Friends

(Quinn)

"This is the last box, finally." Santiago's friend grunted and stretched his back.

Good thing about working for a real estate office: I knew good opportunities for rent in the first hand. My boss knew I was looking for a place and said there was one cheap and decent in Washington Heights for $1,300. I could deal with this rent if I had a roommate. That's when invited Santiago to live with me, since he was sick to stay at the NYU dormers with his junk roommate. I rented this nice but small two-bedroom apartment, near to the subway station on a quite latino street, full of Dominicans. Well, I didn't care. Actually, I could improve a little my Spanish after living three years with Rachel and Santana.

I took photos from that apartment days after Rachel broke up with my for real. As soon as I knew the rent, I talked with my boss. I hated stay at Mike's anyway, especially because my best friend was very controlling. And he loved me, which was also bad.

My new home was an old four-story building with no elevator. I lived in the third one. The rooms had reasonable size, the kitchen was connect with the living room like in Astoria, but smaller. The cabinets were old and so as the refrigerator and the stove, and there was no other furniture. The bathroom was simple, no lockers, and quite small. But that's ok.

Santiago and I brought some furniture. I got the couch, but I had to sell the armchairs and the coffee table. There was no point in having a coffee table in that apartment: it wouldn't fit. And apparently, Rachel and Santana would buy new furniture for their new rich place. Well, I was kind of bitter. I also contributed to the microwave and Santiago brought his television. And we had the books. Dozens and dozens of them about cinema, photography, history, drawing techniques, machinery and anything that might be helpful to made is good set designers and cinematographers.

Rachel gave me our bed. She didn't want to take it to her new luxury apartment, maybe because of all memories. On the other hand, why would I refuse such a good bed, even if it takes up 80% of the space in my new room. At least I would sleep comfortably.

It was a thud to me when Rachel decided to over our relationship for good. I feared the possibility, but honestly I didn't expect that it could actually happen. I started crying and begging in an act of desperation, then I accused her of hypocrisy among other things. Santana, of course, interfered when she heard the argument, but there was no need to break her crutch in my head. Despite my despair, Rachel didn't shed a tear drop in front of me. She stood there like a rock.

I needed some time to calm down. I wanted to die. Santana called a taxi to pick me up and I left there for Mike's apartment under a downpour. I only didn't drink as much as the first time because I had to study and work. And I also wasn't feeling ok in Mike's place knowing that I was living by his costs.

I invited Johnny to share an apartment with me, but he said that wouldn't be a good idea. So I invited Santiago because he was easier prey, moreover, he was also my best friend within NYU. Now we literally lived on the outskirts of Manhattan in a predominantly Latino neighborhood, and my neighbor downstairs might be a drug dealer. But no, the building wasn't a slum or a brothel, even though I could even imagine my dad saying: Congratulations Quinn, I knew you would end in a place like this.

"Beer?" Santiago offered to our colleagues who helped us. Well, they were his friends more than mine. They looked at Santiago with male complicity as they congrats him for living with the hot lesbian of the campus. I was aware that some of them wished to "bring me back to the hetero world". Poor guys.

"Cool apartment. How did you get it?" One of the guys asked.

"Quinn got it." Santiago looked out the window. "She does a gig for a real estate office."

"Don't you drink?" The other asked me.

"No." I lied.

"Why?"

"That's none of your business." I said with a fake smile and clenched teeth. I was really tired and impatient.

"Ooops!" He raised his hands. "What's eating you?"

"Guys!" Santiago pondered before I answered and whispered at the same time made a gesture suggesting I was on my period. I hated this men way to simplify in the wrong way women humor.

They left five minutes later and I heard from my room one of them saying "careful around her vagina. It may be serrated." He might helped us with the moving, but that guy was on my blacklist. I heard Santiago just saying him to go away and thank them again.

We had nothing to eat at home and it made me missed Rachel even more. Santana managed the money, and Rachel loved do the grocery shopping. And when I did it, I used to forget some basic things. I could clean a house with perfection and cook, but manage the money, go to the market and some other domestic jobs were things that Santiago and I needed to learn fast if we wanted survive as roommates.

