by Max Walker
“Come on, let’s have a seat.” Red walked over to the long couch sitting inside an alcove, an equally long window just above it, dark gray shades drawn and separating them from the rest of the world.
Red plopped down right in the center of the couch.
Weird.
Caleb considered clinging to the edge of the couch, putting space between them so that he didn’t get any other crazy ideas, but, as if by magic, he found himself sitting inches away from Red, right smack in the center of the couch.
“So, what else do you like to drink?” Red asked, smirking. He was still wearing the scruffed up tux from the scene, which somehow made Caleb feel underdressed in his scrubs.
“I usually go for wine.”
Red arched an eyebrow. “Classy, eh.”
“Well, that, and my hangovers are way less shitty.”
Red laughed at that. Caleb was quickly becoming addicted to the sound. “I’m the opposite. A glass of wine kicks me in the ass, but I can fight back a few beers.”
Caleb wanted to blurt out an awkward ‘well opposites do attract’ joke, but was thankfully able to hold back. He nodded and smiled, drinking more beer. It was surprisingly strong. Or maybe it was because Caleb had barely eaten all day. He was usually good about getting his meals in, but the whirlwind of a day had thrown him off. His head felt light as he looked straight ahead. He had to avoid looking into Red’s eyes. Whatever he did, he couldn’t look into them. Caleb had no doubt he would only fall deeper in with every glance.
“So, were you bitten by the acting bug? Think I can look forward to more scenes with you?”
Look forward to…
“I’m not sure,” Caleb said. “It’s all happened so fast; I don’t think I’ve really processed it all. I’ve always been fascinated by actors and the process, hell I even read An Actor Prepares twice back in nursing school. It was so different from all the studying I was doing, it helped me escape a bit. I just never really got into the actual performing part.”
“Well, you’re good at the performing part.”
Caleb shook his head. “You don’t have to be nice, the beer softens the blows. I was pretty rough out there. But hey, for my first time, I’m just glad my mouth moved and formed words.”
Red laughed and leaned closer to Caleb. He still didn’t look his way, but he could feel the actor get closer on the couch. His skin prickled five degrees warmer.
“Trust me,” Red said, “you did great. After the first take, you nailed it. The rest of the takes were just for safety. And sure, it wasn’t a ton of lines, but it’s still rough to deliver anything believable when you have five cameras pointed your way and an entire film crew surrounding you.”
Caleb nodded, pursing his lips. “That is… true. Wow. How the hell did I get through that?”
That’s when Caleb’s world tilted on its axis. Red’s knee was no longer inches away from his own. Red’s knee was now resting snugly against Caleb’s. It wasn’t the kind of accidental brush up that’s quickly covered up by two straight bros with a laugh and a known policy of never bringing it up again. This was the kind of knee-touch that shocked Caleb’s entire body with a jolt of electricity and lingered throughout him, sparking between his nerves, lighting the base of his spine on fire. It all culminated in a pulse between his thighs. He was getting harder and harder the longer Red’s knee stayed on his.
Friendly. Friends do this. He’s an actor. They don’t have boundaries. That’s it. Must be it.
“I remember my first acting gig,” Red said, as though their knees weren’t stuck together like fucking magnets. “I threw up as soon as the director said ‘action.’”
“What?” Caleb looked at Red.
Fuck. Mistake.
Those eyes.
Fuck…
“Yep,” Red continued, his eyes finding their focus on Caleb’s. “I was so nervous. The actor I had been up against for the part had emailed me the night before basically saying how I was chosen because of my dad and not for anything else. He was clearly upset, but I had felt like it had some weight to it. So, when the cameras started to roll, I freaked. I felt like I had so much to prove, except I also felt really outmatched.”
“Was this for Deep Sleep?” Caleb’s eyebrows scrunched together. He realized instantly how weird it must have sounded that he knew what Red’s first movie role was. “Sorry, that sounds like I’m a pro-stalker, doesn’t it?”
“No, not at all. My shit’s all over the internet, anyway.”
