by Yuriko Hime
After seeing what I could, I went back to Uno and Blaze's house and walked straight to my bedroom. There, I rummaged through my things and found what I've been looking for. I fished my phone out and dialed Doctor Sanders' number. "Miss Chance," she said upon answering.
"Doctor," I said. "Can you find out something for me please? I will drop by your office tomorrow to ask you about a certain medication."
Chapter 28. Accident
There were two kinds of directors; one who thinks that rehearsals were important, and another who saw it as a waste of time. The director for the movie that we were filming was the former. She required strict participation of the cast and crew during the blocking and lighting preparation. The location of the story was supposed to be in an island, but because some factors couldn't be controlled there, majority of the scenes would be shot in a studio first. It was conveniently close to our home.
We've been doing the blocking sequence for a solid week now. At first, I was lost in all the equipments, technical terms, and whatnot. As days went on, I was able to familiarize myself with the process, staff, and director. Though my girls haven't delivered their lines because the formal shooting stage has yet to start, it was thrilling to see them standing there, looking the glorious stars they were.
I was particularly nervous for today. Bianca would be joining the set. I haven't seen her since the stalking. Upon hearing from the director that she'd come, I set out to do what I've been waiting for. I needed to confront her about an important matter, and I was prepared to show her the evidence.
Uno was still talking to the director and camera crew when I glanced their way. They were busy figuring out what angle should be used for a scene. I got back to my book. Talks like that could last for more than an hour. Though we were required to be on set early in the morning, the span of hours for the activities were outside our control. They stopped when they felt they had to stop. In between those hours, I used the time to study what I could about fashion and budgeting.
"What are you reading?" Uno said as she walked to me in the corner. Though she had been standing for two hours straight, she didn't look tired. I handed her a cup of coffee that I bought fifteen minutes ago, hoping it was still warm. "Thanks," she murmured. Uno closed her eyes as she sipped. Coffee always relaxed her. A cooler that was situated in her dressing room was filled with milk and water, just in case Blaze came out and needed something to drink too.
"No problem," I said. "Not done yet?" I nudged my chin to the other cast members who were still talking to the crew. One of them looked my way and nodded. I blushed and nodded back before turning to Uno. This was one of the perks of being a talent manager. I got to see famous stars.
"Do you know that humans can still survive without their eyes?" Uno said as she lowered her coffee. I gave her a quizzical look, to which she answered, "If you don't stop looking at other girls, you'll find out just how difficult it is to function without eyes." She frowned. "You keep forgetting who I am."
"Someone might hear," I protested with a smile. She rolled her eyes and I mouthed, "You're cute," to her when no one was paying attention to us. "Only you."
She was still set on looking annoyed with me. That was her usual expression anyway when she wasn't working on set, which didn't surprise me by now. "Let's go to the dressing room," she said. "I want to rest before the last blocking later." I followed her to the exit. It would lead to the maze of hallways that would take us to the dressing room provided for her. We smiled politely at a passing staff.
I showed her the book I've been reading when we were alone in the hallway. "Do you recognize this? You bought it for me last week for my designing."
She scrutinized the cover and nodded. "I do. Since we're on the subject, I wanted to ask. Is your goal to become a Chanel?"
I hugged the book to my chest. "No, I want to be a Chance."
"Couldn't have expected a better answer," she said. A pleasurable thrill ran down my spine. Uno was very hard to please. Getting her approval felt great. We continued down the hall while talking about the phenomenal success of some fashion designers.
Uno was asking me about my future plans for business when we encountered two very familiar people, my best friend and his girlfriend. It must have been Carter's break. My stomach churned when I glanced his way. I haven't seen or talked to him in weeks. The friendship was taking a course down south. "What are you doing here Cart?" I said when we were near enough to talk.
He shifted uncomfortably on his feet. Bianca placed an arm on his shoulder and said, "It's after his exams, so I'm treating him to a tour around the studio." She smirked. "You would have known that if you've been a better friend."
My blood boiled. It wasn't my fault that he and I weren't talking. Sensing my irritation, Uno wrapped her arms around my waist. "There are three kinds of beings Riri," she said. "Prey, predators, and parasites. The thing with the latter is they become so good at manipulation that they think they're better than the others." She fixed a cold gaze on Bianca. "But a parasite can never best a predator. Ever."
"Just what are you trying to say?" Carter asked, stepping forward.
"It is open to interpretation," Uno said without batting an eyelash. I took note of Carter's shaking hand and the flaring of Bianca's nose. I stepped between them and Uno before a fight ensued.
"You and I are going to have a talk," I said to Bianca authoritatively. "If you're wondering about what, let's just say that it involves your favorite snack." At first, Bianca looked like she didn't have a clue at all, but the more I looked at her meaningfully, the larger her eyes opened.
"What's going on?" Uno said quizzically. I've been keeping the information from her, hoping to solve it before anything else. I glanced at her over my shoulder and gave her a look that said, trust me.
Bianca chuckled. "Guess I have no choice but to humor you." She turned to Carter. "Go back to my dressing room babe. I'll talk to your ex best friend and see what the fuss is about."
