acting oddly.
Calix was only eight years old when he entered the entertainment industry as a child actor, coming from a family of entertainers and performers himself. The Frost family created a lasting dynasty in the industry, and with such legacy on Calix's shoulders, it was hardly surprising how talented and gifted the young boy was.
His mother hired Eric back when he was twenty years old to take care of the young child of the Frost family, both in personal and professional matters. Eric had been watching him for a long time to know his behavioral patterns and routines as well as the back of his hand. Calix was not only a client for him, but he was also a dear friend, a close little brother, and in some cases, his son as well. He watched the young boy grow up into a fine young man. He was there for every milestone in his life. To witness him acting more differently than usual threw him off guard.
Eric pondered for a few moments, quickly scouring through his memories to pinpoint when, where, and why Calix was acting differently.
They just came back from Sundown Studios to offer a collaboration deal with Levi Lee, a young and popular musician who already held the title of popstar and idol. They hadn't met any problems when they proposed the idea, despite Levi taking a hiatus to pursue his studies. Levi, himself was enthusiastic to cooperate with them. Thus, it was obvious Calix's behavior wasn't because of something work-related.
Besides, Calix would hardly impair his focus or judgment in an important meeting because other matters. He was proficient at compartmentalizing and at time-management. It was the reason why he could work as both actor and singer despite the obvious demands in both professions. So, what exactly happened to have Calix appear distracted at the moment?
"Let's take a fifteen-minute break," Ed, the producer, suggested, before rising from his chair to head towards his assistant.
The others sighed in relief and dispersed to do whatever they wanted to do to refresh themselves after a long hour of talking.
Eric immediately approached his young charge, placing a firm hand on his shoulder and startling him. Calix's shoulders jerked slightly under his palm; his eyes slightly wide as he looked up at him. Seeing him, Calix uncoiled the tension holding his body rigid, his face smoothing over in an apathetic mask like wiping a slate clean.
Calix was not a person who showed much emotions outside of filming or acting scenes. All of his emotions—from anger to sadness to joy—would only burst out when he acted under the guidance of the director and acting coach. It made him a talented and outstanding actor, since all characters he played were portrayed in a vividly sincere rendition. It also made him a good singer, since music was also one of his conduits to showing his feelings.
"Are you alright?" Eric asked quietly, leaning closer so others wouldn't hear their conversation. "You're distracted. Do you need anything?"
Calix lowered his head, shaking it as a brief flash of a miniscule smile crossed his lips. "I'm alright, Eric. Thank you. Perhaps, can you order take-out for the others? I'm sure the others are tired and hungry from the meeting. Lunch is on me, everyone," he added, addressing everyone else in the room, making them holler in glee at the free food.
Eric turned his attention on Calix. "Are you sure you don't need anything?"
Calix's lips twitched, hesitation flashing across his face, before he eventually caved in and said, "Can you do a favor for me?"
"Anything," and Eric meant it sincerely. Calix rarely asked for favors, even from him, whom he spent most of his time with since they started working together.
This time, Calix's hesitation was obvious as he paused, before grabbing his phone on the table. The same phone that had been distracting him since the meeting began, maybe even before then.
"Can you call my phone for me?" he asked. "I think it's broken."
Eric paused, momentarily giving away the fact he was thrown off guard by the unexpected request with an involuntary twitch of his eyebrows.
"You... want me to call your phone?" he repeated, a hint of a skeptical note to his tone.
He's acting so oddly; Eric couldn't help but notice. His gaze jumped from the phone to Calix, then back at the phone again.
The phone, he now realized, was his personal phone with his private number only a few people knew about. Not even the people in Calix's band had his private number, nor the few friends he made in the entertainment and music industry. Even Eric hadn't been given the privilege of his private phone number until Calix turned eighteen.
So, who was the extraordinary creature who managed to make such a lasting impression on Calix, to the point he gave his private number away?
Calix averted his gaze to the side, shifting in his seat as if he was uncomfortable, the tops of his ears faintly glowing in a pink hue. But for the most part, his eyes were still as serene as an undisturbed stream.
"Yes," he confirmed with a short nod. "I just want you to call my phone. I want to check on something for a moment."
Not only was he distracted by his phone of all things, he was also asking a strange favor. The person whom he gave his number to must be important enough, Eric assumed.
Intrigued, Eric took out his phone and promptly called Calix.
Calix whipped his head towards his phone when it rang, his shoulders drooping. He pressed his lips into a thin line across his face, blue eyes hooded as his chin dropped to his chest. Something flickered in his eyes—gone so quickly, he hadn't have the chance to read it.
Eric ended the call, cataloguing his reaction with interest.
"Are you alright?" he couldn't help but repeat the question again.
His young charge looked like a lost pup waiting for his owner to come back as he stared at the door while counting down the minutes to see them again. It was sad and a tiny bit pathetic, but Eric supposed even someone as talented and mighty as Calix would succumb to the fallacies of men.
"I thought my phone was broken," Calix responded with a short sigh. Then he lifted his gaze, crystal eyes revealing a tiny bit of hope leaking through the cracks of the wall shielding his emotions. "Can you call again, one more time? Just to make sure."