"I've never used a stove in life." He said casually. I looked at him and blurted out laughing. "What?"

"I figured that."

He smiled and grabbed two bottles of beer from the box of six he bought. Santiago offered one to me and I accepted even though I kind of hate the bittersweet taste of a beer, but we needed toasting our new phase of life with something.

"Do you know how dorms are, right?" He asked.

"Not really." I sipped a little. "Since I came to New York, I share apartments with friends and Rachel. And I've always had my own room."

"You're lucky. My first roommate was gay." I looked at him alerting to take care of the story. "I didn't know it until he brings his partner to fuck in the second day with me in the bed aside. Man, we fought and I left that dorm with a black eye and wounded pride. Then, my second roommate was Donny."

"That dental surgery guy?" I stated to laugh. I only knew him by sight, but the guy was a legend for being one of the crankiest people on NYU. He was hilarious.

"What a nightmare, Fabray. I only last two weeks with him."

"I didn't know that."

"Because nobody needs to know, ok?"

"Ok."

"Now you can imagine how much I hate dorms and how much I'm glad to be your roommate in a place far from our campus. Of course dorms are way cheaper; on the other hand, they don't help you to deal with living in some place that you need to manage a house for real. I'm nervous because I don't know much about it."

"Well… I think it's not that different. You still have a roommate, some rules, you need to pay your own stuffs… The difference is that you actually have a stove, do grocery shopping, sometimes you will need to cook, and do more cleaning. All we need to do is divide the tasks, like, I can do laundry once a week, and you clean the bathroom on Saturdays. Things like that…"

"Each one takes care of your own room?"

"Yeah, that's essential. My room is my sanctuary, and so is yours." I said. "You wash the dishes and I organize things in the kitchen and living room. Oh, and you put out the trash. I think I'll have to make the grocery shopping to make sure we won't have only microwave food in our pantry. You are also out of shape because of this, Tiago: too much junk food."

"We have to take care of some other interesting rules too, Fabray. For example, poker night and girls. How do we do?"

"Night of girls and poker?" I raised an eyebrow.

"Actually... we can create that tradition. We are creative filmmakers that can play poker, drink, smoke some cigars, discuss some screenplays and then go down to the strip club. What do you think?"

"Do a poker night like once a month can be fun. But no girls night out, ok? I'm a lesbian, Tiago, but there are several things about the male universe that don't appeal to me."

"And speak a lady who shares with me her admiration for a good pair of tits and a tight pussy. You said it to me that day at the bar, Fabray."

"I was drunk… and… well, that's not a lie anyway."

"So, we should just be a dynamic lesbro duo: go around to pick up some chicks and have fun with them. Plus, you can be an awesome wingman."

"I can be your wingman, but I'm not ready for the game. I want to have one more chance with Rachel and I will work my ass for it."

"OK. So what are the rules about girls?" Santiago asked and I thought a bit about it.

"No orgies. This is not a fraternity. And no sluts or whores."

"Come on… we should allow the whores. They are honest."

"Really, Tiago. This is our new home and I think we should make an environment with good energy. If you go to a bar and win a beautiful girl, I have no restrictions. Especially because I doubt that a girl from Midtown would sleep with you. Girlfriends have free pass. No orgies and whores! Parties need to be negotiated before. We can do a poker night sometimes with some common friends."

"And football?"

"I won't stop you from watching football with a friend or two, but seriously Tiago, be sensible. Again, I'm a lesbian, but I'm still a girl who wears dresses and likes to do girly things. So, be careful with all of these testosterone manners."

He stopped to think about, and then bit his lower lip.

"But you still will be my wingman, right?"

"Why is this so important?" I was amused with his sudden insecurity.

"Even straight women of this city would open their legs for you. If you're not in the game, so I think I can get lucky." I started laughing.

