Alex

Stretching, I extended my arms to my toes and did all of the things that my trainer usually told me to do before our workouts. With music playing in my ears, I began with a slow jog to warm up for my morning training. I planned to jog my usual route down to the pier and along to my trainer's gym where I would do my usual morning session. These days, he had me in the gym twice a day, everyday.

Over the sound of my music, I could hear my feet slapping rhythmically against the concrete pavement as I fastened my pace. I jogged down the empty pavement, which was always the good thing about starting these workouts so early, everyone else on earth seemed to be absent from the world. Sand eventually appeared either side of the path as I got down to the beach and I looked out across the blue ocean, admiring how stunning it looked with the rising orange sun behind it. I much preferred these workouts to my evening ones alone in my home-gym lifting weights.

My feet continued slapping against the floor and I let out panting breaths as sweat began to lightly sheen across my forehead. I turned down the music slightly so that I could hear the sound of the waves collapsing in on themselves as I ran, enjoying even the sound of the squawking seagulls. The weather was lovely and the sea-breeze was just as good as a cup of black coffee at waking me up.

As I thought about how beautiful the sunrise was, I couldn't help but think back to the guy in the park, sat with a golden ring of sunset around him. I had found myself thinking about him a lot recently. Whenever I had a dull moment, stuck in traffic or responding to emails, I saw his face. His wide-eyed, innocent stare had had a profound effect on me. I knew that I had a chance to see him today and I suppose that's why I had a perkier pep to my step. The chance was low, but there was a chance.

I made it to the start of the small, wooden pier and began to jog along it, the sound of my feet slamming against the wood a welcomed change. As I got to the end, I slowed my pace and allowed myself to come to a complete stop to truly take a moment to appreciate the view. If my trainer was here, he'd scold me for losing my momentum, but I didn't really care. The sun was rising and the orange and pink colours that were splashed across the sky and reflected in the waves were immensely worth it.

Leaning against the rail that blocked me from falling into the ocean, I let out a shaky breath, partly due to breathlessness from exercise and partly due to nerves. I sincerely hoped today went the way I had been daydreaming it would.

Putting it to the back of my mind, however, I continued with my run and made my way to the beachfront gym. My trainer, Michael, greeted me at the desk and we launched into my workout. My trainer was careful to keep me lean enough that I didn't look like a gym rat and that's why I had always been loyal to him; I wasn't a fan of the mega-ripped look with tri-ceps on top of their bi-ceps.

"Something on your mind, man? You've been spaced out the last few sessions." Michael asked earnestly, handing me a towel at the end of our workout.

"It's noticeable?" I chuckled, "Just looking forward to this event later."

Michael seemed taken aback by that, albeit while remaining professional enough to not comment on it, and it made me revaluate things for a second. He had probably never heard me laugh so openly, or speak about enjoying work without being sarcastic. He usually commented on how tense I was after long periods of filming and recommended I go for some kind of massage or deep-tissue something.

After a shower and a change into the suit that Jenny had arrived with, I was ready for today. I had sprayed extra cologne, just in case, and I felt like a teenage boy getting ready for his first date. Jenny had also picked up on a change in my behaviour over the last week or so because she noticeably sniffed the air as I stepped out of the changing rooms.

"The driver is outside, Alex." Jenny smiled, holding open the door.

"Thank you," I nodded, "See you tomorrow, Michael."

He bid me goodbye, handing me a post-workout drink. I slipped into the back of the awaiting car. Jenny insisted on using a car service today and on bringing a bodyguard, which I didn't particularly disagree with. I only used one during big or very public events, like today, since Michael had me well-versed enough in self-defence that I could handle myself. God knows I had before.

Jenny briefed me on today and asked if I had looked over the PowerPoint that she had put together, which I had. That pleased her and I complimented her work, since she had done a good job. That pleased her further and she beamed brightly at me. Even at this hour, Jenny was in go-mode.

Stepping out of the car on the University grounds was a bit hectic. Ironically, I had been just a five-minute walk away from here just a week ago and I had been virtually undetected, bar a few students. Now, however, everyone had caught wind that Alex Hill was visiting their university and had come out to take a photo. The university were paying a lot for this guest lecture spot; admittedly, I would have done it for free for a chance to see that guy, but the university obviously wouldn't have known that.

I handed Jenny my finished smoothie and prepared myself for the hoards. Flashes from paparazzi began to go off, as well as from student's phones, as soon as my bodyguard, Fern, opened my car door. People were yelling all kinds of things at me as Fern created a path for me to walk through the crowd in. Fern was a pro at this and we were up to the doors of the university in no time and being ushered by the principle through to her office. The number of students who stopped and gaped at me was astounding, but none of them were who I was looking for.

"Mr. Hill! Welcome to Nylon University! Thank you so much for coming in today to give the students such unique insight." The principle beamed, gesturing for me to take a seat in one of her leather chairs.

"Glad to be here, Ms. Bream."

Jenny had briefed me on her name, so at least I had remembered it. Jenny seemed pretty pleased that I had, giving me a subtle thumbs-up from behind the principle. She was a worry-wort whenever I had to do a public appearance. I think she expected me to go off the rails and yell 'fuck-you' to a University student. I had, of course, done that just last week, so perhaps she was right to worry.

"Well, since this lecture was originally intended to be for exclusively film students, we thought we could set you up with some refreshments in the film department before it's time for the lecture." Ms. Bream seemed very enthusiastic.

"Sounds delightful." I grinned.

