Page 116 of Nothing Special X: The Last Stand

“I think the internet has noticed.” Her gaze slid behind him toward Cassidy. “Are you feeling safe tonight?”

Xander glanced toward the crowd, then back at her. “I am. I’m grateful to be here and to celebrate this film with people I love.”

Her expression softened. “You’ve earned it. Have a great night, and good luck.”

By the time he entered the theatre, his cheeks hurt from smiling and his pulse had settled into something manageable.

Inside, the Golden Crown Awards glittered in gold, cream, and deep reds.

The audience was a sea of famous faces, old legends, rising stars, directors, producers, studio executives, and people who’d made careers schmoozing with the right people.

Xander sat with his cast from What Breaks in Silence, tucked between, Wyatt Stanis, Devyn Frost, who was still recovering but upright and smiling, and Lena Hartwell, who’d played his homophobic sister in the film and cried every time one of them won something.

His security was positioned discreetly—as much as men who looked like them could be—around the theatre.

Cassidy stood near a side aisle with a clear view of him, the stage, and the main exit. Xander pretended not to search for him every few minutes, but failed.

The show moved fast and strange, as award shows always did from the inside. Speeches. Presenters. Commercial breaks. Applause. Jokes that landed. Jokes that died on awkward laughs.

When Xander came out to present Best Breakthrough Performance, the applause rose before he even reached the microphone…then kept rising.

People stood. And at first, he thought maybe someone behind him had entered too.

But no. They were standing for him.

The ovation swelled through the theatre, long and loud, cheers layered beneath the applause. His peers stood from their seats, clapping with serious faces, warm faces, some with hands over their hearts.

He saw Devyn standing with everyone else, one hand braced on his cane, the other high in the air. Directors he admired, actors he’d watched since childhood. Crew members from his film wiping their eyes.

Many of them still believed he was being targeted for coming out.

God had insisted it wasn’t that simple.

Xander didn’t know what to believe anymore.

But standing there under the lights, hearing a room full of people tell him with their hands and actions he wasn’t alone, stirred deep inside him.

He waited until the applause quieted enough for him to speak.

“Thank you,” he said, voice a little rough. “I’m supposed to present an award, not sob into the microphone, so umm, if you don’t wanna be here all night…”

The audience laughed.

He got through the category. Then the night became unreal.

Devyn won for stunt ensemble recognition tied to the film’s action unit, and Xander yelled so loudly Lena had to cover her ears. Wes and Law won for Best Visual Effects. Lena won supporting actress. The film took screenplay. Direction. Cinematography. One award after another until their table became a stunned, crying, laughing disaster of hugs and disbelief.

Then it was time to announce the nominees for the Best Actor category.

Xander stopped breathing.

The clip reel played with all five nominees. His scene was the one in the barn, where his character confessed the truth without saying the words, where silence did more damage than any speech.

He remembered filming it. Remembered going home afterward unable to talk. Remembered thinking maybe no one would understand it.

The presenter opened the envelope.

“And the Golden Crown goes to…”