Page 65 of Play Room Actor

“Mm …” he muttered, without taking his eyes off the screen. “Probably just overworked.”

I had a ton of questions, but even I could tell he wasn’t ready to answer them all.

“Don’t you want anything to eat?” I asked instead.

“I can’t eat anything. Just ice cream.”

“Then I’ll get you the ice cream.”

When I came back to the living room, he had turned the volume up on the laptop but was still lying there, utterly drained. As soon as I sat down, though, he propped himself up and placed his head back in my lap. That didn’t stop him from eating ice cream.

We watched a few more episodes together until we both fell asleep in front of the screen. It was almost 1 a.m. when I helped Kilian to bed, tidied up a bit, and then lay down next to him.

19

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Dominic

On Thursday, after rehearsal, Eliah and I went to a costume shop to get outfits for Sebastian’s wedding party. The theme was “The Roaring 1920s.” Sibylle, the costume designer, had recommended the shop after buying herself a fringed dress and a feather boa there.

While Eliah looked great in his pinstriped suit, giving off a bit of a gangster vibe, I opted for a simpler look and focused more on accessories. My outfit consisted of dark pants, a white shirt, suspenders, and a bow tie. Fortunately, I already had a pair of Oxfords at home, so I didn’t have to worry about shoes.

Kilian had stayed home on Wednesday and Thursday, but he was on the mend and had answered all my concerned messages. When I asked if he needed anything from the costume rental, he kindly declined.

Since I didn’t have rehearsal on Friday, we didn’t see each other for the rest of the week. That’s why it was such a surprise when he sent me a photo from the church on Saturday, showing Sebastian, his new wife, and the priest.

The church wedding had been a small, intimate affair, with mainly family and close friends, and only Jacob and Kilian had attended from the theater. But the real celebration, as Sebastian called it, was scheduled for the evening.

When Eliah and I arrived at the address shortly after 8:30 p.m., we weren’t sure if we were in the right place. But a bouncer waved us in after we showed our invitation, and soon we found ourselves in an incredibly high room with bare concrete walls and a cold cement floor.

To our right, there was a gift table and further back, a row of clothing racks that had probably been borrowed from the theater. On the left, in the center surrounded by numerous round tables, was a bar, staffed by a red-haired woman who resembled Merida from Brave and a tattooed, bald young man. Numerous guests sat at the tables, drinking, eating, and chatting loudly.

Towards the back, wooden benches outlined a dance floor, where at least fifty people were already dancing. In one corner, a DJ was spinning records, switching from Queen’s “Magic” to Supertramp’s “Breakfast in America.” If I hadn’t known that more than half the guests were theater people and actors, I might have wondered why the party was so lively at this hour.

The lighting in the room was varied—not too bright, but not too dark either. Over the dance floor, a disco ball reflected the light in every direction. It was clearly Kilian’s doing. The lighting was simple, yet it had the same finesse I’d seen in his home. Kilian had a knack for setting accents and creating just the right atmosphere.

Sebastian had made it clear that no children were allowed after 8 p.m. The moment the clock struck eight, the DJ cranked up the music, and the corks started popping.

These were extroverted, creative types—a group of hyperactive people who turned the dance floor into a stage. A pink feather boa was passed around, and someone raised a top hat in the air—and that was just the beginning of the evening.

“There,” Eliah said, pointing toward the bar.

I dropped my envelope on the gift table and followed Eliah to Sebastian. He was standing with his new wife, Kathrin, and three other people, chatting. We greeted him and were introduced to Kathrin.

She was a petite woman, dressed perfectly for the theme in a golden fringed dress, gold silk gloves, and a black feather boa around her neck. Her brown hair was elegantly styled in an updo, topped with a 1920s floral headpiece.

Sebastian was no less stylish, wearing a bold, dark plaid suit with a purple shirt and bow tie. The two of them looked great together and were thrilled to see us.

“Enjoy the evening! There’s pizza and a variety of cakes—just help yourselves. There’s also a drink list at the bar. And a few cocktails, too.”

Our conversation with Sebastian didn’t last long, as new guests were arriving at the door. I wondered how many people they’d actually invited, because when I looked around, there were already nearly a hundred people in the room.

“Let’s grab a drink!” Eliah suggested.

I ordered a beer, just as the red-haired bartender placed a fresh pizza on the counter. “Help yourselves if you’re hungry.”

I did just that, since I hadn’t had time to eat earlier.