At the end of the performance, I bowed alongside the other actors and smiled.
The audience, as always, erupted in applause, and I felt a wave of happiness. I loved acting and was grateful that, despite what happened during my third big project on set, I could still pursue my passion... They didn’t break me.
And it doesn’t matter that I’m not in movies right now. As long as I can perform for an audience, I’ll be content.
“Nadia, as always, you were marvelous! My dear, tell me, why—why on earth—don’t you want to take on leading roles?” Our director, Vladimir Anatoliyovich, grabbed my hand and looked straight into my eyes. “You have such talent! I can’t accept this choice of yours!”
“Vladimir Anatoliyovich, leave Nadia alone,” my friend Vicky said with a smile, pulling my small hands out of the director’s grasp. “If she doesn’t want to play lead roles, why force her?”
I smiled too.
Vicky was the one taking on all the major roles for our age group right now. Sure, she’s my friend, but I doubt she’d be thrilled to step aside and give me a shot. Not that I need it... I’m fine just doing what I love. Anything more... well, that often comes at a price I’m not willing to pay. I refuse to compromise my principles.
Better to hold onto the bird in hand than to chase after the one in the bush...
“Thank you for your concern, but I’m really okay,” I finally responded to both of them. “I love playing any role and making sure the audience remembers them.”
“This is some kind of masochism, I swear!” Vladimir Anatoliyovich exclaimed dramatically.
“Nadia, let’s go change,” Vicky said, taking me by the arm and pulling me toward the dressing room. “See you the day after tomorrow, Vladimir Anatoliyovich!”
“Goodbye...” I called out just before stepping offstage.
As soon as we entered the hallway, my heart skipped a beat. Standing right in front of the dressing room was my old classmate—and, admittedly, my first, unrequited love.
He hadn’t changed a bit. Tall, muscular, with broad shoulders and those bright, lively eyes that still danced with mischief, just like they used to.
I stood there, staring into those darned eyes, unable to utter a single word.
“Nadia, hey, I need to talk to you,” Sergey began. “I’ll wait until you change, then I’ll drive you home, and we can chat on the way. Sound good?”
Vicky nudged me in the side because I wasn’t responding at all. I was still in shock that he was standing here, right in front of me, and it seemed like he’d come specifically for me. None of this made sense in my head...
“Okay,” I finally nodded after a few seconds, offering him a small smile. “Wait outside by the main entrance.”
“Deal,” Sergey said, turning and walking away.
I rushed into the dressing room and darted to the mirror.
My hair was a mess, my face smudged, and in these ragged clothes, I looked like some old hag. And this is how he saw me. Why, oh why, couldn’t he have come later, after I’d left the dressing room? And how did they even let him back here?
“Nadia, you okay? Who was that?” I caught Vicky’s curious gaze in the mirror.
She looked ready to devour Sergey whole. That’s just how she is... anything attractive, she wants to claim for herself. Honestly, that trait isn’t all bad. I often lack that kind of drive myself... but that’s because my belief in fairness was shattered long ago. Now, I don’t see the point in fighting so fiercely.
“Vicky, are you driving? Can you give me a lift home?” I asked in a casual tone.
“Didn’t you just tell that blue-eyed, buff guy in a thousand-dollar suit to wait for you?” Vicky countered with a question of her own.
“I only said that to get him to leave. I don’t actually have anything to talk to him about.”
Yes, I’m a total coward. I don’t want to... Who knows what he’s cooked up. Sergey was always an experimenter, even as a kid. I’m sure he didn’t come to see me for no reason.
But I don’t want to find out why. My heart is already racing just from seeing him again. I can’t talk to him. I’ve only just started getting my personal life back on track. Dan and I are about to move in together, and maybe even get married.
“You’re acting like a child... You’re both adults. That’s just rude!” Vicky gave me a stern look. “If you don’t want to talk to him, fine. Go out there and tell him that. Then I’ll drive you home.”
“Come on, Vicky...” I clasped my hands together in a pleading gesture. “Let’s just go! I was planning to crash at your place tonight anyway. Dan was supposed to be fumigating his apartment for roaches...”
“No,” she said firmly.
“Dan will get jealous!”
“Your Dan doesn’t seem to care about anything,” Vicky shrugged. “So maybe it’d actually be a good thing if this handsome guy drove you home...”
“But...”
“How long have you two been dating? Three years? And you still live in separate apartments! Separate, Nadia!” Vicky threw her hands up.
That “Nadia” of hers—she always said it when she wanted to hit a nerve. But there was probably some truth to her words. I knew it, yet I wasn’t about to air my dirty laundry. Vicky wasn’t a true friend... In the acting world, there are no real friends, only competitors. I learned that lesson long ago, at seventeen, during my very first casting...
“I’m...” I looked away. “I’m fine with how things are. We don’t want to rush. It’s convenient for us...” I said this more quietly.
It was probably obvious I was making excuses.
Truthfully, I’ve wanted to move in with Dan for a while now. It would be practical—no more paying two sets of bills, two rents, and all that.
But early in our relationship, we agreed not to rush things. Dan said he didn’t want to feel “a noose around his neck,” warning me on our first date... Back then, I wasn’t eager to dive in headfirst either, but now... now I’m starting to crave some stability.
After all, I’m already twenty-seven...
“You’re such an idiot...” Vicky said sincerely. “But that’s not the point right now,” she added, giving me a critical once-over. “Do you at least have some lipstick with you? You look like a pale ghost...”
***
“Finally,” Sergey said, quickly opening the car door for me and practically shoving me inside. “We’re short on time, let’s hurry...”
“I didn’t even want to...”
I didn’t have a chance to look around before I was already sitting in the passenger seat.
“We’ll talk on the way,” Sergey said, sliding into the driver’s seat. “Buckle up...”
“Okay,” I fastened my seatbelt as he started the car.
“Where to?”
“Saltivka Highway, near the ‘Class’ supermarket...”
I buckled up. I didn’t want to look at him. I just wanted this ride to be over as soon as possible.
Although... I got off early today... I’ll get home almost an hour earlier than usual. And anyway, I told Dan I wouldn’t be coming over... Though, he probably wouldn’t mind if I showed up, right?
Right now, especially after this blast from the past, I just want Dan to hold me...
For the first couple of minutes, Sergey didn’t say anything. I had no idea what was going on... Maybe I should ask.
“Didn’t you want to talk about something?” I finally asked when we’d covered nearly a third of the way.
“Yeah,” he nodded. “I want to hire you, offer you a job.”
Sergey looked so serious... I don’t know, it felt like this job was a matter of life and death for him. I didn’t know what to say, so I just blurted out what was on my mind:
“I work at the theater, I don’t have time for anything else... And what kind of job could you even offer? Isn’t your thing a family business or something?” I was genuinely puzzled.
For a couple of seconds, he hesitated, but then he looked at me with those sky-blue eyes and said:
“I need you, Samoylenko, to play the role of my fiancée. It’s the only way I can convince my father to sign the company over to me...”