Breaking the Fantasy (Polyfidelity)

Chapter 25 - Project Puppy

Chapter 25 - Project Puppy

(You'll understand the picture above at the end of the chapter.)

Saville's POV:

When you do something for a long time, you get a kind-of six sense about it. Whether your a stockbroker, or an ice cream man, you just start to know when things are going to get busy or become stagnant. We can call it instinct or a "gut feeling", but your simply reading the signs and precursors that have happened before.

It's not magic, it's just being smart. It's getting good at your job, and damn was I getting good at this.

I got the exact reaction I wanted to by releasing those home videos. They spread over twitter like wildfire, soon they showed up on Instagram and trickled on down onto Facebook. If the comments under them, or the news reporting of it were any indication, I got what I wanted.

The public was getting their inside look into "Savillian" or whatever or "ship" name was. I didn't mind watching our relationship implode in public view, since it already had in private. I was done playing the good Husband, protecting both our images.

The only person I'm protecting now... is myself.

What I didn't expect from the fallout of those videos were the looks. Maybe it was my own paranoia, but I wasn't about to ask Finn for his opinion. At least with paranoia, there is a chance your just being crazy. Finn would no doubt tell me the truth, and while it felt like all eyes were on me on set, I didn't know for sure.

Walking through the alleys of our lot, I saw many people and everyone seemed to glance at me with pity. I tried my hardest to keep my eyes looking forward, while only sparing Violet a glance and a smile. She smirked at me, so I only assumed she was happy I revealed what was happening.

While Elliot and Alex tried their hardest to reduce the swelling of my black eye, it didn't really relieve it completely. So here I am, heading to my appointment with the Set Medic to determine when I can start shooting again. Makeup might be able to hid bruises, and marks, but swelling distorts the face too much to be fixed with cosmetics.

It only took the doctor about two minutes of palpating the area to tell me the swelling would dissipate in a week. I should return to work then, and shooting can continue as normal. I only nodded sadly in response, knowing he was going to have to call the director and a few producers.

                "TJ texted you." Finn speaks, handing me back my phone when I got of the Doctor's small examining room.

                "Only two meetings today? And he's being nice. I must have given him a scare."  I laugh while looking down at the information in my messages.

With Finn behind me, I quickly make it out of the filming lot, and back onto pedestrian streets. Flagging down a Taxi quickly, I have us heading uptown in minutes.

It never would have seemed like it before, but something seems strange. The silent car ride is different then our recent rides together. Less laughter, and more awkward silences. Looking up from my lap at Finn, I see him staring at his phone, but not doing anything on it.

           "Is something wrong Finn?" I ask, having to break the silence that engulfs us. He slowly looks up at me, his face classic, but with hints of hurt.

             "I'm supposed to protect you, and... I'm sorry you still got hurt." Finns words are genuine and heartfelt as he speaks, which makes me smile softly at him.