"Well, Mr. Santiago Follett. If you cut your hair to begin with, start working out, and eat healthier food, so you will have a chance against me." Santiago is a beautiful guy, but he relaxed with his health and fit in recent months. "But don't worry. I just want one girl. I swear."

"Why is Rachel so special?"

"I can't explain. Of all the relationships I've had, Rachel was the only person I really loved. And be without her... it's like stop breathing. It's like everything stopped making sense. Rachel and I never had a perfect relationship, I know that, but she is the one. She is endgame."

"Well, Fabray. You sometimes accused me of being unable to handle a girlfriend for a long time, but I'm a 21 years old guy and I'm not worry about it. I think when my one comes around, things will roll naturally and I'll know. I'm not saying that Rachel's isn't yours or doubting your love for her, but I think you are so into her so much that you close your eyes to the world. What if you find out that there is another girl for you, like your true person?"

"I believe in God's purpose. If there is another woman waiting for me, then God will show a sign or will arrange a way to put that person in my way. And if that happens, nothing will stop us to be together. But if don't, if Rachel is really the one as I think she is, so I decided not to play with fire over." I finished my beer and leaned against the wall on the opposite side that was Santiago. "Rachel... hurt me a lot. Okay I lost my mind and made the biggest mistake of my life sleeping with Monica. I know that I overreacted. But how would you react in front of a picture of your girlfriend kissing her co-star and she confirms in your face that the kiss was real and not part of a scene or something? She kind of cheated on me first."

"You'll want to dwell on that again?" He frowned. "I said I'm with you, Fabray. Only my support or my condemnation doesn't make any difference in that case."

"I know." I sighed.

"Are you hungry?"

"I'm starving." I got up from the ground. "The worst is that we have nothing!" I laughed in disbelief. "There's a grocery store nearby."

"We can buy instant noodles, microwave food and some paper plates."

"Fuck off."

"Let's do this damn list, Fabray. We had a new house to manage."

…

(Rachel)

Our new apartment was a fantastic place. I couldn't believe that I would eventually live so soon in the neighborhood that I've always dreamed. Well, three years in Manhattan isn't that long, right? It was like a dream. The only problem was that everything happened in a troubled personal moment, but I couldn't say it wasn't at a good time. Moving in to a proper place along with my sister, just us two, meant that I would get me away from a place that had become painful by the amount of memories. Now I was surrounded between boxes while Santana guided the men from the moving truck to put her bed in the smaller suite, since she lost the master one in a best of three of Janken-Pon. Childish but fair, I must say.

For now, all we had in our new apartment were: two beds and a lot of cardboard boxes. Fortunately mr. Weiz has provided us a full kitchen, so we didn't have to worry about buying more expensive appliances. But I convinced Santana to buy new furniture for the living room with an interior designer's help, and we were still discussing what to do with the extra room. I wanted to set up a small studio and Santana wanted an office. The designer said we could do both, but we didn't see his project yet.

"We need a beer, Ray."

"It's ten in the morning, Santana. I refuse to drink alcohol at this time of the day."

"Think about it. All we have is this box of gum and the food we brought from our old place that is in that box in the kitchen. Box that have some bottlers of wine, tequila and vodka, but not beer since we drank all last night to celebrate our move out. We can't celebrate our new place chewing gum, right?"

"I didn't say that, Santana!"

"Come on, Ray… let's explore the new neighborhood and have a toast."

"No way. Also you need to rest. You made much effort and should put your foot up a bit."

"I'm good, ok?"

"You're limping. And where is your cane?"

"Over there…"

"Santana, the doctor said that it has a risk to break your ligaments again if you don't follow properly the recovering program. Will you want to experience that pain again?"

"Fine… asshole."

"You are the asshole here."

"We don't have anything reasonable to make a toast but water."

"That's more than enough."

