62 It's Time to Start the Show

Rafał looked at Anita, a really pretty young woman who now, instead of being at the university doing a master's degree, was accompanying him on a film set. Anita said that she could always finish her studies, and the chance to work on the production of a series happened to few people and perhaps once in a lifetime. That is why she decided to follow him.

Brylski knew, however, that this was not true. His friend dropped out of college not for the fun of working on the set, not for the dreams associated with it, but for him. Anita followed him because she had to take care of him.

This compulsion was not imposed on her by anyone. Not now that they were both adults. However, Anita still felt a responsibility for the boy she had saved many years ago. She still wanted to take care of him. Rafał knew that well.

Following him through all those years of high school, college and now work, Anita didn't even have time to start dating. Who knows if she even had the opportunity to have her first kiss...

Rafał smiled pale. He walked closer to his friend and took her hands.

“I'm sorry, I shouldn't have suggested all this” he announced. “You're not an actress, you're my best friend. I can't take away your first kiss. Your first kiss should be with someone...”

Anita climbed up on her toes and pressed her lips to his mouth. Her lips were hot and dry, but her tongue was wet.

Rafał lost his breath. Shock widened his eyes. Anita's lips, her tongue...

The woman pulled her lips away from his and all red fell back on her heels. With a flame of determination in her eyes she announced:

“Now you don't have to worry about my first kiss.”

***

Keyboard Warrior 00880 was waiting. Tomo_007 contacted him informing him that he had another buyer, so he was holding up the transaction. Keyboard Warrior 00880 cursed. What did he care about the other buyer? After all, he didn't want exclusive material! It would even be better if more people had Brylski's compromising information. If the dirt comes out from different, independent sources, its credibility will be correspondingly higher.

What annoyed Keyboard Warrior 00880 the most was that he had already managed to boast about his capture with someone who was very close to Jakub Wolak and with several other people. Everyone rejoiced at the news that Brylski had an embarrassing secret. A secret that would destroy him. If Tomo_007 backed out of the deal, they would not only lose the chance to destroy Brylski's reputation single-handedly, but Keyboard Warrior 00880 would also lose his own reputation, and that was unthinkable.

Keyboard Warrior 00880 could not ridicule himself in the eyes of people close to Jakub Wolak.

The door suddenly opened and a sheaf of light from the corridor, obscured by the shadow of the silhouette standing there, rushed in.

“For God's sake, Iza, clean your room! People will think you live in a pigsty!”

“Piss off and close the door!” shouted the furious Keyboard Warrior 00880 “Can't you see I'm busy?!”

“Iza...”

“GET OUT!”

Shadow disappeared muttering something under his breath, probably curses, and the door closed.

Mother found herself! Why don't you clean up by yourself but look at me?

Keyboard Warrior 00880, at home known as Iza, felt a great deal of frustration in her heart at her mother. This woman never understood the needs of her child, she only cared about her own pleasures, so one day Iza took care of her own needs. She did it the way she knew how, by learning from the internet, here by getting friends and help. Strangers have shown her more interest and support than her own mother, so now let this selfish woman get the hell out of her life!

Iza's lonely evenings have turned into adventurous evenings of Keyboard Warrior 00880. Looking at the beautiful face of Jakub Wolak has given her heart warmth, and her community of fans has given her acceptance. Keyboard Warrior 00880 received everything that Iza did not receive.

Therefore, the loyalty of this person sitting in front of the computer monitor was strong and unwavering. Loyalty to her friends in the fan circle and to Jakub Wolak, around whom they all gathered. Around the idol who was like a god to them.

That is why Keyboard Warrior 00880 could not let his friends down. That's why he waited so nervously for the message from Tomo_007, the message that would make Keyboard Warrior 00880 a hero.

***

“Why are you acting like this? Why are you running away from me! I thought that after everything that happened between us...?”

“What happened between us?”

“Rafał, wait! Rafał!”

Brylski stopped in the shade of the trees on the side of the hotel building where he lived. He was annoyed and this was not a game at all.

“Anita, come on, what if someone sees us? What will they think of us?”

“Let them think what they want” Janiszek said firmly, coming closer to him. “What are you afraid of? A scandal?”

“I don't want anything to happen to you.”

“What could possibly happen to me? Do you think my parents will be devastated when they find out we're a couple? No, they won't. They'll be happy when I tell them...”

“Don't you dare!”

“Why not?”

“I'm serious about my career. I don't have the time or the head for relationships right now. I have no intention of keeping a secret lover, and openly... you know I should be free.”

“When did you decide that?” Anita asked suppressing her anger. “Before or after what you did with me tonight? If you decided to break up with me for the sake of your career, why did you sleep with me again?”

“Sorry, I'm just a guy.”

Anita slapped him on the cheek, not very hard, but his head visibly turned and Brylski saw Tomek standing nearby, but not very close.

‘This isn't going to work’ thought Rafał feeling a surge of panic. ‘It can't work.’

If the scene had been seen by an ordinary passerby, he probably would have believed that he was witnessing a lovers' quarrel. But Tomek knew that Rafał was an actor, that Anita would do anything for him, and... that Rafał couldn't have a lover. Therefore, Tomek would definitely not believe what he was seeing, unless...

“I told you,” hissed Brylski to Anita, “that people were beginning to snoop around me, to take an interest in me, and you were making such a scene!”

“You didn't want to listen to me in the room....”

“I don't want to listen to you at all! Why can't you understand that?”

“Because I love you and... I thought you loved me too! But you were only interested in sex!”

Damn it! Anita really got into character and her emotions were really realistic, but her improvisation was a tad exaggerated. Tomek would never believe that it could only be about sex for Rafał.

“Anita...” Brylski softened his voice. “It's not like that. You are very important to me. You always have been. Anita...” He touched her hair.

They were looking straight into each other's eyes like a couple of real lovers who are going to reconcile after a stormy argument. A hint of shame, remorse and passion that flowed from the mutual attraction and this adrenaline-filled situation.

It's now! They should kiss each other now!

“Anita!” they suddenly heard a male voice. “Is it really you?”

They both turned their heads towards the voice and saw Tomek approaching with a smile.

“Yes, it's you! That's what I thought! Do you remember me? I'm Tomek, Rafał's friend!”

That crooked, mischievous smile, that arrogant expression, that inhibited laugh.

There was no way Tomek was going to be fooled by their performance.

Rafał was screwed.