After he’d returned the Range Rover, we were back to driving his real car. It was dark gray, foreign, and something I would never expect him to own, but it drove like a dream and gave me a chance to sit back and relax during our daily rides.
“That’s where Declan lives, right?” I asked spotting a stretch limo parked in the circular driveway of the house I’d seen him enter after dropping me off after the party at Georgia’s.
“Part of the perks of being a movie star…The studio rents it for him. The limo service is built into his contract too. I don’t think he even has an American driver’s license.”
I leaned my seat all the way back and closed my eyes, not willing to spend a second thinking about the Australian. It was going to be hard enough surviving the rest of production now that I was going to willingly submit to helping Madeline. There was no room to suddenly decide Declan deserved the effort of my attentions as well.
Arriving at the lot, Cam and I separated; him going off to live his dream, and me walking into the lion’s den. It wasn’t a very fair trade if you asked me.
My feet dragged all the way up to the door of Madeline’s trailer, which was currently blocked by her boulder of a bodyguard.
“She’s been waiting on you.” His voice was as deep and gruff as I’d expected. It was also sprinkled with an exotic flavor that matched his Hawaiian decent.
I smiled widely. It was always a good idea to make friends with people who could destroy you with one swat of their arm.
Either Mr. Bodyguard wasn’t charmed, or he was seriously lacking in personality, because he ignored my gesture and turned to open the door.
“I’m Adley,” I told him, refusing to let him scare away my bright expression. And maybe I was procrastinating just a little bit too.
His round face gazed down at me as if he were bored with my mere presence. “I know.”
He stared at me. I stared at him. And the door stood open between us. Our stare off lasted a whole minute before Madeline interrupted us. I swear she had a built-in radar that detected my location at all times.
“Come on. We’ve got to be at hair and make-up in two minutes.” She skipped a greeting, in favor of a firm hold on my arm, as she tugged me away.
Her grip was so tight, I suspected she thought I might try and make a run for it. Shuffling through the everyday bustle of the back lot, I checked over my shoulder to find her bodyguard, along with the rest of her entourage, following behind us.
“I don’t think your bodyguard likes me very much,” I said in way of small talk. Maybe a little friendly conversation would earn me the right to my arm back.
“Who?” She powered on, barely showing acknowledgment of my observation. “Alfred?”
My feet stutter-stepped with surprise.
“His name is Alfred?” I choked on my laugh. It wasn’t exactly fitting for the giant of a man who looked more lethal than a loaded gun. “Does he double as your butler?”
Madeline stared at me blankly as I found amusement in my own joke. Apparently she wasn’t a Batman fan.
The area designated for hair and make-up was in a constant state of disarray. I’d avoided it thus far during my time on set, but since I had joined the legion of Madeline’s posse, I was dragged right into the middle of it.
There were three swiveling chairs like you found at a hairdresser’s on one side of the room, and four stations on the opposite wall, where every type, shade, and color of make-up could be found in organized squares on the long counter in front of the stations. The walls were covered in mirrors, and even though there was a partition erected in the far corner for quick changes, it seemed modesty wasn’t a problem for most actors.
I turned away quickly before I got a full frontal of Madeline who unashamedly slipped out of her top and into a smock for anyone to see.
“Don’t worry about Alfred,” one of Madeline’s lackeys told me.
The woman who spoke had dark, black hair and smooth skin that no amount of spray tan could ever grant me. Out of all of the entourage, she was definitely the closest to Madeline’s age, but I still guessed she was in her mid-twenties.
I glanced back to where Alfred had halted just outside the door to the room, looking more like a bouncer than a bodyguard for the moment, as he questioned anyone who was brave enough to try and enter.
“I’m guessing he’s not much of a people person,” It felt safe to say, since he was out of hearing distance.
“Oh no, Alfred is a big teddy bear. You should see him with my daughter. He’ll play Barbies with her until even I’m ready to pull their little blonde heads off.” She smiled warmly. “Alfred is just a little more selective with his trust than most people.”
That was something I understood all too well. I gave the big man one more once-over, deciding that by the end of the summer I’d break into his circle…or at least get a smile out of him.
“Fran!” Madeline’s familiar voice snapped. She was sitting in one of the chairs with her back to us, glaring through the mirror. “Quit distracting her. Adley, I need you.”
“It was nice to officially meet you, Fran.” I intentionally lingered. Madeline might have been Fran’s boss, but she wasn’t paying me.
Another member of the infamous entourage had arrived at Madeline’s side a step before me, taking up the only space left available where the hairdresser wasn’t working.
“The director stopped me earlier to gush over your performance yesterday. I told her about all the work we’ve been doing on emotional connectivity, and she agrees the power of your skill has improved greatly.” The older woman’s voice was light and fleeting, her words as quick as a chirping bird, with the same excitable flow. “I told you that our perseverance would pay off!”
I expected Madeline to call the white haired lady on her bullshit. Madeline’s improvement came from a better understanding of what drove the character, not whatever method-acting nonsense this lady was carrying on about. Instead the young redheaded actress remained stoic as she stared at her reflection, absorbing the woman’s words.
