by K E Osborn
Oliver turns obviously wanting to hear the answer as well.
“It’s not really my place to say. All I will say is it’s family pressure. It’s the way she’s been taught. I’ll have her tell you the full story when she’s ready, but honestly, when she does you’ll understand.”
“Sounds like it’s a sad story?” Lunar asks.
“It is. Her family may look great to outsiders, but it’s not all chocolates, roses and fucking unicorns.”
“Her dad’s a producer right?” Matt asks.
“Stepdad,” I correct.
“Where’s her real dad?” Lunar asks.
“He died… when she was young. She’s never really gotten over it.”
“Oh that is sad,” Lunar says.
“Yeah, there’s so much to Ria you guys haven’t seen. So please, give her a chance… for me?”
They groan and nod. “Only ‘cause we like you,” Matt says.
Lunar smiles and nods in agreement. “Yeah, you’re okay, I suppose,” Lunar teases.
Oliver grins at us all.
A guy wearing headphones and carrying a clipboard stands at the end of the hall waving to Oliver.
He nods and looks to us. “Showtime,” Oliver states.
We head down the hall that leads out to a giant opening onto the studio set. There’s a stage and cameras all around a room set up like a hotel suite. It’s a closed set, so people cannot get onto the lot and stage without permission. My stomach flips as I see the king sized bed set out with pristine white sheets. I think of this morning when Ria and I rolled around on her sheets and now she’ll be doing it with Danger.
How fucking fantastic!
Chapter Eight
Ria and Danger walk in. Danger’s shirtless showing off all his black and gray tattoos wearing only jeans as Ria walks in wearing a silk robe. My heart starts racing and all I want to do is run to her, but we’re all ushered into a waiting slash viewing area where Tillie and Ryan are already sitting. The view of the fake ‘hotel room’ is clear and I’ll be able to see everything. I’m not sure if that makes me happy or incredibly nervous.
Danger and Ria are ushered into the hotel suite and over to a fake window. People are talking to them but we can’t hear anything that’s being said from our positions while everyone fusses and pussyfoots about. Lunar walks over and stands next to me as we both watch our partners chatting to each other.
“You think they’re nervous?” Lunar asks.
I smirk. “Danger, for sure. Ria… not so much. She’s done this sort of thing a hundred times before.”
“You going to be okay watching this?”
Exhaling, I shrug. “Got no choice, right? It’s for the good of the band.”
Lunar nods and smiles. “You’re a good man, Nate.”
I purse my lips and smile.
“I know you worry about me, thank you for that. And I love that you care so much. It can’t have been easy, but I’m glad you’ve found someone. Even if I’m not sure she’s right for you. As long as she makes you happy—”
“She does. I mean it’s new, really fucking new, but she gets me and has done from the second we met. She’s never once put me down for my flaws and she makes me feel like even though I may not be the smartest guy in the world, she’ll help me in any way I need it. Without question. She’s so different alone and away from everything. I wish she’d be that person with you guys.”
Lunar wraps her arm around my waist leaning her head on my shoulder. “Hey, if she treats you right, that’s all that matters.”
I look up just in time to see Ria sliding her silk robe off and I tense up seeing her in just a black lace bra and panties.
Lunar tightens her arm around my waist and chuckles. “Wow, Nate! Even I have a lady boner.”
“Not helping, Lunar.”
Although, I do chuckle and she smirks looking up at me.
“Hey, if you’re gonna be her man, this is what she does for a living. I’ve seen her movies. Hell, I’ve seen her on screen naked. If you’re gonna be with her, you’re gonna have to be okay with this.”
Sighing, I slump my body. “Shit! Yeah, I know. Guess the first time seeing this is gonna be the hardest.”
“Yeah, I haven’t seen Danger with another woman either. So this shit’s about to get real for me, too.”
“We can sulk together,” I say.
“Yeah,” Lunar replies.
