Bonus Chapter - How Dev and Thierry Met

"Such a talented director. His two movies are better than all the rest together". Thierry thought as he analyzed some potential content for his new movie platform. Following the example of the streaming platforms of his time, he created his own. At the age of fifteen, he accumulated creations and his empire only grew. "He is versatile, and has a good understanding of his public. He worked greatly with comedy and even better with drama. It's a shame there is almost nothing about him".

He asked many cinema schools to send him his most promising student's projects. Before going to him, all the videos passed through a jury panel. The result was mixed. There were some really bad ones; some with potential; and one diamond. A beautiful diamond that could very well be worth a few millions, if polished well. The juries couldn't contain their excitement with his work, and even the most severe of them gave him many compliments.

"Cyrus Deveraux", he whispered, reading the name of the movie director and screenwriter. "Only nineteen? A prodigy, then. That's good, he still has a long way ahead of him. If can do that now, I can only imagine what he can do when he is better experienced".

He emailed the school and they answered the next morning: the student chosen has been disconnected and is no longer affiliated with this school. Still, Thierry was the kind who couldn't lose money nor talent. That kid meant both, and he wouldn't save effort to find him. He asked around, talked to the professors, to the other students in his class, and even people that worked there. In the end, he found a girl who had seen him recently.

"Ah... The red-haired guy from Professor Leroux class! I remember him because he was really tall, so I never liked to sit behind him. You see, I'm really small. If I sat behind him, I couldn't see anything". The girl said. "I saw him at a sandwich shop at Col. Lenoir, next to the Dear Kafka bookstore. I think he is working there".

"Thank you", Thierry said before leaving the girl.

The shop was twenty minutes away from the school. It was full when he arrived there, but he could see the man from afar. He was almost 2 m (6 feet 6.7 inches) tall, if not that, with vibrant red-hair and an unshaven beard. He smiled at the clients as if he had not a worry in the world. Thierry sat on a bench in the nearby plaza, and watched as the people went, until there was only one person left in the store. The lunch hour was over. He then entered the store and went to buy a sandwich. He approached the red-haired man and asked:

"How many sandwiches must I buy to get half an hour of your time?" Thierry said, smiling flirtatiously.

"Sorry kid, but I think you're a little too young for me". Dev answered, an uncomfortable smile.

"Oh, no. Sorry. That's not it. I'm here to talk business".

"You're too young to talk business, boy".

"Here is my card", he gave him a paper. "My secretary is seated right there and my bodyguard is next to the door. I have money, but not much time to waste. So, I want half an hour of your time, because I'm terribly interested in your work, mr. Director".

"And you're not flirting?"

"Nope. I don't have time for romance now".

"I'll have a break in half an hour, if you want to wait". Dev said, back to his professional smile.

"Alright", Thierry smiled and ordered three sandwiches - one for him, one for his secretary, and one for his bodyguard. None of them have eaten yet.

After half an hour, Dev left his other co-workers and came to sit next to Thierry who, somehow, was drinking coffee - that Dev had no idea where the boy got.

"I got you your half an hour".

"Great. My name is Antoine Rayne, from Ant. Corporations", he extended his hand.

"The genius kid?"

"That one".

"Hum. And what interest do you have with me?" Dev asked, curious.

"Your school - or ex-school - sent some videos of yours among the selected students for the new video platform that I'm producing. Among all the videos, from many schools all over the continent, yours were the best, there was no one who could even compete. Some of the best movie critics agreed on that. I want someone like you on my platform".

"Yeah... That sounds fantastic. Now, tell me, why should I believe that the kid in front of me is really the owner of one of the biggest companies and that he wants me to work with him? I'm sorry, I accepted the half an hour because I was curious. But less than five minutes and I'm already satisfied with this play. So, whoever you are, I'm not interested in your rich kids' play and whoever put you up to it. It was fun, it warmed up my hope, but also played with it. If you want another sandwich, I can make you one. But if you want a movie, you should probably go to K School. There are some gullible kids there that would work in exchange for 'experience'. I need money. And I'm not playing as a movie director anymore. Anyway, thank you for your time". Dev said, always a smile on his face.

