It was never easy to get a read on Odila, but now even more so. She had a deceptively relaxed pose, balancing her chin in her palm with fingers curled around her cheek. Her crumpled smile seated a contemptuous glare.

“Well, Care-bear?” she said, with a small laugh. It was sad, starting in a rattle and then collapsing into the same note as a cough, the only time Cary could have sworn she saw true confusion in her eyes. “Did I get the job?”

Cary exhaled through her nose, feeling the tension ripple in her chest. “I don’t have that power,” said Cary. “I can only give you a mock interview.”

“Are you kidding me?” said Odila, face sinking deeper into her hand. “Then what the hell was all this for?”

Cary could barely hold back a ‘great question coming from you’. “How are you feeling?” said she asked, instead. “You look miserable.”

“Yeah,” Odila said with a bitter smile. “You got me.”

“I’ve got a lot of pointers for you. Enough to fill a whole appointment,” said Cary. “But there is one thing I’ll say--don’t lie during your interview.”

“Okay I know that’s bull,” said Odila with a snap of her wrist. “I mean, if I have to--what was it again? Advertise that I was born for this job or whatever?”

“That’s not the same thing,” said Cary, “and again, if you’d actually came to appointment, I could tell you in better detail.”

“Yikes, did that goal post move on its own?” said Odila, putting a hand over her eyeline. Cary could only find the mockery pitiable in its half-heartedness.

“Alright, then let me rephrase,” Cary said, pushing herself up from the table. “Don’t lie about yourself to the people who are trying to help you. Don’t turn your life into jokes or quips or whatever. You don’t deserve it, and you won’t convince the people who matter.”

Cary was legitimately surprised Odila had nothing to say. As the silence settled, and without any cue, Cary walked away from the table, carrying the folder of documents that she didn’t think she looked at even once.

Huh, Cary thought, finally giving the papers a casual glance, I suppose even I got a prop. She walked between a pair of cameras whirring quietly as they adjusted lenses to get a perfect shot of the look on Odila’s face; surprisingly calm, pensive, perhaps even clear.

---

Cary exhaled again, with a deep sigh that felt like it lasted half an hour. She had some vague recollection of people coming by, congratulating her work in whispers so as not to disrupt the airing of final comments. Some corner of her mind was still aware that Odila was under the spotlight, smile returned and answering questions. Someone told her that Iona wanted to talk with her. But even with the hustle and fretting , Cary felt like she was sleeping standing up.

Her rude awakening came with a loud, familiar hiss next to her face. “So!” Odila spat into Cary’s ear drum, causing her to spin on her own heel in panic. “You must think you’re pretty hot shit, huh?”

Odila’s arms were crossed, her shoulders raised, and sporting a face that was finally, oddly reassuringly, straightforwardly pissed. “Great insights there, counselor,” she said. “Was this little day ruiner your idea, or do I have a little pink Furby to thank?”

“Well, for a total amateur,” Cary said, voice wavering under a confidence that, by all rights, she shouldn’t have, “I think I put on a decent show. For a first shot?”

“Yeah, you were really cute shooting below the belt over and over,” said Odila, leaning in to jab a finger mere inches from Cary’s face. “And while I’ve got you by the nuts, let me tell you something else! You are damn lucky I was being gracious up there. I should have shut your nose inside out just for--”

“Odila, she’s got a point,” said a voice beside them, as Dusty swept into view. Her words were cool and silky as usual, but Odila paled and dropped her hand like a stone as if it had been slapped. “Did you really think I wouldn’t figure out why you did this?”

“Dusty!” she said, back straightening and eyes bright with alertness. In the same beat, she shrugged her shoulders. “Well, I suppose it’s time for the ass cracking I deserve. Really talked a lot about your garbage up there without asking, huh?”

“You talked about your garbage. Thank God,” said Dusty with a warm smile. “Why would I rip into you when I finally get to hear what’s going on in your head?”

“You’ve got to be pissed at me!” Odila all but yelled. “For God’s sake, will you stop playing the bigger man with like...everyone? With him? With us?”

“And the next line is ‘with me?’, right?” Dusty asked. “Odila, you were great. Really kicked her ass up there. Made her look like a goofy cartoon baddie in the best possible way.”

“Uh, thanks?” Cary said, pointing to herself. “I’m right here?” Though she had a feeling, even though she stood firmly in their peripheral vision, her voice and he presence was far away from the conversation at hand.

“But what if you really got this job?” Dusty. “I was worried sick, because I had no idea what was going on. Iona was too. Even Cary was.”

“And I’m worried about you!” said Odila. “Because all of this is crap! None of it is your fault, and you have to pay the consequences of it, over and over again! It...it sucks!”

“Then let’s just admit we’re scared shitless about each other, before I follow your example and do something crazy to get your attention!” said Dusty. “Like apply to be a table dancer or something.”

“I’m serious Dusty!” Odila said, somewhat undermined by the upward glare she needed to meet the other’s gaze.

“Right, right, I know...I’m sorry,” Dusty said. “And I’m serious too, okay? So please. Your life doesn’t stop because things suck right now.”

“But--!” Odila started, already sensing how she must have sounded. Her words evaporated in her throat, leaving her to stare blankly at Dusty. For a moment, Dusty’s smile took a bewildered tilt. In the end, Cary thought, they really do care about each other a lot.

“Here, if you want punishment,” said Dusty, reaching into her wallet. “Thanks to all of this, I’ve needed to buy my own lunch all week since you’ve been busting your ass and leaving me hanging.” She slipped out a clean twenty dollar bill. “Which means I only have this much to get us some drinks and maybe a few snacks.”

“Dusty, I don’t deserve drinks for this,” said Odila, shaking her head.

“Life isn’t fair. You said so yourself,” said Dusty with a shrug.

“Can we go to that bar that serves the Gut Punch?” Odila asked.

“No.”

“Dammit! Well,” Odila said, “I think I got a few bucks. Let me throw it in the pot so we can get dinner or something.”

“Deal! But only because I can’t stand seeing you cry, big baby,” said Dusty with a playful snicker.

“No one’s crying! Certainly not me!” said Odila with another cackle, as she followed Dusty in perfect step. She shot one last ‘this isn’t over’ look at Cary, before melting into a surprisingly peaceful, even silly, smile as the two made their way toward the exit sign.

“Cary! You were amazing!” sang Iona, springing out from the darkness and wrapping her arms around Cary, nearly knocking the two of them over in surprise. “You were brilliant! Wonderful! Beautiful! You made the stage shine!”

“Iona, Jeez!” said Cary, spreading out her feet to keep balance. “You got a linebacker tackle there!”

“I can’t help it! I’m so happy!” said Iona, releasing Cary from her grip and bouncing over to face her. “I caught a little bit from those two, and don’t let them get you down! You were perfect! You saved Odila and made a wonderful show!”

“No, stop! Really!” said Cary. “I was flailing like an idiot! I’d never be able to do something like that again twice!”

“Here’s hoping we don’t have to! But!” said Iona, poking both ends of her smile with her index fingers, “you saved us Cary. As Beauty Dream, I can’t thank you enough.”

“It’s...it’s my job,” said Cary. Strangely, she couldn’t find a better fit than that.

“But as Iona Brown, I can’t just let things end like this!” said Iona. “Prepare yourself, Cary! Because I’m going to hook you up with a special reward!” Cary could feel herself reel. No more, she thought, I’m done. No more idols. Only chairs from now on. Chairs, couches, and sleep.