I sincerely doubt that the guy that I'm looking for is a film student because he didn't seem to recognise me and, not to be vain, but you'd be a pretty poor film student to not know me. Ms. Bream led me up to the film department office, where they had set up some tea and coffee and biscuits. I was used to overdone posh-grub so this was pretty endearing. One particular member of staff was barely holding themselves together once I walked in, so I sent her a charming smile. I had to be on my best behaviour to make it up to Jenny for being such a genius as to set this up, after all. Not that she knew about my ulterior motive.

I had already planned to attend, but it was rather reluctantly before. Now, I had come here on a whim of finding him. It was one hell of a whim judging by the size of this University; I didn't even know the guys name. All I knew was that I needed to find him and that I might find him here since dickhead one or two had mentioned he lived in the dorms here. Not to sound like a stalker, but that must mean he's a student.

"I really love the film 'The Z-word'. You were amazing starring in that." One of the members of staff complimented me, clearly a huge cinema fan.

I mean, I was in a film department at a University; of course they're a fan of cinema.

"I think 'The Treehouse' was amazing." Another staff member beamed at me, "I'm so excited to hear your lecture today, it's truly an honour to meet such a veteran in film. It's not very often that you get an actor who's so genre-loyal!"

"What can I say, I have a killer smile." I joked vapidly, flashing my whites to appease Jenny.

The staff were bemused by my lame joke that I had used a thousand times in the press. It was one of those lines that you pulled out of your media-ready, safe to deploy bag when you didn't know what to say. My media team had politely suggested I stick to using those kinds of responses because the public and I tended to not get along.

"Please, take a seat. Help yourself to coffee, tea, biscuits, or whatever." The principle gestured to the make-shift seating area.

I nodded and sent another smile, taking a seat. I hated having to smile and be polite; I mean, acting was my job but I didn't want to have to act outside of the set. One of the staff members ushered two young people into the office and they sat in front of me; one of them was already stammering with nerves while the other looked like he thought he was too cool for me. People probably thought I had the same attitude at times, disinterested, so it didn't bug me.

"If you don't mind, these two are both studying journalism and would absolutely love a chance to be able to interview you." The staff member seemed to be phrasing it as a question, but it wasn't really a question.

"Sure, go ahead." I shrugged, leaning back and taking a biscuit to nibble on.

Jenny sent me a look but I rolled my eyes. It was one biscuit; it wasn't going to ruin my diet.

"It's nice to meet you, my name is Amelia and this is Nate." The first student gestured to herself and then to the guy next to her, "As Annalise said, we're both studying journalism and would like to interview you for our University newspaper. Would you mind having this conversation recorded?"

"Not at all, Amelia." I smiled, "You have the same name as my niece."

"I do? What a coincidence." She beamed.

Not really. I mean, it's not an uncommon name.

"So, first question, what inspires you?" Nate asked, sitting up straight.

I hated questions like this. Why did I need to be inspired to do something? Couldn't I just do it the same way a postman does his job? Why was acting any different?

"I wouldn't say anything inspired me, in particular. I just happened to stumble into acting. Right place, right time and I just got lucky, I suppose." I replied with a shrug, which was the truth.

I don't think I'm particularly amazing at what I do. I was just given a chance and it worked out for me. Plenty of people are far better but can't break into the industry. It's all about luck, and image, which is why Jenny and Michael have to keep me in check to keep my career on path.

"Good point, well, who's your favourite director?" Amelia took over for the next question.

"David Gelespios, without a doubt." I nodded, "He's a pleasure to work with."

My PR team had decided that giving that response was best in cases like this because he was the director I worked most extensively with. It made sense.

"Okay, so what was your 'big break' moment. You said you just 'got lucky', so when was the moment your career sky rocketed?" Nate questioned, his face retaining one of those fake reporter smiles.

I wonder if they taught them that on their journalism course.

"Well, the first major movie I auditioned for, I guess. I had starred in small short films and had a small fan base but then I starred in 'Crop Field' and my fan base just started multiplying and I got requested to start playing lead roles in other major movies and so on." I answered honestly, although rather bored since I'd been asked these same questions at every interview throughout my career.

"It seems that you haven't been caught with a woman throughout your entire career. No scandalous paparazzi snaps of one night stands, no stories of a secret girlfriend. Why is this?" Amelia asked while biting her lip, to which I let out a bark of laughter.

I had been asked about this in plenty of interviews, but I had never heard it be asked so timidly before. She sounded like she might cry and I had a feeling that she didn't write this question herself because she seemed mortified to have to ask it. I usually gave the same vague answer that I always gave, which annoyed my PR team to all-hell. It wasn't like I was going to lie, but I didn't feel the need to publicly perform any sort of coming out either.

"There's a simple answer to that but it's not one I feel I should have to state." I shrugged.

"Are you gay?" Nate gasped, losing that cool composure of his.

I saw Jenny's eyes widen and she made a step forward to intervene, but I waved her down. It wasn't like it was ever a secret, and she knew that's how I felt, so she let it be. She looked visibly on edge.

"I've never lied about my sexuality; everybody just presumes that the default is that men like women."

Nate seemed to be looking at me with conflicted feelings. He was looking at me with a sort of respect, I think. The way he had been able to guess so easily and his lack of composure now suggested to me that he was in a similar boat. I don't think this was the way the staff in the room were expecting their interview session to go.

"Well, I believe it's just about time to go give that speech." Jenny clapped, saving me from the awkward silence.