Whimsical Perfection

9. Travail

"Sigh no more, ladies, sigh no more,
Men were deceivers ever-
One foot in sea and one on shore,
To one thing constant never."
           —Balthasar, Much Ado
               About Nothing

~♤ ▪︎ ♤ ▪︎ ♤~

Perplexed by his behavior out and out, I had no idea how to respond. He was not this kind of man, he was a Devil, a sadistic malicious Devil. I was almost convinced that he had had a change of heart as Aaliyah's words kept ringing in my ears, but then I saw it. The slight curl of his upper lip, as he looked at me with an intensity that was supposed to melt metals in a factory. There it was, the cruel reminder that he was still the same, it's just the tactics that had changed. Since he couldn't come at me with insults and glares, he would now try sweet smiles and velvety sarcasms.

I did know that my forever impassive face mustn't have deceived me, so I was grateful for watching that almost invisible movement before it vanished and before I said or did something I would regret for the rest of my life.

Trying to play this game in his way would definitely be much harder for me, especially since I wasn't accustomed to biting my tongue around assholes like him, but I would try. I would try until I become a fucking pro, and then beat him at his own game. Now that, that would be so damn interesting.

And so, I replied with my usual business like tone, but the unusual glint in my eyes wasn't missed by his sharp gaze. "Good morning to you too, Mr. Williams. I'm glad to see your enthusiasm. I sincerely hope we can work together harmoniously on this project."

I sincerely hope you can survive in this game you started, bastard.

He replied with an.... impressed look in his eyes, "Of course! I can assure you, that this play will become the best in your career."

"Thanks a lot for your wishes. Now, if everyone has gathered, let us start the first rehearsal."

The politeness in my tone almost made me barf up. This was going to be way harder than I imagined. How I could think, that I would be able to carry on with such a demeanor around him everyday, was beyond me. I knew my capabilities and vulnerabilities well, and it was only a matter of time until I lost my mind with this man completely, and lost this stupid game too.

I could now understand his surprise when I replied in such a cool tone. He was totally expecting me to glare at him and blow up, or to melt under his flirty gaze and make a fool of myself. But when I chose the third option, which wasn't even open for him, he was taken aback. But damn his God-tier acting skills, he got away with it with minimum damage. Although, I had still seen a tiny flicker of approval in his eyes. As if he had started to respect me a little more now.

But you could never know. With a Devil like him beside you, breathing down your neck every minute, you really could never know.

As I clapped my hands to gather them all, I climbed the stage to see them all perfectly. Although the large cast divided my attention, a little part of me was still a tad bit unnerved, and the entire blame was to be put on a certain man, who had been staring at me constantly from the moment I had entered this room. And even though he was supposed to be looking at me, I was still nervous about it.

"Evil In Your Eyes, as you all know, is a romance play set in the eighteenth century. The play of five acts has numerous scenes throughout, and while we have the full cast present here, we obviously cannot start with everything today itself. So I have selected a number of scenes to be practiced today, of course in chronological order so that we don't get confused, so for now you will all need to pay attention till Scene 4 of the Third Act. I hope everything is clear?"

My little speech was awarded with a murmur of Yes and Of course, making me heave a sigh of relief. I didn't want a conflict so early in the preparation.

The first scene itself was about the main lead, and it was time for me to check his skills in person. Though I had never worked with him, I had been to many of Williams' plays, and his performances always managed to knock the wind out of my lungs. He was the epitome of powerful, and intense. The roles he played too highlighted this trait of his character, which made him look a thousand times better. Intensity was the best look on this man.

Luckily, I had found him for my own play too, this time. Because the main lead of my play too was a brooding young man, who didn't believe in fate or soul mates. He was a realist, or more like a pessimist, and had a cynical view of life and the humans that lived it. And I couldn't wait to see his first performance of this masterpiece.

As he stepped on to the stage for the first rehearsal, a sudden quiet fell over everyone. There were many small actors who had never worked with him, and many of them were female, so I could imagine their delight when he climbed up with utmost grace and power, signifying the presence of a man in the room. Although I absolutely abhorred this attitude of his when it was directed at me, it still felt surreal to look at it from afar.

Quiet whispers and fangirling had already started as he proceeded to speak his lines without the help of the script given. The scene was a short one, but he had said his lines so perfectly. I couldn't help but admire his dedication towards his work. He had already started working on it, had already started learning his lines, and would be done with it in no time.

The kind of relief this realization brought to me was inexplicable, yet I was trying too hard not to open up for him. I was trying too hard not to soften my heart for him. I was aware, somewhere, that he was a Devil, who only wanted to see me suffer and get below him in life, but I couldn't help but be in awe of this new facet in his personality.

He was redefining his character to me all over again, and all I could do was get entangled in the travails of my mind.

Should I be wary of him?

Or should I give him a fresh start?

~♤ ▪︎ ♤ ▪︎ ♤~