Chapter 2 Byebye

Dizziness! That's what Louisa felt when Cory dragged her body to a luxury apartment in Malibu. Her legs were no longer able to walk any further, especially in a semi-conscious condition like this. The scenery around the girl seemed to spin until Louisa had to empty her stomach several times. Luckily, it didn't hit Cory's car dashboard or the eccentric man's sweater. If so, maybe Louisa will be the subject of criticism for a week.

As soon as they arrived in the room bathed in moonlight filtering through the window curtains, Cory and Louisa threw themselves on the soft mattress and laughed as if what happened tonight would be an opening to their success. Even though her body was weak due to expelling all the contents of her stomach, Louisa still remembered the most significant achievement during the quarter century of her life. It felt like a dream had come true, the girl thought. She also didn't expect that accepting an offer from a production house could bring her name to something like this. Then, she adjusted her sleeping position, looking at the ceiling when Cory said,

"This was an amazing night for both of our careers."

"You've said that many times, Cory," said Louisa, waving one hand. "Ah, tomorrow we will meet fans. I'm so nervous for the first time."

Louisa felt with one hand to find a black clutch, then reached for her cellphone, hoping there would be just one notification from her lover. The iPhone screen showed one o'clock in the evening, which means it was around ten in the morning in Paris. Louisa pressed her lips tightly to swallow the bitter reality as she looked at her cell phone. There was still no sign of Troy wanting to take the time to congratulate her, even if it was just a text message. Is Troy so busy he doesn't have a break? Even after Louisa tried to send hundreds of letters, Troy suddenly disappeared into the Earth.

The girl took a deep breath, trying to expel the chunks of rock that were filling her chest, as she put the cell phone back down with no interest. Though her little heart says no, many speculations are floating around in Louisa's mind. She always tried to understand Troy's activities, not just this once, so why didn't the man do the same for her? Long before the film was released, Louisa had made a list of things they would do together if Troy came. Or if he is busy and doesn't have time to fly to LA, Louisa still has a backup plan, namely having dinner and watching a film via video call. In fact,... he was just a lonely companion among the crowd.

"What happened to you?" Cory asked, shifting his body closer to Louisa. He furrowed his eyebrows as if he could read what was inside her head. "Oh, I'm sorry, darling. Troy seems real--"

Before she had time to finish her words, a telephone call from the person she had been waiting for finally appeared, causing a smile on Louisa's face. Hopes that were previously gloomy have now emerged and are growing, hoping they will soon be realised. The girl immediately told Cory that Troy would call when he finished his project. Meanwhile, the manager could only roll his eyes, still not trusting the man Louisa was crazy about. However, he couldn't force his opinion when Louisa was in love.

Louisa hurriedly got up from the bed, ignoring the dizzy sensation in her head to seek privacy while receiving the call. Troy's deep, seductive voice instantly dispelled the feeling of depression that had enveloped Louisa. Bare feet previously sore from hours of dancing on the dance floor suddenly felt as light as walking on soft cotton. Troy's presence is a solace for Louisa's tiredness. Even if this man were here, Louisa would feel at home hugging the broad chest of her heart for a long time or just making out until her lips swelled. For her, no matter how bad the world is, it will look fine as long as Troy-her angel- is around.

She stood on the balcony and let the late winter wind sweep away the tiredness on her face. Meanwhile, the waves, a daily sight for Louisa, are making out intimately with the shoreline. She imagined sunbathing or playing beach volleyball with Troy like their vacation time together before their busy lives separated them. Louisa's long hair swayed with the air currents towards the Malibu beach. The longing that had been pent up for several days finally paid off when Troy's voice called her name.

"Schatz (Darling)!" Louisa exclaimed, calling her lover. "Where have you been? It's been almost three days since you--"

"I think we're ending this relationship, Lou," Troy interrupted suddenly, bringing a smile to Louisa's face.

It took Louisa a long time to digest Troy's nonsensical words until she picked at her right ear, afraid a blockage blocked her ears. She looked up at the star-strewn sky and then at the toes in sandals treading on the balcony. This sentence was not a daydream or hallucination, but it was too scary to be true.

"What do you mean?" Louisa is still in denial about what Troy said, but why is her heart suddenly being stabbed by hundreds of sharp knives? Why did her chest hurt so much hearing Troy's sudden decision? What is wrong?

"I just want us to say goodbye, Lou. I hope you'll be fine there. Goodbye," Troy said, then hung up the phone without waiting for Louisa's response.

God... I'm having a nightmare.

###

Her soul had drifted far from her body when Troy's words were still ringing in her ears. As time passed, Troy's voice dug deeper into Louisa's heart, creating a gaping wound that was so painful it was like being sprinkled with salt. Congested. Louisa hit her chest with her head, hoping that this painful lump would come out of there. The air around her couldn't clear Louisa's senses; instead, she screamed that her romance that had been going on for years had failed for no reason.

Beer cans were scattered on the balcony, but they couldn't erase Louisa's sadness. All night, she sat alone and didn't let Cory accompany her. She was wrestling with the contents of her head, digging for glimpses of her friends' statements about Troy's attitude, which did not show her as a loyal lover. Now, she was drowning in a pool of suffering due to thinking too positively about Troy, even though it was clear that the man was not who he used to be.