Something in the way Red’s voice dropped made Caleb think he wasn’t fond of having his entire story open for everyone to read. And who would be?
Caleb felt like he had to clarify further. The last thing he wanted to do was give Red the impression that he was just some superfan trying to drop off his resume for pro-groupie.
“It’s just that Deep Sleep was one of my favorite movies of all time,” Caleb said. “Not only were you badass but the movie painted such a cool, futuristic picture. It really meant something to me, and still kind of does.”
It also had one of the first gay superheroes on screen. He was a small side character, but damn did he give me hope.
Caleb didn’t want to get sappy on Red. He wasn’t ready to talk about how rough he had it in high school. About how Red’s first movie had helped him through some difficult times.
“Really? Wow, thank you. I’m always honored when people say one of my movies meant something to them.” Red smirked. “But something about you being the one telling me that, it blows me away.”
Caleb swallowed back the last of his beer. The spot where their knees were touching was growing warmer and warmer. He was becoming hyper away of his swallowing. Was he accumulating too much saliva? Did he have to gulp? Was it going to sound like a bomb going off in the room? He didn’t want to move, not even a centimeter. It was as if he was terrified of scaring off the rare little hummingbird perched on his shoulder.
Knock. Knock.
Caleb shot up from his seat faster than a broken spring shooting through an old couch.
“Red?” a singsong voice called from the other side of the door. “Babe, you in there?”
Caleb’s blood ran iceberg cold. Whatever chubby he had been sporting between his thighs quickly shrunk back down to regular business hour proportions.
“Yeah, come in,” Red called.
Selena Santiago walked into the trailer, her bright yellow sundress billowing behind her like a river of sunshine and fucking majesty. She looked like she was someone born famous. There was no other path in life for her. And it wasn’t just the impeccably tailored dress and dazzling silver accessories and perfectly done dark hair that framed her lightly made-up face.
None of that drowned out Selena’s natural beauty.
Selena Santiago herself was the reason Selena was a star. Not her clothes or her jewelry or her makeup. It was in her inviting yet exotic green eyes set in a face sculpted out of liquid marble. Flawless and angled, as though every second of her life was made for a shot in Vogue.
Caleb felt himself getting nervous. What did this look like? A random actor she had never met just hanging out in her boyfriend’s trailer? The last thing he wanted to do was get in the middle of something this huge.
Well… Maybe not the last thing...
“Hi there,” she said, “Selena,” as though Caleb didn’t know who she was already.
“I’m Caleb,” he said. He walked to meet her and reached out a hand to shake hers. He almost expected to be blown away by her touch. As though she had some magical celebrity forcefield protecting her at all times. He wouldn’t have minded that though. He figured he would be blown back onto Red, who was still sitting exactly where they had been moments before.
Where our knees were practically fucking…
“Were you in today’s shoot?” Selena asked, smiling as she turned to Red.
Why am I thinking about our knees? This isn’t middle school. And also, knee-fucking is weird.
Caleb n
odded, realizing that Selena wasn’t even paying attention to him anymore, and turned to see the exact moment she bent over to kiss Red. It shouldn’t have made him feel any kind of way. It wasn’t like it was a surprise that Red was straight and dating. They were on a new magazine cover in the checkout aisle every other week. Except, somehow, he had seemed to have forgotten that Red was a taken straight guy. If he was really honest with himself, he would have looked back on their time that day and seen two guys dancing around each other on a first date of sorts.
As if.
“Just came back from Kim’s,” Selena said, speaking to Red now, laying down on the couch, throwing her feet onto Red’s thighs. Caleb no longer had anywhere to sit. “She was not having it with Kris this morning.”
Caleb, once again, was reminded that he was playing way out of his league.
“I should get going,” he said, looking at his watch as though he had somewhere to be at nine o’clock at night on a random Friday. He just didn’t feel welcome anymore. And not because of Red, who was actually giving him a very peculiar look. As though he were apologizing for his girlfriend’s intrusion.
