The Green-Eyed Billionaire...

Chapter 3: Reality Break

I heard the buzzing of my alarm through the fabric of my bed covers as the annoying tone, that I kept intending to change, woke me from my beauty sleep.

I groaned internally as I had made a mental note the night before to turn all of them off so I could have the late morning I so badly wanted since the week had kicked off. But just like most things I whispered to myself to remember, I had failed to remember and actually do it.

So here I was, on a Thursday morning up at 7am awake when I should have been in a deep slumber accepting Oscars.

Was I being dramatic when I could have just gone back to sleep? No, I was not because once I woke up in the morning there was no turning back unfortunately.

My body simply refused to take naps or rather naps refused to take me. Some times at work I would be struggling to keep my eyes open while doing the tideous tasks of folding napkins. Then the nap would be nagging me, begging me to shut my eyes and use the unfolded napkins as a pillow. But when I actually had time for it not even counting sheep would help...

The tone grew louder as time went by and I failed to turn it off. It would soon stop but then it would simply snooze and the same annoying sound would pierce my eyes in ten minutes.

I huffed and threw off the covers before I leaned over towards to my bedside table and switched off the source of the annoying sound before I positioned myself onto my back and stared up at the ceiling. My ceilings back home were filled with posters of One Direction and Justin Bieber that had allowed me to have many dreams that would sadly never become a reality. I kept meaning to decorate my apartment but the motivation was never really there when I didnt have anyone over. So it would be put off for awhile, not that there was much to decorate... it wasnt the biggest apartment but it was mine.

The bare white ceiling screamed at me...I always liked to have a couple minutes in the morning where I sort of just processed recent events. My off days were my sort of break from the realities of life. Initially when I started at the restaurant I pictured myself using every last free minute from my job to run from casting to casting. It happened for a couple weeks to no avail so sacrificing my time didn't seem worth it.

I would get back into it eventually though, I had to.

My days before this particular off day had been the usual mundane routine except for my interaction with Mr Richmond on Monday. His green eyes seemed to appear as a hologram on my white ceiling...

He hadnt been back to the restaurant since that night when I had humiliated myself or he had subtly humiliated me.

It wasn’t unusual for him not to come by as he was one of the regulars for the weekends. However, his absence didn’t stop me from overthinking our entire interaction and hoping that I hadnt screwed up so badly that I wouldn’t have a job to return to once my boss connected the dots.

I shook away the thoughts that would possibly lead to me overthinking way too much and not doing anything I needed to do...

**

I slowly made my way down the grocery isles collecting what I needed to fill my cupboards, its usually how one of my off days went during the week. I lived alone so I didn’t see much point in buying an excessive amount of anything when I munched on extras from work anyway.

Again, if I had made it I would be on a plane travelling to my next movie location and having someone run my errands for me. Maybe one day…

For now I had to push through the mundane moments that made up majority of my life and live paycheck to paycheck until I had the courage and energy to go back to casting sessions. Its funny how when I was back home I thought that it would be easier, I wasn’t sure how I envisioned the whole becoming an actor thing working in general but I didn’t think it involved so much rejection. It sounds crazy, I know, cause it should have probably been obvious to me but this little small town girl had stars in her eyes and thought it was a quick step process.

I thought the hardest thing would be to get my parents to be settled with the idea of their only daughter moving to city. But attending countless casting sessions to no avail humbled me and might have drained me too if I was being honest.

So maybe the break I was forced to take was some sort of blessing in disguise for me to take a step back from running around the city like a maniac.

And getting lost way too many times...

I heard the buzzing of my phone in my bag as I sat down at a nearby café after finishing my grocery shopping and saw my mom’s face flashing on the screen.

I sighed deeply before I answered, “Hey. Mom!” I said with the cheeriest voice I could muster.

They didn’t know how much I had been humbled, obviously. Therefore, whenever I received my weekly checkups with them I tried to muster up all the energy I could to ensure they could sense the enthusiasm that wasn’t actually there. I didn't like lying to them but I just didn't want to be another small town kid who failed at making it big in the city.

I knew my mom wouldn’t have been hard on me but I would certainly get the 'I told you so' from my dad which I wasn’t ready for yet. My father was a straight shooter which I guess you had to be as a coach, but sometimes he didn't really know how to hide his true emotions. I blame it on the fact that I had a former jock as my father who probably secretly wished he had a son. I knew he loved me deeply but Im sure like most dads he had been praying for the son that would follow in his footsteps, not the daughter chasing dreams far away.

I also didn’t want to hear the disappointment in my mom’s voice which she was never good at hiding. She wasnt direct about it and tried her best to not express it but I had become used to her change of tone when I wouldn’t do so great in a particular subject in school.

“Hi sweetie! I hope I didn’t catch you at a bad time, I know you’re all over the place with your auditions…” Her voice trailed off, the cheer in her voice was real mixed with an apology.

If only I were doing that...

“No, it’s the perfect time actually. Just did my grocery shopping and waiting for my agent at the café” I stated which wasn't exactly true. I didn't have an agent at all yet either...

“Oh, how is Luke doing?” Luke was the chef at work I had kindly asked to pretend to be my agent. He had enjoyed it way too much but I figured hearing someone was looking out for me would put their mind at ease abit.

“He is great the best agent a girl could ask for”

She gave a small laugh, “I am happy to hear that but besides the work, how are you doing?”

There it was, a mother’s intuition that I tried my best to bypass and succeeded with most of the time if I hurried off the phone fast enough.

“I know you’re doing well for yourself but I also know how people in that line of work may be, it seems very demanding” She added as I guess I had taken too long to respond. I could hear the concern and instead of me quickly interrupting her and denying anything bad was happening I found myself making a sound of agreement.

“They can be at times” I simply voiced and the first thing that came to mind were the green eyes that seemed to be engrained in my memory.

“Just remember your worth. You may be a small town girl but you have lots to offer. I know it may feel like we doubt your talents but its not that, the world isn’t always the best place and we just want you to be safe. The distance is hard on us…” Her voice softened and was laced with a softness, a longing for her only child.

I sighed as I felt the lump in my throat and pushed it down, I wasn’t really homesick but I did need my mom’s hugs. It always helped me feel like everything could be fixed and that I was whole. Now I was abit lost…

“It is hard on me too, but I know its what I needed to do to grow and make my dreams come true” I mumbled even though I hadnt felt much change within myself.

“I understand but we are always here for you, especially on those demanding days” Her voice became slightly stern to ensure I knew it and I did, I just hated admitted defeat.

“I know, I have to go mom. Tell dad I said hi” I sighed as I knew anymore support from my mom would lead to me breaking down in the middle of a Cafe.

“Will do. Good luck and send Luke my regards”

“I will do so.” I smiled before I put off and stared out into the rest of the café, watching the waiters take the orders.

I wondered who I would be waiting on when I went back to work. Would I be called into the office and be fired or was I just overthinking? Would I see the man with those green eyes that seemed imprinted on my brain or would that night be his last time in my section?

All of the thoughts played on my mind as I sipped on the hot cup of coffee trapped between my fingers. I knew I didn't want to be fired for certain but what I wasn't certain about was whether I wanted that night to be the last time he was seated in my section. I could definitely do without the humiliation/mocking but some part of me wanted to see him again.

Some part of me wanted those green eyes fixed on me even if for merely a few seconds...