I looked for some glasses in the box written 'fragile kitchen stuffs'. It was amazing how much useless things we could keep at home without notice. We had, at least four boxes written with 'donate' and 'garage sale'. And, God knows, I could have two of three more boxes for donate with tuffs like Quinn's favorite mug that I found out when I opened the 'fragile kitchen stuffs' box. I didn't know why it was there, but maybe I kept it as a Freudian slip. Anyway, I filled our glasses with water and gave one to my sister.

"Not too cold, but I can take a sip. What are we toasting for this time?" She complained. Santana was always complaining about something these later days.

"The new house, duh. I wish it brings much happiness for both of us."

"To the new house, and the new phase in our lives."

"Amen!" Santana took a sip and handed me the glass to do the same.

The water went down smooth in my throat. I didn't realized who thirst I was.

"Have you noticed that every time we moved in to a bigger place, unless a person is with us? First it was Mike, and now..." Santana trailed off. I think my eye was the big tip so she didn't continue. "At least now we can say that this is our home and we will only get out of here if we want."

"True! So… Now we need to give the extra room a proper destination."

"You're talking about my office?"

"No... my future studio."

"Let's the Janken-Pon's God decide."

"Best of three?"

"Bring it on!"

She won!

…

(Santana)

"We could close the deal on a beautiful dinner. What do you think?"

Bob Crower was the CEO of Top Sweet: gift shops chain that had 17 units in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Mass. His business generated about 70 million/year, so you could say that he was a rich bastard that I wanted to make some deals. I wanted to sell a Rock'n'Pano's exclusive collection in his stores. It's a great deal to my small company because I could pay the entire initial investment and make have a safe physical place to make my production flow. The problem was that he wanted to fuck me in return. Or he wished it. Luck to him, I was working hard on doing my own partner network and that was why I wouldn't ends him already. Anyway, the partnership was good for both sides.

"Or we could close the deal here." I tried to use my charm without get him even more hard, because I knew he was. Business might be also very sexual. You must seduce to sell, involve your target telling it why your deal is so great. You must create desire. Of course the seduction is a metaphor, but there are some people in the business that thinks it is literal. I don't know if it is Bob Crower case, but I was sure he was very interested. I could play with guys like him, but, no way, I would open my legs to make a deal. It is essential knowing how to deal with the balance of fair seduction and pragmatism.

"Are you sure?" He asked totally wanting to fuck me. So, I just smiled.

"My attorney forwards the contract at his office on Monday and then we can celebrate this partnership with a lovely lunch. I heard that La Carne in Murray Hill is spectacular."

"So young and so tasteful. Deal!"

I smiled and winked. It was obvious that he didn't know the place. La Carne that I was referring to was an ordinary restaurant where I ate steak on plate once with Andrew. My ex-boyfriend took me there because a friend of us from Columbia was the new kitchen assistant and invited us. At least the food was great, even though the place could fool you: it was very cheap and impersonal, but perfect to my proposals with Crower: straight business with non-romantic implications. As Quinn used to say in that old lame and fake Celibacy Club: "it's all about the teasing, not about the pleasing"… or something lame like that.

"Now that we made a deal." He continued flirting on me. "I wanna know a bit more from you. What can I know beyond the fact you're a beautiful young woman who set up a company with your grandfather who owns the Haenel's Factory, in Ohio, isn't it?"

"It is."

"Haenel? What does it mean? "

"It is the original surname of my grandfather's family. According my grandpa, this Berry American soldier helped him to run away from Italy to America with his young wife during the First World War. They were illegal immigrants and the government treated to deport them. But this soldier faked some documents and my greatgrandfather became a Berry." This story was totally fake. The truth is that my greatgrandfather left Italy to America hoping for a better life and he just changed his name to Berry because he thought his family would be better accepted in the new country with an ordinary surname instead of the Jew one. "So, when my grandfather built the factories, he put the original surname name as a tribute."

"Interesting." He finished taking the wine. "And you? Are you also from Ohio?" I nodded.

"Yes, I am."

"And…"

"Came to college… Columbia."

"Nice! I studied in Rochester."

"Nice one."

"Not as great as Columbia, but we are close."

