Beneath the Weight of Silence

Chapter 2 The Midnight Rumble

“Meet Light Miea Ravenscroft, the great actor of all time.” The director announces, casually dropping that bomb into the room like it’s the most obvious thing in the world. He’s talking to Anna, who’s finally dressed and ready for her shoot. But honestly, I can’t blame her—she’s looking at him like he’s a Greek god or something. And to be fair, Light is kinda divine, at least in the way he carries himself. He doesn’t just enter a room; he owns it. My eyes are on him, too, but for different reasons.

Anna's voice pitches up an octave, completely fangirling in front of him. "Oh… uh. Hi! Hello! Anna Licity Vanders," she stammers, a bit too enthusiastically, probably trying to mask how starstruck she is.

Light, of course, doesn’t even flinch. "Nice to meet you, Ms. Vanders," he says, his tone flat, like it’s just another Tuesday for him. I mean, I get it—he’s a pro. But damn, the guy could make you feel like an ant under a magnifying glass, even when he’s being polite. It’s kinda wild.

Anna, meanwhile, is not giving up that easily. "Uh, hehe, nice to meet you too, Light. I’ve heard a lot about you, and it’s such a pleasure to be in the same shoot as you! You’re such a great actor and, uh, obviously a great model. I didn’t realize how handsome you were in person!" She smiles—this playful, borderline flirtatious smile. Her eyes are sparkling.

Light just nods, that small, subtle smile barely touching his lips. "Thank you." Short. Sweet. Done. But there’s a flicker in his eyes, like he’s amused but too cool to show it.

From across the room, I hear Jenni’s evil little laugh. It’s one of those "I’m about to drop a bomb" kind of laughs, like she’s just waiting for Anna to implode from her obvious crush on Light. Honestly, I can’t blame Jenni for laughing—this is definitely a moment. A little cringe too, though, if you ask me. But hey, who am I to judge?

"Ahem! Ahem! You two are gonna make a great couple in just a minute, huh?" One of the staff says, grinning like he knows something we don’t. The dude’s clearly enjoying this entire situation.

Light's cold, detached gaze shifts toward him. "You’re delusional, sir," he replies, his voice silky but sharp, with just a hint of playful sarcasm. Then, as if on cue, he smirks. Like he knows exactly how everyone is reacting to him and couldn’t care less.

"But..." He leans in a little closer to Anna. "I think you’re right. Ms. Vanders is a good actress. Hot, sexy, has beautiful eyes. Not bad."

Anna’s face is a mix of shock and delight, but I can’t figure out if he’s being genuine or just messing with her. I mean, he’s Light Miea—the guy could probably get away with saying anything and still make it sound like Shakespeare.

Then, just when Anna is about to reply, Hammy—Hammy, of all people—steps in, her face pale like she just saw a ghost.

"Uh, nice to see you in person, sir," Hammy mutters, looking like she’s about to collapse any second. She’s barely holding herself together. I can tell she’s a mess. Her eyes are darting everywhere. "I just wanted to talk to my friend Anna."

And Anna, who was absolutely glowing a second ago, suddenly stiffens. Her face flushes red, and her voice raises an octave, somewhere between irritation and panic. "WHA-AAT NOW, HAMMY?!" She’s practically ready to explode. You can tell she’s pissed—not just about the interruption, but because it feels like Hammy’s trying to steal the attention she was just basking in.

Hammy, still looking like she’s about to faint, stammers. "S-s-s-stop shouting, Anna. D-D-Dayen wanted to t-talk t-to you."

Anna, suddenly calming down, looks at me like she’s remembering I’m there. "Huh? Oh, yeah. You need something, Dayen?"

I try to keep it casual, trying not to get wrapped up in Anna’s obvious drama. "Yeah, I need to borrow your car for a minute. I’m taking Hammy to her family dinner. We left our car at her office—big time."

Anna seems confused, but she’s calming down now. "Oh, sure. No problem, you guys can take it." She hands me the keys, still shooting side-eye at Hammy like she’s not quite over whatever just happened.

