The End of Beginning

Julia stared at her phone. It had been two days since Joe gave her his number, and she had gone back and forth at least a dozen times about whether she should actually text him.

She wasn't sure what was stopping her. Maybe it was the fact that he had been so vague about his relationship. Maybe it was the fact that, despite everything, she was still undeniably drawn to him. Or maybe it was just the sheer absurdity of this whole situation—her texting Joe Keery, the actor.

She exhaled, shaking her head at herself. It's just coffee.

Before she could talk herself out of it again, she typed out a message.

JULIA: So, do I get a prize for finally texting you?

It only took a few minutes for him to respond.

JOE: Honestly? I was starting to wonder if you were ever going to.

Julia smirked at her screen before quickly typing back.

JULIA: What can I say? I like to keep people on their toes.

JULIA: Want to grab coffee?

JOE: I know a good spot. Small, quiet. Less chance of me getting outed as your famous friend.

Julia rolled her eyes.

JULIA: Sounds like a plan.

Julia arrived at the café first. It was tucked into a quiet street in Brooklyn, the kind of place she'd never think twice about if Joe hadn't suggested it.

She sat at a small table near the window, idly stirring her coffee, when she heard the door open.

Joe walked in, dressed casually in a hoodie and a baseball cap—still attempting to keep a low profile, she assumed. He spotted her immediately and grinned, making his way over.

"Hey, you made it," he said, sliding into the seat across from her.

"I did," Julia replied, smirking. "And you're in disguise again, I see."

Joe chuckled, pulling off his cap and running a hand through his hair. "Force of habit."

Julia studied him for a moment. He seemed... different. Calmer. More grounded. The effortless confidence was still there, but it wasn't as performative as before.

"You seem different," she noted.

Joe raised an eyebrow. "Different how?"

"I don't know," she admitted. "I guess I assumed the confident, charming thing was all there was to you."

Joe smirked slightly but shook his head. "It's a bit of a facade." He leaned back in his chair, looking thoughtful. "I mean, don't get me wrong—I am confident, and I do like to have fun. But the whole 'always-on' thing? It gets exhausting."

Julia nodded, intrigued. "I can imagine."

Joe glanced out the window. "You spend so much time in this industry trying to be someone people expect you to be. But as you get older, you start to realize how much of it is bullshit."

Julia tilted her head. "You sound like someone who's been doing a lot of self-reflection."

Joe huffed a small laugh. "Something like that."

She hesitated for a moment before bringing up what had been on her mind since Ryan's warning. "Ryan told me you date around a lot."

Joe's jaw tensed slightly, but he didn't look offended. "He's not wrong. I have been... casual about dating this past year."

Julia raised an eyebrow. "Is that not your norm?"

Joe shrugged. "I dunno, I mean, I was in a serious relationship for over four years, and it ended in a really messy break up. Ever since then, I haven't been looking for anything real. Just distractions, I guess."

Julia studied him, unsure of what to make of his honesty.

"So what does that mean now?" she asked.

Joe exhaled, his fingers tapping idly against the table. "It means that I'm figuring things out."

Julia hesitated, then finally stated what she had been holding in. "And yet, here you are, getting coffee with me... while you have a girlfriend. Still sounds a bit messy to me."

Joe's lips pressed together briefly before he responded. "It's complicated."

Julia narrowed her eyes. "There's that vague answer again."

Joe sighed, rubbing his jaw. "I know. I just... don't want to get into it. It's not your burden."

She could tell there was more he wasn't saying, but she let it go. For now.

Joe leaned forward slightly, resting his arms on the table. "So, tell me more about this bookstore of yours."

Julia exhaled, stirring the foam of her latte with her spoon. "It was my dad's," she said. "When he passed, I took over. I love it, but it's been... harder than I expected. The financial side of things is more challenging than I thought it would be."

Joe nodded, genuinely listening. "That's got to be a lot to manage, especially in New York."

"It is," Julia admitted. "I thought I'd have it all figured out by now, but some days it feels like I'm just barely keeping things together." She hesitated before adding, "I've always wanted to focus more on my art, too, but between running the store and, you know, trying to have some semblance of a life, I haven't had the time."

Joe tilted his head. "Right, you mentioned you like to sketch. What do you typically like to draw?"

Julia tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "Mostly realism. Portraits, landscapes—things like that. I used to spend hours refining my work, but lately, I feel like I've lost touch with it."

Joe studied her for a moment before saying, "You ever think about picking it back up?"

"All the time," she admitted. "But it's hard to justify when the bookstore takes up so much of my energy. And, honestly?" She hesitated, then let out a quiet laugh. "I feel kind of lost."

Joe raised an eyebrow. "Lost how?"

Julia sighed. "My twenties were all about figuring things out, making mistakes, learning from them—or at least trying to. Now that I'm thirty, it's like the world expects me to have my life together. But I don't. Not even close." She paused before looking up at him, thoughtfully looking back at her. She immediately looked away, embarrassed. "Sorry. That was a lot."

Joe shook his head with a smile. "Not at all. I totally get it." His voice was quieter now. "I think most people feel that way, whether they admit it or not."

She glanced back at him, surprised at how easily he understood.

After a beat, Joe smirked slightly, shifting the mood. "You should make time for your art," he said simply. "If you love it, you should do it. There's a certain passion that comes with using your creativity to make something. It's intoxicating"

Julia gave him a look. "Is that how you feel about acting?"

Joe awkwardly laughed. "Yeah..." He leaned forward slightly. "But really, I meant it more about making music."

Julia blinked. "Wait. You act and you play music? And here I'm complaining about not being able to handle even one art style."

Joe grinned. "What can I say? I'm a man of many talents." His voice dropped into a more flirtatious tone, his eyes flickering with amusement.

Julia rolled her eyes, but she couldn't ignore the warmth spreading through her.

"Anyway," Joe continued, "While we're on the topic, I've actually got a small pop-up show in Brooklyn in a couple of days. You should come."

Julia hesitated, but she could already feel herself considering it.

"Maybe," she paused before smirking. "Are you any good?"

Joe smirked back. "Why don't you come and find out?"