Ria backs up against the window and Danger heads over toward the fake door. Everyone gets into position and the director calls out, “Action.” The lights dim, but brighten on the stage making it look like daylight is streaming in through the window behind Ria as our song starts to play over the speakers in the studio. Ria looks beautiful with her hair flowing elegantly over her shoulders, the light shining in through the fake window behind her while she stands sultrily looking toward the door. Danger walks in, no he struts in, as the words to the song start but he looks stiff, nervous even. Normally he’s fine in our other videos, but then again they’re normally just us, no hot women staring at you half-naked. He starts to mime the song as he very awkwardly struts over toward Ria. She looks perfect like she’s besotted with him and completely in love.
You can sure tell who the actresses is, but I hate it.
I wish she looked at me like that.
An ache in my chest forms as Danger struts toward her, and with each step my heart thumps a little faster as he stalks his prey.
“Cut,” the director calls out.
Danger slumps as Ria rolls her eyes instantly dropping her sexy pose.
People rush in from all angles to fix her hair that has absolutely nothing wrong with it.
Other people are talking to Danger and he’s nodding and it appears like he’s taking it all in.
“Why’d they cut?” Lunar asks.
“‘Cause Danger had a stick up his ass,” Ryan jibes and Tillie slaps his chest. “Ow, what? It’s true. He was acting weird. All uptight and ridiculous. He’s nervous.”
Lunar purses her lips and nods. “Maybe I should go and talk to him?”
“No!” Ryan and Tillie both say in unison.
“What? Why?”
“You’re the reason he’s nervous,” I say.
Tillie slaps me across the back of my head. “Ow… you’re in a slappy mood today, Tillie.”
“If you say anything further in regards to Tillie and the word slapper, I will gut you, Nate,” Ryan says.
Tillie smiles and Lunar and Matt laugh.
“But really, why’s he nervous ‘cause of me?” Lunar asks.
“Think about it. Could you do this with Danger watching?” Matt queries.
She purses her lips and thinks then says, “Right. True… should I go?”
“It’s one of those double edged sword things. He’s nervous with you here, but if you left, I think he’d be upset and worry that you were upset. Which in turn would just make him worse,” Tillie says.
“Mmm… yeah, I see what you mean. Urgh…. this is so fucked! Whose stupid idea was this?” Lunar asks.
Tillie and Ryan’s heads both snap up looking at me and I sigh. “Okay yeah, it was me, but I didn’t think they’d be all sexy with each other. I thought we’d all be in a convertible driving down a highway headbanging or something corny like that.”
“To a slow love song?” Tillie asks.
“Well, I didn’t know it would be for this particular song at the time, did I?”
“True…”
“Quiet please,” someone calls out. We all quieten down and turn back watching them move back into position. Ria by the fake window and Danger by the door.
The music starts again and Danger seems better this time, still stiff and a little less sex symbol than normal, but an improvement on last time. He mimes the words as he walks toward Ria. My heart rate quickens again watching him as his body moves with the rhythm of the music. His eyes finally take on that animalistic look he’s known for and my lip curls up in annoyance. Ria grins
at him like she loves every perfect inch of his body which is edging toward her.
He stalks her, reaches her, his hands move out placing them either side of her head dominantly on the window as she gazes into his eyes.
Lunar’s hand creeps into mine and she holds it tight and I squeeze back while she gives me a sideways look.
Danger mimes the lyrics and Ria mock laughs, and fuck if it isn’t the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen. She runs her hand up Danger’s back pulling him closer to her. He’s still miming the words to the song as he moves in running his nose up along her neck. Ria’s eyes close looking like she’s fucking loving it.
I squeeze Lunar’s hand tighter and she gasps leaning into my side.
“Nate, you’re gonna make my hand fall off,” she whispers.
I look down to see her hand bright white and mine bright red.
“Shit!” I let go immediately and shake my head. “Sorry. Are you okay?” I whisper.
She nods. “Are you?”
