6 First Read

El and Will sat beside each other in the living room, both holding a cup of freshly made tea. "So, you have questions." El started, recognizing the look on his face.

"I don't know what to say, I'm still processing it." Will admitted. He felt shy suddenly, self conscious, and most of all starstruck. And thats coming from someone who had worked with a number of high profile celebrities in Hollywood and did not bat an eyelid. He felt like shrinking in his seat, as she continued to look at him with those big brown eyes. He'd read her book numerous times in preparation for the role, and he enjoyed every minute of it. The way she stiched words together in harmony, made his imagination soar. It felt like an adventure everytime.

"Hi." The word passed his lips before he even realized it. "Hi." El replied, a shadow of a smile was on the corner of her lips, amused by his sudden bashfulness. Will turned away from her, attempting to conceal the boyish smile spreading on his lips. Would it be weird if he asked an autograph after this? Does she even give out autographs?

"Okay, alright." He said, mostly to collect himself.

"Where are you from?" he asked, curious. "I was born and raised in the Philippines." she answered, after taking a sip. "Are you half-spanish or--?" he pried noting her last name was Ramirez.

"No, both my parents are Filipino's. If its about my last name, historically speaking Philippines was colonized by Spain for 333years, thus the last name." El informed.

"I see, how old are you?" Will asked, this question was more of a personal inquiry.

"I'm 29, and you?" she answered, surprising Will who thought she was 25 at most.

"I am 33 years old." earning a nod.

"Most importantly, why did you hide your identity?" And finally, Will asked the question of the century. He was half expecting something philisophical, something that will move him. Maybe challenge the way he viewed the world. But instead she said, "I dont like people." and he choked on his drink.

A smile crept on El's face, watching him choke on tea with her reply. She found him amusing, entertaining even.

"Really?" Will asked, wondering if she was teasing him again. It wasnt the first time after all.

"Well, yes. I generally dont like dealing with people. I find it tiresome. Book signing, meet and greet seemed too tedious to me. But I think thats not the answer you wanted to hear, and you're disappointed." El said, holding a grin.

"No, no, its fine. I just didnt expect that answer." Will confessed,

"Were you expecting me, no. I mean, were you expecting R.E Devlin to be some philisophical genius, perhaps someone bigger than life? Or maybe one that can change the world?" El assumed, she knew she hit the bullseye with his reaction.

"All these time, I know people had placed the R.E Devlin in some sort of pedestal. Pedestal they created themselves." El said, Will noticed she was speaking in third person.

"You say it like RE Devlin is not you." he commented

"Its not me, atleast the RE Devlin people had created for themselves. I am ME, Ela Devlin Ramirez, came from a Third World country, who likes to paint and travel. People have their own expectations of who or what RE Devlin is 'supposed' to be. I'm not some bearded wise old man as many assumes." El said, chuckling at the last part. She had read a number of theories regarding her identity. From a university professor, a polymath, to a wise grandfather that lives in the suburbs.

"Mr. Knigthly, I'm just a girl. But I wont let anyone define me, and unlike most people, I like ME." El expressed confidently, a mischivioues smile on her lips.

And Will saw it, yes. He saw it in her eyes, the wisdom that people see through her masterpieces. The wisdom that people may fail to see in her...Right there, looking back at him was THE R.E Devlin, that everyone had been searching for. And he had finally, really met her.

"But if your question meant, how did all these secrecy came into existence? It was that I never intended it to. I had always been antisocial, for lack of better word. And with me refusing to go on author-reader events, birthed my supposed anonymity. On the good note though, the booksales went up! and my publishers had decided to go along with the 'mystery'. And I never really minded not having my face on the back cover." Sam furthe explained.

Will nodded, fully comprehending, taking a sip.

"So anything else?" El asked, wanting to move forward. She hated interviews too, thats also one of the reason she never had the urge to go public. Interviews always felt like you had to constantly prove yourself in some way, to be liked by people you dont even know.

"No, for now." Will answered after a moment, and she nodded in understaning.

"Okay, so Cam says you needed to speak with me about the role Fran is producing? What do you need?" she asked direct to the point. "I want to give the character more depth, I thought that my acting isnt giving him the justice. I think, if I know more of the character, his history, why he bacame the way that he is, would make me understand him more. Be in his shoes more." William explained.

"Show me the scene where you're having doubts." El asked, surprising Will with her request. But he did it anyway. He decided on the most powerful scene in the script, the part were the character was torn between confusion, anger and agony.

As El watched she found herself lost at the memory of it, the very lines she wrote on the pages, he was saying them then. Every agonizing breath that he took. The tears rolling down his blue eyes, the agony, and the mischief in it, he took it as if it was his own.

El realized, 'wow, he's really good. He's mesmerizing.'

MInutes later, Will ended the scene, wiped his tears and looked at her reaction. He could tell she felt it, even without the fancy props around. She stood there in that scene together with him.

"I have to be honest with you, coming from an author and not an expert on the art of acting. I don't see anything wrong with it, I think you played the part perfectly. What did your director say?" El confessed. "It was good, thats what they said." Will admitted, but his tone held a hint of sadness.

"So whats the issue?" El asked, she doesnt understand why he felt the need to do more than he already has. Will sighed confused himself, he doesnt understand why he felt the way that he felt. That to him, something was missing. Something very important.

"I feel like I'm missing something to make it more him."

"I see. " El said, recognizing the glint of passion in his eyes. Passion she can fully comprehend, the need to dive fully in the world. The sense of losing yourself. It happens often to even her. Lost in the echoes of her fingers hitting the keyboard. The words flowing like water. At times she doesnt even know what she was typing, its as though the story is writing itself and she was but a tool. That feeling, entirely is addicting. The joy of discovery.

And at the back of her mind, El felt honoured that he would do that much for a character. A character millions had loved, she loved. Wanting to help his situation, an idea came to her mind.

"Give me a sec."El says, pulling her mobile out of her pocket and dialing her agent.

"Cam... Yeah, he's with me now. Anyway, I need you to prepare an NDA for Mr Knightly. I'm going to let him read the next book, today." El said over the phone, the last line William heard and he froze on his spot. Did he hear it right? he wondered to himself.

Cam argued on the other line, "You said it wasnt finished yet?"

"I've been finished since the end of last month, I just didnt tell you because you were annoying me." El replied easily, the man on the other line replied with "Are you really going to let him read it when Sage havent even read it yet." Sage her Editor.

"Its fine, I'll only let him read it while his here. So prepare the NDA, please." El said, and she ended the call. Her eyes rested on Will who was looking at her like she grew another head. She left him in the living room for a moment to get the manuscript in her writing room.

Handing him the thick manuscript, she said "Okay, here." He took it from her hand and looked at it in both awe and horror.

"Like you heard, it hasnt hit the market yet. Not even my editor had the chance to read it. You're the First read. If it goes out, well, its under a 160 million dollar deal." El informed. "My Publisher will sue your ass. Cam, I reckon will ruin you on social media. He can be a real bitch sometimes. So please heed my warning." Will nodded, the manuscript felt heavy in his hands suddenly.

"Not a word, not to anyone. Not even your mother. Definitely not even your therapist if you have one. Not a single soul, not even your pets soul." El said, earning a nod from the man.