63 Something Interesting

Marzena Skierska yawned and stretched. With regret she threw off the remains of the sleep that had been so wonderfully pleasant... But she had no choice but to get up and get ready for work. Though young and though an artist, she was ultimately a responsible working woman.

Yeah, right!

“Miss Marzena, please get up now!”

This grumbling of the assistant was the most important reason for Skierska to get out of bed. Marzena was an owl, a person who goes to bed late and gets up late, not a lark. Practically every morning when she had to get out of bed she cursed in her mind her choice to become an actress.

On the other hand, in life one had to make some sacrifices to get something good in return.

Marzena summoned all her determination and not only rolled out of the bedclothes, but also started to prepare for her morning jog. After all, someone who sells their body on screen has to look like the object of desire to buy that body, and even someone as naturally beautiful as her had to work at it.

The morning was fortunately not as hot as the last few days, so jogging shouldn't be so exhausting either, Marzena said and in her sporty outfit went out in front of the hotel.

The young actress didn't know whether to be happy or sorry that there wasn't a flock of photographers or fans with cell phones waiting for her in front of the building? Popularity was cool and it gave money, but privacy was also ok, so it was probably better that Skierska was free to roam the streets. At least she wouldn't have to worry about someone taking compromising, or at least unflattering, pictures of her.

Marzena raised her arms to do some trunk turns as a slight warm-up when she thought she heard the voices of Rafał Brylski and his assistant. Skierska furrowed her eyebrows. Judging by the tone of the conversation and the words spoken, these two... were having an affair?

Impossible!

The actress flicked her ears like an alert antelope in the steppe and crept a little closer. In fact the two were talking as if they had just had a lovers' quarrel.

Marzena thought for a moment. Anita liked Rafał, there was no doubt about that. But it was difficult not to like Rafał. Even Marzena had a certain weakness for him, although she did not see him as a potential lover. Brylski was unusually beautiful for a man and charming, and his green eyes were simply a magical garden in which one wanted to lose oneself forever, but for some reason Skierska did not see herself in bed with him. Rafał was more like a mystical creature exuding spiritual love than sex appeal, but maybe he just didn't work on Marzena, who preferred slightly more powerfully built men.

But in fact, ok, Rafał could be very sexy and it was not Marzena's role to judge the preferences of others, only for some reason she was sure that Anita's liking and desires for Brylski were completely one sided. And Rafał did not give the impression of someone who simply plays with a woman's heart, much less her body.

Only a few moments passed, however, when a man joined the conversation between Brylski and Janiszek.

The conversation was becoming even more interesting.

“Tomek? What are you doing here?” Anita asked. “I thought you were out of contact with Rafał.”

“We have renewed our acquaintance” said the strange man and Marzena got the impression that he was not very friendly towards Brylski and Janiszek. “It is nice to see you, Anita, but I need to talk to Rafał about a very important matter...”

Janiszek looked questioningly at Brylski, who let her know to leave them alone. Rafał looked somehow not particularly well, as if he was very sleepless and stressed. As if he did not even have the slightest desire to have this conversation.

Marzena turned around hiding behind the wall. She wondered if she should leave with Anita, pretend that she was not here, because the conversation between the two men seemed to be private, but they were all in a public place. If you do not want anyone to hear your conversation, have it in a private place!

At that moment Brylski's assistant bumped into Marzena and her eyes were full of desperation. When she saw that she had Skierska in front of her, she whispered as forcefully as if she were begging for life:

“Marzena, please help Rafał! Please!”

“But... what is it?”

Anita was not able to say anything more. Fortunately she did not have to. Her desperation and the expression on Brylski's face spoke for themselves - this man was a threat. And for some reason it had to do with Rafał's affair with his assistant.

Marzena had no idea what it was about. However, she sensed that she had an opportunity to practice her acting skills and... have some fun. Improvisation was one of the acting exercises and she already had the place, the time and the plot - an affair.

Skierska took a deep breath, straightened up to her full height, approached Brylski with a determined step and... slapped him.

“You said... you said you were no longer with Anita, you...”

The actress felt like hitting him again, but she stopped at showing her rage with her eyes and heavy breathing. And, of course, with her words.

“You said you didn't have time because you wanted to learn the role, and you spent the night with her? With her? With your assistant?”

“E... Marzena, it's not like that! I...”

Skierska sent an angry look to the man accompanying Rafał, but it was immediately replaced by a very kind one.

“Don't worry about the scene. Rafał had a mosquito on his cheek” she announced suppressing her anger. Then, completely ignoring both men and leaving them completely shaken, she walked away with her head proudly raised.

“Marzena, wait, I will explain everything to you, Marzena...”

***

Tomek grabbed Rafał by the arm. He looked at him in disbelief. Brylski, ashamed, looked away.

“I didn't believe in Anita, but she...”

“Let go...”

“Are you really not impotent?”

“What do you care! What, you have nothing to sell to the press? I was never impotent. How could you spread such rumors about me at school?”

“You told me yourself...”

“What? What did I say to you? I don't recall anything like that.”

“But you never had a girlfriend...”

“I haven't, so what? Not every teenager thinks about sex all the time. I wanted to finish school with a good grade and get into a good college. Is that so weird? Maybe so. After all, not many teenagers think about their future, but I did. But you never understood me. Now let go, I have to clear up a misunderstanding...”

But Tomek didn't let go. His grip grew stronger and his eyes shone with determination.

“Are you and Anita...?”

“Bloody hell it's none of your business! If there's any gossip about them in the media, I swear to God, I'll sue you for defamation. Be glad I didn't report you to the police for blackmail!”

Tomek's hand dropped helplessly.

“Rafał, I don't recognize you!”

Brylski didn't recognize himself at that moment either. He couldn't believe he had the courage to stand up to Tomek so bravely and firmly. What came to his mind, however, was Damian, who after finding out about Rafał's asexuality did not treat him as something defective, but as a normal, full-fledged man. What's more, Damian got really involved in getting to know Brylski better and even gave him something extremely valuable from himself.

“Because you never knew me” he answered looking at Tomek with reproach and challenge. “I wanted to consider you a friend, to open my heart to you, but you never wanted that. We were never more than colleagues. Do you think I could have trusted you with any of my secrets? Trust has to be earned. You never earned mine. You think I'd confide in you about something that serious? And who's the joke here?”

Tomek stood stunned. He had never heard so much passion and so much anger in Rafał before. When they were teenagers and Tomek had spread a rumor about his impotence, Rafał had looked like a whipped puppy, and now....

Now Tomek had a young wolf in front of him.

Had he really misunderstood Brylski then? Or was it just an adolescent phase with Rafał? After all, many teenagers have trouble understanding and accepting their sexuality.

“Finally, because I really don't have time for your games, I'll tell you one thing” Brylski added and his green eyes were on fire. “It doesn't matter if I'm as chaste as a monk, if I sleep with women, men or anyone that comes along, it's none of your fucking business. It's not the media's business or the fans' business. My bed, it's my business and the people who are in it. So again, if the media even whispers about it, I will destroy you in court. Do you understand?”

“Yes," said Tomek, gritting his teeth. “I understand you very well.”