Thierry left that day, but he was definitely coming back. But, he didn't know anything about the person he was talking to.

After being expelled from his parents house, Dev went to live with his friend, a senior from high school, Hunter, whom he was a close friend with. He was the only one willing to take him in. The guy had an apartment - or better, his parents had an apartment - that was close to his film school, and had two bedrooms. Still, Cyrus worked two part-time jobs to pay for his part in rent, water, electricity, gas and internet. He also payed for most of the groceries and many other things. And his friend still reminded him all the time what a great favor he was doing by taking him in. Cyrus knew the situation was far from perfect, but it was the only place he could afford while studying. He had to spend all his money, but it was better than living in the streets. And going back to his parents' place was impossible, even if he gave up on school. Not only were they not willing to take him back, but he didn't know if he could go back to tolerating the emotional abuse that many times turned into physical abuse because he did something he was not supposed to. Cyrus was always tired, and stressed, but he was living and thriving, the life he chose.

Cyrus and Hunter lived together for a year, but then Filipe appeared. He was a beautiful omega boy, but he was beautiful as he was vicious and malicious. He would always flirt with Cyrus, although he was dating his roommate. And when he was alone with Hunter, he would bad-mouth Cyrus and tell Hunter that Cyrus was harassing him and doing all kinds of bad things - even stealing and damaging Hunter's property. Many times, Filipe stole or broke things only to blame Cyrus and make Hunter mad with him. One day, Cyrus caught Filipe with another man, but when he told Hunter, Hunter said that Cyrus was trying to poison him against Filipe.

One day, Filipe turned up pregnant. Hunter was ecstatic, but Cyrus was skeptical. Filipe would have gotten pregnant by the time Hunter was back with his family, so the baby wasn't his. Cyrus couldn't say anything, because his friend wouldn't believe. And, he already knew what would happen. He resigned and just reunited all his things. He sold all he couldn't carry and waited for the day he would be kicked out. On the day Hunter kicked him out, he just grabbed his things and walked out the door. As he passed by Hunter, he whispered in his ears:

"The baby ain't yours. Do the DNA".

He didn't know if Hunter did or not the DNA, and he didn't even want to know. He didn't care anymore. In the six months since then, the only thing he cared about was money. As misfortune doesn't come alone, the store he worked at closed and the other fired him because he no longer had a fixed place. He could no longer afford his college. For the first six weeks, he had nowhere to live. People would steal his things, and by the third week he had lost half of his belongings. He would sometimes sleep in shelters, but when they were full, he would sleep in the park, his bag as his pillow. The money he got by selling his things ended in the fourth week. He couldn't get a job, but he could get something that paid him enough to eat and buy basic hygiene products. He would take baths in public bathrooms and try his best to maintain the minimum of dignity.

When the seventh week was about to hit, someone stole his bag. He was lucky his wallet wasn't there, but everything else was. He ran trying to catch the guy, but he disappeared. Cyrus sat down on a bench. He couldn't even feel at that moment. Just an emptiness and the sense that he finally lost everything. He stood there for ten minutes, apathetic, and then he finally cried. He cried a lot. When he no longer could see because of his tears, he felt someone touching his shoulder.

"Here, kid. Dry those tears". An old lady, with white hair and a big smile, looked at him and offered a handkerchief.

"I didn't know people still carried handkerchiefs", He laughed and dried his tears.

"I saw you sleeping some nights on this bench".

"Yes. Sorry. I won't come back anymore".

"That's not the problem. The bench is public, you can sleep there".

"Thank you".

"Why are you crying?"

"I lost the last things I had left".

"Oh".

"Yeah. Now I just have some couple bucks and my documents. At least that I didn't lose. Ah, and the clothes I'm wearing".

