Falter

Chapter 21 - past and present

ELIZA

First week of filming has been hectic. The intimate scenes were being saved for the last part of filming since the director suggested we build our trust with each other first. I trust Hunter. Maybe more than I should but he always makes sure I'm okay, always waiting for me to finish filming since most of the parts of the book are from the female main character point of view. It has been so hard to keep my hands to myself when Hunter's around but I need to. A few of the cast have been my friends already, especially the one I'm closest to right now, Pearl and Silas. Silas and my character in the books are the best of friends which she confides in each time she gets heartbroken and happens to be my love interest's stepbrother. I guess we're becoming our characters more so, as for Hunter and me, after that day on the trailer, he's been closed off. Saying hi a few times and have been so focused at work. Did something happen again? I want to talk to Evee about him but I want to have his personal space as well. He told me he'll tell me when it's time and I think this is the time.

"Earth to Eli!" Silas snapped his fingers at the front of my face.

I must be staring into space. We're in one of the break rooms where we hangout more often. While Hunter and the other boys hangout on the other one. I really don't know if he's avoiding me or what. He's been so sweet last week, well sweeter behind closed doors.

"Are you still thinking about that line you missed? Don't worry it happens all the time. Nobody's perfect."

Silas forked into his salad and got a tomato and lettuce, stuffing it all in his mouth. Silas is sweet. He's been so supportive even though we've known each other for less than a week. He's like the unproblematic kid in school who you can hangout with any time of the day. He's worked with some indie films and other small projects before this.

"Uhm, no. I think I'm just distracted..."

"I know." he said chirpily and looked at me, smirking.

What does he know?

I shrugged my shoulders and dug into my creamy chicken pesto, everyone was in the cafeteria getting their food and others just continued on with their work, especially the linemen and the lights crew. It's almost 5pm and I hope we'll call it a day. Today we filmed a couple of minor scenes, mostly me with the other casts. Next week we will be filming more of the scenes of Hunter and I. And even if I don't admit it, I'm nervous.

"I know how a man looks at a woman and calls it something else..." Silas suddenly said, his plastic fork pointing at me.

"What are you talking about?" I feign innocence.

The "something" between Hunter and I is not that type of something anyone should know about. He's still not into commitment, he's still not trusting relationships to last. And I'm starting to think that it's all he can give.

"Don't play innocent with me, Eli. I see how Hunter looks at you. He's like an overprotective boyfriend whenever you're around."

Protective? Really? Of all the people here, he's the one person I need to protect myself from.

"One, he's not my boyfriend. Two, we are not a thing. There's nothing going on between us."

"Really huh." He said, still looking at me suspiciously as he bit down on his plastic fork but eventually dropped the issue.

We silently ate our food while Silas scrolled to his phone showing me some pictures of the places he's seen. I smiled at every picture and I really wished that I could travel more. I've just been around Australia but not overseas, aside from LA where I'd stay mostly when I have projects I'm working on. The crowd is thinning when almost everybody is finished with their food. I picked up my empty plate and walked alongside Silas to the trash bin.