Chapter 136: A Copy Is Always A Copy
After the audition, Lola planned a little celebration for Cedrick — a simple one, just for trying. The entertainment industry had brought back many horrible memories for him, and she was already proud that he had shown up and done his best.
Even though they knew they wouldn’t hear the results yet, she thought it was worth celebrating.
Once they left the audition venue, the three of them headed to the compound where the gym and Cedrick had been staying. When they arrived, Silo and Cedrick had already prepared the food and some barbecue on the rooftop of the building.
The thing was...
"Is she alright?" Cedrick wondered, glancing at Lola and then at the twins. Unlike Lola, the twins looked dejected, having sighed more times than they could count.
Silo narrowed his eyes. "Hey, Lola, are we here to celebrate Cedrick? Or is there a funeral I didn’t hear about?"
Slowly, Lola blinked and focused on the two guys across from her. The twins also raised their eyes, then sighed for the hundredth and first time.
"Did something happen, Taz?" Cedrick asked out of curiosity, then glanced at the twins. "Is everything okay?"
The twins just looked at him with conflicted eyes, their lips puckered in a pout as they gazed at Lola.
"Well." Lola leaned forward and cleared her throat, shrugging. She was about to explain when she caught someone out of the corner of her eye.
Intuitively, she turned toward the corner of the rooftop. There, Haji was eating behind a box. She only knew because his feet were sticking out.
"Why is he over there?" she wondered. "Is he trying to hide all the good meat?"
"Lola, just don’t mind the guy. He said he wants to live as a rat temporarily," Silo laughed awkwardly, instinctively glancing at the twins — the very reason Haji was hiding.
"So, what’s the problem?" Silo asked, bringing Lola back to the main topic. "Your mind looks like it’s drifting."
"Taz, is something wrong?" Cedrick asked curiously. "Is it about the role?"
"Mhm." Lola smacked her lips, eyeing Cedrick. "Director Sarian and the panel already made their decision right after the audition. I’m sorry, Ced."
Just hearing those three words was enough for Cedrick to draw a conclusion. He wasn’t picked. He tried to maintain a smile, but it faltered — not from bitterness, but shame.
"No, I should be the one apologizing," he sighed helplessly. "You believed in me — you, Silo, Haji... and even the twins. But I still failed."
Bitterness shone in his eyes as he tried to meet theirs. "I’m sorry, Taz..." he trailed off, catching Lola tilting her head and the twins furrowing their brows.
"That’s alright, Ced," Silo squeezed his shoulder, then turned to Lola. "Right, Lola? We can always — wait, why are you looking at him like that?"
"Uncle, what are you saying?" Chacha pouted, while Second added, "Are you confused?"
"Huh?" came from both Cedrick and Silo.
Lola let out a shallow chuckle. "That’s not what I’m apologizing for. The panel already made a decision, and Director Sarian told me that Simon is really good. We all agree on that."
"But they also said a copy is a copy!" Second mused, raising his little finger. "No matter how good a copy is, it’s still a copy."
Deep lines appeared on Silo and Cedrick’s brows as they exchanged confused glances at the mischievous Lola and the twins.
"He meant, even if the copy is better than the original, it’s still a copy," Lola explained. "And even though Simon almost perfectly portrayed Ryker, he’s not Ryker."
She paused and smiled while Cedrick held his breath. "I’m apologizing because from today onwards, you’ll be busier, Ced. Your training and classes will be more intense, and I’ll have to give you more work to help build your reputation."
It was just like how Director Sarian had apologized to Lola. Hiring Cedrick meant Lola would have to focus more as his manager. For others, this was good news, but Director Sarian wasn’t sure. He knew Lola already had too much on her plate. Still, he couldn’t pass up this opportunity just because he didn’t want to tire her out.
For a second, Cedrick’s mouth fell open. His eyes widened at Lola and the twins. He processed Lola’s words, but part of him still couldn’t believe it.
"Wow!" Silo clapped his hands. "That’s — that’s amazing!"
Excited, Silo shook Cedrick by the shoulder before facing Lola. "Lola, did they really tell you he’ll get the role?" he asked, and Lola nodded. "That’s fast! Don’t they need time to think about it?"
"They should’ve, but Director Sarian isn’t the type to beat around the bush," Lola shrugged. "Cedrick did an impeccable job. There were other actors who, in my opinion, did really well. The difference is that they were trying to be Ryker. Cedrick tried not to be, because he is already Ryker."
"Even we were scared of him earlier," Second leaned forward. "I thought Uncle was possessed."
"If he got closer to me while in character, I’d tell my father!" Chacha huffed.
"Was it really good?"
"Don’t you trust our mommy?!"
"Right, right!" Silo huffed. "But if this is good news, why do the three of you look like the world just ended?"
Lola and the twins frowned. "Because I’ll have more work?" she answered, followed by the twins: "Because more work means Mommy will have less time for herself. We want our mommy to be jobless!"
As Silo, Lola, and the twins exchanged words, Cedrick just sat motionlessly. Their voices grew distant to his ears, his heart pounding. He wanted to say something, perhaps cheer, but his mind buzzed and went blank.
I... got the role?
His pale lips parted, but no words came out. Slowly, he lifted his wide, barely blinking eyes to them. At the same time, Lola, the twins, and Silo faced him.
"I got... the role?" he whispered, watching all four of them smile sincerely.
"Congrats, Cedrick," Lola said, her voice warmer than usual. "You did well."
"Uncle, the best!" the twins cheered with thumbs up. "But don’t tell our other uncles we said that."
Meanwhile, Silo hooked an arm over Cedrick’s shoulder and nodded. "See? I told you! HEHE!"
Cedrick quietly looked at Silo’s grin, then at Lola’s gentle smile, and finally at the twins’ innocent beams. His mouth quivered, and before he knew it, a tear rolled down his cheek. The tension in his throat felt suffocating, but he still forced out a breath to say,
"Thank... you."