For Fake and For Real

27. Best Kiss

Every single text Lucy sent to Tim was left on read, and she had called his phone leaving voicemails so often that his voicemail box was full before the end of June.

With 65 days left of his contract, she hoped that something would have changed by now, but Tim was still ignoring her. It hurt more than words could ever describe, still, she refused to give up hope.

Lucy rubbed at her eyes before her makeup artist started trying to cover up her darkening under eyes. She was TIRED. Tired of him avoiding her. Tired of the countdown. Tired of being without him. She spent all of her time either working on set, volunteering at the shelter, sleeping a few hours, or caffeinating to get through her days.

She was feeling jittery by lunch time with all the coffee she had consumed, and although she was hoping to sneak away to take a short nap in her trailer, Brendon stopped her.

"Lucy, I was hoping I could talk to you," he whispered nervously.

"Sure," she responded, scanning his face to gauge what he might want to speak about.

He guided them into his trailer for some privacy, and his eyes wandered the cramped space trying to find the strength to say the words burning inside of him.

"Brendon? What's going on?"

"I think I'm in love with you," he blurted out before hastily adding, "I know we're friends, and I'm trying not to feel...but I do, and I just wanted to tell you."

"Oh," is all she could utter. Lucy took a deep breath to bide time while she gathered her thoughts. "Brendon, you know that I care about you. I...I told you that we can only be friends months ago. There's actually someone else."

"Wait, you're seeing someone? Since when?"

"We're not together...right now. It's complicated, but he's it for me."

"You're talking about your ex, right? Bradford?"

She hesitated to confirm or deny; although they had grown to become friends, she wasn't sure how many people should know about hers and Tim's relationship. It wouldn't be hard for anyone to jump to that conclusion though, she did have a picture of him and Kojo in her trailer!

"I think that's a yes," he pursed his lips once he understood her facial expression.

"Look..."

"This is my problem not yours. I don't want to try to get between you and Tim, and you already let me down gently once...I'm sorry. I'm really sorry, Lucy. I don't even know what to say right now."

"That makes two of us, since I don't really know what to say either. I should probably just go," she said awkwardly and left his trailer.

Lucy was completely panicking and had to shut her eyes, put a hand to her chest to feel the way her heart was racing, and tried to BREATHE.

"I can't seriously love a girl that's never been to a baseball game."
She heard Tim's voice over and over again. That was the first time he told her he loves her, and that's the only love confession she ever wanted to hear. Brendon's just sounded WRONG.

Her trembling hands gripped her phone and tried to call Tim. She needed to talk to him. She needed to hear him say he loves her. Still, she assumed he wouldn't answer and only stayed on the line because of the dwindling sliver of hope that remained in her heart that perhaps THIS time he would stop ignoring her.

"Hello?" Lucy heard a voice answer the phone. It wasn't Tim's voice, though.

"Who is this?"

"Ashley, duh." Thankfully, Tim had left his phone on his seat while he was a few steps away talking to the director, and this was too perfect of an opportunity to push Lucy away once and for all, so that Tim could shake whatever feelings he has for Lucy and finally open his eyes to the power couple Brady could be.