"That would make anyone cry".

"Maybe".

"You see, young boy, I was in dire need of someone who could take care of my shop during the night, and, preferentially, work during the day too. If you wish I have a small room on the back and a bathroom, it even has a shower. Are you interested?"

"Don't you think it's not safe to ask that to a total stranger?"

"Oh! You're right. I'm Millie, and you are?"

Cyrus laughed.

"I'm Cyrus".

"Nice to meet you, young men. You remind me a lot of my grandson. But he is much smaller".

He laughed again. The woman turned his mood 180º.

"Thank you ma'am. I'll take your proposition, and thank you for the trust".

That's how he moved into a room in the back of the bookstore Dear Kafka. It was a claustrophobic room filled with books and other boxes. The small bathroom had no mirror, so Cyrus couldn't shave, but it was better than sleeping on the bench. After some time, he started working in the sandwich store next door also. He would work in the morning in the bookstore, and in the afternoons - while the woman's grandson worked there - he worked at the sandwich store. He was saving money now. He didn't want to go back to the streets if something happened. He couldn't count on the kindness of people, because something would always happen. And in a blink of an eye, he would be back on the streets, with nothing to call his own.

And then that kid appeared. He already gave up on his dream of being a movie director, but that boy had to mess with his heart and reignite his hope. But that only lasted for a few seconds and he came back to his senses. That kind of opportunity only happened in dreams. And that was reality. No one could come and bring his dead dream back to life, to give him an opportunity that would change his life for good. So he said no. No to the illusion. To the fake hopes.

Three days later, Thierry came back.

"I'm asking again for half an hour of your time". He said.

"Sorry, kiddo. I'm working", Cyrus answered, the polite smile.

"Ask your manager. You can give half an hour to the new boss".

Cyrus asked the manager who confirmed. The kid was really the new owner.

"I think I have half an hour for the new owner", He answered when he got back.

"First. Make us three sandwiches. I'm waiting for a guest".

"Okay", he smiled, falsely.

As he finished the sandwiches, a man wearing an overcoat, a hat, sunglasses and a mask entered. He looked too fancy for the place, and too mysterious to be a normal person. The kid greeted him, and the man sat beside him.

"Here are the sandwiches, boss", He said, sarcastically.

"Thank you, now sit down".

He sat.

"Let me introduce you to my friend", as he said that, the man took out the glasses and mask, "This is the director Quinton Taras. He has been really interested in your work and would like to work with you".

"Nice to meet you. I saw your work and I found it really promising. Antoine asked me to be your mentor and I thought it was a great idea. I believe we could do great things together".

Cyrus was ecstatic. In front of him was one of his favorite directors, and he was proposing to be his mentor and to work together in movies.

"Am I dreaming?", he asked out loud by mistake. Quinton laughed, but thought it was cute such a giant man with beard and all asking if he was dreaming. "I am sorry. I spoke my thoughts out loud".

"Sorry if I wasn't very believable last time. It's not plausible to have a teenager leading a multinational. But here I am. And I'm professionally interested in you, and would really like to have you on my team. Of course, you can choose to stay here and keep making sandwiches. But your movies are much better than sandwiches''.

"Sorry for not believing you last time. I'm interested in going back to making movies, and I'd love to work with you".

That same day, they signed the contract. And that's how their relationship started. First, as a contractual relationship, that became friendship, then best friends and then the complicated state they are in today. And we wonder: what will happen in the future?

[Autor Note

This part of the story was not planned on the original development of the story, but one day I just had the sudden thought that Thierry met Cyrus while he was working on a sandwich shop and basically living on the streets. So I decided to write it and publish as a bonus chapter. If there is anyone interested in knowing more about side characters or details there are not written in the main story, be welcomed to ask. I'll answer as soon as I read the comments.

I hope you are enjoying this story and feedbacks are totally welcomed.]