"Yeah."

Crower paid the restaurant bill and we left the restaurant with the promise that our attorneys would call to sign the papers. What I could say: I was so close to fish a great fish. It's not a big one, but it was nice enough to begin.

I left the restaurant happy by the beautiful achievement for Rock'n'Pano. Crower had the courtesy to accompany me to my car. I still needed to use the cane because I couldn't walk normally and put my full weight on my ankle. The doctor said that I should keep walking with the crutches and I wasn't authorized to drive yet, but I was just sick of them, of all the hospitals and doctors and their orders. Sorry papi, but doctors weren't my favorite persons at that time. I should have tried that physical rehabilitation program used by professional athletes: my recovery would be more painful, but at least it would be faster. God, six months on this torture was hell.

The rain wasn't strong, which was good, because that city was transformed into an inferno in storms. I could go home quietly, parked my car in the garage of the building and took the elevator. I got home and all I wanted most was to put the legs up a bit. Everything was still messy, we had no furniture in the living room, the boxes were still scattered, but my bed was firm and strong there in my room. It was exactly what I needed. I threw my stuff on my desk and fell asleep with her legs up for 20 minutes before start to study.

Rachel sent me a text warning me that she just arrived in L.A to attempt some parties and red carpets. A whole week without her at home… I didn't know if I should celebrate it or not. I still had to go at Quinn's open house in the night. As I understood it, there were still missing things in the apartment she was sharing with her NYU's BFF, so they planned this little party and asked their friends to bring some helpful gifts, as plates, glasses and new forks and knives.

After a few hours studying, I took a warm bath to relax a little. Then, I put a pair of jeans, a blouse, dried my hair and I was in doubt if I should go there driving or not. I pressed the fuck's button. Rachel organized a little box with Quinn's stuffs and it was a great opportunity to give it back to her. Still, I made a quick stop at the maket to buy her a simple and new water filter (those that seem a jar): a basic thing she didn't remember to put in the list.

The address wasn't hard to find. I parked in front of the building and called her to help me with the box. Her building didn't have an elevator and I couldn't climb stairs carrying extra weight. I called Quinn and asked her to come here to help me, and she did it three minutes later.

"Hey San! What a surprise." She hugged me but it didn't seen natural.

"I wouldn't miss it, Fabray. I was dying to see the cage you're living now."

"Not a cage. Actually, it reminds our first place in New York. You will see."

"Yeah, so what about you help me with this box? It has some of your missing things."

"Did you pay attention on it?"

"Come on. You published the list in the Whasapp! By the way, I bought things off the list like water filter and a board. I figured you haven't one."

"How did you?"

"Well Fabray, you didn't put them in the list and I know you suck doing grocery shopping."

"True…" she smiled. "And thank you. We really don't have a water filter but we do have a board."

"Well, you can use both or exchange for something else that you need... I'm glad you are ok. Rachel will like to know."

"How is she?" I swear her eyes shone.

"Fine, I guess. She is in LA attempting some events."

"She's living the Hollywood dream."

"Not quite. She's still a Broadway girl being an alien in the Hollywood World."

It was a very strange feeling. As much as Quinn has been my friend for years, the end of her relationship with my sister also broke something in the intimacy I used to share with her.

"It is very meaningful to me seeing you here, San." I nodded. "Well... let's go party. I'll carry the boxes."

"Thank you."

It was a small party, but it looked crowded in that tiny apartment. Quinn and Santiago's friends from NYU were the majority, but there is at least one friend in common with me: Johnny.

"Hey, princess San!" He waved and came to me.

"Johnny Boy!"

"I was about to leave… but since you came, I'll stay longer."

"Looks like I'm prestigious."

"Of course you are. Hey, do you wanna a beer?"

"I'm driving."

"Really? Your doctor allowed you?"

"No, but I'm still driving… please, don't tell Rachel!"

"Only if you dance with me."

"In case you haven't noticed, I can't… not yet." I showed him my cane.

"We can try a new dance with five legs. What do you think?"

