Lights, Cameras, Outsiders!

Chapter 76

LCO 76

"Are you ready?" I said to Matt, draping a towel over his shoulders.

"Yeah," he said.

"Are you sure you're ready?" Christine said with the camera. He looked over and gave a slight smile before going stone faced again.

"You got the squibs secured?" I said, pulling on the tape behind the squibs.

"Yeah, yeah," he said, demonstrating it by tugging on it and it wouldn't budge.

"It's a good thing you shaved your chest for this so that you didn't have your two chest hairs stuck in the tape," I teased.

"My two?! My two?!" He shouted and started to tickle me.

"Stop it! Stop! Stop!" I screeched until I finally surrendered to the ground.

"Hey, Matt!" Francis said. Matt immediately straightened up.

"What?"

"I just wanna let you know that you're gonna be fine. These guys are professionals and they wouldn't do anything to kill you," Francis said with a smile.

"I'm not the one who's nervous. Essie's the one who's about to cry," Matt said, pointing to me on the cement. I got up and grabbed his arm.

"He's gonna be fine, Essie."

"I know that," I said.

"We'll start in a couple minutes. The stunt guys are warming up," Francis said before walking away.

"You know I'm not worried?" I said.

"Yeah. I know. I just don't want Francis thinking I'm a wimp," Matt said.

"Are you scared?"

"No."

"Not even a little?"

"No."

"Not even an itty bitty tiny bit?"

"I am a little nervous but I'm not scared," he said. I got on my tip toes and locked my hands behind his neck.

"You're going to be fine. It's just gonna be painful," I said.

"What?"

"No, I mean, it's gonna hurt. More than last time because they're gonna be more than one," I said.

"Jesus Christ, don't tell me this stuff, Essie."

"Okay. I love you," I said. He grinned and gave me a small kiss.

"Places! Matt, you're up on the hill, the stunt guys are up there now. Go show them where the squibs are," Francis yelled. I settled into my directors chair as Susie adjusted herself in hers.

"He nervous?" she asked.

"A little," I said.

"You know he said you freaked him out a little this morning."

"Why?"

"The gang fight thing?"

"Oh. Yeah. That," I said.

"Oh. Yeah. That. If you weren't comfortable talking to him about it, then why did you?"

"It wasn't him that was the issue. I just don't like to talk about that. You know I didn't tell you until recently."

"I know, but Essie...he's going to be your husband, you've to tell him stuff like that."

"I know, but- look, I'm not gonna pressure him into telling me stuff he's not comfortable talking about."