I learned right then and there to never underestimate Madeline Little’s drive. There was no task too outrageous, no bit of pride too large, and no line that she wouldn’t cross when it came to being the best actress she could.
“Thank you, Ms. Louna. We’ll work on my diction during the break I have after lunch,” Madeline told her acting coach, dismissing her, if not politely, then certainly efficiently.
I couldn’t help but wonder how much Ms. Louna got paid to feed off Madeline’s insecurities. Judging by the vintage Chanel suit I watched her walk away in, it was a pretty penny. I looked around the room, realizing that without Ms. Louna and with Alfred standing out of sight beyond the door, the only person left of Madeline’s people was Fran, who stood in the corner tapping away at her iPhone.
“Your crew is running a little thin today,” I observed conversationally. There wasn’t anywhere for me to sit, and I felt awkward standing, so I tried to prop myself up on the counter. The move scattered the hairdresser’s utensils in every direction, earning me a mean look from the heavily pierced woman. Great, I’d made another friend.
“If you’re referring to my mother, she’s stuck in legal all day negotiating the terms of my press junket. Rusty is only here in the afternoons to prepare my meals, and my life coach is in my trailer, narrowing down the list for my next project.” All her answers were matter of fact and so foreign to me, it was like she was speaking a different language.
I was temporarily mesmerized by the hairdresser’s skillful hands, as they quickly separated Madeline’s long, auburn locks into sections, before twirling them around a curling iron. The punk looking woman’s movements were so graceful and sure, they reminded me of dancing. As a ballerina, you’re expected to make the most painful, complicated skills look simple, like they’re as easy as floating through the air. If you’re really talented, you can even convince yourself that you’re flying. It was the best feeling in the world.
<
br /> Unexpected and horrifying, a long forgotten burn of longing lit into me, reminding me that I’d never have that again.
Maybe that was the real reason I wanted to help Madeline. One of us deserved to get to keep our passion.
“Well, if it isn’t my favorite Adley Adair.” Declan swaggered over to the chair beside Madeline’s. He had a way of sprawling across things like he was trying to see how much space his body could take up. With a leg thrown over one arm and his body slouched low enough to prop his head on the back, I’d say he conquered the chair quite nicely.
“I don’t have time for your teasing today, Davies,” she told him seriously. “I’ve got a character to devour.”
And suddenly, her predatory gaze was back on me. Declan’s smile was amused, peppered with genuine warmth, and it was most certainly not directed at me. It made me question his sanity. Madeline was borderline psychotic, and he thought it was cute. She stalked me, and he lashed out at me for my lack of helpfulness. I was starting to believe there was something very wrong with Hollywood people.
“Don’t mind me, ankle biter.” His gray irises disappeared behind their lids, just as the same hair stylist I’d seen working on him before began to sculpt his dark, full hair. “Devour away. You won’t even know I’m here.”
My glower was so stout, I was sure he could feel it, even if his eyes were closed.
“I understand the basic initial attraction.” Madeline was never one to beat around the bush as she dove head first into my past. “Cameron was the bad boy, dark and damaged –.”
My laugh stopped her right in her overly passionate tracks.
“Have you met Cam?” I asked incredulously. “He’s the opposite of dark. If anything he’s got some hidden, never-ending light source that constantly powers him forward.”
“That’s impossible. Maybe he just buries all the darkness down really deep, but there is no way that you go through what he’s been through and come out with sunshine shining out your ass.” Her blunt words took no prisoners. “He was an orphan, for God’s sake. Being raised in the foster system alone would be enough to breed some rather large demons.”
I eyed Declan warily. He remained stoic in his position of false sleep, but I knew very well he was listening to every word I said. It made me even more jittery than normal.
“Look…I don’t know. Why is anybody attracted to anybody? He was older, handsome, and he had this carefree way about him, like everything was always going to be okay. I didn’t know the whole story of his past when I met him, but I knew enough to expect him to be a little rough around the edges…I guess I was intrigued by such a contradiction.”
Watching Madeline think when her face was unguarded, was like reading words right off a Jumbotron. There was so much expression in her features, and what it said didn’t speak well for me escaping her claws early today.
“So, that’s it?” It was clear she found my answer unsatisfactory from her tone. “You fell in love with him because you were intrigued by him?”
It had started out that way. I’d been so aware of him every moment after he got to our house. Almost all of our interactions had been in group settings with me, him, and Thomas or the whole family. There was no instant connection or love at first sight. There was just…awareness. Well, on my part. I had no idea if he’d even given me a second thought.
There was only one moment that truly stood out to me when thinking about that first Christmas we’d spent together.
On New Year’s Eve, I’d gone to a party with my friends at a club in Los Angeles. We’d gotten all dressed up, and I’d worn the pair of fire engine red Jimmy Choos I’d gotten for Christmas. I don’t even remember what Thomas and Cam did, probably just hung out with some of Thomas’ old high school buddies.
When I’d gotten back, it had been late, long after midnight. Cam was sitting on the little ledge outside of my brother’s second story window, where Thomas used to sneak out and smoke pot during high school.
“They’re not up there, you know.” My voice was quiet, but it carried up to him easily through the early morning air.
