Chapter Twelve #3
“What the fuck?” I murmur.
Shit! Looks like I have to watch this again.
“Action!”
The music starts to play, and Danger moves toward Ria, much better this time, smoother and more polished. He seems to have found his groove, really stalking toward her as he mimes the words as if they were written for her.
“You gotta be fucking kidding me. How many times are they gonna do this?” I whisper.
Lunar shrugs, tightening her hand in mine.
All in all, they do the same scene five more times, and with each take, Danger gets more and more loose, which in turn helps him to be more sexual.
And with each take, Lunar and I freak out just that little bit more.
You’d think after watching it once, it would get easier each time, but instead, it seems to get worse and harder to watch.
We’ve been here for nearly four hours, and they’ve finally wrapped up Danger and Ria’s scene. Now, it’s time to look at the band’s parts.
Oliver comes over to the rest of us with a great big smile on his face. “Okay, guys, it’s time to hit the dressing room. I’ll meet you all back on stage for your parts,” Oliver calls out.
I turn to Lunar, looking into her droopy eyes. “Will you be okay?”
She nods. “Yeah, Tillie’s here to keep me company, so I should be fine. You go. Don’t worry about me. I’m a tough bitch, remember?”
Laughing, I shake my head. “Tough, yes, but a bitch, never.” I lean in, kiss her cheek, and walk off with Matt and Ryan toward the dressing room. When we step inside, Danger’s already getting changed into something different for the band’s section of the shoot. He looks up, spotting us, and smiles.
“Hey, guys, were you watching?”
“We were all watching,” Ryan says.
“Whatcha think? Could I branch out into acting?” He adds a slight chuckle to the end like he’s proud of himself. He doesn’t even seem to realize I’m slightly annoyed.
“You think you’re Bon Jovi now? Jared Leto, maybe?” Matt chuckles.
“Yeah, but better looking.”
“I don’t know, man, they’re pretty hot guys,” Ryan quips.
“True, maybe I’m just in the same league then,” Danger says.
Matt and Ryan chuckle as I go to grab my clothes and begin getting changed.
“You okay, Nate? Not having any smart-ass quips from you is kinda weird,” Danger says as I grab the white tank top and pull it off the hanger.
“Really have nothing to say.”
Danger stops and exhales. “Are you pissed at me?”
I turn back to look at him. “No, I know it’s just acting. But gotta say, fuck man, you guys were pretty convincing.”
Danger frowns, his face falling like he’s genuinely upset. “Shit! Is Lunar okay?”
“She was prepared. She knew what was going to happen… unlike me. But she’s a trooper and took it way better than I did.”
“I’m sorry, bro. I can cool it, or we can change the storyline of the video if you want?”
“No, no, it’s fine. If I’m going to be with Zaria, this is all a part of her job. I’m going to have to see her with other men all the time, so this is something I will have to learn to deal with.”
“Just know this is all acting. There are no feelings whatsoever.”
“I know. Let’s just do this, yeah?”
Danger nods with a weak smile as we all continue getting ready to head out to the stage.
It’s going to be a long day!
ZARIA
After spending the last few hours with Danger, I’ve realized he isn’t as arrogant or uptight as I initially thought.
He’s actually decent to be around—and to work with—which is a pleasant surprise.
I could sense he was tense, maybe even a little intimidated by me.
I’m not sure whether that’s because of my reputation or because he’s in a relationship.
Perhaps it’s a bit of both. Either way, by the final take, he was noticeably more relaxed, and his performance had improved significantly.
He still had a touch of stiffness, but compared to that first take, he was fully committed and much more in the moment.
The band’s doing their joint take now, so I’m going to stay and head up to the viewing area to watch Nate.
I know he’s been watching me all day, and I hope he’s been okay with what he’s seen so far.
I would have liked to have chatted with him between these takes, but he’s on set already, and I don’t want to interrupt.
“You ready to go, Ria?” Mindy, my makeup artist slash PA, calls out to me as she pops her head through the doorway.
Mindy has been with me for years. She’s not only my makeup artist and PA but one of the select few I call a friend.
That’s why she calls me Ria, not Zaria. She knows it all—my life, my past, my demons, every hidden detail.
She truly understands me, and that’s why I trust every word she says.
“Yep, coming…” I call back, grab my bag, and walk with my friend toward the viewing area.
“So, are you enjoying your day?” she asks, her blonde ponytail bobbing up and down briskly as we walk.
“I am. I thought it would be harder than it has been, but everyone’s really cool. These are good people.”
