Lit: A Story

Chapter Thirteen

Ezra sneers.

I breathe easily again. Geoff grabs my shoulder and pushes me back. Ezra looks intently at me, like a seriously hungry carnivore ready to bite the life off of me. It seems like everyone has their eyes on us, but only Pierre, Leema, and Tasha are there.

"I was supposed to get the kiss of my life, Romanov," Ezra playfully punches Geoff's shoulder. Playful, but his eyes show his thirst to tear him to bits.

"Dream on, Somier," Geoff rolls his eyes. He takes my hand. "I think we should go now. Do some real practicing," he suggests. I sense Tasha's eyes on me, piercing and calculating. Yes, we are far from done.

"Do not exhaust the lady, alright?" He closes the distance between us. His finger traces a line on my leg, pushing back a lock on my hair. "We still have games to play,"

The tension thickens. I catch Ezra's eye, glinting and mischievous. Games huh? I try to charm him -- winning smile at gooey eyes. A touch of reverse psychology, maybe. I give him what he wants, so he will long for more. I will not help satiate his thirst. I will dangle the meat in his face until he can take it no more.

I peck his lips.

"Yes," my breath fans on his face, "games to play."

---

The walk to the backstage is dragging and quick at the same time. It is nice to be with Geoff again, despite my whining last night. The stunt I pulled a while ago has boosted my confidence a few notches higher. It has not helped lighten Geoff's mood, though'.

We stop on the costume workroom. Most of the crew is outside, getting measurements and buying materials. As soon as we are in, Leema locks the door. I can tell she is right on the other side. Geoff is that obsessive of safety.

He does not look at me. I am not trying to look at him either. Thoughts rush in my head; I need to say a lot of things. Or rather, I want to say a lot of things. Silence between us is never wrong; now, I feel this urge to scream. Anything, just to break the ice.

"Look--" I breathe deeply. "Can we talk? I mean seriously talk, not me babbling all I want and you brooding on the corner," I move to where he stands. His knuckles are white and stiff. I touch them. "Come on, Geoff."

Suddenly, I am wrapped in a hug. I smell Geoff from within. I close my eyes. It is what I needed, last night. It is what I still needed, up to this time. "Sorry for being a snob to you last night. It's just-- Ugh. How do I explain it?" He runs his hand in his hair, "It's eating me, you know. The jealousy. God, I sound funny. I want you to reconcile with Pierre. The same time, I do not want you to entertain his advances."

I laugh a little. It is shakier than I expected. "I never liked Pierre. Sure, I flirt with him, but I never liked him." I reach for his lips, but Geoff backs off.

"I don't want to indirectly kiss Ezra."

I have almost forgotten about it. I groan, frantically searching for a source of running water. There is a sink on the far-end of the room. I gurgle twice and wash my face.

Geoff's face is unreadable, like he is struggling on whether to slap me or not. His hands are flexing, I am sure. "You hate me now, don't you?" I walk slowly to him. "You hate me for acting on my will."

Geoff shakes his head. "No." He cups my face. "No. Don't even think." He buries his face on my hair. "I can't hate and love you at the same time. It will rip me apart to feel both at the same time."

Our temples touch. "I can only love you now. I know I do love you now."

We kiss. Once. Twice. He sits me atop one of the tables. He leans in. I lean back. I feel his naked back. He feels my naked stomach. The tension breaks. We let the unspoken words consume us. We yield to our desires.

There is a knock on the door.

Irritatingly, I stand. Geoff whispers, "Tonight." I fix my hair and clothes. I open the door. Leema looks indifferent, but her eyes are dancing. "Done with your practice?"

I smile, knowing the double meaning behind her words. "Yes. I think we're prepared for the real deal."