The Assistant

n i n e t e e n

The knocks on Gwen's door were very sparse. Lana and Gina avoided her altogether, claiming that 'she was better left alone' or that was all they learned from their younger years. The crazy cat woman had knocked once leaving a cheese basket where she had left a name. It didn't matter though because Gwen was highly allergic to cheese specifically although Picasso thoroughly enjoyed the basket. Her weeks slowly became crazy editing different smaller scripts. She would message smaller YouTubers sending them scripts for skits, this was only paying a quarter of her rent which was due at the end of the month. With all the money she did have saved she was able to survive until the end of the night. Picasso, however, was not happy with Gwen's choice. The small cat had missed eating his overpriced wood roast salmon flavored food. While Gwen usually ignored the cat he padded around the apartment, staring out the window. The cat's little dream was to crawl out on the fire escape and sunbathe, while Gwen was too busy with her dream the cat realized that he may not live his for a while. Picasso continued to rule the apartment while Gwen spent most of her time pacing about.

Rami had fired Maria, he also now had a monthly payment of $300 to Oli Marks to keep that recording far away from any sort of media. After Gwen's absence Oli and Rami ended up getting closer, they would go out for beers, talk about the recent soccer games, they became closer. Both checked up on Gwen from time to time without the other knowing. Gwen had stopped contact with both boys which was fine but Rami never told her about Edgar. He knew she got the call, Oli told Rami all about the call. Rami also filled him in letting him know that Gwen was getting the opportunity of a lifetime and that yes it was still an indie film network but it was a great start.

Today was one of those days where Rami was 'just checking in' on a separate Instagram account that he had made which was a little self-centered but he knew he could hide behind it easily. After logging into i_love_rami228 he clicked on one of the many people he was following to make it seem less conspicuous and he clicked on Gwen. Her Instagram had slowly became centered around Picasso and her work whether it is a Youtube video she edited or wrote or pictures of scattered looseleaf on a coffee house table showing her new and out of the box ideas. Today it was a picture of Picasso the cat who was sprawled out by his empty food bowl. Rami walked around his house opening up a drawer in the kitchen. He found a tin of cat food from the last night he had with Gwen and decided he would bring it back. After leaving his home and climbing in his car he got a notification from the side account finding out that Gwen had posted on her story. He checked the story to shoe Gwen in her room captioned 'big interview day tomorrow. all nighter!'

Rami knew exactly what this interview was for and it was more than that. It was a pitch meeting with the director for her movie, which he didn't know who was directing. He was so excited to see what she would make and the best part was that he wasn't involved. He didn't know who the director was and he didn't know what they were going to do and that is exactly what Rami had wanted. Rami gave her the connections and he stepped out of the situation. He knew Gwen was a beautiful and talented woman, if he had stayed with her she would only be known as 'Rami Malek's girlfriend.' He didn't want Gwen to live or be stuck in his shadow which seemed shallow or stupid and he knew Gwen would have been blinded by what he meant so he simply destroyed their relationship.

Rami pulled up to the dingy, shitty apartment building. He parked his car and prayed it wouldn't be keyed while he climbed up the fire escape. The cat food tin sat in his pocket as he started up the rusted metal staircase. Throughout the first flight, he held on tight to the railing trying to remember when he got a tetanus shot. The second flight he held on tighter feeling the ladder shake. Each time he continued to think how this was supposed to be a safe route. Climbing up to the final flight he approached the half cracked open window where a cat had awaited.

The cat's eyes perked up seeing Rami like he remembered who the man was. His ears flew straight up as Rami pulled out the can. The cat's head cocked slightly as he heard the can open up. Rami chuckled as he opened the food even more. The cat began to purr like he usually would now pressing his nose against the window. His paw swatted the screen which is when Rami noticed the small hole. He popped his finger through pulling the screen up some more. The cat was able to fit most of his paw through now, purring louder clearly wanting the food. Rami looked at the living room which was empty and pulled the screen even more. The cat was able to stick his head out which cause Picasso to get stuck. Rami's smile faded as he realized the cat was now halfway stuck. He pulled the entire screen off in a panic and the cat popped out landing onto Rami's lap. Picasso's fur soaked up the sun as he ate the food quickly. Rami on the other hand slowly pet the cat who enjoyed the outdoors.

Gwen knew Rami was bad at hiding things like a broken screen which now sat on her living room floor. She stood in the bedroom doorway as her cat's tail waved through the window, all she could do was smile. She heard a loud sigh.

"Now Picasso, where is your mother?" She heard him say hushed to only the cat. "She should know to keep her window locked or not have a broken screen." He stopped. "And maybe I should have not ruined her screen but besides that. You like the sun, don't you?" The cat pushed its head up into Rami's hand purring loudly. "Did you know I missed you. I didn't miss your extream amount of shedding. But I did miss you. I also miss Gwen." The cat purred at her name. "And I really messed up. I wish I did it better. I just didn't want to ruin her future. I knew if I didn't break Gwen she would never get over it." She heard Rami sniffle. "I can also admit it's not fair. I feel selfish you know?" The cat purred loudly again. "Yea you don't care about us do you? You probably just enjoy the fact that you're in the sun, you ate an entire can of fancy cat food and you're being pet." Gwen could hear Rami smiling. "It's almost like you haven't eaten a whole lot in a while." She felt guilty now, for the way she was treating her cat and the way she treated Rami. "But sadly I need to climb down this sketchy ladder and you need to go inside before Gwen notices you're missing." She heard him moving and quickly closed the door leaving it a crack open. Rami pushed the cat inside and closed the window. She smiled as he left.