Chapter 58

Chapter 58

Katie

"And cut! Great job, guys! Why don't we take fifteen?"

I walked out of the frame.

"Oh, and Katie?"

"Yeah?"

The director jogged closer. "Can you try to bring out more emotion in the next scene?" I furrowed my brows. "I mean, not that the last shot was bad, it was good, but you know... it could do better."

"Uh-huh. Well, okay. Sure, no problem. I'll work on it."

"You're the best. Thanks, Katie!" he jogged back to the cameras and observed the screen, "Yeah, no, 86 that clip."

"Hi, Katie, here's your water."

I looked down at the bottle of water in her hand, "What is that supposed to be for?"

"For you?"

I raised my brows.

"For drinking?" she suggested.

"Caliya?" I called out.

"Hold on one second, I'll call you back," she dropped a phone call and walked over to us.

"Yes, Katie? What happened?"

"Haven't you told this new assistant that I only drink Evian in a glass?"

"I have told you, haven't I, Lindsay?"

"Yes, but-"

"Then why is it still in a bottle?" I asked exasperated.

"I'll, uh," her lips quivered. "I'll transfer it in a glass."

"Go." She scrammed away to look for a glass. I let out a disgruntled sigh.

"Hey, wasn't that a bit too much?" Caliya asked.

"Don't question me, Caliya. You're just my manager." I gave her a once-over; she looks ridiculous. "Honestly? You could've done a better job hiring a good assistant. And, for the record, I wasn't being hard on her. I'm just giving her enough motivation to improve. You know I can't stand incompetence."

She opened her mouth to say something but I walked past her to go to hair and make-up. I sat in front of a vanity and the crew worked on my next look.

I scrolled through Instagram and saw a photo posted by Axel. Some food and several glasses of red wine. Which restaurant was this? I don't think I've seen it before. I zoomed on the background to figure out where it was but the bulbs of the vanity next to mine suddenly lighted up.

"Bloody hell, those are bright."

I glanced to my left and saw Dean covering his eyes.

"Hangover?"

"Yes, a bad one."

"Was it about Laura?"

He squinted at me, offended, "It's Lauren, and forgive me if I don't want to talk about it."

"Hey, I'm just trying to help out."

"You've done enough."

I uncrossed my legs, "What does that mean?"

"I meant your concern is enough support, thank you."

Bullshit. I wanted to say but thought against it.

I focused back on my phone and dissected Axel's post. The caption said Good food, good company. That's it? No hashtags? No people tagged? And hidden likes and comments?

I looked into the people Axel is following and saw Lauren's account. I clicked on it. Fuck, still private.

I exited the app and texted Clark.

Can you check Lauren's Instagram account?

I waited a few seconds for a reply but nothing.

Clark, hack into her account, it's still private, I can't see.

Still no reply. What is wrong with him?

"Are you done?" I asked the make-up artist.

"I'll just dust off the powder really quick." She swiped a make-up brush on my jaw. "There, all done."

"Thanks," I said then marched to the bathroom to call Clark. It kept ringing but he doesn't answer. What the hell happened to him?

"Does anyone have a 20 on Katie?" I heard someone outside the bathroom call.

"I'm here."

"Hey, everything's set for the next scene, they're waiting for you."

"I'll be right in." I dropped the call and walked back to set.

"Katie, your water," Lindsay followed me with the glass at hand.

"It's alright, it's too late. Do me a favor, call the number I'm about to forward to Caliya - I don't have your number – and if he answers, tell him to call me back, okay?"

"Got it," she nodded profusely.

"Greta, clear the frame. Alright, hot set!" The director announced. "This is the martini, everybody to their places please."

The scene took about forty-two takes because Dean kept messing up his lines.

What was he thinking showing up to set hungover? Very unprofessional.

I'm pretty sure he got drunk because of his ex-girlfriend. As if that Lauren hasn't done enough damage in my life, she still had an impact on the pace of my work. How annoying. I don't get why these boys obsess over her; she's so average, so mid.