She and I found a vacant room to talk privately. I got right down to business. "I'm giving you two choices," I said. "Either you leave me, Uno, and Carter alone, and seek help properly, or I tell Carter everything and go to the media about your condition." I crossed my arms. "I don't know your goal for keeping Carter, but telling this to everyone will destroy your career."
She put on an unaffected mask. "I don't know what you're talking about," she denied. "I was wrong when I thought you were a good manager. You're just as crazy as your talent after all."
Her words bounced off me. There was nothing she could do to make me back down. I quickly opened my bag, took out the pill container, and showed it to her. "Looks familiar?" I said. She froze. "You dropped this when we first met." I shoved the container back in my bag, away from her shocked face. "I may not be the best manager around, but I'm a really good investigator. I saw you receive a similar container when I followed you around."
She closed her eyes momentarily. When she opened them again, a look of deep hatred was etched behind it. Bianca's phony smile came out as a grimace. "I've done my research," I told her, not missing her subtle reactions. "You've had an accident months ago. It wasn't in the papers because your PR team kept it a secret. You must have taken a pain medication that lead to your drug dependence."
"That's how it usually starts," I continued. "First they prescribe a medicine, and then you take it even though you're not in pain anymore." I shook my head sadly. "As irritated as I am with you, I know that you need help. You're not too far gone Bianca. If you leave the people I love alone, I will assist you in any way I can."
Talking to her was like trying to converse with a statue. She became so still that I doubt if she was still breathing. My anger towards her diffused to a dull sympathy. Situations like this wasn't unheard of. With all the stress of being a celebrity, the long hours, and the need to keep the fame and fortune, she was more prone to have this problem. Bianca was just good at keeping it from showing. But the dark circles around her eyes, the irratio
nal behavior, and the lost weight over the months were good indicators.
"Don't tell Carter," she said. Bianca grabbed at her hair and pulled. I was quickly by her side, prying her fingers away from her head before she did real damages. She shook against me. I realized something after looking at her.
"You've fallen in love with him for real," I murmured. She didn't have to answer. What was I going to do? I couldn't make them separate now could I? If someone was to tear me and my girls apart, I would feel broken. "I won't tell him," I said to her. "Just please seek help."
Bianca calmed down after I promised her repeatedly that her secret was safe with me. Somewhere along the way, Carter's kindness and own charm got to her. With a million and one thoughts running in my head, I went back to Uno's dressing room. It was hard enough to deal with DID, I had to learn about substance abuse too so I could help Bianca for Carter's sake. Maybe I was in the wrong industry, I thought as I entered the dressing room.
"Where did you go?" Blaze said as she jumped from her chair. Great! My girlfriends have switched again. "I woke up here and found you gone."
I exhaled. "Settle down." She sat on her chair and crossed her leg. "What do you know?" I asked.
"Not much this time," she said. Lately, Uno and Blaze have been telling me that the incidence of them seeing each other's activity was increasing. Sometimes when Uno was in control, Blaze was on the other side seeing things too, and vice versa. I haven't consulted Doctor Sanders about it due to our busy schedule, but I was confident that she talked about it with Uno and Blaze during their ongoing weekly sessions.
"Bianca and I had a talk," I said. "It's nothing to worry about. What you need to do now is focus." I sat beside her. "Let me take a look at the script." She put the papers between us so we could both read. I shuffled through the papers and pointed at a scene. "There's going to be a blocking for this one in a bit. Uno has finished the others."
"Okay, I know that by heart." She turned to me. I felt her eyes bore through my skin. "You alright? You're shaking?" I only realized that after she pointed it out. She put a protective arm around me. "There's something on your mind that you're not telling me," she said. "But I'm going to respect you and not ask, though I'm dying to." I forced a smile.
"Hey," she said after a while. "I heard that love making reduces stress. Want to?" I frowned and thought about it. Blaze yelped when I suddenly licked her neck. As if that wasn't enough, she jumped up and exclaimed, "What the heck!" when I cupped her chest with my hand.
I leaned back. "I thought you wanted to help with my stress levels?"
Her eyes darted to the door nervously. "I don't want to have our first time here. Your body is for my eyes only."
"Then you shouldn't have asked in the first place," I remarked, trying to keep my face straight.
Thanks to Blaze, my thoughts were more manageable when we went back to the set for the last blocking rehearsal. I shouldn't worry about Bianca so much. If she was willing to seek help, she'd eventually realize that telling Carter was the best option. Then they could solve their own problems together. I had enough dilemma as it was.
The last blocking involved Blaze standing on one part so she could look at the other cast members from a distance, including Bianca. The floor where she should be had duct tapes that formed the letter X. The camera crew has been moving their equipments for thirty minutes while we waited at the side. Eventually, the director called her and the cast so they could stay in position and figure out what direction they should face for the scene.
I gave Blaze my thumbs up when she glanced at me. She blew me a kiss though everyone was looking. Butterflies fluttered in my stomach. Blaze never cared what people thought of her. As for the staff, they were used to seeing weird things inside the set. They ignored us to do their work. I sighed and opened my book. This would be over before I knew it.
