As soon as Anthony stepped out into the California sunshine, he checked his phone. Two missed calls.
One from his sister, Vanessa, the only family member that had anything to do with him. And one from his friend – and ex-porn buddy – Sean. Sean had left a voicemail, Vanessa hadn't.
Listening to the voicemail as he walked across the studio parking lot, it was more of the same. Sean had been calling him day and night for the last couple of weeks, trying to talk to him. But Anthony never returned his calls.
After he'd been drugged at the party and nearly died, he wasn't sure he trusted Sean too much. It probably wasn't fair. Though he obviously couldn't be sure, he doubted Sean had anything to do with it. He was likely just calling so much because he was worried about Anthony. But for whatever reason, he still couldn't bring himself to talk to his old friend. There was just too much of a connection to the world he was trying desperately to leave behind.
“Hey man,” Sean said in his message. “I know you're avoiding me like the plague, but seriously, I miss you. I wish you'd call me, let me know you're alright. Listen, I have no idea what happened that night, but I'm sorrier than I can tell you. Look, I'm having a get-together at my place later this week and would love to see you there. All our old buddies miss you,” he ended the message with the promise of something else going on with their old buddies that Anthony wouldn’t want to miss.
The message ended, and Anthony found himself struggling with a wide range of conflicting emotions. He liked Sean, but he was part of the old Anthony and for all he knew, Sean had been in on drugging him, trying to drag him back into the darkness. There was too much at stake in Anthony’s new life to risk heading back down that road. And for Sean to dismiss what happened with a simple apology before inviting him out to yet another party just proved that he didn't get it.
But truth be told, he missed Sean too. He didn't miss the drugs or that lifestyle, but he missed his friend. Still, he chose to call Vanessa instead. He wasn't ready to deal with Sean at the moment. Maybe later, but not now.
He called his sister as soon as he got to his car. Sitting in the driver's seat with the warm sun beating down on him, he closed his eyes and waited for her to pick up. Which she did. With a squeal that nearly burst his eardrum. Holding the phone away from his ear, he couldn't make out what she was going on and on about.
“Vanessa, chill for a second. What the heck are you so excited about?”
“Seriously, bro? Seriously? Your movie is being talked about on MTV and you're asking me what I'm so excited about? And to think, I had to hear it from Shelby of all people! Why the hell didn't you call me and tell me your own damn self?”
Anthony heard her words this time, but they didn't compute. Not at all. How did his other sister know about this but he didn’t? “Wait, MTV was talking about my movie?”
“Don't act coy with me, brother,” she said with a laugh.
He remained silent a moment longer, trying to process everything she'd just told him.
“Oh wait,” she said. “You mean you really didn't know?”
“Not a clue. I just got done wrapping the film. And Shelby told you this? And she got this off MTV? I'm so confused right now, can you start from the beginning?”
“Okay, so Shelby heard from a friend that MTV mentioned you by name on one of their late-night shows. So I went searching and I came across the clip. And oh my God, Anthony! They're talking about how they can't wait to see the movie and how hot you and your co-star look together. Of course, Shelby wasn't pleased at all. She said it was one step up from porn and that it was still disgusting, but I told her to go screw herself. I couldn't be happier for you!”
Anthony was shocked and unsure of what to say. He couldn't believe they were already talking about the movie. They'd just finished wrapping that sucker up and MTV was already talking about it and putting clips out? How could things move this fast? A wave of excitement and joy surged up within him, threatening to overpower him.
“And by the way, your co-star is a cutie. They showed pictures of him too. What's his name – Gabriel something? Whatever. I really hope the rumors are true. But then again if they are, I'll be pissed you didn't tell me you were seeing someone. Especially someone that fine.”
Anthony's mouth was suddenly as dry as the Mojave and the wave of excitement within him ebbed before quickly falling over a cliff and dying. The rumors. Already they were spreading like wildfire back to his family in Texas. If Anthony's Bible-thumping sister in Texas had already gotten wind of the rumors, he could be sure that Gabe's family in San Francisco had too.
Anthony mentally cursed as his joy turned into bitter fear for Gabriel. Anthony had been blindsided by all of this and he knew that Gabriel was going to be too.
“Dude, why are you so quiet? I thought you'd be ecstatic.”
“I am,” Anthony choked out. “I'm just stunned, that's all. I wasn't expecting any of this.”
He recalled Gabe talking about how terrified he was that his family might see the film and start thinking that they were a couple. It was the one thing that was keeping him from faking their relationship at the party tomorrow night. But if the media was already spreading the rumors far and wide, it was probably too late, no matter what he did or didn't do.
“Listen, sis,” Anthony said, “I need to get going. I was just heading home, we just finished things up here and I'm exhausted.”
“Oh I see how it is. You're all Hollywood and think you can big time me now,” she teased. “Okay, fine. Just call me next time you're about to be on TV so I can watch it live, please?”
“I will as long as I know about it too,” Anthony said.
As soon as they hung up, he considered calling Gabe to warn him of the impending disaster that was undoubtedly coming his way. But the idea of doing that scared the daylights out of him. He knew Gabe could be moody as hell, and to be the bearer of such news, well, he might not take it very well coming from Anthony. They'd grown closer, but Anthony didn't want to put any unnecessary stress on their burgeoning friendship.
And for that reason he knew he couldn't do what Clyde was asking. There was no way. The media could talk and he'd deny it like Clyde suggested, but there was no way he would go out of his way to create more rumors where none existed.
He wouldn't add fuel to the fire. It seemed to be burning hot enough as it was. Though he knew there were a few things he should do, like riding over together, that wouldn't hurt, and at least it would look as if he tried. Make Clyde happy so he wouldn’t give them crap.
Driving home, he just hoped that none of Gabe's family watched MTV, or that none of his friends would tell his parents. Please, let all of this fade into the background. Give Gabe some time to go to the premiers, to interview and to promote the film before all hell broke loose in his life. Anthony wanted him to just enjoy the experience of being a star, if only for a little while.
Otherwise things would get very messy for all these events, and both their careers would suffer. Anthony could handle the situation and bounce back, but Gabe? He’d be devastated and there was no way Anthony could bounce back from seeing that man hurt.