✦ ✧ ✩ Curtain Call ✦ ✧ ✩ - Charlie Gillespie

Chapter 28

[Eri's POV]

I was trying to catch my breath when a car I recognized parked next to me. Maeve came out of the car when she saw me out of breath and freezing as I forgot my jacket when I rushed out of Charlie's apartment. She slowly approached me as she took her own jacket off to put it on me.

"Here, come near me" she said, as she wiped the tears of my face and pushed my head to her chest, "Let's go inside".

We went to our apartment where Sav received us in her pajamas in the kitchen. She took a quick glance at me and then up at Maeve. I couldn't see her but I felt her sign not to say anything. They both took me to bed and sat in silence with me as I let the last tears stream down my face before falling asleep. Maeve left my room last after kissing me once on my forehead. I knew I had to wake up in an hour but I really couldn't find the strength.

Mads texted me 20 minutes later that she was in the makeup trailer, with a video of her dancing in her chair while the makeup artist applied blush. She was playing the tape we gifted her, "I love this!" she said, as the video finished with her and the artist waving bye.

The text made my body pump adrenaline for some reason. It was like all of a sudden I realized Charlie was not the only one there to be thinking of. And I had to be on set the day we filmed the scene I wrote, the song I wrote.

I got up and headed to the shower and then got ready for the day. Maeve and Sav looked at me surprised, and her faces had a tint of concern.

"Are you sure you just want to be around like that? Don't you wanna rest a bit?" Sav said, entering the bathroom where I was doing my makeup.

"Yes. I want to go. I won't let anything spoil this for me" I replied, pointing her to pass me my mascara.

As she did she raised her eyebrows at me "You know Charlie is going to be there and there's no way he won't be or that he will be out of the room. He is in some parts of the scene." she said, starting slowly but then gaining more assertiveness.

"I know" I replied, putting my chin up "But this is mine. I want to be there. I won't let emotions, or some stupid feelings I had for someone get in the way of all this"

I quickly grabbed my phone and started typing.

"Even more" I said, as I finished and pressed send, putting my phone down in the little soap crevice of the sink "I won't even let anything that could ruin this even happen".

I made my way out of the bathroom to the pot. When I turned around I saw Sav looking at my phone. She then turned it to Maeve who let out a little gasp.

"Are you sure you want this?" She said, now looking at me.

"Yes, I do".

"Charlie, today is a big day for me. I would appreciate that you wouldn't come near me or tried to talk to me. Even more, if you could avoid talking to me about anything but work from now on I would appreciate it. ✓ ✔

We are all good, no resentments, but as for now, we are colleagues and just that.✓ ✔"

                                                                                                                                                        Read - 6:00

Savannah drove us to set but Maeve stayed behind in the apartment. When we got there I ran to Mads that looked as beautiful as ever for the scene and I could feel my blood turning hot again after last night, as if my heart went back to functioning.

Kenny called us in to give us a little insight, show us how the lightning would work and the camera's movements. Finally, he called Maddie to sit down at the piano, the music started the playing as the cameras started rolling. The first few notes broke me in half in the best of ways. It was my first time hearing the actual song. Maddie sang from her heart, and we all stood there in awe at her magical and powerful voice. I couldn't help but tear up and so did everyone else, even Maddie broke down mid song which caused them to call cut.

She came running to me and hugged me really tight. I accepted her hug as I felt my arms weaken because of all the emotions I was feeling.

"Maybe I should go get this touched up" she said, carefully wiping a tear away from her face so her makeup wouldn't move that much.

"No no you shouldn't" Kenny said, walking to us, as I helped her wipe her other teary eye "This was the most beautiful thing I've ever seen, and I think we should let your raw emotion show. Eri, good job." he simply said, patting my back a little as I tried to hide the fact that I was about to break down.

"Ok, I'll go back to the piano then" Maddie said, sniffling "Wish me luck"

She started again and got to finish the song. The whole room went wild as she stood up from the piano and the lighting that emulated the sunrise came through the windows behind her. It was out of a fairy tale. We all stood in admiration. Nobody could believe this was this girl's first job in the industry.

I felt a hand on my shoulder that slowly pulled me in putting his arms around my shoulders and then another one lightly patting me in the middle of back. I looked up at the person hugging me when Maddie finally finished the song.

"Owen, hi" I said, sniffling, and he passed me a little paper tissue from his pocket "Jer" I said, now turning my head at the owner of the hand that rested on my back.

"That was incredibly beautiful" Jer said, and he smiled down at me. I let my head rest on Owen's chest and Jeremy took his hand and hugged us both from the back.

I felt like I was resting in a comfortable little cotton hoodie nest. As their warmth calmed me down I looked up to see Maddie and Charlie hugging. He was resting his head on hers as she let out a little cry.

"You did amazing" I heard him say, and she just let herself be in his arms. All I wished at that moment was to be able to celebrate with the two of them what just happened.

"It's ok" Owen whispered in my ear "This is your moment, just let yourself rejoice". I took a big breath and replayed what just happened in my head. My heart cartwheeled in my chest, which felt like it was to explode from pride.

"Was that better?" he said, and laughed a little pushing me with his body.

"Definitely, thank you. Both of you" I said, smiling and hugging them back.

Charlie looked at me from across the room when he let go off Madison and then turned his head down. I didn't have any time to react because my phone buzzed in my pocket.

Matthew

"We are going to Paris, mon cheri"

10:15✓ ✔