Very Important Person

Chapter 10

NOTE: Sorry about missing yesterday, I was out almost the entire day! Posting early to help make up for it!

~ o ~

There in the food court of that high-end mall, both of them wearing sunglasses and large hats to obscure their identities, Elsa delicately hedged around the truth - said that she had met someone online and that they got along well, but this other person was in a relationship. Also, that she didn't know she was famous. So she didn't want to reveal her identity, but the prospect of speaking with her one-on-one... it was too good to pass up.

"This is some hot goss," Honey whispered back, picking over her floppy mall-pizza. Both stars ordered the same, even if they also both knew they would barely get halfway through the single slice; they were enormous, and their trim supermodel figures weren't easy to maintain. "So you're really not sure you're going for it?"

"I'm... sure I want to. But I'm afraid of the tabloid nightmare." Clutching her elbows, she stared down at the remainder of her slice. "And... a little afraid s- this person will turn out to be someone I can't trust. Not much, I want to trust and I'm mostly sure I can, but I can't dismiss the fear."

A shrewd smirk pulled at Honey's lips. "Mm. Plus there's the coming out nightmare."

"I... I'm sorry, what? I told y-"

"Come on, girl," she chuckled as she picked up her water. "You don't think I've watched every single Matthias-kiss? You hate it. You viscerally hate kissing that smoldering hunk of black GOD, and there's only two reasons you might - and I was pretty sure you aren't racist."

"Hey! No, I most certainly am not racist!" Then she sighed and closed her eyes, trying to ignore Honey's giggling. "Okay, I get it; you're right, that would be the only other reason. Brixton's a catch."

When she opened her eyes again, she saw Honey was smirking as she shrugged a little. "Come on, it's Hollywood. Everybody's a little gay. I've made out with a girl before; I just prefer men. So even if our studio is full of prudes, I certainly won't judge. You know I won't already. So... bi?" Elsa remained silent. "Full lez?"

"Honey... I..."

"It's okay," she assured her with a raised hand. "This doesn't change who you are. So this is a girl you know online? And... she has no idea you're not a guy?"

"Actually, she figured out I'm- hey, I never said anything like that it's a woman. You shouldn't be allowed to read my mind."

"Easy guess. You wouldn't be this freaked out otherwise. Just go for it! Worse comes to worst, you can tattle on the execs; that they forced you to stay in the closet. You'd get all kinds of pride committees and Ellen and everybody backing you up."

Whimpering, she leaned heavily on one elbow. "Ellen will be so disappointed that I didn't come out to her... she's always so supportive." Then she peered up at Honey. "You really think I should call her?"

"At least text her. You are not doing yourself any favours if you just spin your wheels here; I've always thought you looked miserable between takes."

That one hit Elsa in the stomach with the force of a gut punch. Did she really look that despondent? And there she thought she had projected an air of professionalism; distancing herself from her fellow actors. Ridiculous.

"Hey." When she looked up, Honey was raising an eyebrow at her with a patient smile. "Sorry."

"For what?"

"For... pushing, I guess. I know this is big."

But Elsa was already shaking her head. "You're fine. And... you're right." Nodding determinedly as if she were on set instead of sitting in front of a wedge of greasy dough, she said, "I'll call."

"Fantastic. Now, I think we both deserve some shoe therapy. Come on - my treat."

~ o ~

"Hello?"

Elsa's throat closed up as she started pacing back and forth in her dressing room. Yes, the set was closed until Monday, but she somehow couldn't do this in her apartment; she wasn't even sure why. Anna could probably even hear the clicking of a brand new pair of silver heels in the background; Honey had insisted.

But she didn't reply fast enough, so Anna said, "Um... listen, sorry about your job and all, but I don't have any problems with my PC or iCloud account, so-"

"Wait, wait," Elsa hastily blurted. "I... don't care about your iCloud account, I'm not a telemarketer."

"Oh? Well, I'm a registered Democrat..." But now the girl's sweet voice sounded less resigned. More curious.

"That's reassuring," she laughed nervously.

And there was silence for a few more seconds. Then she finally whispered, "Mountie?"

The corners of her mouth curled into a hesitant smile. "Hello, Anna."

"Oh my God." There was the sound of something shifting over the line; was she at home? In a car? Doing handstands at the top of the Eiffel Tower?! "You really are... wow."

"M-maybe this was a mistake."

"NO! Wait, don't go, I... I'm sorry, I'm just still Surprised Pikachu over here."

"You're what?!"

At least Anna was as nervous as she was now that she knew it wasn't a solicitor. "N-nothing. My brain is like, short-circuiting that you aren't some fedora-wearing Nice Guy."

Chuckling softly, she leaned against the wall and cradled her phone with both hands. For some reason. "I've been told my voice is a little... raspy sometimes?"

"Your voice is sexy as fuck. Like, you could do phone sex work." Then she laughed. "The hell am I saying? You're like, a movie star or something! You don't need my pro tips."

"I don't mind. So..." Might as well get the hard part over with. "Sorry for deceiving you."

"What, the 'I'm not a guy' thing? PFFFF. It's the internet, like... when you bounced, I was trying to say I don't mind and I totally get why you'd pretend to be a dude. But I wasn't making a lot of sense; tossing the ol' word salad."

"You were fine," Elsa giggled as she sank down into her chair. "But I'm also sorry I ran. It just shocked me that I... let it slip that way. A secondary identity for a porn site is a brand new dirty little secret for me."

"Who has to know?!" Anna sang automatically. Elsa laughed; she wasn't a big All-American Rejects fan, but she recognised the tune. "It's no big, though; it's not even that you're the first girl to flirt with me, just... the only one online."

Brows shooting up, she asked, "Really? You're... am I hearing that you-"

"Oh SHIT!" Reeling at the cursing, Elsa almost didn't hear her continue, "I gotta get to my next class! But like, call you back later? Promise promise, I'm gonna save this number so hard!"

What?!

"Sure," Elsa said in a numb voice. "Enjoy class." And the line went dead.

To Be Continued...