8

  8

Emma Starr

What more horror could that do to a woman’s life?!

Engaged to a lady’s man...

Thing was, it was a fake engagement. I shouldn’t give a damn about anything or care about his entanglements!

“Where are the casting crews?”

I could hear Nicholas yell from the rehearsal room as I cleaned the rehearsal’s entrance.

“And the actresses? Goddamn, and the lead actress? Where the hell is, she?!”

I wriggled my brows wondering why he was angry. Was it due to what happened earlier? Or work stress? Was it something I wasn’t aware of?

“I’m sorry sir,” someone replied to him. “We just got a call. She was involved in an accident and is currently bedridden.”

“An accident? How did that, fucking happen?!”

“A hit-and-run. Sources say she was trying to avoid hitting an animal only to collide with a huge tree.”

“Dammit.”

Nicholas seethed. “It just had to happen at this moment. The final shoot. Damn, our competitors are ahead. They released several movies and we haven’t even successfully released one!”

I heard footsteps making me run toward the other side of the room so it didn’t look like I was eavesdropping.

That would be a first-hand-embarrassment!

“Sir, sir,”

Someone paced after him, as he walked hurriedly out. The door slammed shut.

“What do we do? It’s not something that can be postponed!”

“I know, I’m trying to make contacts with decent actresses that know their essence. We should be able to find one as soon as possible.”

“And, of what use is that? The contracts and paperwork will end up delaying things!!”

I noticed how angry he sounded.

At this, I decided to leave the scene unnoticed walking with the broom and dustpan as quickly as I could in my white and black uniform. CLANG!

The dustpan fell from my hands clumsily making me cringe inside.

“Oops...” I trailed. “Sorry about that!”

“Emma?”

Nicholas furrowed his dark orb eyes at me, letting those words out.

“I’m so sorry, I will get going now.”

“Wait, were you eavesdropping all along?”

He muttered just as I motioned to walk away.

“Eaves-what? Nah, I was just cleaning the entrance, nothing more. I mean, not like I’m an actress interested in taking the lead role or so... I’ll um... get going now. Yeah, I’ll do just that.”

This was cringy.

“Stop right there.”

He said, making me do as he said. Striding towards me, he swept his gaze over my body, flickering his eyes over me like he was currently studying everything about me. Circling me, Nicholas took my hands, signaling that his assistant steps forward with his other hand.

“With a few adjustments, she should fit the role, don’t you think?”

He said to his assistant, taking my palms and holding them with his strong arms which spread tingles into my skin. I blushed at the skin contact, praying no one saw the fact that my cheeks were as red as a tomato!

“Sir, I don’t think that’s advisable... she might be acquainted with you, but what makes you think she can act the role?”

“We just might never know... sometimes we find the gem in the rarest of places. It isn’t something challenging. The role happens in everyday human life. What do you say, Emma? Will you take it-”

“I’ll do it!”

I suddenly shrieked making both of them look at me.

Why did I shout that much?

Gosh, was I so direct? This has been my childhood dream, being an actress... and the opportunity was dashed right in front of me!

“You will?”

Nicholas repeated those words as if he was unable to believe it himself. “Oh yeah, I um... can try?”

I didn’t know how to tell them that acting was something I always wanted to be. Maybe it was right to show them that it mattered.

“Is the lead actor ready?”

“Affirmative sir, but are you sure about this?” His assistant said, flickering his eyes over me.

Nicholas nodded a ‘yes’ with a smile at me like he just found his saving grace. Tucking a loose strand of my dark hair behind my ears, my eyes were directed to the floor not knowing what to feel at this moment.

“In this scene, Miss Emma, you kiss him inside the rain. Make it heartfelt as any spinster would when she kisses anyone after a long time.”

“Sure,” I replied the movie line guard.

“Any questions?”

“Yep, what does she do after? The female lead?”

“This.”

I smiled when I saw what was written on the manuscript, connecting my hands to my forehead as I walked to the dressing room. “Over here, Miss Emma, sit.”

My hair was loosened from the bun I put it in, and styled in bold curls which made it look like a Darling weave. Surprisingly, the makeup was light, with just some contours at some spots and some highlights which made my skin glisten.

My lips were in a pink lip gloss, which made them appear fuller. “Smother that.”

I did as I was asked and in a few minutes, my reflection made me appear as an actress.

“You can bring the outfit, stylist!”

The make-up artist said.

The movie featured a spinster who had a bad history with men. She was stylish, beautiful, and trendy her personality was awesome and humor-like. That didn’t give her a place though. In this scene, they gave me a pair of leather black pants to put on, which accentuated my curves.

The top was crop, yellow with a slight off-shoulder and a black tiny bag.

When I did step out of the dressing room, I was in peach open-toe heels walking inside feeling a sea of eyes on me.

To be honest, I always pictured this. Not paparazzi. I hated those people. Real-life people.

“You look beautiful...”

The assistant who was reluctant that I took the role, complemented. “Are you ready, Emma?”

Nicholas came right behind me in a way that I could feel his body heat. “Um, yeah... sure.”

“Good.”

“Yeah.”

“I don’t like the stares they’re giving you.”

“Huh?”

“You’re mine. Remember that as you kiss him.”

He walked away after fuddling my mind with those words. In a few minutes, the movie shoot started.

“So, what now? You’re going to deny the way you feel?”

As the male lead voiced those words, a sense of déjà vu passed through me.

“Who told you I feel anything… I’m not... I’m not doing that. Of all people why will I fall for a Town’s Carpenter? You don’t have what I need, Declan.”

He leaned closer, cupping my cheek making me give an illusion of shivering like the screen wanted.

“What is it you need? I’ll give it to you… your desires here, in bed... I’ll give them all to you, baby.”

I flickered my eyes over him, then down to his lips as he surged nearer. Picturing him to be Nicholas, I accepted his kiss which was wet and full of normalcy. His tongue connected with mine a bit, circling and toying with them. I tried to synch a bit but I didn’t feel it like Nick. There was no chemistry, not at all.

Luckily, the kiss scene was a short-lived one.

I pulled away staring at him with flushed lips as the male lead muttered the movie line.

“Are you going to deny now that you didn’t feel that?”

Feel what, the total disastrous kiss?

“I-“

“Just say the words, Emma and we could go to my workshop and enjoy the night.”

He stepped nearer, circling his hands around my waist once more about to kiss me when I feigned a shiver, stepping back from him with my eyes closed. The role was to pretend not to kiss him took a great toll on me.

“My parents… they won’t like this at all.”

“We could tell them. They will understand, won’t they?”

“You won’t understand!”

Tears flickered in my eyes, making me recall the fact that I was dying in real life. “They’re marrying me soon, to a Greek billionaire tycoon. I’m going to have a bright future, Declan, and will appreciate it if you don’t confuse me with your words, please.”

“Y-You’re getting married?”

The male lead’s voice sounded broken, in hurt and agony as I nodded a ‘yes’ muttering, “I’m sorry... so sorry.”

The cameras were put to hold immediately after that scene was finished with Nicholas’ assistant coming forward and clapping. The other movie crew clapped through while he yelled, “Perfect, just perfect!”

“How are you so good at this? Were you on set before?”

A supporting actress asked me, only for me to nod.

“Nope,”

“Wow, you did a great job with that!”

“I think I like her act more than Layla’s.”

“You mean her?”

“Yup... for some reason, it just is.”

The conversation continued and I got to know more about the crew. Just in the background, my eyes connected to Nicholas who had his gaze directed at me, hands in pockets. He seemed pissed at something making me wonder what, only for me to remember his earlier words.

“You’re mine. Remember that as you kiss him.”