Mindy smiles. “They are, Ria. And they’re Nate’s friends. Try to remember that.”
I exhale with a nod.
We head through the studio and past the stage toward the stairs of the viewing area. When we arrive at the top, Lunar and Tillie are waiting patiently. My stomach turns, and nerves filter through me.
These are Nate’s people.
People I’ve only been ‘Zaria’ with.
People who only know the diva in me.
I want to make an effort for Nate, but making friends hasn't come easily to me.
I glance at Mindy, who gives me an encouraging smile and a slight nod, pushing me forward.
Steeling myself with a deep breath, I stride over to the two beauties.
Lunar spots me first, her shoulders tensing immediately.
Tillie turns, too, letting out a sigh, her expression tightening as if bracing for me to bark orders—like I usually do.
I know I’ve earned that reaction, and I want to set things right.
The problem is, I don’t exactly know how.
I’ve only ever been taught to take, to demand, to seize respect by force.
But here, all I see is wariness and rejection.
If Nate’s people are going to respect me, I need to let my walls down—an intimidating task for me.
“Hi, ladies,” I say, feeling their gazes rake over me like they are scanning for cracks.
“Zaria,” Tillie murmurs with a guarded tone, and Lunar nods, her eyes like steel.
I take another steadying breath. “So, um… thanks for sticking around today. It means a lot.”
Lunar’s face hardens. “We always support our boys.”
Her words slice through my attempt, but I push on, swallowing back the sting. “I appreciate that. Nate deserves your support. He’s a great guy, and he could use all the confidence he can get.”
Lunar’s eyes narrow. “Oh, we know how great he is. So, if you’re planning to mess with his heart, you’d better think twice. He’s a good man, Zaria… fragile even. And you could do real damage if you’re not careful. So, maybe think about that before you waltz too deep and leave him broken.”
Wow! Tough crowd!
I draw in a sharp breath, steadying myself against the jab. “Lunar, I get that you’re upset about me being close to Danger, but there’s nothing between us. No offense to him, but he’s not my type.”
Lunar crosses her arms, her voice dripping with disbelief. “Your googly eyes tell me otherwise.”
I can’t help the small giggle that escapes me.
“Lunar, I don’t win Oscars for nothing. I’m good at what I do.
Pretending to be in love with Danger is second nature to me.
But trust me, it’s just an act. Honestly, I barely know him.
Again, no offense, but he’s a little too cocky for my taste.
So you have nothing to worry about. My eyes are firmly set elsewhere. ”
A hint of satisfaction flashes in Lunar’s eyes, but I know I’ve stretched the truth for her sake. I do like Danger—he’s a decent guy. Sure, cocky and a little full of himself, but he’s not bad.
“Nate?” she asks, her voice softening slightly as if testing the waters.
A genuine smile lights up my eyes as I nod, thoughts of Nate softening my expression.
Lunar crosses her arms again, pursing her lips. “I still don’t like you. Just being honest. I mean… fuck! You’re such a goddamn diva. I get that you’re famous and have multiple Oscars, but maybe tone down the drama, girl. Who the hell demands a straw with every fucking drink? That’s just… weird.”
“Lunar!” Tillie chides, her voice sharp with disapproval.
I blink rapidly, trying to stave off the tears welling in my eyes, but my bottom lip betrays me, starting to quiver. Lunar turns her back with a dismissive shrug while Tillie watches me with a furrowed brow, clearly conflicted but silent.
The sting is deeper than I anticipated—more than I would usually allow myself to feel.
Taking a shaky breath, I turn and walk away, putting distance between us. I slip into a secluded area behind the stage, out of sight but still close enough to feel connected to the buzz. Lowering myself onto a bench, I wipe a stray tear from my cheek, wrapping my arms around myself for comfort.
A presence settles beside me. Surprised, I turn my head to find Mindy, her expression warm and understanding, unlike the Arctic breeze I stepped away from.
“Sorry, Mindy… forgot you were with me.”
Mindy gives me a gentle smile. “It’s fine, Ria. That was brutal, all things considered…” She hesitates, then adds softly, “Do you want me to give you a moment?”
I shake my head, turning fully to face her. “No. But I am sorry you had to see that.”
“They were so awful to you. Are you okay?” she asks, her voice filled with genuine concern.
I force a small smile. “I deserved it, I suppose. Let’s be real… I can be a diva. I hate that Nate’s friends seem to despise me so much already. I might be an award-winning actress, but what good is that if I can’t even figure out how to make friends? I have no social skills, Mindy?”