When We Collided

The Ex-Boyfriend

I parked in front of the studio, where Onyx's new music video was being shot. Mom and I got out of the car and walked to the entrance. We could hear his song playing over and over again. "That boy has such a great voice," Mom commented nonchalantly.

"I know." I nodded.

Mom watched Onyx practicing with the dance crew while I was at hair and makeup. She looked me over when I was ready.

"Too tight?" I asked her, revolving on my spot to let her see my whole outfit.

She fussed over me and observed me critically. "No, this should do."

I was relieved. She used to complain a lot about my clothes when I was younger, saying it was too revealing, too inappropriate for my young age. Now, surprisingly, she had loosened the reins a little, allowing that I was older and more mature.

"Shan!" RJ, the choreographer, greeted me. "I'll go through the moves with you."

He taught me the dance steps, which were not that complicated. I only had a short role in the video anyway.

"Rina, your daughter is such a fast learner." RJ winked at Mom.

"Well, she takes after me."

We all laughed.

We then filmed the dance routine. Only three takes, and then we moved on to the stair scene.

This was where our characters met for the first time and got attracted to each other. As with the first time we did a romantic scene with my Mom watching, I could feel the tension between Onyx and me. Then we both relaxed. For me, Mom was there as a sort of safety net so that I could nail Rule Number 2. Onyx, on the other hand, already knew that Mom wasn't there to make him feel awkward when being all lovey-dovey with me. If anything, she made sure that our romance scenes were believable.

I remembered with amusement the first time she told him to hold me tighter and kiss me a bit longer. He had looked so shocked even Felix laughed.

"How is your mom cool about this?" He had asked me later. "I always thought she's the conservative type."

"She just wants the job to be perfect," I had explained to him. "And she only sees this as a job. She knows I see it that way too."

"That's unusual. I'm not complaining, though." He had grinned playfully.

We were so in tune with each other by now that we finished the shoot in no time. There wasn't any awkwardness anymore. We just did the job as needed.

"Shan, you free tonight?" Onyx asked before we left.

"I don't have any plans. Why?"

"Jessica wants to hang out at Fourth Avenue tonight with you, Dee, Finn, and Garett. Say you'll come. Rina, please let her," Onyx told Mom who was waiting behind me.

"Of course, Dear. Shana needs to spend time with her friends and not work all the time."

It was decided then.

At Fourth Avenue that night, I met up with the five of them, as well as a few of their good friends.

It was fun dancing and catching up over drinks. I had so many glasses that I lost count. I started to feel lightheaded.

"Bathroom break," I told them and made my way to the Ladies' Room.

Someone pushed me sideways. I was falling until I felt a strong arm hold me up by the waist.

"Shan?"

I looked up at the familiar handsome face.

"R-Rick?"