Cortana: The Crowd

Chapter 4: Matthew

A/N: The song Give Me Something by Scars On 45 is used in the scene where they start to shoot the promo/photoshoot for the TV Show 'Crossed'. 

Cordelia and Lucie were on the roof with the director, stylist team, photographer and some of their old and new friends. In a few minutes they were going to do a promo shoot for the TV show 'Crossed'. I was sitting on a chair that would be used for the shoot, while waiting for Uncle Jem and Will to show up. I was happy that Lucie, Thomas, Jesse, Christopher and I got to be in Crossed with Cordelia. We have been watching the show since we saw the trailer for the series. Uncle Jem came in with Uncle Will and Jamie (James) walking behind him. I wonder what he was doing here, because I remember he wasn't suppose to come. James spotted me and stood next to me. "Hey Welsh!" he said with a flat voice. "

Hey...Why are you here?" I asked immediately. James looked at me surprised. 

"I wanted to be there for Lucie during the shoot.  And I wanted to talk to Delia." he explained to me quietly. I saw Cordelia and Lucie approach us already in their character's outfit. Lucie's hair was straightened and Cordelia's was in wavy curls. "Hey Matt....Hello?" Cordelia said 'Hey' to me and the question to James. "James, why are you here?" "I came to support my little sister and our best friends." James said with a smile." Cordelia rolled her eyes and looked at James with a serious look on her face. "You really need to stand next to Jem and your father. The shoot is about to begin." James looked a little sad, but did what she said. At that exact moment, the director came to us. "Hey guys! We are going to begin. First we will do some photos of Matt, Jesse, Thomas and Christopher and then of The girls." "And our character photos?" I asked him. "We will do that after filming the promo and taking some cast photos. Are you ready?" We all nodded and started to get ready. Lucie and Cordelia were standing next to Jem talking about something ! 

The music started to play and we all were ready. Christopher was first, posing and looking straight at the camera with a calm look on his face. He wore a black jacket with a white shirt, black jeans and some combat boots. He had to sit on a chair and started to mess his hair up. Thomas was just behaving like his mind was far away. He sat on the ground playing with his coat and whistling. Jesse was mostly standing when his photos got taken, but he was smiling and looking cranky. After a few minutes it was my turn. I was standing there in front of the camera smiling, dancing and being my charming self. with the chair in one hand and my other hand in my hair. Cordelia was next looking stylish and edgy as her character was supposed to be. She was mostly crossing her arms in front of her and looking straight in the camera smiling secretly. She, like Thomas, was sitting on the ground looking uninterested and bored. Lucie was next laughing and smiling in the camera and sitting on the chair with a open book in her hand. We got a few instructions from the photographer and we all took a break. James and Will were talking when the saw us coming. 

"That was a awesome shoot! Your having a ten minute break right?" Jamie asked us. Cordelia frowned at this, but answered his question nonetheless. "Yes! now one minute has pass!" she smiled at him. The rest of us looked at one another in confusion. "Can I talk to you Cordelia? It won't be long. I promise!" he said to her. She stood now next to him, looking him straight in the eye and said: 

"We both know that you suck at making promises!" She walked to the other side of the rooftop and rested her hands on the metal bars. I nudged him to go do his thing. We all looked at them before getting some food. A few minutes later we saw that they were talking to the producer of the show and the director. They seem to be in a serious discussion about something. James and Cordelia looked happy and relieved.  James and Cordelia looked at us and smiled. "Good news! James is going to be in the show!" Cordelia said normal. We looked confused and I looked at James for clarification.

"The director and writer were talking about adding  another boy and girl to the group for the show. But apparently the saw something about me that strongly reminded them of this character so they asked if I wanted to join." I nodded in understanding and pushed him a little farther away from the others so we could have a private conversation. "They saw you talking with her...didn't they?" James nodded. "I told her I was sorry about what happened a few years ago and that I had to do it or else Alistair would have taken care that something horrible would have happened to her or Lucie."

"But you haven't told her the whole truth? You know...the one about how you did something in her sleep. If she knows...she will never forgive you." I said to him seriously. "I want to tell her...of what I did to her when she was so vulnerable. But I want to tell that to her myself." 

"Because you don't want the crowd to make it public when they see fit. After hurting and humiliating Cordelia was not enough for them, they had to spill the beans about your scandalous relationship with Grace." I explained to him feeling numb all of a sudden. 

I remember that day was when the group broke apart. Christopher angrily punched James square in the face after Cordelia ran from the party in tears. The whole party went in uproar the moment she was out the door. The Crowd was filming the event and posted it online through their phones. During the fight I saw Christopher disappear secretively out of the party heading downstairs. I decided to follow him with Thomas and Anna by my side. Christopher looked around before letting relieve washing over his face when he saw someone he clearly was excited to meet. 

"It's as we had feared. Alistair is losing his mind and he let his sister get embarrassed in front of everyone. If I could just shoot him in the head..." "Calm down Christopher!" A gentle male voice said to him. "look at me!" the voice said again. Christopher looked at the men with intrigue. "Now Jem and Cordelia will be sent away...all because of his stupid debts and..." The men came closer to him one hand on Christopher's  cheek and the other on his waist. "We will find a way! They will come back and I'll talk to Uncle Jem. Don't worry...Chris."  Anna looked shocked as she could see who was standing there with Christopher.

"Matthew? Can you explain something to me?" Thomas said curiously. "Explain what?" 

"Can you explain why your brother is having a serious close moment with mine?" I looked at them confused, until I took Anna's hiding spot and saw Charles wearing casual clothes embraced with Christopher. Why did it look like they were about...?"  The boys broke apart and looked around the room. 

"I'll search for Cordelia. I'll see you tonight...if your not busy with Alistair in his bed." Christopher said bluntly. Charles looked shocked. "Chris...please!" "I'm not some experiment for your concealed love. If you don't want to be with me, it's fine. I'll get over it." Anna looked like she wanted to punch my brother and I can't blame her. "But don't mess with my feelings anymore." Charles looked like he wanted to say something, but shut himself up. Christopher went out of the building refusing to look at Charles again.

"Matthew! James! We're about to start filming come one!" Christopher screamed at us from the other side. James looked at me and walked to the shoot. I walked towards him. James was standing with Uncle Will and Jem, while the others and I were taking the instructions the director gave us. After minutes of shooting scenes for the promo, We all packed our bags and headed for the studio. Surprisingly my brother was there for support, but he acted and looked like the Charles we all knew him. 

Arrogant and a know it all ...and then I realized that he knows the 'real' reason for the departure of Jem and Cordelia. And I have a feeling that Alistair is the one who caused this mess to begin with.