But, why would he feel bad? I’m nothing to him. That’s his girlfriend with her legs all over him.
The thought was a bitter pill to swallow, but it helped spur him to move. He waved awkwardly at the both of them. Red looked like he was about to speak but Caleb cut him off.
“It was really great meeting you and getting a chance to work with you.” Caleb bowed his head and turned toward the door.
“Nice meeting you,” Selena said, her voice empty. Caleb’s back was already to her, but by the way she sounded, Caleb felt like he could turn around and see her filing her nails, not giving a shit about whether Caleb was still there or not. He was disliking her more and more.
“Hold up.” The voice, once again, froze Caleb in place. This time, he did turn. Selena wasn’t filing her nails, but she was scrolling lazily threw her phone, her legs tucked under her as she lounged on the couch. Red was in front of Caleb. For a split second, he felt like he was saying bye to his boyfriend. A peck on the lips would be the next move.
I’ve fucking lost it.
Seven
Red Miller
Caleb leaving was the absolute last fucking thing Red wanted. He had felt himself getting irrationally mad at Selena for barging in. As though she had poured a bucket of ice water onto the growing fire that had been growing between Caleb and Red. He wasn’t sure exactly what had been happening, but he was sure that he didn’t want Caleb to leave.
“Did you want to hang out?” Red asked, unsure of what to even say. He glanced back at Selena, who seemed to be deathly bored of what was going on. Red knew better, though. She was more focused on Red and Caleb than she was on whatever selfies were scrolling past her phone screen.
Caleb looked to consider the proposition. He seemed to be on the verge of answering when Selena piped up. “Red, don’t forget we have that afterparty to go to tonight.”
Caleb swallowed whatever his answer was. He pursed his lips and managed a smile. “Have fun tonight.”
Red wanted to stop him. He felt an impulse to reach across the space that separated them. He wanted to grab Caleb’s hips and pull him in. He wanted to crush his lips against Caleb’s. He had only spent a day with this guy, and he was already getting hard just thinking about kissing him.
Maybe it was better that Caleb left. Maybe this was how things were supposed to go. He would say goodbye, never see Caleb again, and go on with his life. A life that was never lived at full throttle, no matter how fast he could make his stunt cars go. He was meant to hide for the rest of his time on earth. It was the sad reality, but it was reality nonetheless. Anything else was a fantasy better kept for his dreams.
“It really was great meeting you,” Caleb said, holding out his hand. Red reached out and grabbed it. A handshake felt so damn formal, too formal. It was quick. Red felt like the longer he held on, the more liable he was to do something crazy.
“Great meeting you too,” he said, unable to break away from Caleb’s hazel eyes. They glittered, even under the artificial lights of the trailer. Just as if they were under the studio lights. And then he turned and left. The hazel green galaxy Red was ready to dive into was gone.
He couldn’t hold back the sigh.
Selena, meanwhile, wasted absolutely no time getting to the heart of the matter. “I’m fine if he’s your fuckboy, just let me know.”
She no longer lounged, but sat up straight. Her act was over. Her phone abandoned on the couch. She also didn’t sound like she’d be okay with it. But why? They both agreed this was a business relationship. All for show. It helped both of their careers.
“Seriously,” she continued. “I would have let you two fuck the night away in here if I had known. I thought he was just some rando. I wasn’t going to drop the act without knowing.”
“He’s not,” Red said. “And don’t call him a fuckboy. He seems like a great guy.”
“Ah,” Selena said, narrowing those Amazonian-like eyes. They held an ancient magic in them, Red was sure of it. He had seen men melt in front of her just from her gaze alone. Thankfully, he was immune to her power.
“What?” Red asked, knowing Selena was toying with him.
“He’s more than a fuckboy?” Selena crossed her arms. “You have feelings for him.”
“Not at all,” Red said, finding that the words tasted like bile.
“Mhmm.” Selena looked Red up and down and shook her head. “Although, I’m telling you, one night with me and you’ll forget all about that nurse.”
