Claire & Theo

17.

 "And action!" the director spoke out.

Claire grabbed the prop gun from small white table beside the black door and swiftly turned around, "All I am doing right now is my job, so why not make it easier for me, buddy. Give me the locket-"

Three grown men launched at her whilst cutting off her dialogue, and she began to fight back with the skills she was taught to her. She ran towards one of them and high kicked him in the chest and elbowed another one behind her who was groping her tightly around the stomach. Then, she jumped, and 'air' punched the other guy to make it look as if she hurt him a lot physically. The stunt man instantly fell to the ground making her run towards the door breaking the fake lock and then shoving the door open.

"Margo!" She heard Christopher yell for her character.

He ran up to her in the grimy hallway of the building made for the set, "Nothing is here, no evidence whatsoever to put a blame on them. Found any clues?"

"No clues but they sent their people to find us and that tells us that someone has an eye on every movement we make to find this locket."

He looked at the door ajar and looked back at her, "Let's get out of here quickly before anyone else shows up."

She nodded back at him, and they both ran and passed the camera man shooting the scene.

"And cut! Good work, Claire!" The director announced the ending of the scene.

She smiled and said her thanks to the director walking past him to the hair and makeup room. Claire acted quite calm today, yet she was freaking out on the inside. It was worse yesterday morning when she had to shoot her first scene as she kept pacing around the room frantically whilst Anastasia tried her best to calm Claire's nerves. However, now she felt better, the breathing techniques that Simone taught her were working a charm on her.

She opened the door to the makeup room and saw Simone lying down on the couch playing a game that she was truly invested in. Next to her, standing across from her was Theo on a phone call with his back facing towards Claire. Both did not notice her presence at all.

Claire went up to Simone with quiet steps and whispered to her, "Why is he here?"

Simone put her phone in her pocket and whispered back, "He wanted to make sure everything was going well. I think he heard about your slightly disturbing episode yesterday before filming."

All Claire could say was, "Oh," she did not want to bring that situation up again and especially not with Theo. She was scared that he would judge her for acting this way because she was an adult and well, she was taught that adults are supposed to be mature even in the worst scenarios.

He turned around and caught Claire's gaze that held him in place, staring right back at her. He ended the phone call abruptly, "Simone, can I have a word with Claire, alone please?"

Simone patted Claire's hand warmly, "Sure, I will see you guys in a bit then."

She walked out the door shutting it all the way leaving the two people in an awkward silence that maybe perhaps that Claire thought the 'awkward' part.

"How are you?" he asked softly.

Suddenly, Claire felt shy, "If I am living, then it must be well."

"I apologize for leaving you there alone at the table read, I became busy." He rubbed the back of his neck with his hand.

"Aren't you always busy?" she chuckled and gazed down to her hands shivering, "No worries."

He walked up to her swiftly and she immediately looked up, "I may be busy, but next time I'll try my best to make time for you. The stress has been killing me lately..."

They were very close to one another, she wanted to ask him if he could feel the sudden heat in the room but of course she did not, "That is alright... Theo."

"Claire... the last time we talked... about our other relationship."

"Yes." she whispered. The words to end the relationship between them were a heated fight. Now of that time, she wanted them to be done because she was going through it with all her insecurities in her beating heart. What if they worked out? What if she fixed it herself?

"I know that we know that there is something there between us, but even with everything, I am still fucked up in the mind. So, if you believe that we need to be apart, then we could-"

"No." she cut him off, "... You are not the only one who is messy in this relationship we have. I need to confess that I am going through a phase of depression. We don't need to love each other but we can depend on each other instead."

They both stared nervously into one another's eyes desperately trying to figure out the new definition of them together.

"I am willing to communicate better." he smiled.

"And I am going to control my anger better." she smiled back at him.

They moved closer to one another and unexpectedly for Claire, he held her hands that were freezing completely. All she could think was if he would kiss her because she really missed his lips on hers.

"Claire." he whispered, bringing his face closer.

She hummed and let him lead the way, but then someone knocked harshly on the door yelling, "Claire! Director's waiting for the next scene."