The Almost Lovers

Chapter 5

People came rushing out and to us and my manager pushed through the crowd. "I know what happened!" She exclaimed and Jake looked over at her. "She had a panic attack."

"I knew it." Jake said and slowly placed me on the ground checking my pulse he looked up at everyone. He gave the six girls who had started the mockery an evil glare. "She was stressed from what I collected when we got coffee." The six girls scoffed and crossed their arms.

Jake was someone new in the acting business, just like me he started on Broadway.

"I don't think you people acting so horribly unprofessional help her in her state, next time leave her be and this won't happen." Jake scolded everyone except for my manager. The ambulance arrived and the hurried inside and checked to see if I was alright.

--

I woke up in Clarks arms at home, as soon as I gained full consciousness I started flailing. Clark sat me down as gently as he could and I got on my hands and knees and threw up. "Clarity calm down!" He yelled while I curled up into a ball of awkwardness.

It really wasn't that bad but my anxiety was already bugging me and the situation I was in didn't help. Clark sat next to me after cleaning up the mess I had made. My cheeks were bright red from embarrassment, not just because the whole coffee accident but also because I passed out, I mean like, who does that?

"I want you to know, none of this was your fault, they were being extremely unprofessional and you did your best to stay calm but we all mess up sometimes." He said and I stayed silent before standing up and not even changing into my swimsuit, I just rolled of my pants and stood where I always did when I was stressed.

I closed my eyes but all I saw was the faces of the laughing people, I shook my head and groaned in frustration but then calmed down because I saw Jakes comforting smile. I saw his dark brown eyes but then shook my head.

Why am I like this? Why did you make me this way? God, why is my life a nightmare? I need answers. I don't know where else to go. I thought and fell to my knees.

"God! I need you now. More than ever." I called out tears falling. "I'm overwhelmed, it's too much, make it stop please just make it stop!"

I held my head I held my head in my hands and closed my eyes. I felt a hand on my back and turned around. Clark stood there with and accepting loving smile.

"I know you don't understand Clarity, I know it's hard, they decided they are going to use your understudy instead. They realized that what they did was very inappropriate so they're send us on a vacation to h-"

"I'm not going."

"What do you mean your not going?" He asked and I stared at the sunset with watery eyes.

"I can't, I need to stay here. This is where I belong, no other place could calm me like this spot I'm sitting in at this very moment." I closed my eyes and he sighed.

"I think you just need some time to th-"

"Clark, I'm not going!" I growled and he stood up.

"That's ok, we'll stay here then." He said slightly annoyed but I didn't care.

--

I sat there praying all night long, I hadn't prayed since my parents died, I thought God hated me so I just gave up completely. But this was the most stressed I'd ever been in my life. I don't know why, but going back after such a long break made everything feel worse.

I opened my eyes when the first light of sun hit my skin and took in a deep breath. I stood up and walked inside.

"You were out there this whole time?" Clark asked and I nodded without saying anything with the biggest saddest eyes I've ever had. He smiled at them and I hugged him like a little kid.

"I want to go to the city today." I said and he nodded and went to go call a car for me to go in.

--

I was in the city and was wondering done the warm streets of California. People whizzed past me, it made me realize that it was so easy to not notice someone who's truly hurting. Until I heard someone call my name, a very particular person. Jake.

"Clarity!" He said and ran to me. Even though it was a billion degrees outside I was in sweats and a beanie. He wrapped his arms around me unexpectedly but I accepted the hug and immediately returned it, burying my face in his chest.

"Jakey!" I said softly and he smiled while blushing. He let me go and I still had those puppy dog eyes.

"What's wrong?" He asked I pulled my sleeves down to a little bit below my thumbs almost covering them. I scratched the back of my neck and shrugged.

"Come on, I can tell, here we can go grab some food and you can tell me everything ok?" He asked but I had a question of my own.

"Why aren't you on set?" I squeaked shyly.

He shrugged and looked away and the sun got in his eyes so he squinted slightly. "One of those six girls that were mean to you was your understudy and I decided I didn't want to be involved with that." I smiled and nodded in agreement and he laughed softly.

--

He brought me to a really nice restaurant and I told him everything other than the fact that I liked him.

"I understand how it feels to be new and get overwhelmed with stress, sometimes I wish I could just walk away for a while." He said and I nodded.

"That's how I felt yesterday, every second I got closer to the first day I had to start again made me feel more and more anxious and I just couldn't take it anymore." I said and crossed my arms.

"It's hard, it really is, but we all have to cope with it. Hopefully you'll do another movie and I can be in it because I was truly honored to be working with you." He said and I blushed.

"That's so sweet." I gleamed and covered my face with my hands while giggling.

--

We walked outside and I looked at him and somehow I was a million times happier now that I had talked to him.

"So, I guess I'll see you soon." I said and he smiled slightly without responding. When I didn't get what he was doing he rolled his eyes and laughed.

"No." He said and I tilted my head. "I'm not leaving." He said and I smiled while looking down at the ground.

"Ok, that's fine with me." I said and we walked down the sidewalk next to each other, standing as close as socially acceptable.