Red’s lips turned into a scowl. “That’s definitely not how it works.”
It wasn’t the first time Selena had joked about Red sleeping with her, and Red knew it wouldn’t be the last. It didn’t really bother him since he felt like they both knew that was a hundred-percent never happening. He had only slept with a girl once before and from then on knew he just wasn’t into it. Not to mention, his body had never reacted to a woman in the way it did to Caleb just moments before. When their knees had touched, he had felt more alive than the entire time he was fucking that girl.
Selena got up from the couch. Her dress looked like a liquid curtain of gold falling over her figure. She was definitely a beautiful woman; anyone could see that. Red still had absolutely no intentions of getting her naked, though.
“I need you to talk to Peter.” She put an arm on Red’s chest. She liked to play up their fake relationship even when people weren’t around. Red thought it was because she just loved the dramatics.
“Why?” Red wanted to avoid Peter for as long as he could. He knew the video incident was never going to be brought up, but he still wanted to give it some more time.
She smiled and brought a knuckle between her pearly white teeth. “I need him to talk to the people behind The Gold World. They have that dumb bitch, Katie Turner, as the lead, but everyone knows I’m the better fit.”
Not sure who ‘everyone’ is.
“Peter knows the director. They’re like best friends, aren’t they? He can convince him.”
Red was still upset from Caleb’s sudden departure, but he also realized he couldn’t just say no to Selena. She was sacrificing a lot by being in a relationship that was all for show. Smoke and mirrors set up to make Red sell the most movie tickets he could.
Fucking stupid. What a fucked up world.
But it also meant that Selena couldn’t date anyone else. And they had been in this facade for a good two years now. Ever since the rumors about Red had started to pick up and gain steam. The least he could do was pass on her message.
“Won’t your agent be pissed? Shouldn’t you be talking to him first?” Red asked. He went to the kitchen, leaving Selena, shrugging off the torn up tuxedo he was wearing.
“You know he isn’t as good as Peter. No one in this damn city is. As soon as my contract is up at WMC, I’m jumping straight to Peter.”
Red went for
another beer. He had his driver that night so he didn’t need to worry about getting behind a wheel. Hell, if anything he could just crash in his trailer and be perfectly fine. What he did have to worry about was staying up all night thinking of Caleb. That was something that had a high probability of occurring if he didn’t down a few beers before bed.
“He’s a cutie.”
“Peter?” Red asked, forehead wrinkling.
“No, that nurse. What was his name? Bryan?”
“Caleb Forester.”
Brightly painted lips curled into a smirk. “Memorized his social too?”
“Hilarious.” Red tried to avoid Selena’s penetrating gaze. He knew that she could see right through him.
I can’t get into a relationship. Not now.
“Come on, Red. It’s obvious now that I walked in on something, and I’ve never seen that look in your eyes.”
“What look?” Red felt defensive now. His walls had to get stronger.
“Like you lost something. The boy who has everything just let something go.”
Red tried to respond, but drinking his beer felt like the better option. It helped numb the truth.
Eight
Caleb Forester
One Week Later
The break room at Sierra View Hospital was a nice little respite from the craziness the hallways sometimes held. Caleb’s feet were burning, his back was aching, and his head was occasionally pounding. Nothing constant enough to call for aspirin, but getting there.
Caleb scanned his badge and entered the break room, surprised to find it empty. He went straight to the fridge and grabbed an apple he had placed in there that morning. He took a bite into the cold green skin, crunching into the sourness. He took a seat at the end of the long table in the center of the room. He reached for the remote and mindlessly flicked through the channels. He decided to land on an old episode of Friends. He was having a fine enough time watching Phoebe sing about smelly cats and eating his sour apple, when a commercial for one of Red’s movies played on the screen. Seeing Red’s face flash across the television woke something in Caleb that he had been trying to ignore. A familiar warmth took hold of him, just below his spine, warming him as it spread through his body. He was riveted to the trailer. It was for an action film in space, which meant that Red somehow made fighting in a spacesuit incredibly sexy.