Junior Year Box Set

“So you step in and get noticed for being considered for a couple of huge roles. You’re young, athletic, and test off the charts with teens and young women. Saul is positioning you to be something. That’s why you need to audition for those movies. If you get one of them, then you’re set,” Rita said.

“Okay, I get this is a big deal, but when am I ever going to get the chance to read all these? I actually have to still go to school and play a couple of football games,” I complained.

“Have people you trust read them,” she said and looked at Caryn and my parents. “And if you want, I’d be willing to read the ones they like, just to be sure.”

I could see Caryn relax. This was a whole new world for her, and I needed her help right away, now that I no longer had Kendal.

◊◊◊ Friday November 20

I came out of my apartment to find Caryn stretching in the driveway. Duke ran off into the Callahans’ backyard to find his buddy.

“Your mom said you run each morning. I like to run with someone,” she said.

“I’ll take it easy on you,” I promised.

She just smirked. After we both stretched, I called Duke and put him on his extendable leash. Of course, he had to say ‘hi’ to his new friend.

“You set the pace,” I said.

Caryn was a lot quicker than I expected but still slower than the pace I usually ran. I did my Bo staff exercises. I could tell that my hand, wrist, and forearm strength had really improved since I started those. In football that translated to better ball grip, which was a good thing.

I’d also started to hold my own against Cassidy with both the batons and Bo staff. Earlier in the week, she had decided it was time I receive my periodic butt-kicking to motivate me to improve. I surprised both of us when I could defend myself with the Bo staff. Of course, when I put it down, it was a completely different story. Let’s just say I was properly motivated.

“How did Devin take the news?” I asked.

“I told him that I wasn’t Cora’s gofer, and he responded that it was just part of the job. He was surprised when I quit. I didn’t bother to tell him that I already had a job with you.”

“Do you want me to tell him?” I asked hopefully.

“David, if I couldn’t tell Devin Range that I took a job with you, I wouldn’t be much of a manager for you.”

“You told Sandy,” I surmised.

I could tell by the way she looked that I was right.

“You big chicken,” I teased. “Plus, now I’ve been robbed of seeing the look on his face.”

“He really did piss you off, didn’t he?” Caryn asked.

“Yeah, he really did. I could’ve handled his attraction to Nancy if he’d just manned-up and told me what was going on. Instead, he tried to handle me like I was an employee. He gave me the whole ‘she misunderstood’ routine. Then when I brought Cora, it was the icing on the cake.

“It’s a shame, too, because I like Devin. I simply could never trust him again,” I admitted.

“Welcome to growing up. You’re going to find that once you leave high school and college, in the real world it’s hard to find friends. Everyone seems to have their own agenda, and if it lines up with yours, great. If not, then they do their own thing. Most people are only interested in what’s in it for them,” Caryn said.

“You obviously didn’t go to the same high school I do. I think that’s true about any age, especially high school,” I said. “Did you really believe high school and college weren’t like that?”

“I had great friends in both. We looked out for each other. I just found that once I got a job, people acted differently.”

“Could it have been that you were the newbie, and people already had a life?”

She looked at me strangely, and then we ran in silence for a half mile.

“Kendal is really broken up about how her firm treated you. I think she’s looking for a job somewhere else. Would you consider hiring her?” Caryn asked.

“I like Kendal, but I’m not sure if I could afford to hire someone else or if I need another person. That doesn’t mean she wouldn’t make the short list if we find we need someone with her skills.”

“I’m sorry, that was dumb of me. I should have looked at it as purely a business decision. Our conversation this morning about friends and people you trust got to me. I could tell from talking to her yesterday that she would do just about anything for you.”

“If you hear she ever needs anything, please let me know. Kendal has become a friend. I’m still a little raw from what happened with her law firm. Unfortunately, Kendal was a part of that to a certain extent, even if she didn’t know what was going on behind the scenes. I need to give it a little time before I’d consider hiring her,” I admitted. “I did tell Ford and AT Modeling she’d be an asset for them if she ever put in a résumé, though.”

There was only the sound of our footsteps for a time.

“What do you plan to do today?” I asked.