Just Friends (14 page)

July 10
th

E
leanor and I are like sisters. We have such a laugh on and off set. So many takes have had to be stopped because we’re too busy laughing at one another.

“I’m so glad I have you!” She always says.

The past couple of evenings we’ve eaten together, instead of sitting in our giant hotel suites alone. Our hotel suites are next door to each other so we’re only two paces away from each other’s door. Today we’re shooting the scene where Jessica will comfort Rachel in the interrogation room before all hell breaks loose. I’ll be honest, every time I hear Tables Of Turning it makes me think that it sounds like a crappy horror movie. I think the movie should be called, Twisted. It’s simple and catchy and explains the plot. I suggested it to Stanley on set this morning. He smirked at me when I mentioned it sounded like a crappy horror movie. I think he appreciated my honesty. Everyone else is scared of saying anything. “Thank you August. I will consider it.” He said.

Eleanor and I sat together, drinking green tea while we had our make up done. There was the same newspaper Wayne had shown me, which I didn’t get a chance to read.

“Are you really reading that?” Eleanor asked.

“What do you mean?” I questioned.

She pointed to the article on the front.

Who is Eleanor
’
s new mystery man?

“Oh, no! There’s an article underneath about me. It’s the first time I’ve ever been in a newspaper.”

Eleanor smirked, “Soon you’ll wish they wrote nothing about you.”

I thought back to the day I read Madeline’s magazine in class. Eleanor’s boyfriend cheating on her was distributed to everyone in the world. Nobody needed to know about her personal life. That’s her business. I understood that now. I felt sorry for her, really, she’s just a normal girl, like me, behind that picture painted of her.

“So is it true?” I asked. I realised that I was being nosey and maybe offended her, but she blushed and went red.

“Yeah. He’s such a great guy. We’ve only been dating a week, but he’s so sweet and charming. Not to mention his is super cute! He’s coming to visit me soon so you’ll be able to meet him then.”

We both had huge smiles on our faces, I was genuinely so happy for her. After the previous relationships she’s had, she deserved to be treated well.

July 21
st

T
oday is the day we move onto the shootouts and explosions, all the action packed stuff. Stanley entered my trailer as I was having my make up done and asked the entire make up staff to leave. He wanted to talk alone. I thought he was going to tell me I’m doing a horrible job and he regrets the day he met me.

“August, you’re doing wonderful so far. I thought I’d check up on you and see how you were finding things? Are you comfortable? Does anything need changing?”

I let out a huge sigh of relief. “I was expecting you to shout at me! Everything is perfect Stanley, thank you.”

“Great ok. We’ve changed the movie name by the way. Twisted is officially our new title. Pain in the ass to change, but everyone agreed with you. For the record I didn’t come up with the name. If you need to talk about anything, anything at all, let me know.”

He had a smug expression on his face as he left my trailer. I smiled at myself in the mirror before the make up staff flowed in once again.

I shot the coolest scene today. It’s the first time I’ve been filmed shooting someone! Jessica and Rachel or Eleanor and I, are hiding behind a desk while everyone is shooting at each other. An officer stood next to us is shot and killed. He collapses to the floor and drops his gun and it slides towards us, just out of reaching distance. There is only one guy left in sight. He notices the gun and then notices us. He quickly tries to reload his gun, but me being the brave character I am, slide out and grab the gun and shoot him. He drops to his knees and falls on his face. I’m sure there’s more action packed scenes, although in my opinion, it’s the best action scene ever.

July 22
nd

T
his morning Eleanor rushed into my trailer in a giddy fit.

“He’s coming today! You’re going to love him August!”

She rushed out again before I could reply. I looked at myself in the mirror and shrugged. I’m excited to meet him, she’s told me a lot about him. I want to see if he’ll earn my blessing of dating Eleanor. It’s so weird speaking like this. Two months ago I read a magazine about Eleanor, envying her. Now two months on, we’re new best friends. The make up staff were still dabbing my face as I exited my trailer. They always go over the top with make up. It’s a nightmare to take off and irritates my skin. I paused in the middle of the car park, allowing them to finish. Then a black car came roaring into the car park. I’ve no idea what type of car, but it looked expensive and fast. Could it be Eleanor’s mystery man? The door opened. But to my surprise, it was Ethan. He’d come to surprise me! He had more of a tan and looked taller, somehow.

“Guys, Guys, stop for a second, please.” I said to the make up artists.

I immediately ran over to him. “Hey you!”

“August my dear, how are you?” He shouted back as he closed his car door. Where on Earth did he get a car? He hadn’t even taken any lessons or passed his test before I left. I gently hugged him to avoid covering him in make up. He was wearing one of the ties I bought him for his fifteenth birthday. A plain black tie that has a small white number sixteen in the bottom corner. Sixteen is Ethan’s lucky number, because both our birthdays fall on the sixteenth.

“Why didn’t you tell me you were coming?”

He looked down, “August, we need to talk.”

I frowned at him, “Why?” He only ever said
we need to talk
before revealing terrible news. Before he opened his mouth to speak, a call of, “Hey babe,” came from behind me. It was Eleanor. She walked past me, grabbed ahold of him, and stuck her tongue down his throat. NO, NO, NO. How could this happen? How did they ever meet! What? How? Why? What? WHAT!

