Lights, Cameras, Outsiders!

Chapter 54

LCO 54

"Well, I'm beat," Matt came through the hotel door and threw his jacket on the chair.

"Can you do me a favor and give me one of those back rubs you do?" He said to me as he sat on the bed in front of me. I put the bills and notebook aside.

"You know you're eighteen, you don't need a back rub," I said.

"You're bossy. Hey, I almost forgot my kiss," he said, turning his head and puckering his lips. I laughed and pressed mine against his and he turned back around.

"Take your shirt off," I said. As he did, I realized he had deep set bruises towards the middle, right about where his spine was and they looked to be older but still there.

"Where are these from, Matt?" I said. Ralph unlocked the bathroom door and came to sit on the bed.

"Ralph, come look at these," I said.

"I got in a fight with someone and they had a good grip of my back," Matt said. Ralph looked over my shoulder.

"Jesus, Matt, I didn't know Cruise was that strong," Ralph said.

"How come I didn't notice this in the pool yesterday?" I said.

"I don't know because they're on my back. Now can you just give me a back rub and forget about it!" I sighed and started to dig my hands in the backs of his shoulders.

"I'm sorry..." I said.

"I said let's forget about it," Matt said. I kissed the side of his neck and dug harder into the muscles of his back. It was quiet.

"You know, Essie, from the minute I laid eyes on you I knew we had some sort of chemistry... And even if I didn't get the role, I would still get you," he said. I smiled.

"Yeah, and you asked me to dinner and we went to some burger shack down in Santa Monica," I said. He laughed but I moved to the middle of his neck.

"Yeah, and you wanted to go down to the pier. And we didn't go to the pier but we went to the beach and we talked and it was the best first date I ever had," he said. I bent over and kissed behind his ear and his shoulder shrugged up.

"And now we're here..."

"Yeah, this is where we are now," I said.

"Yeah we're about to move in together," he said. He obviously wanted to forget everything.

"You know I wanted to try out for this part of Rusty James for Rumblefish," he said.

"Yeah try out. Francis and Susie have been working on the screenplay for weeks," I said.

"Okay, then I'd need some help rehearsing my lines."

"I'll help," I said.

"I don't know, Matt. If Cruise doesn't get this role in LA, Francis wants him to do workshops to get some part," Ralph said.

"I swear to God..." Matt muttered. I moved my hands from his back to around his stomach.

"We'll see what we can do," I said, resting my chin on his shoulder.

"Essie, I really want that part," he said.

"I know you do. Do you want me to go get a pizza?"

"Yeah, get whatever. Ralph, you want anything?"

"Sure I'll have some pizza," he said. I released Matt and got up to get my keys.

"Essie, I want you to be careful, okay? And if you see anyone that I'm not comfortable with you talking with, don't talk to them please," I knew he meant Cruise. I walked over to him.

"Okay. I'll be back in a minute," I said with a kiss and left.