"That's a wrap, everybody!" The director called out and there were several hollers and claps. Finally, the day ends.

"Katie," Lindsay walked to me. "I'm sorry, but the other line wouldn't pick up. Just goes straight to voicemail. Should I leave a message for you?"

"No, never leave a message for me." I exhaled loudly, "That's enough of it, Lindsay. Just pack up my things and we'll go."

"Okay."

I ran a hand over my face. Axel posted a cryptic photo, Clark wouldn't pick up, Dean was drunk. What the hell happened last night?

My eyes darted to Dean whose head rested in his hands, elbows propped on the table. I walked over to him, "Hey, Dean, don't take this the wrong way, I'm just worried about you, but what happened last night?"

His head turned to face me, "It's nothing, Katie. I'm fine."

"Are you sure? You don't look fine."

"I am sure. A couple of my mates back home were in town yesterday and we all had a drink. It's all good fun. Just went a little outta hand is all."

Liar. "Uh-huh, okay. Just call me if you need someone to talk to. I'm all ears."

"Yes. Thanks, Katie, I appreciate it."

"Anytime," I tapped his shoulders then left him be. What are you hiding, Dean Harvey?

In the car, I tried to call Clark again. Still nothing. What the hell happened to you, Clark?

"Hey, Romeo?"

"Yes, Ms. Swanson?" my driver replied.

"Drive to Clark's."

"You got it."

I knocked on Clark's door, "Clark?"

No answer.

I knocked again, "Clark, are you there?"

No answer.

"Clark?"

No answer.

I knocked for the last time, "Hello?"

Maybe he isn't here. I turned away from the door but then I heard the doorknob click. I glanced back as the door opened, revealing Clark all bruised and battered.

"Jesus Christ, what happened to you?"

He winced in pain as he walked to the couch. I followed him. "Ask your ex-boyfriend."

"Who? Axel?"

"Who else? Agh," his fingers touched his busted lip.

"Are you sure it's him?"

"Yes."

"What did you do?"

"What did I do? He beat me up with that boyfriend of his."

"What do you mean?"

"He's with a pasty brunette."

"You mean Oliver Mack? His best friend?"

"Whatever. I was just standing and he suddenly punched me."

"Well," I shook my head. "I know him, he wouldn't beat you up without enough motive, you must've provoked him."

"Are you serious? I'm the one who's sore and you're asking me if I provoked him?"

"I wasn't asking you, I said you must have. Besides he wouldn't just act that way because he knows better – like what if somebody saw him beating up some guy? That would be all over the news." I stopped and looked at him, "You didn't call the police, did you?"

"Of course not."

I released a sigh of relief.

"Although, I could do that, right?"

"You can't!"

"What you do mean I can't? You're suing the agency because of a complete sham. I am actually beaten."

"You idiot. What if he turns it around on us? I can easily retract the lawsuit, but if you move forward with your complaint and he turns it around on us, we'll be facing falsification of evidence. Forgery. Do you know what that means? That could be jail time for both of us."

"Alright, I won't." He exhaled loudly, "What are you doing here in the first place?"

"I called you like a hundred times and you didn't answer."

"I lost my phone last night."

"How does someone just lose their phone?"

"Oh, I'm sorry if my phone was the least of my concerns while I was getting beat up."

"Whatever. Can you just hack into Lauren's Instagram?"

"Why would I do that?"

"Because I want you to?"

"And what if I don't?"

My brow arched involuntarily but I tried to calm my nerves, "Look, I can't see her posts. Her account is private."

"Must be that way for a reason, huh?"

"Whose side are you on?"

"I'm on my side. What could I possibly gain from hacking into her account?"

"Aren't you the least bit interested in what she posts? What her DMs look like?

He was silent for a while, contemplating on it, then he smiles, "You're crazy."

"Takes one to know one."

The process he did to gain access to Lauren's account was nail-biting. I was watching him as he tinkered through codes that were gibberish to me. 78%, 90%, 97%, then it stopped at 99%.