I wanted to fall to the floor and cry. I felt like pulling Eleanor off him and punching her. I’m sure that would’ve been fine. Instead I stood and waited for them to stop kissing, disheartened and broken. Eleanor grinned, clutched Ethan’s hand and rested herself against him. She shrugged. “I didn’t know how to tell you, August. You two are close and I thought it would be best to leave it as a surprise.”

I forced myself to smile. Thankfully, someone shouted saying we were needed on set. Perfect timing. Of all the people in the world, she had to meet him. She was right when she said I was going to love him, because I am, in fact, in love with him. I needed to call Max. Normally, I’d turn to Ethan to discuss my problems with him, but since the problem is him, I can’t talk to him.

The day dragged by. Every second Eleanor wasn’t on set, she was kissing Ethan. God I hate her. Funny how tables turn isn’t it?

That evening, Eleanor insisted we went out for dinner. It’s my own fault. I’ve had well over a decade to tell him I love him, and now it’s too late. They’re going to get engaged, married, have kids. Of course, make me bridesmaid and Godmother. Just to rub it in more.

“So tell me, how did you meet?” I asked. I knew I’d regret asking, but I needed to know.

“Well, I was in New York after having my meeting with my agent and I went to grab a coffee. I walked into the first coffee shop I saw and was about to leave before I saw this handsome one sat at a table by himself.
So
I walked over and sat with him and he fell in love with me instantly and began to drool.”

“I didn’t!” Ethan said.

“Well, it took you at least four or five attempts to finally say something to me.” Eleanor said, nudging him. Ethan blushed in embarrassment. She continued, “We sat and drank coffee together and I asked him out to dinner that evening, since he didn’t have the courage to ask me. I think the brace on his arm was too tight and affected his speech.” She lightly punched him. I scoffed once. You know the scoff you do instead of laughing. That scoff.

“What were you doing in New York?” I asked.

“Can’t tell you, top secret stuff.” Ethan replied.

I frowned at him, but accepted his secrecy.

“He didn’t even recognise me! It wasn’t until someone asked to have a photograph with me that he asked if I was famous or not! He came into his own when he did a couple of magic tricks for me. I found it so cute. I wasn’t expecting him to be as good as he was!”

Eleanor went on for what seemed like an eternity. “Oh, and we went ice skating and we went to movies and round museum’s and walked around the park!” I swear she listed every activity possible. “And we made love under the stars whilst camping.”

That was when I choked on my breadstick and nearly passed out. I just wanted to head back to the hotel and sleep. When I eventually climbed into bed after an exhausting and demoralising night, I could hear Eleanor and Ethan having sex. I glanced over at Ethan’s clock, 12:22am. That was definitely my cue to exit my room and find something else to occupy me. I wasn’t sitting and listening in. I walked into the reception and called Max.

“Hello.”

“Max, it’s August.”

“Hey! How are you?”

“Have you spoken to Ethan?”

“Not since he left for New York. Why?”

“Why did he go to New York?”

“He went to buy something. I’m not sure. Why are you asking me this?”

“I’m in love with him, Max.”

“Well it’s about time!”

“Shut up! He’s seeing Eleanor Walden. Well right now he’s seeing a lot of her.”

“Holy shit really? Good on him!”

“Max how is that helping me!”

“Sorry. You’ve had forever to tell him, August. How long have you had these feelings? How did he even meet her?”

“It’s been like this for a while, but I only admitted it to myself recently. Ethan meeting Eleanor is irrelevant right now.”

“Ah, August you should have said something. I can’t believe he’s banging Eleanor Walden, though. She’s my dream girl.”

“Inappropriate right now, Max. Thanks for your helpful support anyway.”

“How is filming going?”

“Well, it was going great.”

“I see. I’m sure they won’t last long, and then you’ll be able to tell him.”

“Yeah, you’re right. Thanks Max.”

“You’re welcome. I hope you’re ok, Bye.”

“Bye.”

I suppose I can’t expect much from Max. He’s not the best on giving advice. He speaks his mind. I decided the advice he provided wasn’t good enough. So I called my Mum. Mum always helps in uncomfortable situations. I waited as the phone rang and rang, nervously preparing my confession.

“August, is everything ok?”

“I’m just going to get straight to the point, Mum. I’m in love with Ethan.”

“Well it’s about time!”

“Why does everyone keep saying that?”

“Well, we’ve been waiting God knows how many years for you to admit it, sweetie.”

“He’s seeing the biggest actress in the world right now.”

“Oh great! Wait, is that you?”

“No it’s not me you fool, Eleanor Walden.”

“Fair play to him, he’s not done bad there has he.”

“Mum, how is this helping me?”

“I’m sorry, sweetie.”

“Ok I get it I should have told him sooner!”

“I’m still half asleep August. Let’s speak about this later, ok?”

“Ok. Bye.”

The message was clear from Max and Mum. It’s about time I admitted I loved him and too late to finally tell him. Just the news I wanted to hear.