If he was startled by my presence on the ground below his perch, he didn’t show it. He just grinned in the way that showed off his dimples, and quirked an eyebrow up at my statement.
“I was just letting you know, in case you were looking for the stars. The only stars you’ll find here are in Hollywood, and if you ask me, those are overrated. I’d take the real thing any day…My parents, however, seem to enjoy our little life in the big city,” I said, explaining.
“I wasn’t searching for any stars; the ones in the sky or otherwise.”
“Then what are you doing up there?”
“Just…breathing.” He sighed peacefully, but it seemed to me he was trying to inhale the whole world at once. “You’re a dancer, right?”
I carelessly dropped my glittering clutch to the grass, and lifted my leg in a perfect arabesque. It was showing off and answering his question all at the same time.
“I went to a real ballet once. A professional company was in town, and they offered free tickets to anyone in the group home who wanted to go…I was like the only boy who went, but I used to do anything just to get out and do something. The girl – the ballerina – she was beautiful, even from all the way in the balcony, and she wore these red shoes –.”
“The Red Shoes. That’s the name of the Ballet.” My face lit up at the recognition of one of my favorite performances.
My excitement mirrored back to me on his face.
“You know it? Can you dance it?”
I looked down doubtfully at my sky high crimson Jimmy Choos, and suddenly made the connection between his story and how similar I probably looked to that professional dancer he’d seen, in my own red shoes. My smile couldn’t have been any broader when I looked back up at him.
“Well let’s see it, Red Shoes,” he encouraged, registering my understanding.
So with an audience of one, and four inch heels expensive enough to buy a used car, I danced the best rendition I could of The Red Shoes. The four glasses of Champagne I had earlier weren’t helping, but after many giggling stumbles and sloppy pirouettes, I completed the entire routine with a bow.
It was the loneliest standing ovation I’d ever received, as Cam stood alone on my parent’s roof, clapping and catcalling. He didn’t care what the neighbors thought, or about waking up my parents. This boy who talked about living in his foster home and doing anything to escape it, was so alive – so carefree.
For a long time I’d thought that was the moment I’d fallen in love with Cam. Later, I realized that I hadn’t known a thing about love at all, not the real kind at least. The kind that takes root in your very being and consumes everything you think you are.
I couldn’t explain all that to Madeline though. Chances were, she’d already read that story in the book, if it had even made the final cut.
“You’re call time was ten minutes ago. You both better get a move on before Georgia comes to find you.” Madeline’s punk hairstylist reminded them, breaking the restful ambiance of the room.
Madeline was once again joined by Fran and Alfred as we walked to set, and I followed slowly behind them.
I’d never realized that by locking my past behind the wall I’d built to protect myself, I’d also blocked out all the good things too. Like how Cam would ask me to dance for him long after I’d had to quit lessons, and he’d watch the same boring old routines over and over again, just because he knew it made me happy. He was the best at distracting me too. Whenever things got bad, I could always count on him to keep a running commentary on just about anything, as long as it kept my mind off the world crashing down around us.
Madeline and Declan took their places on set, and it was hard to keep myself numbed from the experience like I’d been doing. My equilibrium felt thrown off, and suddenly all of the feelings that I’d thought were resolved with Cam seemed like a puzzle that had just been dumped over, scattering pie
ces in every direction.
“They look good at least,” Cam whispered in my ear, coming to stand beside me as hair and make-up placed the final touches on the actors.
All I could do was nod. Why did this have to happen? Other than the lingering, awkward silences and completely repressed feelings, we had been doing just fine! Now all I could think about were all the reasons I’d fallen in love with him in the first place.
“Action!”
The set was constructed into what looked like an all-American living room. I supposed it was supposed to be the one in my parent’s house, though it didn’t look a think like it.
It was a long scene, one that involved many different camera angles and lighting changes. It seemed like forever before they even got to any dialogue.
“So, high school, huh?”Declan as Cam said, instantly smoothing away any inflection of his usual accent. It amazed me how good he was at that.
“You’re not one of those I’m-three-years-removed-therefore-so-above-everything types, are you?” I had to give Madeline credit for the attitude, but the little hip thing she was doing was totally off. I never stood like that!
“Unfortunately, I thought I was so above it, even when I was experiencing it.” Declan’s grin didn’t match Cam’s. Declan’s lips were made to smirk, not grin. “Not all of us are beautiful enough to actually get to enjoy high school.”
A hearty cackle disrupted the scene, and it took me a minute to realize I’d been the perpetrator of the crime.
“CUT!” Georgia’s shout was violent as she wheeled around to glare at me.
I was shocked by my own behavior – outraged, really – but it didn’t seem to do a thing to squelch the giggling fit that had just overtaken me. It was all downhill from there. The more everyone looked at me, the harder the laughter was to dissuade. I put my hand over my mouth, trying to suffocate it out of me, but nothing worked until I met Cam’s annoyed brown eyes.
“I’m sorry.” It sobered me more than anything else. “But who do you think you are – Nickolas Sparks? ‘Beautiful enough to actually get to enjoy high school,’ did you seriously write that?”
Someone I Used to Know Page 5
