Ella: We have plenty of time. Grandma won't let us in until at least half an hour has passed, so continue.
Damian: (smiles faintly) I was just a kid, in junior classes. I was good at acting, so I'd get selected for school dramas—always the main roles. I enjoyed it. It continued in the start of middle school too.
Ella: So you were born to be an actor. Those edits online aren't lies then.
Damian: (giggles) Then one day, my parents asked me if I wanted to be an actor. I liked acting, so I said yes. But I was only 11. I never knew there was more to it than getting lunch before everyone else in school or skipping classes for rehearsals.
Ella: So it was your parents who pushed you into this? Mine would never support a decision like that.
Damian: Yeah, they weren't like other parents. They wanted me to do whatever I wanted in life. So, I took acting classes, became more professional, and gave an audition for a kid role in a series when I was 14. People loved it. My classmates adored me, my teachers encouraged me… and maybe because of all that, I'm here today.
Ella: (mimics her teacher) "That's fine, but what about your grades?"
Damian: (laughs) You're not that bad an actor yourself.
Ella: (pretends to hold a mic) So, Mr. Damian, how do you feel after skipping so many classes and becoming a star?
Damian: Good.
Ella: Only good?
Damian: Yeah. It's tiring too. I never knew, as a child, that being an actor was more than just spitting out lines with some emotions.
Ella: You must've been the most loved actor since childhood.
Damian: I don't know.
Ella: Why do you always say you don't know? It's not like you get hate all the time.
Damian: …Yeah, I do. (his smile fades)
Ella: Are you still stuck on that scandal?
Damian: (sighs) When I was a child, I wasn't allowed to make friends. Most of them only wanted to be close to me so they could say their friend was a famous actor. My teachers treated me differently too—like, "It's fine if he doesn't do well in studies, he'll do good in acting. What about the rest of you?" And then there were field trips, picnics… I was excluded because of my schedule.
(Silence. He clenches his jaw, eyes down.)
Damian: Slowly, this… distance reached my parents too. I hardly get time to call them or ask if they need something. They never get angry about it—and that's what makes me feel guilty.
Ella: But it's not your fault. Have you ever heard that line—the most famous cars usually have only two seats… because successful people have fewer connections?
Damian: (shakes his head) If being alone is what success means, then I don't want success. I'm tired of being alone. Tired of not being able to share my thoughts with anyone. (voice breaks slightly)
Ella: When you know you're worth something, you don't need anyone else to tell you. People can ignore you, misunderstand you… but your value stays the same.
but still if you want you can talk to me