As Long as You're with Me

EPISODE 05: Haunted

JAXON

THAT STARING SEAGULL is seriously getting into my nerves. Its black eyes were cutting deep into mine as if seeing my soul even with my shades on. It made me uneasy—like a reminder that someone was watching me.

Gripping sand from my side, I hurled fistfuls of it and the bird finally fucks off. I huff in satisfaction and laid back down on my beach mat, hands behind my head.

Me, Evie, and The Boys just ate at a nearby seafood restaurant after hitting the waves. And thank God the rest of our afternoon was spent chilling in the sand because I can barely move from food coma.

But it didn't take an hour for my man-child cousin Luke to jump on to his feet when he spots three ladies playing volleyball by the shore.

"Gage, look at those babes," Luke whistles and rubs his hands mischievously. "Maybe they need an extra hand if y'know what I'm saying. You game?"

Gage springs up from his mat. "I'm game!"

"Hell yeah! C'mon, let's show 'em how we dudes play."

"Hey, hey, hey!" I call out and the two stop their tracks. "We'll still have to visit Pops later on! You know how traffic is. Don't flirt too long!"

"The old man can wait," Luke teases and started running backwards. He flips me the bird when he trips on a rock.

"Dumbass," I smirked.

My father invited me and my friends for the weekend to catch-up at Lake County. It's where our huge private rest house is, the place me and my parents lived almost all our lives ever since being here in California. The place is big enough for dozens of people—and it can feel lonely there especially if you have a son who's always at work in Hollywood.

My eyes turn to the lovebirds beside me. Martin's reading another one of his self-help books while his girlfriend, Evie, is using his toned thighs as pillow. She was watching some indie musical-thing on YouTube that I've never heard of.

I sigh. If only Rami were here, then this day would've been perfect. He's in need for a test shoot with the Arc 2 cast and will be busy for the weekend because of his other film projects. Come to think of it, he almost never sleeps. He's the first to wake up in our suite and the last to snooze. I kinda feel guilty relaxing now knowing that Rami is still hustling out there. It doesn't feel right.

My phone vibrates in my pocket. Both relief and annoyance flooded through me once I checked the caller ID. Good, because it's just Carla and not that asshole who keeps texting me. Bad, because this time should've been my rare chance to relax between projects. But even here, work still follows me!

"Yo Carls," I answered. "Gimme some good news."

"We finally got the green signal from Producer Wilson," she says bluntly. "After As Long as You're with Me, you'll be part of another Rom/Com movie titled Our Chemistry Sucks."

I burst out laughing at the title. Okay maybe too much because Martin and Evie were giving me weird looks. Carla had me hooked the moment she explains the whole concept of the film and its chaotic plot idea.

"It wasn't hard for you to get in," she was saying. "The director was desperate finding the perfect actor no matter the cost. And you know how I love desperate artists. They pay the most. So I said 'why not?' and read the script. The storyline, the genre, the main character—they were perfect for you. So I made a fine deal with the producers, it's an easy win-win. They get the perfect cast for their movie, and with your name in the film, it'll be a guaranteed blockbuster! And we get to keep a huge sum of cash; everyone goes home happy."