"Interesting, but no."

"In this case, maybe I should dance around you." And began to dance like… I don't know… David Boreanaz as Angel.

"Dork!" I fought to keep myself serious but it seemed impossible. Johnny was making me laugh hard and he even cared to looks ridiculous by the others. "Mega dork!"

"You can't just came here and not try to have a little fun." He surrendered. "Do you want a glass of water? Maybe Quinn has some juice in the refrigerator."

"Water is good."

Not that I had to wait much since we were almost in the kitchen. I saw Quinn talking with a girl in a friendly way and Santiago was drinking and talking with some other friends. How the hell these people managed to be friends in the first place? I don't think Quinn would bother to talk with a guy like Santiago in high school. Quinn said once that Santiago and she are the best duo when you talk about cinema, like Ben Affleck and Matt Damon. If she says so. The party went on and I kept talking with Johnny, but the environment didn't help in our conversation. Because the living room/kitchen was so tiny, all the time someone bumped in us and a guy almost drop beer on me.

"It's getting crowd, huh?" I agreed with Johnny. "How about getting out of here?"

"I agree. I want my home, my pajamas and I would sleep on the couch watching some old movie if I had one in my house. And this reminds me that is scheduled the new furniture being delivered tomorrow morning."

"Want some company?"

Johnny said seriously, straight into my eyes. I felt a shiver down my spine, and suddenly, I was nervous, like a frightened teenager.

"No." It was what came out of my mouth, even if I privately wanted to say yes. He looked surprised at first, but then forced a smile.

"Well, I'll help you at the stairs and take you to the car. Your foot is still unreliable and, plus, Quinn's near neighborhood isn't that great."

"Yes, sir."

First I said goodbye to Santiago and then to Quinn, who was tipsy, but still far from completely drunk, which made me relieved. I still cared a lot about her. Johnny followed me all the way up to my car, he kissed my cheek and stood on the sidewalk waiting for me to maneuver and go. As soon as I stopped at the first traffic light, I screamed:

"Stupid girl!"

I lost this chance to be with him. Damn! Why?

…

(Rachel)

HBO promoted a party in Los Angeles to announce the new and old series for the fall and midseason. In the first big debut would be Slings and Arrows. The producers were hoping that we could place ourselves right after Game of Thrones in the HBO priorities. Our product was really awesome, but our exclusive premiere only would happen in two weeks in New York at the Classic Stage Company, where we recorded all the theater scenes. The HBO party was capital to warning up S&A in the press, and so as with our target audience. And it was a great opportunity to proper introduce new faces, like mine.

Since I came to Los Angeles with Nina, I didn't stop working. As people see the glamour and fun that they can dream of, be jealous or simple monk as we artists were pathetic clowns, I see pure work and promotion. Yes, it was a job goes to some receptions and parties to smile to strangers, taking pictures and saying nonsense. On the other hand, these places always have somebody that could give you a part on some movie or TV series. That's why it is so important to be invited and be part of the gang. And that was why I had Nina with me as my assistant and publicist.

"God, I really am a New Yorker. I hate this here." I complained to Nina as we were waiting the guy who would make my hair and make up to HBO's party.

"You will have a free day tomorrow before this interview and then: home. So, be strong, Rachel." She looked at the tablet. "You're great in these photos with Idina Menzel. Take a look!"

"Yeah, she is gorgeous… don't you think she reminds my mother?"

"Even though I haven't met you mother in person yet, I do think so. Yes, Idina and Shelby look alike."

"They could pass as sisters. How odd."

"Well, this photographer, François Brunelle, made a project with 200 doppelgangers. These people lived in different cities, or countries, and only met each other in the studio. This made me believe that there really are seven doubles of us in the world, as people like to say."

Giles, came with his team at the hotel and the preparations to HBO party began. Hair, makeup, dress, driver and there I was at the red carpet.

