Play Pretend | ✓

15 | take 1

The next day, as I arrived for shooting, I saw Kiara sitting on the director's chair, her head in her hands. I approached her.
"What's wrong, Kiara?"
She looked up at me. Her face was crinkled with worry.
"Liz, Tyler said he isn't comfortable with doing any more kissing scenes with you. I reminded him of the contract, and said that there are still two such scenes left, especially the vital one in the woods. But he didn't listen. He said if I didn't cut those scenes, he would back out. What do I do to make him listen?"

My stomach lurched as I registered Kiara's words. That absolute... Argh! How could he do this? I felt hurt that he'd be so repulsed to kiss me, even in a shoot, but I felt even angrier thinking about how he troubled Kiara. She didn't deserve this.
I asked her, "Where's Tyler? I'll see if I can talk some sense into him."

Kiara looked at me. "He's in his tent. But before you tell him anything, you have to explain to me why he doesn't want to kiss you. I asked him, but he asked me to ask you instead. It's all very confusing, and I could sense some tension between you two right from the beginning. What's the matter? Tell me."

I took a deep breath. It was no use hiding things from Kiara. She'd get wind of it anyway. I decided to tell her the truth.

"Okay, Kiara, since you asked, I'll have to tell you. Remember, at the audition, how I told you I had this guy best friend who left me after high school? Well, that's Tyler. Yes, our Tyler. Tyler Callahan. He and I used to be best friends ever since kindergarten, but then he left me to go to Cali for modelling, and later on became an actor. He promised me he'd keep in touch with me no matter what, but he never did. And that's why I'm so hurt by his actions, or lack thereof. So there's a bit of bad blood between us, and we don't exactly get along anymore."

As I finished my little speech, I found Kiara, Matt, Johann, Jackie and Leah all staring at me with their mouths hanging open. Kiara regained her composure sooner.
"You mean, he's the one who inspired you to act so beautifully at the audition?" she gaped.
"If you put it like that, then yes."
Kiara's eyes blazed. "That little bastard! I'm going to make him do the kissing scenes, no matter what. He has to pay for what he's done to you. My god! I never would have imagined! And he never even mentioned a word about you whenever he talked of his family in Ashville."
I felt tears threatening to spill. "Why should he? He doesn't care for me anymore."
Jackie said, "Don't say that, Liz. Maybe he still does, deep inside. You never know."
I shook my head. "Whatever, Jackie. Anyway, I'm going to confront Tyler about this childish act he's putting up. I'll convince him to do those scenes. Actually, I'm not that comfortable doing them either, but I have to be professional. Plus if they're so important, then I wouldn't want our stubbornness to ruin the film."

Kiara hugged me. "Thanks for understanding, Liz."

********
I went over to Tyler's tent, where I could see him sitting with his iPhone pressed to his ear. After a while, he put his phone back into his pocket and turned to me. He froze.
"How long have you been watching me?" he asked sternly.
I looked coolly at him.
"Long enough to know that you're free to have a word with me right now."
"What do you want, Liz?"
"You can't be serious about refusing to do those scenes."
"Huh, so Kiara told you. I'll do whatever the hell I want, Liz, and you're no one to stop me."
I glared at him. "Listen up Callahan, you've signed a contract with Kiara. You've agreed to do those scenes long back. You can't back out now."
He smirked at me. "I didn't know you were that desperate to kiss me."
I felt my blood boil. "Don't make me strangle you, Callahan. Listen, I've told Kiara about our past."
"You what?"
"I told Kiara about the connection between you and me and how you left to pursue modelling. Actually, I'd told her this before but I'd never mentioned your full name. But now I did."
He glared at me. "Why the hell would you do that?" he hissed.
"So that some sense can be drilled into your stupid head. Kiara was already suspicious of our behaviour towards each other. Do you think she would let it slide, especially when you refused to kiss me again?"
He sighed. "I guess you're right."
"So you're going to do those scenes with me. And no, I'm not desperate to kiss you. I'd never stoop that low. The reason I'm telling you this is that Kiara is extremely pissed with you. If you don't listen to her now, chances are you might not get another film with her again."

This time Tyler actually took me seriously and gulped visibly. "Fine," he said, taking a deep breath, "I'll do those scenes."
I grinned at him, despite the fact that I was beyond angry with him right now. "Good."

I turned to go back to where the others were sitting, when suddenly I felt someone grabbing my arm and turning me around.

"You know," Tyler almost whispered as he held onto my arm, "this is the first time you smiled at me in two years."

(A/N: ah, these author's notes are getting quite frequent, aren't they? Well, there's a reason! Play Pretend is now #385 in Teen Fiction! Yassssss! Thank you so much guys, for making this possible. This update is my thank you gift to y'all .
Keep reading, amd don't forget to vote, comment, share! Make it your mantra while reading xx)