Chapter 22: Visiting Andrew's house.
"Wow! so many questions". Andrew uttered as he parked the car alongside the road, he didn't want to be conversing while driving, "Don't you worry, I am gonna give answers to your questions".
"As fast as possible, I shouldn't be questioning a celebrity like you, but my curiosity has got to be satisfied". Mark expressed himself in a way that indicated how curious and confused he was at the moment.
"Ok, first of all, I am gonna give an answer to your question that says, 'what was I doing in a gym along the alley'. Simple, I came to gym and exercise my body". Andrew said.
Mark's facial expression revealed that Andrew's answer wasn't satisfying enough,
"So you mean, you left all the high top-notched gyms where you could exercise your body properly and came over to the one along the alleys?"
"Yeah, is it that unbelievable?"
"Very unbelievable, you are a celebrity and a popular one at that, weren't you afraid of how people would react when they set their eyes on you?" Mark inquired of him.
"You can see my dressing right? wearing a face cap and a black sunglass so I wouldn't be recognized by people". Andrew stated taking off the sunglasses from his eyes for Mark to see properly.
Mark took the sunglass from him swiveling it around in his hand for him to take a proper look at it. Viewing it to his satisfaction, he said,
"Even with the face cap and sunglasses you wore, I recognized you the moment I set my eyes on you. So as the same for the people in the gym, they recognized you instantly the moment they saw you".
"They recognized me 'cause you exclaimed out my name the moment you saw me, so they had an idea of the person they were to glimpse on".
Mark rubbed his jaw in a way that indicated how true Andrews words were, handing over Andrew's sunglasses back to him, he stated,
"Hmmm, that's true, I am a bit satisfied now, so let's say, you came all the way from your home to a gym along the alley to exercise your body because you felt like doing so".
"Yeah, you've nailed the point, I just felt like living my comfort zone, staying out of photoshoots, am ain't involved in any video shootings as for now. So I decided to visit a gym along the alley, simple and clear". Andrew said making his point apparent.
"Ok, I am satisfied with your answer now, at least, to a certain degree. Now to my second question, how did you know me? how did you know my name?" Mark questioned him, this was the most important part of the question he wants to find an answer to.
Andrew replied to the question abruptly and straightforward, "I know you and I know your name because you are an artiste, and I do listen to your songs".
Mark's facial expression transformed into amusement, he didn't expect that as an answer. Like a whole Andrew do listen to his songs?
"Seriously! you do listen to my songs?" Mark asked in amusement, he wanted to hear the answer once again from Andrew's mouth.
"Yeah, a lot, let's say I am a secret fan of you and your music". Andrew uttered.
"Wow! amazing, I am also a big fan of your movies. Like your acting skills are amazing".
"That's cool, we are a fan of each other's craft". Andrew stated, he wasn't that surprised and amused that Mark was a fan of his, he knew he had a lot of fans and supporters all over the globe.
Now, this was getting interesting to Mark, he had discovered another fan of his music and a celebrity at that. He wished he could end the questions here, but his curiosity wasn't fully satisfied yet, so he asked Andrew the last and final question he had in mind,
"You said you've been meaning to speak to me, what is it that you wanna talk to me about?"
"Let's talk about that in my house". Andrew responded starting the parked car once again, it was about time for movement.
"Don't start the car, why should we talk about it in your house? why can't we talk about it here and now".
"My house would be the best place for us to have a smooth discussion".
"But I am still in my recreational wear, I can't come to your house all dressed like this". Mark said looking at himself from head to toe.
"You look cool on it". That's all Andrew could say.
Mark looked at himself again from head to toe, he doesn't look that cool on it to his reasoning.
"Are you just saying that so I could follow you to your dwelling?"
"No, I am being serious here, you look cool on it". Andrew uttered.
"I jogged all the way from my apartment down to a mini football field this morning, so I feel so clammy right now, I can't come to your house looking like this". Mark stated trying to generate another excuse.
"You don't look clammy to me, just follow me and stop making excuses, you won't regret it".
"Ok, I am gonna follow because I wanna satisfy my curiosity....oh! I also wanna see how elegant your house is". Mark said finally giving in to Andrew's request.
"You made the right choice". Those were Andrew's final words before he sped off into the main road.
It was a 35 minutes drive before they could arrive at the front gate of Andrew's building even though Andrew drove at high speed. And it kept Mark wondering throughout,
"So he drove all the way from here to a gym along the streets just to exercise his body? it doesn't make sense".
Pressing a little remote Andrew held on his hand, the gate to his building opened on its own, it was an automatic gate. Mark opened his mouth in awe as Andrew drove into the compound of his edifice.
It was such an elegant structure, a nice duplex for a smooth living. The house was built in such a standard way and the outlook of the house was painted in two different colors, blue and orange color. The compound was decorated with a bit of flower, and a mini pool could be seen at the corner of the compound. Mark could sight two cars in the compound plus the one they came in with, amounting to three cars. A young actor of 23years old already had a house of his own, cars of his own plus the fame that accompanied it. But at age 26, Mark had no building he could call his own, not even a single car of his own, not to talk of the fame...life isn't fair.
The inner house was even prettier than the outer, the parlor was spacious and the designs used in beautifying the house were splendid. Mark's apartment was spacious and lovely but it's incomparable to Andrew's house.
"Sit down, relax yourself". Andrew said pointing to one of the sofas.
"Thanks". Mark uttered sitting on one of the sofas as he kept on looking around the parlor.
"Which would you prefer to drink? juice or beer?" Andrew inquired.
"I'll d prefer beer". Mark stated.
Andrew went straight to his fridge bringing two bottles of chilled beer and glass cups as he placed them on the table. Opening the two bottles of beer with an opener, he said,
"Drink up, enjoy the coolness of the beer".
They poured the contents of beer into their glass cups as they sipped slowly. They sipped the beer enjoying it's chillness for some minutes before Mark triggered a conversation,
"Let's proceed with the main discussion, what it is that you wanna tell me?"
Andrew stopped drinking as he kept the glass cup on the table, now with a much serious look on his face, as if it was a matter of life and death he was about to discuss with Mark. He said,
"I watched your interview with the music extra last two days on YouTube, the comments I saw on YouTube indicates how well people appreciated the way you gave answers to the questions being thrown to you by the host. You talked about how unhappy you were about the slow progression of your music career, how your songs doesn't receive the type of attention you want them to receive, and lots of upcoming artiste could relate to that. Amounting to what I understand from the interview, you are in diehard need of popularity, right?".
"Yeah, that is what all upcoming artiste are wishing for, to attain fame and respect. You keep on dropping dope songs relentlessly, but none of them seems to be making waves, do you know how discouraging that is? well I can attest to that 'cause I've experienced it a lot of times and I am still passing through it until now. It is very discouraging". Mark responded venting out his frustration once again.
Andrew took a sip of his beer once again saying, "Fame can be lovely, enjoyable and adventurous....but do know fame has its disadvantages also?"
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone