Chapter 3 #2
“Here you go, boss.” Rob passes me a drink and heads off to sit with a couple of the crew he’s befriended.
It’s at times like this that I’d prefer Rob to be at the table with me, rather than observing the scene from a safe distance. I barely have anything in common with Brian. And as for Laura, I have no intention of ever seeing her again once all my film commitments are through.
“What’s next for you after this?” I ask, in hopes that Brian’s narcissism will take the attention off me for however long I need to stay here.
“I’m heading back to LA tomorrow. I got a callback for the new Greta Gerwig film, and my agent put me forward to the casting director for Shawn Levy’s new movie.
They want me to come in and audition for one of the lead roles, which I’m super pumped for.
” His arm slips from Laura’s shoulder to reach for his beer.
“Congrats dude, that’s sick!” My enthusiasm as I reach to high-five him almost sends my drink flying.
“Thanks bud. I think this could be my big break. My agent actually said this role, combined with the PR from the accident on set the other night, has got me front of mind with a lot of the bigwigs in Hollywood. That I could finally break out from being a supporting actor to a leading one.” He rubs at his blond stubble as his eyes widen.
“What does that mean for you?” My gaze darts between Brian and Laura.
“What do you mean?” Laura’s shoulders rise.
“As in, what happens after this film for you both? For this.” I wave at the gap that’s opened up between them.
I know full well Brian has no intention of keeping their liaison going beyond the film.
He said as much during our first scene together, when he checked to see if I was interested in making a move.
But I get the sense that Laura is a lot more invested.
That Brian is her meal ticket. And if she can ride his coattails, she could land more prestigious roles than the horror films and Hallmark movies that have littered her career to date.
“We’ll find a way to make it work,” Brian says as he turns and kisses her forehead.
It’s so convincing that I nearly fall for it. No wonder Hollywood is calling for him, if he can lie this convincingly.
Hollering and hooting comes from across the bar at Alfonso’s massacre of one of the all-time classics. Only Alfonso could butcher a song that bad and still receive such a rapturous response.
“You’re up next,” Alfonso says into the microphone as he pushes it back into the mic stand and makes his way down to us.
“Next?” My brows lift.
I didn’t agree to sing anything.
An alert sounds from my phone, diverting my attention away from Alfonso, and I reach into my jeans pocket to retrieve it.
Johnny
I’m here. Meet me in the restroom.
“I’ll be back in a minute,” I say and get up.
“Don’t think you’re getting out of it that easily.” Alfonso places his hand on the table and blocks my path.
“Well, unless you want me to piss my pants up onstage, I better go to the restroom first.” I reach for his hand to remove it.
“We will all be here waiting when you get back.” Alfonso’s brows rise before he turns to a crew member, who hands him a drink and slaps him on the back.
I make my way out of the bar, across the entrance and to the restrooms, motioning to Rob not to worry, and enter to see Johnny lingering by the sink. I stand next to him and trigger the faucet sensor so the water starts flowing.
“You got the coke?” My eyes are locked on the door’s reflection in the mirror above the sink.
“Nice to see you too,” Johnny responds sarcastically as he turns to face me. A light splatter of water covers his black T-shirt and jeans.
“Good to see you, Johnny. Have you got my coke?” Tension rises in my temples.
The pulsing beat of my heart reverberates in my ears. I need a fix to get me through the rest of this night, and the two lines of coke I had in the trailer aren’t going to cut it.
“The guy I go to isn’t in town this weekend.” Johnny reaches into his back pocket and pulls out a small Ziplock. “All I could get a hold of was some MDMA.” He shakes the four pills inside the bag.
“Surely there must be someone.”
“I’m not a drug dealer; I’m a runner.” Johnny scrunches the bag up. “And I’m doing this as a favor for you.”
“And don’t I remunerate you accordingly?” I say and grab my wallet, pulling out three Benjamin bills.
“Look. Take it or leave it.” Johnny opens the palm of his hand. “This is all I’ve got.”
I need something, anything, at this point.
But I’ve never done hallucinogens before. Though how bad could it be?
“I’ll take them.” I slide the bills into his pocket.
Just as I grab the pouch from his hand, the door bursts open and Brian enters.
“What you got there, boys?” A smirk rises on his face as he strides toward us.
“Nothing,” I counter and I quickly slide the bag into my pocket as Johnny makes a B-line for the door.
“Don’t be such a buzzkill,” Brian says, coming up behind me. He presses his body up against mine, slipping his hand into my pocket. I try to push back, but he’s too quick. He pulls out the bag and waves it in the air.
“Is this Molly?” He studies the contents up close.
“MDMA.”
“Same thing.”
He opens the bag, tips a pill out into his hand, and slips it into his mouth before chucking the bag back to me. He sets off the tap, cupping some water into his hands and drinking it to wash the pill down.
“Let’s have some fun tonight.” He gives me a wink as he wipes the water from the side of his mouth before heading over to the urinal.
What if this is laced with fentanyl? My mind drifts to all the news reports of people dying from accidentally ODing. I shouldn’t take one. I study the pouch and the three pills staring back at me.
“What you waiting for, big boy?” Brian says, zipping himself back up and coming over. He grabs my crotch with his hand.
There’s something in the way he looks at me when saying big boy that makes me throw caution to the wind. I take one of the pills out, swallowing it down whole, and follow Brian out of the restroom.