Eric blinked his eyes, and was almost tempted to ask, "Are you an idiot?"
He didn't in the end. He indulged his request instead, because to be honest, this was the most expressive Calix had been in his entire life, and this was without cameras recording and filming his reactions. He called Calix and he watched as the younger man slumped in his seat, a bitter twist to his pressed lips, when his cellphone rang.
"Thanks," he said quietly to Eric before he, himself pushed the decline button flashing on his phone.
"Are you waiting for someone's call?" Eric couldn't help but needle.
"Somewhat," Calix answered, perking up when a new notification popped from the LED screen, only to drop down in disappointment after seeing it. His eyes seemed to burn into blue flames as he intently stared at the phone, then his lips parted, murmuring, "I thought for certain she would call me..."
Eric's keen ears just happened to catch his quiet words.
"Who?" he asked sharply, gaze trained on his young charge.
Eric almost couldn't believe it. The one who pushed Calix's buttons was none other than a woman! Calix never mentioned a 'she' to him before. Heck, Eric didn't think Calix ever mentioned a 'she', not even as a friend. The 'she' in Calix's life was his own mother, and even rarely had he ever mentioned her.
Calix was polite to most people, but he was distant enough to keep them at arm's length; only a few people had ever been able to enter into his circle and entourage. People tried to get close, but Calix had long surrounded himself a wall that kept most people out.
The entertainment industry was a cutthroat place, disguised in diamonds and glamor yet shrouded by a darkness rarely seen from anything else. It was rare for a person to come out of the industry unscathed and unaffected; Eric had seen how it changed even the humblest, most down-to-earth person. Knowing the dangers the industry could impose on a person, Calix took measures to protect himself early on as he separated his professional life from his personal one.
As a young and successful star who turned gold in the places he touched, people sought after Calix for their own gains, whether they were men or women. People often mistook Calix as naïve and ignorant since he was fairly young in the industry, forgetting his legacy and family history. The experiences his family went through taught Calix to be cautious of the people surrounding him.
After all, people didn't need acting classes to know how to lie, cheat, trick, and act in front of others. That was why Eric was fixated on the fact Calix was making a remark about someone—a woman, no less—when he was one of the most private celebrities he knew.
Calix was also one of the rare people who never had any dating rumors or scandal with women, not even for promo. His reputation remained pristine, his rigid discipline over himself so well-known in the industry, that not even management companies tried to make a deal. Dating questions weren't blacklisted from interviews, but people knew Calix remained single all through his entire life.
Whether it was a co-star or a fellow singer, no matter how hard they tried to form some kind of relationship with him, no matter how beautiful and attractive they were, no matter how much they tried to barter, preposition, and make favorable contracts, Calix never let himself break boundaries, remaining professional in his work and with his co-workers.
He was always quick to say he was unattached and quicker to deny a relationship rumor. He never made suggestive remarks about other people, nor did he let them get close enough to make the public speculate. It was a peculiar but pleasant trait that earned him a million of admirers from young women, who thought they could be the one person that would finally tempt and sway the great Calix Frost.
While others thought he was merely lying and hiding a relationship or two, due to how notorious his desire to keep his private and professional lives separated, those kinds of thoughts quickly died down as a little search in the internet would suggest otherwise.
So, it begged the question: what type of woman had Calix sitting there with all of his knots tied? Who was the woman who finally captured the ever-elusive Calix Frost?
Calix blinked at Eric, long lashes kissing the sharp angle of his cheekbones, likely realizing what he just uttered.
"I... It's simply no one," he was quick to deny, his cheeks pinkening slightly—Eric blinked, and it was gone, his cheeks a pale contrast to his dark hair.
Eric eyed him with a skeptical eyebrow raise. Maybe he had just imagined the blush? Nevertheless, whether he imagined it or not, it didn't hide the fact Calix just lied to him.
"Calix, I've known you for a long time. I know when you're telling the truth," he gave him a pointed look, "or when you're lying."
Calix pursed his lips and looked away. However, Eric knew him enough to know what was truly going on, and he nearly couldn't believe it when he realized Calix was embarrassed. Embarrassed! Eric was nearly giddy at the sight.
Because the last time Calix had been embarrassed was when he was ten and ripped a pair of trousers in front of everyone when he tried to do cartwheels in a film set. It only happened once, but Eric could recognize it at first glance because it was rare to happen!
"It's just someone I met earlier," Calix remarked with a forced nonchalant tone, gaze distant as he actively shielded his own emotions even from himself. "She was harassed by a few employees at Sundown earlier. I stepped in and helped her. That's all."
That's all?
That's all?!
Eric nearly burst out an appendix, stopping himself from laughing aloud. Calix never did anything half-assed. The actions he took were always deliberate and direct. Either he did or he didn't—there was no in between.
"Who was this woman?" Eric wondered aloud, unable to picture the kind of person that captured Calix's attention so thoroughly, he couldn't even focus on his work.
Before Eric could interrogate him further, someone approached them and asked about lunch. Calix snuck out while Eric was calling for a Chinese take-out.
By the time he went back, the meeting commenced again.