Unscripted. (H.S.)

10

Penelope Atwoods

9.00 AM. Harry was supposed to show up half an hour ago, and still nobody has heard a peep from him. Our scene was supposed to be one filmed first today, we were supposed to start at 9, he had hair and makeup at 8.30, and of course, he's not here.

I knew it was too good to be true. I knew he'd be all hungover and ruin the day, start the day off on a negative note. He was drunk last night, I don't know why I got my hopes up and believed he'd actually remember anything he said last night. He can't even remember what time he's supposed to show up to his work.

"Where'd you guys go last night?" Sarah asked me through a whisper, careful not to draw too much attention considering everyone is cursing his name right now.

"Nowhere, I took him home." I told her, slighting annoyed he's not shown, but worried this'll be pinned on me.

"You took him home?" Derek asked, running his hand through his hair, stressed. "Go and get him!"

"What!?" I exclaimed, "why? Bondy can get him, he's Harry's friend."

I would be lying if I said I wasn't intimidated by Harry, or that the thought of going to see him right now terrifies me. I don't want him to snap at me, or make me feel like shut because I don't deserve it. He won't snap at Bondy, or at least, he's used to it.

Derek rolled his eyes at me and stormed over to the schedule on the wall beside us, he drew a big arrow from the scene Harry and I are supposed to be filming now, to the one with the other cast members. He swapped them round, meaning Bondy and Sarah, and everyone besides me and Harry were to start filming now.

"Go and get Harry, Penelope. Don't come back until it's with him." Derek said, pointing right at me with his finger aggressively.

I looked at Sarah, but he just laughed and mouthed the words 'good luck'. Something tells me I'll need all the luck I can get, because I can almost sense the bad mood Harrys going to be in when he opens the door to his apparent least favourite person ever standing there.

I wonder how he'll react, whether it'll just be some fit of rage, or whether he'll be able to pull himself together and be mature. I'd say he might be kind, might be relaxed about it all, but I doubt he'll remember calling his truce.

He was so nice to me, called me 'pretty Penny' and it didn't sound demeaning like it didn't when Timmy said it. He called me a talented ray of sunshine, and it made my heart throb, but then caused it to tear a little when I realised it was his drunk mind speaking. Right now, he's probably thinking I'm a talentless dark cloud.

His apartment was in sight, and I wondered whether he said seventeen or eighteen last night before I ring the buzzer and disrupt somebody else this early in the morning. I settled with seventeen, and the very second I lifted my finger and went to press the button below the engraved number, the apartment door swung open.

There he was, standing with a toothy grin in a pair of yellow linen shorts and a silk white shirt, only the bottom few buttons fastened. I looked at him, furrowed brows, partially angry he's so late when he said he wouldn't be, and partially confused as to why he's standing with a massive smile on his face,

"Sunny! Nice to see you!" He exclaimed, "Want a ride to work? That why you're here?"

"I'm here because you're late. And now we're not filming till the afternoon." I said bluntly, folding my arms. "Harry, you said you'd be-"

"Great! Well then we have plenty of time then! Chill sunshine, relax." Harry chuckled, putting an around me to walk me towards his car, which I swear he left at the bar last night. "Was up early to get my car, then had to have a shower, then brush the pegs, then it was 8.50 and I thought fuck it. Figured if I didn't show up for so long they'd send you my way and would you look at that...it worked."

He pulled the car keys from his pocket and unlocked the doors. I had to fight a smile, he makes it difficult to hate him sometimes, and to be honest, I was slightly worried why he's being nice. Wondered why he hasn't snapped at me yet, or hurled some nasty remark my way. It's been a whole two minutes and I'm yet to feel like he resents me.