Lights, Cameras, Outsiders!

Chapter 70

LCO 70

Another day and I was fine to get up and walk around with the occasional achy feeling, but I was fine. And that night was the night of the preparation of and the rumble. Of course, the boys had been practicing their tricks and jumps in the front yard, on the concrete without Matt and Ralph. Even Darren and his gang was warming up.

"You know what? We don't have to think about wedding plans now, Essie," Matt said.

"I wasn't," I said. Cruise jumped onto the hood of the car and flipped backwards, nearly splitting his head open.

"Geez Louise," I muttered.

"Will you help me go over my script?" Matt said.

"Yeah, hold on," Cruise was motioning for me to go over there. I jogged from the other side of the street and walked up to him, panting and resting his hands on his knees.

"What's the matter? Hey, you alright?" I grabbed his arm and he straightened up.

"I don't feel well."

"What do you mean you don't feel well?"

"I feel like stuffed. I don't think I can do my stunt," he said.

"What's wrong? Why?"

"I feel like I need to throw up but I can't. I think I ate a lot for lunch," he said. I groaned.

"Susie! Come here, please!" I said. Susie stopped talking to Francis and walked over.

"What's going on here? What's the matter?"

"He thinks he ate too much for lunch and can't do his stunt," I said.

"Well, Tom, would you feel better if you threw up?" Susie said.

"Yeah I guess," Tom said.

"Okay, let's go over to the catering truck," she said. He started ahead of her, but I yanked on her shirt.

"You're not gonna do what I think you're doing right?" I said.

"What?"

"The raw egg thing?"

"Yes I am. If anyone ever needed to throw up, that's the trick," she said before walking with Cruise. I ran back over to Matt.

"Come on, I'll give you a piggyback ride," he said over the hollering of Rob and the rest trying to jump fences.

"No."

"Yes!" He said, lowering himself. I reluctantly climbed on and tightened my arms around his neck.

"Where are we going?"

"To Francis," he said and started to walk over there as I bounced up and down.

"Why are we with Francis?" I said when he put me down in front of Francis.

"Tell her what you just asked me," Matt said. I looked to Francis.

"I just offered him the part of Rusty James," Francis said. My eyes became as wide as oranges and I screeched.

"MATT!" I shouted and he picked me in a hug.

"Oh my god! This is re-this is great! I can't believe it!" I exclaimed after he kissed me and set me down.

"He starts after this movie ends. We already worked on the script," Francis said.

"Thank you, Francis."

"No problem."

Matt picked me up and walked over to the car and sat me down on the hood, grabbing my waist and squeezing the fabric of my shirt in between his finger pads as he kissed me.

"This is it, Essie. We're gonna make big bucks. Between your writing and my career," he said.

"Are you alright with doing this part right now, Matt? You know you have those classes in New York and all," I said.

"Are you kidding? I'm fine with it," he said.

"There's something I think we need to talk about that you may not be very comfortable with," he said.

"Hmm?"

"The part of Patty. Diane got that part."

"Okay? Good for her. I guess I'll be seeing her on set too."

"No, I mean like you know Rusty James and Patty are in a relationship, right?"

"Yes, I've read the book."

"So you know there'll be like a lot of on screen kissing, and sexy scenes right?"

"Are you saying I'm bothered by your onscreen kissing and sex scenes?"

"I don't know if you are! That's what I'm trying to say."

"I'm not. You kissed Meg in Tex.

I was fine."

"Because you know that it doesn't mean anything, right?"

"Yeah. I know that. And if you're going to keep acting, you're going to have to keep doing it," I said.

"Okay, so you do understand that when I do kiss her, it doesn't mean anything? Okay? It's just business. It's part of the script," he said.

"Yeah, I get it."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes," I wrapped my arms around his neck and brought him closer. He braced himself on the surface of the car and kissed me, biting my lower lip.

"And I'm not gonna french kiss her either, babe, and-"

"Matt, I'm not concerned about it. It's okay. I may be a little awkward and uncomfortable when I see it but it's business. We had this whole talk when you kissed Meg, okay?" I said. He nodded.

"QUIET ON THE SET!"