I look back up just in time to see Danger pull back from Ria, and look into her eyes mouthing the lyrics ‘I’ll Take Your Breath Away.’ Her hand comes up to his cheek to caress it and I shift my body feeling uncomfortable watching the scene.
Sure, I’ve only known her for a short time, but in that short amount of time she’s understood me more than most people have my whole life, and here she is getting cozy with my lead singer… with my friend.
It’s weird.
It’s like watching your new girlfriend cheating on you, but with your permission.
It’s fucked! In all kinds of ways.
“Cut,” the director calls out again.
I sink into myself thinking, thank fuck that’s over.
Danger pulls back dramatically like Ria is diseased or something.
“Jesus Christ,” Lunar murmurs under her breath. I look at her and exhale dramatically.
“You two okay?” Oliver asks.
“Mm-hmm,” we both murmur as he looks between the two of us.
“Okay. I’m going to check on Danger. You guys behave yourselves. Tillie… you’re in charge.”
“Yes boss,” she says and fake salutes as he walks off.
Matt looks to me and tilts his head. “You good?”
I nod and exhale. “Yeah, as long as I don’t have to watch that again.”
“Have you read the script, Nate?” Tillie asks.
“No, why?”
Ryan, Matt and Tillie wince as Lunar grabs my hand again. “Nate, man, it gets worse… lots worse.”
“Great, did you know?” I ask Lunar.
She nods. “Yeah, Danger had me approve everything before he agreed to do it.”
“Shit! I didn’t think about it ‘cause we weren’t a thing until yesterday, and then I didn’t want to know about what I was going to be seeing. But now, standing here, maybe being forewarned would have been better?”
“Probably, yeah. See, I knew what would happen in the scenes, so I’m not surprised by any of it. Maybe sit down with Zaria tonight and go over the script for tomorrow so you know? Can’t say as it doesn’t make me squirm anyway, but having some knowledge is helping… a bit anyway.”
“Yeah, might just do that.”
“Quiet please,” someone calls out and we all turn to see Danger and Ria in the same starting positions as before, him by the door, her by the fake window.
“What the fuck?” I murmur.
Shit! Looks like I have to watch this again!
“Action!” the music starts to play and Danger moves toward Ria, much better this time, smoother and more polished. He seems to have found his groove really stalking toward her as he mimes the words as if they were written for her.
“You gotta be fucking kidding me. How many times are they gonna do this?” I whisper.
Lunar shrugs tightening her hand in mine.
All up they do the same scene five more times and with each take, Danger gets more and more loose which in turn helps him to be more sexual toward Ria. And with each take Lunar and I freak out just that little bit more. You’d think after watching it once, it would get better with each take, but instead it seems to get worse and harder to watch.
We’ve been here for nearly four hours and they’ve finally wrapped up Danger and Ria’s scene, and now it’s time to look at the band’s parts.
Oliver comes over to the rest of us with a great big smile on his face. “Okay guys, it’s time to hit the dressing room. I’ll meet you all back on stage for your parts,” Oliver calls out.
I turn to Lunar, looking into her droopy eyes. “Will you be okay?”
She nods. “Yeah, Tillie’s here to keep me company so I should be fine. You go. Don’t worry about little old me. I’m a tough bitch, remember?”
Laughing, I shake my head. “Tough yes, but a bitch, never.” I lean in kissing her cheek and walk off with Matt and Ryan toward the dressing room. When we step inside Danger’s already in there getting changed into something different for the band’s section of the shoot. He looks up spotting us all and smiles wide.
“Hey guys, were you watching?”
“We were all watching,” Ryan says.
“Whatcha think? Could I branch out into acting?” he adds a slight chuckle to the end like he’s proud of himself. He doesn’t even seem to realize that I’m slightly annoyed.
“You think you’re Bon Jovi now? Jared Leto maybe?” Matt chuckles.
“Yeah, but better looking.”
“I don’t know, man, they’re pretty hot guys,” Ryan quips.
“True, maybe I’m just in the same league then,” Danger says.