"Why is it taking so long?"

Then 100%. I angled the laptop towards me and scrolled through her posts. "What the hell are these?"

A photo of palm trees at sunset. Matching friendship gold bracelets. A Ferris wheel at the end of the road with a building on the left. A donut next to eyeglasses. Colorful tires. The arch at Washington Square Park with an old lady. Calculators. A medieval European garden with a small fountain in the middle. Coffee. Fall leaves. Her with dolphins. All those useless pictures and nothing from last night.

"Hey, let me see." Clark scooted closer to see the screen. "Look at her DMs."

I clicked on it and saw Axel's name first on the list.

"They're sending good morning messages to each other," Clark said what's on my brain.

And he doesn't even text me back when we were together.

I stood and made my way to the door.

"Hey, where are you going?"

"None of your business."

* * *

My fists made contact with the door repeatedly. The faint sound of the rattling doorknob was overpowered by my knocks. "I know you're in there, Axel! Open up!"

The lock clicked and the door opened, "What do you want, Katie?"

"Are you in love with her?"

He chuckled, "You're the one who told me we couldn't fool you. What's happened now?"

"That doesn't answer my question. Are you in love with her?"

"What if I say I am? What's it to you?"

I charged forward and aggressively pressed my lips to his but he pushed me back, "What's your problem?"

"What's my problem? This was just a dare, Axel. How on earth can you tell me you're falling for her?"

"I didn't say I was falling for her."

"But you didn't deny it."

"The dare is over, Katie. Get lost."

"It isn't over until I say so."

He stopped and stared at me with a worried look on his face. "Did you relapse?"

I looked away, "No."

He squinted, looking at me intently, "You did."

"I did not!"

"You should get help, Katie. Does your Dad know about this?"

My eyes twitched and I hate that I can't control it. I pointed my finger at his chest. "Do not get my Dad into this!"

"Hey, okay," his arms raised. "I was just concerned."

"If you were, you would be by my side. If you were actually concerned, you would help me."

"I do want to help you, Katie, but things are different now."

"How so?"

His lips pursed and he changed the topic, "When did it start again?"

"Don't answer me with another question. How is it different?"

His chest rose and fell but his eyes closed as he shook his head, "Because you've gone over the top, Katie. What we did wasn't right."

"Oh, so now you're growing a conscience?" My mouth opened and closed for the lack of words. "What is so special about this girl? She is a whore."

He moved closer, nose flaring with fury, "Don't you ever talk about her that way or I swear-"

"What?" I moved closer to him, our chest almost touching. "You swear what, Axel?" his jaw ticked. "It's not like you can do anything that can hurt me anymore. I feel nothing," My fingers touched his chest and I pushed him a little. "Nothing." I made my way to the door to get out but he spoke again.

"I really am concerned about you, Katie. Bulimia isn't a joke, you know this. You knew how hard it was. Don't do it again."

"What's it to you? People don't get a say about my life and the way I live it. Not if you don't want to be fully in my life. You're either all in or all out, there's nothing in between." I stopped and looked him in the eye, "Can you go all in?"

We looked at each other like a staring game, measuring who will give in first but Axel dropped his head and I knew. "I can't."

I held my head high, "Okay then," I felt a lump in my throat. "Goodbye, Axel."

I dropped my heart and watched it shatter in front of him. And as the door closed behind me, I realized that I was locked out, unable to pick up the pieces anymore.

I came here hoping for some reassurance that I was still the one, that he was still just playing with Lauren, but all I got was rejection and clarity that Lauren Grant took everything that's good in my life. But she wouldn't get away with it, I would never let her. I'll take back everything she took from me and more. And everything will be just the way they were. Just the way they were.

--------------------------------------------------------------------

GLOSSARY:

86 that – remove that

Have a 20 – have eyes on (seen)

Hot set – set is ready for shooting and must stay exactly as is

Martini – last shot scheduled for the day