The aroma of warm chocolate wafted into Louisa's nose when Cory approached carrying two cups of warm drink. The girl turned away, hurriedly wiped away the wet traces on her cheeks, and forced herself to smile even though her facial muscles felt stiff.

Cory put the cup down, sat beside Louisa, and said, "Drink first to make you feel better, Lou."

Cory's fingers cradled his cup. He looked towards the Malibu beach near their apartment and then turned to observe the outline of Louisa's face. Like a chick that lost its mother, Louisa was so pitiful. Honestly, he felt sorry for Louisa even though, on the other hand, he felt relieved that Troy had broken off the relationship. For him, Louisa deserves a better man than her ex, especially since the actors here are more charming and Cory more or less knows their characters by heart.

"Can I not attend the fan meeting today, Cory?" Louisa asked, reaching for the cup of hot chocolate. When it touches the skin, warmth immediately spreads to envelop every bloodstream. Take a short sip, and the chocolate passes through the oesophagus and into the stomach. Chocolate is indeed the best thing to calm down, and the feeling of anxiety is starting to improve, although not completely. "I don't feel like I can meet people with swollen eyes like this. I'm afraid they will attack me with lots of questions."

"Yes, that's true. Curse Troy! I swear one day he will feel what you feel today, Lou," said Cory, hoping the universe would hear his swear. "But... you're the one they're waiting for, darling. There's still four hours left, Lou. I can help you compress it so it doesn't swell too much. Then you can wear sunglasses. How about it?"

"I'm... not interested, Cory. My body hasn't rested yet, and I'm in a terrible mood. I'm afraid I'll end up crying in front of them."

It wasn't long before Cory's cell phone rang loudly before the man responded to Louisa's request not to attend the fan meeting. Cory chuckled in annoyance that someone was bothering him at a crucial time like this. Since last night, he hurriedly ran to the device in Louisa's room. Cory's thick eyebrows furrowed when he suddenly found the assistant head of the agency contacting him. He was suddenly nervous to death, almost falling to the floor if not for his conscious command to answer the urgent call. Cory landed his butt on the edge of the mattress, squeezed his chest, and asked,

"What's wrong, Mr. Reese?"

"I have orders to convey a message to you to schedule a meeting between Ms. Bahr and Mr. Cross tonight," answered Mr. Reese.

"T-tonight?" Cory stood up and walked quickly towards the balcony where Louisa was still sitting, hugging her knees blankly. "Can it be another day, sir? Because we might--"

"Mr. Cross wants the schedule today, Mr. Conley," interrupted Mr. Reese, who seemed unwilling to accept rejection.

Louisa looked up, raising her eyebrows in curiosity as to who was calling, making Cory's expression pale as a corpse. Cory implied that Louisa should be quiet momentarily by placing his left index finger on his lips while his ears were still hearing the explanation from Mr Cross. As soon as Cory agreed and hung up, he exhaled as he rolled his eyes, feeling his head would explode right now. A rare invitation from Dean Cross was undoubtedly not to be missed, Cory thought. However, he was also in a dilemma because Louisa's psychology did not allow her to greet the agency's top management in a friendly manner.

One time, maybe last year, a week before Christmas, Louisa argued with Troy while filming a movie. Even though she is just an extra, sometimes Louisa prioritises her mood so that the shooting process takes longer. She doesn't hesitate to scold her if someone disturbs her emotions. Therefore, Troy went back and forth, reminding Louisa to be competent in managing her anger and not to mix personal problems with work. No matter how small the situation arises, as an artist immersed in film, you should act professionally instead of staying silent and crying over a bastard like Troy.

"You were invited by Mr. Cross tonight," Cory pointed out, "after your show in San Diego."

"Mr. Cross? For what?" Louisa asked, not understanding.

Cory knelt before Louisa, holding the artist's slender hands while looking at her expectantly. "Listen, Lou. In all my time working under Mr. Cross's agency, I've never heard of him inviting an artist to meet in person. Let's look at the positive side now; could it be that Mr. Cross gives you more opportunities? Friends? Money? Or does anyone recommend you to some film producers?"

"Cory..." Louisa almost refused when Corcy tightened his grip.

"I love you, Lou. And it hurts to see you get dumped by Troy. Now show that bastard that without him, you still shine, darling," said Cory passionately, as if a fire burned in his eyes. "If I were you, I would do anything to be alone with Mr. Cross. But remember, be careful with him."

"You said you accepted his invitation; now be careful. You're very inconsistent," Louisa sneered irritably. "If that's the case, it's better for me to reject it firmly, right?"

"Tsk! It's not like that, My Lady," said Cory angrily. "If he offers you to sleep with him, don't take it. Because many women get carried away and chase Mr. Cross like crazy, you can be heartbroken and please your feelings for men but still use your logic, Lou. Men will be as good as an angel and fierce as a lion when they find a helpless woman."

"So, I have to accept it but also be careful?" Louisa repeated.

"Exactly, darling. If he offers you a chance for a career, then take it! If he offers you a little brother under his pants, don't!" Cory said, rolling one eye.