Matt and Ryan chuckle as I go to my hanger to grab my clothes and begin getting changed.
“You okay, Nate? Not having any smart ass quips from you is kinda weird,” Danger says as I grab the white wife beater and pull it off the hanger.
“Really have nothing to say.”
Danger stops and exhales. “Are you pissed at me?”
I turn back to look at him. “No, I know it’s just acting. But gotta say… fuck man, you guys were pretty convincing.”
Danger frowns, his face falling like he’s genuinely upset. “Shit! Is Lunar okay?”
“She was prepared. She knew what was going to happen with you two… unlike me. She’s a trooper and took it way better than I did.”
“I’m sorry, bro. I can cool it, or we can change the storyline of the video if you want?”
“No, no, it’s fine. If I’m going to be with Zaria, this is all a part of her job. I’m going to have to see her with other men all the time, so this is something I have to learn to deal with.”
“Just know this is all acting. There’s no feelings here whatsoever.”
“I know. Let’s just do this, yeah?”
Danger nods with a weak smile as we all continue dressing to be ready to head out to the stage.
RIA
After spending the last few hours with Danger, he doesn’t seem as arrogant and stuck up as I thought he was. He’s actually okay to be around and to work with, which is nice. Even though I could tell he was scared stiff about working with me. Which I’m not sure if it’s because of who I am, or because he’s in a relationship. Perhaps it’s both. But either way by the last take he was much freer and his acting had improved heaps. He was still a little stiff for my liking but compared to the first take he was one hundred percent into it.
The band’s doing their joint take now, and so I’m going to stay and head up to the viewing area to watch Nate. I know he’s been watching me all day, and I hope he’s been okay with what he’s seen so far. I would have liked to have chatted with him between these takes, but I know he’s on set already and I don’t want to interrupt them instructing him on what he needs to do.
“You ready to go, Ria?” Mindy my makeup artist slash PA calls out to me as she pops her head through the doorway.
“Yep, coming…” I call back, grab my bag and walk with her toward the viewing area.
�
��So, are you enjoying your day so far?” she asks, her blonde ponytail bobbing up and down briskly as we walk.
“I am. I thought it would be harder than it has been, but everyone’s actually really cool. These are good people.”
Mindy smiles. “They are Ria. And they’re Nate’s friends, try to remember that.”
I exhale with a nod as I weakly give her a smile. Mindy has been with me for years. She’s not only my makeup and PA but one of the select few I call a friend. That’s why she calls me Ria and not Zaria. She knows everything, all about my life, my past, my demons, everything. She knows me and that’s why I trust everything she tells me.
We head through the studio and past the stage, toward the stairs of the viewing area. We climb them to see Lunar and Tillie waiting patiently. My stomach turns and nerves filter through me—these are Nate’s people, people I’ve only been ‘Zaria’ with. People who only know the diva in me. I want to make an effort for Nate, but I’ve never really been able to make friends easily.
I glance to Mindy and she smiles at me while gesturing with her head for me to go up to them. So I take in a deep breath and head toward the two beauties. Lunar spots me first and tenses as she notices me, Tillie turns to see me and sighs, her face going all taut like she’s waiting for me to yell out an order at her, like I have been doing. I know I’ve brought that on myself and I want to make it right, I just don’t know how. I’ve only ever been taught to take what I want and demand, demand, demand, that’s the only way to gain and get respect. But I don’t see respect from these people, only disdain and rejection. But I want Nate’s people to like me, so I want to make an effort, but putting my walls down is hard for me to do.
“Hi ladies,” I say.
They both look me up and down like I’ve lost my mind.
“Zaria,” Tillie murmurs.
Lunar simply nods.
“So, um… thanks for hanging around in support today.”
“We always support our boys,” Lunar says brashly.
“Well, I appreciate it too—”
“We’re not here to support you,” Lunar replies harshly.
Even Tillie opens her eyes wide as I take a deep breath.
Wow! Tough crowd!