Taking Something by Elizabeth Lee

was kidding about remembering what she was saying, but I was damn serious. As cute as all the little tidbits about her were though, I wanted more. “How about something a little more substantial than eating habits and favorite movies?”
    “Okay. Just as soon as you tell me what your favorite movie is. We might be wasting our time here if you say something stupid.”
    “Believe it or not, it's actually Breakfast at Tiffany's .” I tried to keep a straight face, but it was impossible.
    “Try again.” She didn't buy it.
    “Okay, but you have to promise not to make fun of me.” I pointed at her, stressing the ‘not make fun of me’ part. She nodded in agreement. I hesitated. “It's Toy Story .”
    “Seriously?” She waited for me crack a smile or tell her I was joking, but I was telling the truth.
    “You said you wouldn't make fun of me,” I reminded. “It was the last movie I remember my mom watching with me. After that, she was too wrapped up in her own shit to hang out with her kid.” I felt like I was laying a guilt trip on her with my reasoning, but it felt good to get it out. Like maybe she would understand me a little more now.
    “I love that movie,” she said, squeezing my hand with hers. “I actually just watched it the other day.”
    “You're just saying that because you feel bad for laughing at me.”
    “No, I'm serious. I watch a lot of cartoons. Keeps my mind off of how shitty actual human beings are.”
    “Your turn.” I'd shared more than enough about myself with that last revelation.
    “Well, I booked my first acting job when I was seven. A commercial for an amusement park, which lead into the gig on the show with Sadie.”
    “So it was acting first, huh?”
    “Not exactly. It was always singing first, but I had to get my foot in the door somehow,” she explained. “Wanna know a secret?”
    Just one? How 'bout all of them?
    “All right.” I played it cool, leaning back and resting my arm on the chair next to me.
    “The television show with Sadie?” she started. “I could have had the lead role. It was offered to me first.”
    “What? Why didn't you take it?”
    “You know it was a show about a drama club, right?”
    I nodded. I'd read a little bit about it online before I met Sadie.
    “The supporting character was more about the musical theater side of it. She had a lot more singing parts than the lead,” she reasoned. “It was truer to who I was. I don't think I could have pulled off the drama queen role the way Sadie did. And I didn't really want to.”
    “Good for you,” I said. It amazed me how true to herself she was. Didn't come across a lot of people like that in Hollywood. I wondered for a moment what it would be like to be that in sync with who you are. These days I wasn't sure who I was or what I was doing.
    “Sadie would die if she knew that she hadn’t been the studios first choice,” she added. “Her head would probably spin all the way around.” She chuckled.
    I had to laugh at the image and the fact that we both assumed Sadie would eventually display Exorcism -style reactions.
    “You are nothing like the rest of the people around here. It's nice to be around someone who knows what she wants and doesn't hide the fact,” I admitted.
    “I don't know about that,” she said softly, tucking her hair behind her ear. “I've made a few mistakes along the way.”
    Now there were the secrets I really wanted to know. The nitty-gritty of Gia Grayson. But judging by the guarded look on her face, I knew better then to ask. For once, I didn't want to ask. I liked the fact that she'd confided in me on her own before. I didn't want her to tell me anything she wasn't ready to tell me. She looked over my head and signaled with her hand. I glanced back to see her sister pointing at her watch.
    Looks like it is time for her to go.
    I didn't want our conversation to end, but I knew I was already pushing the envelope by staying out as late as I had and Gia's sister and