After ten minutes of switching from reading to checking my phone, I focused back on the set. Camera's, rods, lighting, props and so much more were there. It felt like we were in actual location instead of a studio. I bet this would be grander when the formal shooting starts.
Based from Uno and Blaze's stories, some of the effects would be added post-production. What we were going to see in the shooting was only half of what would be present in the movie. I turned my head up to gaze at the lights. Some were supported by black rods, while others were attached directly from the ceiling with the use of black wires. Man, those lights must have been expensive.
I shivered when a crew opened the larger than life fan located a few feet from the set. It was needed for the wind. I glanced up again. Obviously, the rods were powerful enough to let the lights stay in place. The director called Blaze's attention, making me look at them too. Her hair fluttered from the wind. She was so pretty. Sigh.
Somewhere between looking at them and the props, I noticed the light above Blaze flickered on and off. Everyone turned to it, except Blaze who was focused on the instructions that the director was giving. Maybe I liked horror-suspense movies too much, making me doubt the safety of things. Or maybe I was just good at observing from afar. I jumped from my seat and ran to Blaze as the lighting cord began to unravel.
Chapter 29. Help
In the event of danger, the body underwent several changes. Heart rate would be increased. Breathing was intensified. The muscles would be prepared for extra exertion. A hormone called adrenaline was released. I was running on pure adrenaline as I dashed to Blaze to save her from the falling light. At the right moment, I was able to tackle her out of harm's way.
The equipment crashed, missing us by an inch. I covered Blaze's body with mine to protect her from the broken pieces. She stared wide eyed at me as the crew, directors, and casts rushed to us. "Breathe," I whispered to Blaze. If she changed now because of the shock, Uno would come out confused. She'd have a fit for sure without caring about anything else.
The director shouted instructions to the staff. I barely understood her words as I catch my breath. Blaze helped me sit. I whimpered with the sudden movement. "What?" she asked anxiously. "Does something hurt?" I nodded mutely and took several deep breaths.
The director squatted beside us worriedly. "Are you guys alright?" she said. "Is anybody injured?" The crew behind us were busy checking the cause of the crash. Everyone, from the staff to the cast members, were disgruntled by what happened. I could hear their panicked voices in the background.
Blaze didn't remove her eyes from me. She stroked my face. "Tell me what part is painful," she said. I pointed to my right ankle. The burning pain was coming from there. Blaze grunted as she wrapped her arms around me and pulled me up. "I'm okay, but my girlfriend isn't," she said.
Surprise flashed on the directors face. "We have medical staff in building B," she said. "Do you want me to come with you?" Blaze tightened her grip around me, shaking her head. "Okay then," the director said. "I'll have everything cleaned while you take care of her. And one more thing," she said before we left. "I'd like to personally apologize for the accident. The cords were supposed to be premium quality. I'll make sure someone look into this."
Blaze quickly got us out of the set. I could feel the fast beating of her heart through her clothes. "I'm going to be okay soon," I said. "I think I sprained my ankle when I bolted to you." She didn't look at me. Her thoughts were elsewhere. "Cheer up baby. At least it wasn't worse."
She stopped walking. "That was really stupid of you Riri." Woah! Now it was my fault? "Next time, don't try and save me. I'm beyond saving, okay? I don't know what I'll do if I lose you."
"You're acting like it's the end of the world." I wiggled my ankle to show her that I was fine. Bad move. I groaned. The stare she gave me was frightening enough to make me quiet down.
"Shut up and let me be the hero for once," she said.
The clinic was manned by a doctor and two nurses who were happy enough to accommodate us. My ankle was sprained because of the exertion as I previously thought. After bandaging it nicely, they advised u
s to rest, ice, and elevate my ankle. Not necessarily in that order. Because the sprained site was still swelling and painful, I couldn't walk on my two feet. Blaze took it upon herself to carry me back. She did so with ease, what with her daily training.
"I'll ask the director to cancel the last blocking," she said. "You need to rest."
"Nonsense, I can rest during the blocking. I have nothing to do but sit there anyway."
"Don't argue with me about this. I'm the boss."
I pulled her ear. Now that the pain reliever was kicking in, I could act jolly again without wincing. "There's no higher boss than the girlfriend, silly. You can't use the actress-manager card on me. You'll lose." Blaze wasn't listening after all. She was busy staring at Bianca's dressing room when we passed. It wasn't long before she carefully set me on the floor. "Why are you putting me down?" I asked.
"I need to talk to her quick."
I didn't like the sound of that. "Do it next time," I said.
"It needs to be now." Blaze ignored me as she opened the door. "Wait there." She disappeared inside. Where else was I supposed to go? I looked around and found no other soul in the hallway. Just me out here and Bianca and Blaze inside. A bad feeling settled in my stomach. What if? No. . . I should never have allowed her to go in. I mentally kicked myself and reached for the door knob. It didn't budge when I twisted it.
"Blaze?" I said. "Uno," I corrected myself. Everybody knew her as Uno here. Tsk! I pressed my ear on the door when nobody answered. There were muffled voices inside. From the tone of their voices, they might be having a heated discussion. After a few more seconds of listening, something thudded, followed by a brief yell. I knocked on the door urgently. "Blaze?!"