All the eyes and lens were on the biggest stars: some actor from Game of Thrones' cast, True Blood's cast, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, etc. The publicists were working on those who needed to be seen. I wasn't known yet. Ironically, most journalists best knew me as Rom Tyler's co-star that he had a supposed affair during the shootings in New York. See? I wasn't Rachel Berry, the Tony Award Nominee, as people known me back home, in Broadway. In Hollywood, I was Rachel Berry, the Rom's affair. It sucked hard!

"Rom and I are just friends. He's a very sweet guy and a great coworker." I repeated numerous times with a frozen smile.

I tried to interact with other players and meet different people, but we always end up getting tied to people we know. In my case: S&A's cast and crew. In the middle of the night, at the party, when the cameras were no longer working so hard and people got tired, Rom finally approached.

"I missed you, Rach."

"I can't say the same." I lied because of whole cast, Rom was the one I missed more. We were a great duo in the set.

"Still upset about the gossip…"

"The gossip that culminated at the end of my long relationship" I shot and he got hurt. I knew I was being unfair. Rom was partly to blame, but wasn't at the same time. The truth was that some things were already wrong between Quinn and I. "Sorry... it's not so easy to move on from this."

"Look, Rachel, I'm really sorry for everything that happened between you and Quinn and it all makes me sick. I wish I could repair that. If you said that I must go to New York only to kneel before Quinn and you to apologize, I would be delighted to do it. I really mean it. You are a great friend. Maybe the best I had in years, since I got in this business. Everybody here is so messed up and fake, but you. That's why I would do anything to have your friendship back."

I smiled and looked at his face for the first time in a long time. That was the same pretty face, and also was the sincerely good friend he always proved to be in set.

"What are you doing tomorrow?" I asked.

"Nothing's on my agenda."

"I'm leaving for New York in three days and tomorrow my agenda is free. Do you want to have lunch with me or something? You suggest the restaurant since this is your city."

"No." He raised his finger in a charming gesture. "We will have lunch in my place. You made dinner in yours that day, now it's my turn to be a good host."

"But I don't want to give you any trouble..."

"It's the least I can do. Moreover, we would be far safer from the looks in my home than in a restaurant." That was true. "If you want, I can call other people... maybe Amanda. Or bring your publicist."

"I don't think so, and we really need to talk alone."

I left the party on early dawn with Nina. She was a little tipsy and charmed because Seth Dubin flirted with her.

So, in the next morning, there I was in a taxi on the way to fine neighborhood near to Santa Monica's coast. Rom lived in a one million dollar two-story house with pool and a nice garden. It was a beautiful, sunny, the grass was green, and everything seems in order.

"Good morning, Miss Berry." Rom was waiting for me in front of his house. "The palace is all yours and the bill is mine." He took out his wallet from his back pocket and paid the cabbie.

"What a wonderful place!" I said before get in the house. "

"Come on, Rach, let's go."

The house was decorated in a surf style. The walls were white, there was a surfboard on the wall frame with palm trees and the sea, rustic furniture, but I could say that an interior designer made some observations in there. All were very light and tasteful within the decorative motif. It surprised me. Rom had a reputation as a womanizer, but with me he was just that funny guy I loved to talk between the scenes. The Rom in the home environment seemed to another person. He wore basic white shirt, shorts and flip-flops. Better: there was no shadow of the cynical man who boasted of gossip that surrounded him and wear some mask. Rom was just Rom at his home.

"Your home is beautiful." I said as he showed me the place.

"I've been living here for five years. My neighbors are the best, they are very quiet as I am."

"It's great, Rom. Really. I wished I had a place like this… well, actually now I have my own home in New York: I nice apartment in upper east side."

"Really? That's great, Rach!"

"Yes, it is. It's just me and my sister now and we are still organizing everything… but you are invited to go there and drink some coffee with me."

"I'll go. You do know that!"

The house also had four bedrooms, one of which Rom keeps prepared to his brother.

"Dean is complicated..." He was dowdy when he showed me the room. "And the main reason I hate drugs so much. But I'm basically the only family he has."

