the essence of life is love

Naamloos deel 40

Lara walks with a discontented expression on Seb's arm as he talks with Jasmijn. Bo walks somewhere behind them, chatting with a few new fans. When Seb opens the door to the bar and they step inside into the lively atmosphere of the big party, the mood suddenly changes. People point, shout, and applause resounds again. Seb blushes, he turns red. Then Bo pushes him forward. Lara lets go of him, observing the two young men walking through the crowd to the bar, with Jasmijn following. She doesn't even look back. Lara decides not to join them, she declines and heads to the restroom. There, she checks her makeup and if her dress is still in place. She lifts it slightly and twirls a bit. Then she takes a breath and resolves to work on her plan. Tonight, she must laugh or see if everything she witnessed is part of the show. She suspects something, it seems like it wasn't staged, that kiss Seb gave Bo, it was spontaneous. Maybe Seb is the instigator. He never told her anything about the recordings he had. Of course, she hasn't asked. Why would she? The only thing that interested her, and still does, is a beautiful future without worries. Soon, Seb will be too old for modelling work. It's also questionable whether he is such a good actor who can make movies and have enough work to sustain her money-hungry spending pattern. Fortunately, Lara has enough men in mind here. This time, she doesn't want to look for a handsome one, but rather someone who will continue to make an effort for her, someone she doesn't have to worry about someone else trying to take him away. However, she just wanders through the crowd. It strikes her that even the familiar faces don't really turn to her or approach her easily. Her boldness could easily force her into a conversation, but her fear of failure is greater, so she does nothing, just walks in circles. Occasionally, she looks around like now, it's surely an hour since she saw Bo and Seb kissing on stage right in front of her, whether her boyfriend did it on purpose.

With a glass of champagne in her hand, she stares into the void at the space below her. It's the exit she's looking at. The red carpet is already laid out again. Outside, people are standing, probably photographers. Two doormen stand by the door to make sure people stay inside until their car is ready. Only then do guests go outside. It's not crowded yet, the people leaving now are mainly older, parents of actors, or guests who were invited because the production couldn't avoid it.

"If you want to leave, you can say it."

Seb has come to stand next to her, he, too, leans over the railing.

"Was it really necessary?"

"You mean the kiss?"

"Yes. It was, how do I put it nicely, just too much."

Seb notices that she's not yelling, for the first time in months, that her voice even seems to have pity.

"You know it's best for the project. This is acting too. It's part of the show."

"Where did you get that? That it's part of it? What you do in the studio comes from the script. This wasn't in the script, it was unnecessary. Or did Bo or the director make you do it?"

"Neither I did it myself, chose to do it."

"But why then? What's the thought behind it?"

"Haven't you heard that the relationship between Bo and me on-screen was requested by the audience, not devised by writers? That means a lot to me. That's why I want them to believe in this story. You don't think I can get back to modelling soon, do you? It will take at least six months, maybe even longer. My leg is strong enough to walk and stand for a bit, but it's still nowhere near what it used to be, especially compared to my other leg. I've lost a lot of muscles."

"That has nothing to do with your modelling work. Most of the time, the leg is covered."

"Maybe but standing in loose sand on a beach for about six hours, no, I can't do that for a long time. Besides, even if I could again, there also have to be assignments."

Lara turns around and looks through the space. People everywhere are laughing without her ever being a part of it. Even Jasmijn did not choose her company. She, too, is with Bo in a group. Maybe it's wise to stay with Seb a bit longer. She slyly takes his arm.

"Take another walk with me. Then we can go home."

Seb takes her arm and leads her around the room, they chat here and there. She keeps getting a new glass from someone she doesn't know. Slowly, she feels the alcohol making her melancholic. This is not her world at all, and she knows it.

"Jasmijn? Bo? I think I'm going to take Lara home."

Seb glances at his girlfriend, who now has a flush on her cheeks. She also feels warm.

After another hour, they walk to the door. Kaan has informed them that he's ready. At the door, Seb gives his name.

"Three other guests, sir, and then your car will be ready."

He politely stands in line with Lara. When the man signals that they can go outside, the doors open, and the cool evening air hits his face. Now he realizes how warm it was inside. Even before they take a step on the red carpet, flashlights go off from left to right, and there are shouts. Lara shows her curled mouth to the side, and Seb gives a reserved smile.