Whimsical Perfection

25. Disastrous

"The truth you speak doth lack some gentleness,
And time to speak it in.
You rub the sore
When you should bring the plaster."
           —Gonzalo, The Tempest

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As expected, that motherfucker didn't listen to me, and didn't kiss the female lead like I had told him to.

I really shouldn't have provoked him.

The atmosphere on the stage became awkward when the actress leaned in for the expected kiss, but he didn’t take a hint. He wasn't even fucking embarrassed about creating such a scene in front of the ones who hired him to do his job. And now, I had to face the consequences of his brash actions.

He had me fuming at him. The red hot anger slowly built up inside me, but I soothed it down, knowing that now wasn't the time to show the producers that there was conflict in our time. This was the hardest part – to cover for this bastard's mistakes when all I wanted to do was snap his neck into two.

After the show ended, the other actors were told to go home while Isaac was left behind with me. Everyone packed up and left while giving me pitiful looks and glared at Isaac for his recklessness. I had never felt so cared for in my entire career, but even I revelled in everyone's obvious hatred towards Isaac.

Served the bastard right.

As I faced Tom again, who was smirking at me from his seat in the audience, I groaned internally. Another bastard was about to fuck up my mood, and I would have to suck upto him, yet again. All because of someone's petty ego.

"I was honestly expecting a magnificent show, which stays true to your name, but I was disappointed. Ms. Lockewood, is that all you have got?" He taunted me in that smug voice of his, and I really wanted to strangle him right there.

Looking up to meet his eyes, mine set in a hard glare while his were a laughing mess, I gritted my teeth hard. Plastering on a sickly sweet smile, I retorted,

"Of course not. It was a small misunderstanding between the actor and I. It's still the first rehearsal, things will definitely get better from here. You know it better than anyone else, that I never disappoint."

Tom smirked at me one more time, and then nodded his head. "Very well then. I'll give you another chance, and I hope that next time, you satisfy the inner Shakespeare in me. And for your little problem with the actor over there, a bit more communication might help."

My nostrils flared as he turned around and walked up the steps that led to the exit door of the theater. His troupe of producers gave me a disapproving glance and silently followed him, John included. Although his look meant more trouble for me afterwards, I was glad that he wouldn't talk to me right now. As the door closed, I was left alone with Isaac again.

The all too familiar feeling of my nerves acting up came back, making me angrier than before. This moron was about to ruin my whole career, and yet, all I could think of when he was near, was his irresistible scent, and all that he did to me the last time we were alone. My body yearned for the same attention from him again— NO, STOP IT!!!

I turned around and fixed him with a glare, but he didn't seem to be fazed with it. Walking towards him but stopping with at least ten steps in between us, I spoke calmly, but sternly,

"Do you wish for this play to become a failure? Is that how you want to return to the stage after so long?"

He straightened his back at my question, dark eyes now swirling with a storm of emotions, something that happened often in my presence. Was I the cause of his inner emotional turmoil?

"Don't act like you care about my image. You're only doing this because you could be in a lot of danger too. It's been months since we first met, and yet, you haven't been honest with me even once. And if you think that's the way to work together, you're absolutely wrong. Honesty is the only way we can work things out between us, so why not start with a little bit of that?"

He too answered calmly, but his words cut inside me. Deep. Honesty? He wanted honesty from me after knowing me for merely two months? And would he even heed to his own words? What a conniving asshole!

"If I agree, will you do the same?"

"I will."

I took a deep breath, not expecting him to take control over the situation in such a manner. He always did that – maneuvering himself out of any trouble, and make the other person feel remorseful about it. But not this time, this time I will show him that he was truly wrong.

"Okay then, I'll be honest first. It's true that this situation not only affects you, but me too. We both are in dire need of a resurrection, and this might be our last chance. So, I'm deathly afraid of my career coming to an end, unlike someone else who still thinks he can be reckless with his job."

My jab didn't go unnoticed by him, as his cool demeanor started to slip. The flames of fury seeped through his skin little by little, and I could see clearly today, that I was indeed the one, who caused his cold exterior to break. I was the one who threw his calculative mind into the sea, and bring forth that brash, impulsive, childlike mentality, which he absolutely despised to show. It made him look out of control, something he never wanted to be.

And for some sick reason, I loved to see him failing himself.

But then, his demeanor changed drastically. One second, he was glaring at me. The other, he was smirking at me with those honey infused eyes that made me intoxicated with just a single glance.

"Oh sweetheart, I wasn't talking about this honesty. I meant, the other day. As you laid beneath me on my bed, enveloped in my strong arms, smothered with my kisses, did you, or did you not, enjoy yourself? And since you promised, don't forget to be honest with me."

Looks like he too, knew how to push my buttons perfectly well.

~♤ ▪︎ ♤ ▪︎ ♤~