I knew that Rom had an older half-brother and a younger half-sister. Their father married with his mother and he already had Dean. Then Rom born. But three years later his mother divorced his father. She got married again and had his sister: I forgot her name. His father died some years ago because of an overdose, and, apparently, Dean was in the same way.

"My brother is bipolar and every time he stops taking his medicines, the shits begin. Sometimes he loses his job and gets no money for the rent, sometimes he starts to drink or do coke again. And all the time his shits starts to get very smelling, he looks for me willing to comply the condition to stay: go to the doctor, starts again his medicines, get a job and get clean. Dean knows this room is available for a few weeks."

"This always happens?"

"Two or three times a year."

"Siblings might be handful. Santana is one of a kind, but I'm so glad for have her in my life."

"Your sister is nice, but she was a bitch with me."

"But you were an asshole first that day."

"I can't help myself. She's hot!"

We continue the tour of the house until stopped by the kitchen. Rom began removing the ingredients for our lunch from the fridge and cupboard. He organized everything on the counter and I set out to help.

"No way, Rach. I'm the chef today."

"I didn't know that you like cooking."

"My maid gets everything organized, so I don't have how to mess up with the food. I don't know how to make those gourmet meals, but the basics are my specialty."

"And what's in menu today?"

"I know you're vegetarian…" I nodded positive. "But drink milk and eat eggs?" I nodded again. "I can cook this soufflé and this fritter with carrots and spinach that everybody like."

"Sounds good!"

"It is! You'll see… better… taste!"

"It's weird to see you in your environment. You are so different." Rom frowned in curiosity. "Let's face it, Rom: the first time I saw you at that very first reading table, I thought you were an asshole. And then we became friends and you became an asshole that I cared a lot. I hated you with my soul after that gossip… but now and here… you're so great and easy going. Why you can't be like this all the time?"

"I don't know, Rach. Maybe because it's easier and better being a cynical womanizer in this business. But I don't need this shit at home… and also this is the reason that only few people are invited to come here. I don't like to infect my place with low energy from those disgusting cunts."

"It makes sense, I must say."

"Yeah. Hollywood is sick. I love acting, but Hollywood is sick as hell where some powerful directors and producers after do some lines of coke literally drop their pants in front of you and order a blowjob. It's not metaphorical: it's happen in this business every day."

"Rom… it happened to you?"

"Not this specific situation, anyway. I slept with an older woman when I was 16. She was a casting director and said I that I had a lot of potential, that I could be a huge star if I followed her instructions. Sex was one of them and that's how I got my first role on a TV series."

"This is rape!"

"This people don't really care. I slept with this woman for a year while her husband loved sleeping with a guy. When she dismissed me, she got another teen, and her husband continues sleeping with this same guy."

"This husband is…"

"A fine and respectful Emmy nominee actor. Well, she promised not to fuck my career as long as I keep my mouth shut. So, this is not a story that you can tell."

"Of course."

"Now you do understand."

"I think so."

Rom served white wine and set the table for both of us. When the meal was ready, we sat at the table and started to have a great vegetarian lunch. I didn't want to bring others deep subjects after his revelation, but there was one more thing I needed to clarify to place a stone on top once and for all.

"Why did you kiss me that day?" I shot and Rom didn't looked surprised.

"You did a fantastic scene. It was the first time I saw that kind of writing for television, I was excited because it was news for me. I won't lie, I like you. But I didn't think about any of it that day. I kissed you because I thought you were fantastic and reacted to the moment. I'm sorry that it caused so much trouble to you and Quinn."

"It's in the past now."

"So… What will you do now back in New York?" He asked to break the silence that had settled. "What are your plans?"

"Broadway. Once I arrive in New York I've got to start rehearsing a new musical play written by David Bowie."

"I want to be there at the premiere. In the front row."

"Oh, darling, take your umbrella. Actors salivate a lot in musicals."

"Ok, third row."

"Done!" I laughed.

"So… friends?"

"Yes, Rom. Friends."