But Anna is nothing if not quick to shift gears. She goes from furious to affectionate, wrapping her arms around me in a hug before heading back to the shoot. "Take care, Dayen. Rest up, Hammy," she says, her tone suddenly light, like a completely different person. That's Anna in a nutshell—mood swings on a dime. Actress for sure.

I help Hammy to the car, and as we drive, I notice something’s off. Hammy’s usually on top of everything—she’s got this calm confidence, the kind of girl who never lets life throw her off track. But today? She’s floating. Completely detached. It’s like I’m talking to someone else. Her eyes are glazed, lost somewhere far away.

I take her back to her office instead of the dinner she mentioned. She says it’s too late, that the dinner’s over, but I know something else is up. Hammy doesn’t miss dinners, especially with her family.

Her office is a mess—papers everywhere, and her computer screen just... blank. She’s staring at it like it’s a mirror, completely absorbed.

"Hey," I say, leaning against the doorframe. "You good?"

She takes a deep breath, then looks up at me, but her eyes are hollow. "Yeah. I’m fine." But the tone doesn’t match the words. She’s lying, and she knows it. I can tell.

I don’t push it. Instead, I just sit across from her, silently offering her company. We don’t need to talk. Sometimes, it’s enough just to be there. The silence isn’t uncomfortable, but it’s thick—heavy, almost.

Finally, Hammy picks up a pen and starts tapping it against the desk, lost in thought. “I’m just tired," she mutters like she’s trying to convince herself. "But I’ll be fine."

I know she will be. Hammy always bounces back. But tonight feels different. There’s something she’s carrying, something she’s not sharing, and I can feel it in my gut.

"Alright. I’m going home." I grab my bag, knowing I need to get out of here before the late hours drag me even deeper into whatever funk I’m slipping into.

“How about Jenni and Anna? The car?” Hammy asks, almost like she’s trying to sound normal again.

“All good," I reply, trying to act like everything’s chill. "I called some guys to take the car. They’re set for after Anna’s shoot." No big deal.

“Thanks, Dayen. You’re a lifesaver," she says, and for a second, I see a flash of gratitude in her eyes. But it’s gone in a blink.

After that, I drive back to my condo. It’s already past midnight, and I’m alone with my thoughts—my mind going in circles. The night feels heavier than usual. What’s tomorrow going to be like? Is it just going to be another endless loop of the same thing? The weight of everything pressing down on me.

I don’t sleep much. My mind keeps drifting to Light. How is he even real? It’s like he’s some kind of otherworldly creature, dropped into this world, but somehow, he belongs. He just fits.

And then there’s Anna. She’s all plugged into the showbiz world, knows everyone, everything. I didn’t even realize Light was a big deal internationally. Or maybe I just don’t care about actors or actresses or the social media circus. I mean, I’ve never been into that whole hype.

But now everything clicks. That night we talked in the parking lot, he was hiding under his cap, trying to keep a low profile. I didn’t get it then. He was famous, already. How did I miss that? He’s Mr. Ravenscroft. Of course, he is.

I sigh, tossing and turning, wishing I could escape into something else. The silence of life is louder than anything else right now.

I’m 20, but it feels like I’m already running out of time. I finished my business degree because that’s what my dad wanted, but I don’t care about any of that. I don’t care about the money, the promotions, the meetings. I just want something real, something that means something. Something outside of all this.

If my dad hadn’t pushed me into this world when I was in school, maybe I’d be happy now. Maybe I’d be doing something else, something I actually care about. Maybe I wouldn’t feel so... stuck. But I’ll never know, will I?

Sometimes I wonder, what if Mama hadn’t died so early? What if I answered that call that night? What if I’d been there, what if I had been more present? Maybe I wouldn’t feel so lonely now. Maybe I wouldn’t be stuck in this weird limbo, caught between who I am and who I’m supposed to be. Maybe I wouldn’t feel like I’m just floating, waiting for something to happen.

In the middle of all this, my phone rings.

Who the hell is calling me at this hour?

I pick up the phone and shout without thinking, “Who the f**k is this?”