When the Universe Has It In for You
1246 Words
Laurel showed a smile, but it was a strained one. “You can see where the difficulty lies. We live in a modern society and all, and sure, the prejudice has lessened, but it’s still around. By choosing this script, all of us at the film club were hoping to help lessen the prejudice even more and spread understanding. For us to encounter such a huge roadblock from the get-go…”
She sighed, then continued, “Some of us are afraid that our effort would backfire instead, and we’ve begun to consider dropping the project for now, but then…”
At this moment, Xian finally managed to see where this was all going. “My picture,” he said tonelessly. “You guys saw my picture, didn’t you?”
Eyes full of understanding and apology, Laurel nodded.
Xian smiled wryly. “Let me guess, did I fit the image you guys are looking for?”
Laurel’s answering smile was still strained. “To a T,” she said.
Even though Xian wasn’t feeling too good about the whole matter, he hated seeing his elder sister feeling bad even more. For her benefit, he put on his usual jovial mask. Then, hoping he wouldn’t be struck by lightning then and there, he asked, “Are you asking me to play that role? I don’t know how to act, though.”
His sister, who’d always been able to see through both him and Chase, shook her head, but her smile looked a lot more cheerful now, which meant that Xian had succeeded in his main purpose.
“Don’t you?” Laurel replied in a joking tone. “You seem like a natural to me.”
After a moment where they both tried to hold it in, the pair burst into laughter, dispelling every trace of tension from before.
“Ah-ah, Big Sis,” said Xian. “Why can’t I hide anything from you?”
“I’m sure you’re just not trying hard enough.”
The siblings fell silent for several moments after that, each contemplating something in private.
Then, Xian finally broached, “Well, Big Sis? What would you like me to do?”
For the third time during their conversation, Laurel shook her head. “You know it’s not about what I want. Honestly speaking, Xian, I’d have preferred that you didn’t have to get involved. But we were at the end of our ropes when your picture got circulated and… well.”
She paused before continuing, “All I promised my clubmates was that I’d ask you to come and audition. You don’t have to feel obligated just because the request came from me. Whatever you decide, I hope it’s because that’s what you really wanted to do.”
Knowing that Laurel fully meant what she said, Xian nodded seriously. “I understand,” he said. “I’m not strongly opposed to the idea, it’s just that…”
Pausing as well, he recalled some of the thoughts and questions he’d had earlier that day as he was escaping the campus. Those had been interrupted by his jolting encounter with Lance. Now, upon recalling his reaction to this other man’s appearance, he couldn’t help but feel the irony.
There he was, questioning his s****l identity for the first time in his life, and he was swiftly taken out by the beauty of the next man he encountered.
On that very same day, he gets approached by his sister, asking him if he’d consider playing the role of a gay ghost.
'Can the universe possibly rub it in any harder than this?' he thought humorlessly, then sighed.
"Xian?” Laurel gently prompted.
Xian focused back on her and, before he could really think about what he was going to say, asked, “Would it be alright if I read the script first?”
His sister blinked, surprised despite herself. “Of course,” she said as she rose to her feet. “Sure, yes, let me go get it.”
Laurel headed to her room in quick strides, as if afraid that if she didn’t hurry, Xian would change his mind and just decline altogether. That told Xian that despite her consideration for him as his sister, the part of her that was a passionate member of the film club was really hoping he’d take interest in playing that role.
His feelings of confusion aside, that alone was enough to make him curious. What was it about the role or the story itself that was making his usually-placid elder sister act out of character?
When Laurel emerged from her room moments later, her strides were even quicker. “Xian, here,” she said in a harried tone, handing Xian a bound stack of papers. “Sorry, I didn’t realize the time, I’m running late for a group meeting. I’ll see you later!”
The front door was already closing on her by the time she got that last word out. When the front door shut and automatically locked itself, Xian was left all alone in the apartment.
He looked down at the well-worn script in his hands, unsure whether he should read it now or leave it for later. Just then, his phone received a chat notification.
It was from Will, of all people.
Will: “Sup?”
Will: “Missed you at lunch”
Will: “Wer diju go?”
Xian: “Ate out, then went home”
Xian: “Hey, question”
Will: “Shoot”
Xian: “What do you think about homosexuality?”
Will: “...”
Will: “...”
Will: “...”
Xian: “Yo”
Xian: “Answer”
Will: “...”
Will: “Let me put it this way”
Will: “If it ever happens that I’m one”
Will: “My big bro would murder me”
Will: “I’m not even kidding”
Will: “But”
Will: “It doesn’t really have anything to do with me”
Will: “If it’s about other people”
Will: “I’m fine with it”
Xian read Will’s response and knew that this was the most common one. The majority of people, especially those from the younger generation, really were fine with it, or at least took a neutral stance.
The ones who tend to make a big fuss over it were those from the older generation, as well as the small but very vocal minority who look at homosexuality in the worst possible light and see it as something of a threat.
When Xian took too long to reply, Will prompted: “Yo”
Will: “Y diju ask anyway?”
Will: “Or should I not ask”
Xian: “It’s nothing”
Xian: “Just this thing Big Sis is working on”
Xian: “Thanks for answering”
Will: “Oh. Sure thang”
Xian: “One more question”
Will: “Shoot”
Xian: “What do you know about Lance Hill?”
- Writer
