Page 4 of Score
“She’ll be in touch to hammer out the details, but I’d fire any agent who told me to turn this down.”
“Well, we can work out the specifics.” Canon smiles, obviously pleased. “But I’m glad you’re at least interested in taking the next steps.”
After another thirty minutes discussing the project, we stand and exit the restaurant. I’m riding the elevator down with Evan and Canon, and the air is alive with possibilities.
“Our biggest challenge now,” Canon says, his good mood souring into a frown, “is finding the lead actress.”
Evan rolls his eyes. “Don’t even ask how many auditions and reels and actresses we’ve already seen.”
“And none of them have been right.” Canon’s jaw juts at a stubborn angle, his eyes fixed on the lit descending numbers as we travel to The V’s lobby. “I’ll know her when I see her.”
“I mean, it’s a huge role,” I say. “You gotta be sure to cast the right person.”
“The way Canon acts,” Evan grumbles, “you’d think this woman doesn’t even exist.”
“Oh, she exists,” Canon counters. “I just haven’t met her yet.”
“At least we know who’s doing the score.” Evan gestures for me to walk ahead of him when the elevator doors open. “He and Canon go way back. With something like this, the music is almost as important as the script itself.”
“He’ll be a pain in my ass,” Canon complains even as he yields a lopsided grin. “But there’s no one better.”
“That’s exciting.” I smile up at them, the wind at my back and hopes soaring as we walk through The V’s tastefully decorated lobby. “Who’s doing the music?”
“I think you know him,” Canon says. “He was actually the one who mentioned you attended Finley together. Wright Bellamy, but you probably knew him as Monk.”
I trip over my feet, but manage to catch myself with a hand against the wall before I hit the marble floor.
“You okay?” Evan asks, lightly grasping my elbow for support.
“Yeah.” I paste on some facsimile of a smile. “I’m great.”
Besides the fact that the universe hates me.
Despite the heat of the day, I shiver at the memory of my brief time atFinley. There was so much promise when I first arrived on campus. It was supposed to be a place where I could remake myself.
Instead it’s where I broke.
Monk broke me.
Wait, that’s not fair.
We broke each other.
Even after all these years, I’m still not sure I’ve picked up all the pieces.
Movement One
“Love is a serious mental disease.”
—Plato
ONE
Verity
Finley College—October 2014
I always suspected God has favorites, but watching Wright Bellamy perform onstage, now I know for sure.