Thirty minutes later, I’m finally up onstage. My eyes are fixed on Brian, the closing lines of Carly Simon’s You’re So Vain coming out of me and into the microphone. The effects of the MDMA are clearly kicking in. Brian’s sparkly green eyes have pulled me under his spell.
I’d thought it would be funny to sing the song and focus on Laura, but with everyone in the bar singing along, aside from Laura, I start pointing around the room and repeat the line Don’t you to various cast members before finally returning to Brian, who continues to sing the lyrics back at me.
“Encore, encore!” Alfonso shouts and then wolf whistles.
The crew high-fives me while I struggle to make my way back to the table. The room is slightly blurry.
“That. Was. Amazing,” Brian says and slides his hand down my thigh as I sit on the bar stool. A chill races over me at his touch.
“I’m sure you say that to everyone,” I say, pushing his hand away from my thigh. He returns it, out of sight to everyone else but Laura.
“No buddy. That was amazing. I fucking love you, bro.” He removes his hand and grabs my head with both hands, kissing me on the forehead.
“What’s up with you two?” Laura’s arms are crossed, her brows furrowing.
“Can’t two guys have a bromance without you getting jealous?” Brian pulls back, grabs his beer, and downs it in one.
“Last orders!” the bartender calls out as he rings the bell above him.
“Let’s get out of here.” I motion with my thumb to Brian and sip the last of my soda lime through the straw. I ignore Laura and squeeze Brian’s thigh.
Laura’s already up and near the exit. Brian follows and offers her his flannel shirt to protect her from the rain that’s falling outside. She declines and he shrugs as if to say, Suit yourself.
Rob comes up behind us and opens the door. The flashing lights of the cameras momentarily blind me as Rob guides us into the shuttle van.
“Were they aliens?” Brian leans up against the dark-tinted window. Bright lights pop on the other side.
“What are you talking about?” Laura opts to sit between us, rather than in the row in front, as Rob shuts the door and jumps into the passenger seat next to the driver.
“The lights. Are they trying to beam us up?” Brian leans across Laura and pulls my head toward the window. The flashes come faster and more frequently as figures push one another and the van pulls away.
“No. They’re zombies. They’re trying to eat us.” Panic rips through me at the thought.
Sunday
Why is one of the condoms inside out?
I strain to see under the fluorescent lighting in the bathroom as I reach over from the toilet seat to retrieve it from the trash can beside the sink. I instantly regret my decision and fling it back when I feel the stickiness against my fingers.
My vision is still blurry as I lift myself off the toilet and rest my hands on the sink, noticing a load of makeup strewn across the countertop.
Wait.
Are we not in Brian’s room?
A glimmer of light breaks through the curtains when I reenter the bedroom, producing a thin line across the bed. Brian is still in the middle where I’d left him, but Laura is to his left, passed out. An exposed breast peeks out from the covers that conceal the rest of her body.
What the actual fuck?!
This can’t be possible.
I try to piece things together through the overwhelming shock, but I can’t think straight. The events of last night refuse to come to me.
Brian is straight, and there’s no way I’d sleep with Laura.
She’s not my type.
Women are not my type.
Maybe I just passed out in the room while those two went at it?
I debate what I should do for all the time it takes me to blink, and quickly retrieve my clothes, which are lying by the side of the bed, near where Brian stirs. I slide into my boxers and jeans, and pull the shirt over my head, trying desperately not to awaken either of them.
I steady myself on the bedside table as I pull my socks on, and push my feet into my boots just as Brian stretches and opens his eyes.
“Well, that was a great way to wrap a shoot,” he says, grinning.
Brian shuffles himself toward the edge of the bed as I look at Laura. A light snore comes from her nose.
“Oh, don’t worry about her. She could sleep through a heavy metal concert.”
My attention is drawn back to Brian as he lifts the duvet to reveal his naked torso, and I catch sight of his long, erect cock. I can see even more, now, why he’s got such a reputation in Hollywood. I catch myself staring for a beat too long and return my focus to his face.
“What happened?”
“You really don’t remember?” He swings his legs around and leans down to grab his boxers.
I pause while he pulls them up and tucks his erection inside.
The head protrudes well above the Calvin Klein band and to the left.
The fabric is barely able to contain the cobra he’s got smuggled down there.
My mind jumps to all kinds of conclusions, none of them quelling the racing beat of my heart.
“No,” I say, wanting to shake the answer out of him.
A slightly louder snore breaks the silence between us as he grabs his phone and checks the screen.
“I’ve got to head out to catch my flight. But I’m sure I could stay a little longer, if you want me to remind you?” He drops his phone on the bed and places a thumb on either side of his boxers.
“We didn’t? I didn’t? But you’re…” The words tumble out of my mouth. My gaze drifts from him to Laura and then down to his boxers again, which he starts to push down with his thumb.
His erection bobs up and down, like a snake trying to put me under its spell.
Surely, I must be dreaming this? There’s no way this can be happening, can it?
I fight the primal urge within me and turn, rushing to the door and running down the hotel hallway to the elevator, leaving Brian in my wake. I frantically press the call button, willing the elevator to arrive before he can catch me, and almost jump inside when the doors open.
I lean back on the wall once it starts heading up toward my floor and let out a deep exhale. Sliding my hands into my pockets, I encounter a foreign object, and pull it out.
The MDMA.
Fuck.
That’s why I don’t remember what happened.