Fake It 'Til You Make It - Hamliza

Chapter 3: Connected

Eliza showed up to work on time, remembering her lines for the scene they would shoot today. She also stayed up all night after she tucked Philip in, reading the book based on the movie, so she could act more like her character:
Charlotte. An assassin.

"Hey, Eliza! I'm sorry about yesterday. I was tired." Chelsea said, running up behind her. Eliza tried not to roll her eyes. "It's fine, trust me." She mumbled and went into her trailer to start getting ready with Diana.
"What are we looking for today?" Diana asked her and brushed out Eliza's hair. Eliza thought about it for a minute. "Well, Charlotte kills Grace today so somehow crazy yet sexy because Dylan needs to love her too." She said then blushed as soon as she realized.

“Alright.” Diana tied Eliza’s hair up in a bun, and got out a short black dress, with some ‘blood stains’ on it. “I like to think it already has blood stains from her past murders.” She gave Eliza the dress.
“Wow! You look great!” Eliza smiled and spun around. “Now we just need to put lipstick on you, along with some eyeliner.”
“Wow, Eliza! You look amazing!”, Maria, who will be playing Grace, gushed. “Thanks.” Chelsea scoffed. “Don’t I look amazing?” She was wearing a very short and bright orange dress. “Sure”, Eliza lied.
“Places everyone places!”

"You know I have to do this!" Charlotte/Eliza shouted at Grace/Maria, pointing the gun at her chest. "Charlotte please! You know me! You can't!" Grace/Maria begged. Charlotte/Eliza shook her head. "This is an escape for you. You know Dylan loves someone else. Just let me do this." 
Grace/Maria teared up and covered her face with her hands. That's when Charlotte/Eliza shot her in the chest. Right through the heart. Dylan/Alex ran in and grabbed the gun from Charlotte/Eliza's hand. "What the hell did you do!?" He shouted and punched her in the face.
"CUT!" The director called and rushed over to Eliza who was on the floor, holding her face in agony.

That punch was connected. Eliza expected it to be one of those punches where it looks like it hit you and it didn’t really, it just brushes close to your face. But Eliza felt Alexander’s fist graze across her nose, and a sharp instant pain greeted her.
“Eliza I didn’t mean t-“, Alexander began. “Oh Eliza! You’re bleeding!”, Maria shrieked. Eliza touched her nose. It was, in fact, bleeding. “Get some tissues!”, the director shouted. Eliza didn’t want anyone's help. She ran outside and sat on the sidewalk, letting her nose run.
“Hey” Eliza looked over. It was Chelsea. The last person Eliza wanted to see right now.

"What do you want?" Eliza asked and winced as she touched her nose again. "If your nose is broken, you have to quit and I'll get your part. It was supposed to be mine anyway. So, why don't you run along and go back to your whore life," Chelsea laughed.
Eliza used every ounce of self control she had not to punch Chelsea in the nose as well. "You know nothing about me." Eliza snapped. Chelsea just looked her up and down. "I do my research. I know you have a kid and no wedding ring so obviously you got knocked up." She said. Eliza took a deep breath. "My personal life does not concern you, but if you must know, my husband died 2 years ago in a car crash. Keep your opinions to yourself, got it?" 

“Just stay away from my boyfriend”, Chelsea shouted and walked away. “That's a wrap for today, Everyone! Eliza, make sure to get some rest.” Eliza slowly nodded.
“How was your day at work?”, Catherine, Eliza’s mother, asked after Eliza put Pip in her arms. Eliza groaned. “That bad?”, she smirked. “I got punched in the face”, she mumbled. “Oh baby.”
“No. I’m gonna take Pip to Olive Garden now.”
“Pasketti! I’m gonna get Pasketti at Olive Garden!”, Philip cooed as he got out of the car. Eliza smirked at how cute he was being. “Okay. Let’s get inside now, shall we?”

"Yes!" Philip said and tried to run in but Eliza picked him up first. "You can't run off like that. Especially in a busy parking lot." Eliza said and put him down again, holding his hand tight. "Sorry mommy…" Pip whispered. "It's ok. Let's just go in together, ok?" Pip nodded and held onto his mom's arm.
Eliza noticed a familiar car by the entrance but couldn't put her finger on where she'd seen it before. She shrugged and went into the restaurant.
"Table for 2 please." Eliza told the hostess. The hostess nodded and led Pip and Eliza to a table, next to her least favorite people. 
"Of course you're here." Alexander mumbled. Pip looked up at him. "Hi mister! I turn 4 in Jan-berry!" He said and Eliza pulled him away and sat him in his highchair. "It's January, dumbass." Alexander mumbled. Pip looked at Eliza and started crying.

“He’s 3! Three years old!”, she snapped. “Sorry, Liz. I apologize. I’m really stressed because of the paparazzi and…” he cocked his head towards Chelsea, who was reading a menu. Eliza nodded. “Why are you stwessed by popcorn?”, Pip sniffled. Alexander smirked in awe. “Paparazzi. Where people take pictures of you without your permission.” Chelsea finally looked over. “Ugh. You again. I said, stay away, whore!”
“Woah, Chelsea. Calm down!” Pip looked at Eliza. “What’s a whore?” Before Eliza could comment, the waitress walked over. “Hello, what would you like to order?”, she asked. “Two spaghetti and meatballs, please.”
“And Coco milk!”, Pip squeaked.

"Alright. That'll be out shortly." The waitress smiled and walked away. "Mommy you didn't answer my question." Pip whined. Chelsea smirked. "A whore is someone who has a lot of sex without being married." She said. Pip looked confused, his eyes looking to Eliza, then Chelsea, then Alexander, and back to Eliza.
"Mommy, what's se-" "That's enough!" Eliza cut him off and gave him some of the free breadsticks. "Eat these. They're tasty." She said. Pip didn't question it and ate some, his eyes lighting up. "Yummy!"
"Shut him up before I do." Chelsea snapped and threw her menu on the table. "Chels- take a deep breath, ok? It's just a kid." Alexander tried. "A whores kid." She mumbled.

“That’s it!” Eliza was about to cry. She called the waitress over. “May we have the spaghetti in boxes when it’s ready? And the bill?” The waitress nodded. After Eliza and Pip left, Alexander glared at Chelsea. “That was very rude, I cannot believe you!” Chelsea snickered. “That’s my coworker! And a child! Have some respect!”