Chapter Thirteen
NATE
The Next Day
After a great night with Ria and an even better morning, we arrive at the studio and walk in together, holding hands. Suddenly, I remember I was going to have Ria go over the script with me, but we got a little distracted after dinner last night. Well, no, actually, during dinner.
“Fuck,” I murmur as we walk down the hall.
“What?” Ria asks, looking at me, slightly concerned.
“I was gonna get you to run through the script with me last night so I’d be prepared today. I kinda got lost in you last night and forgot.”
“Oh, sorry, well I can—”
“Zaria, you’re here. Great! Is there anything I can get you? Drink?” Tillie asks, rushing over and breaking into our conversation.
I glance at Ria, who meets my eyes with a smile, letting me know she’s remembered to be more of her authentic self today. “No thanks, Tillie. I’m good. But can I get you anything? You work so hard, and if there is anything you need, just let me know.”
Tillie’s expression shifts, and she scoffs. “Are you mocking me?”
Ria’s face falls, shock replacing her smile, while I feel her tense beside me. I let out a frustrated sigh, trying to ease the tension between them, but it lingers, tangible and uncomfortable.
“No. I, ah, sorry… never mind.” Ria’s voice falters as she drops my hand and turns away, her head hanging low, the weight of the moment pressing down on her.
“Ria, wait!”
“It’s fine, Nate. I have to go get ready anyway.” She scurries off, and I snap my head back to Tillie, whose face goes pale, her eyes wide like a deer caught in the headlights.
“Oh my God, Nate. She wasn’t serious, was she?”
“Yes, Tillie. She’s trying, and you shoved it in her fucking face.”
Tillie’s hand flies to her mouth. “Oh God, I’m so sorry. I thought she was being facetious. Oh shit, I’m such a bitch. I have to go make this right. I’m sorry, Nate.”
“Maybe let her go, Tillie. She’ll be in makeup now, and… fuck! I don’t know…” I swipe my hand through my hair. “She just wants you guys to like her. She’s trying, you know?”
Tillie brings her hands to her face and groans as I hear footsteps down the hall.
We both look up to see Ria walking toward us with a glass of water and a fucking straw.
Tillie chews on her bottom lip as I look at Ria while she continues to step toward Tillie.
I think for a split second, she’s going to throw the glass of water over her, but she thrusts it forward to Tillie with a warm smile.
“I know I haven’t been the best person to get along with, but I want to make it up to you. One glass of water doesn’t begin to do that, but it is a gesture. Plus, straws make everything better…” She smiles. “Well, I think they do.”
Tillie tilts her head with a smile. “You got me a glass of water?”
“Sparkling, squeeze of lemon, three cubes of ice…” She smirks. “Trust me, you won’t go back. It’s so refreshing. Damn-well peps you right up.”
Tillie reaches out and takes the glass, smiling. “Thank you. I haven’t had anyone… other than Ryan, bring me anything since I was a kid. So this is kinda nice. Thanks, Zaria.”
“You’re welcome.”
Tillie looks to the straw and grins, taking a sip. I smile at her while I watch realization flash in her eyes. “Wow! This is refreshing.”
“I know, right?”
“I can see why you like it so much.”
“It’s my go-to drink, always. Anyway, just wanted to say thank you, for everything you’ve done for me so far, Tillie. You’ve been amazing, and I took that for granted.”
Tillie smiles as I rub gently up and down Ria’s back in a show of support. “Well, thank you for doing this whole thing for the band. We appreciate you being here, and we love that you’ve found friendship with Nate.”
Ria smiles up at me. “Me too. He’s been incredible at showing me what’s actually important. I owe him a lot already.”
“Gotta say, Nate seems a little less grumpy these days, too. So somehow, I think you’re just as good for him.”
“Ria, we need you,” Mindy calls down the hall.
Ria nods, and as she turns, Tillie offers her a soft smile.
“Thank you… for making an effort, Zaria. It hasn’t gone unnoticed.”
“Thanks for being nice to me,” Ria replies, her voice laced with gratitude.
Tillie sighs. “I’m sorry the others aren’t. We’ll work on them.”
“It’s not that they’re not nice… they just don’t really try to talk to me.
” Ria shrugs, a light laugh escaping her lips.
“Except for Lunar, who talks… but it’s more like quick stabs to the heart.
” She smirks with amusement, but I catch the flicker of hurt beneath her words, even if Tillie doesn’t seem to notice.
“Maybe just try with them like you have with me. If this is the real you, Zaria, then they should meet you for you, not some diva you’re pretending to be for some reason I’m yet to comprehend fully.”
Ria sighs. “It’s complicated, but I want to tell you all so you’ll understand why I’ve been this way.”
“That might help,” Tillie says.
“Riiiaaa!” Mindy yells.
“Okay, better go. Sorry, I didn’t get to fill you in on the script, Nate. Talk to Lunar and ask her what’s coming today, okay? I don’t want you freaking out.”
I tense up at her words. “Is it that bad?”
She winces. “We’ll be in bed together… but remember, it’s acting. It’s what I do, Nate. It’s not real. It means nothing!”
She leans up, kisses me quickly, and looks into my eyes. “I’ll be thinking of you the whole time.”
Not wanting to let her go just yet, I lean in, kissing with a little more force than necessary, and then she’s racing down the hall toward the dressing room.
“Well… that was a surprise,” Tillie says.
“Really? I’ve been telling you guys all along she’s not that ridiculous diva persona she portrays all the time. It shouldn’t be that surprising?”
“I guess not, it’s just the act seemed so damn real. But that vulnerable, normal girl I just met was lovely. I didn’t expect it. I’m sad, I thought she was faking it. I feel like an asshole, Nate.”
“You’re not an asshole. People can’t see Ria for who she really is, and I hate that, but I get it. She puts up a strong, impenetrable facade. She’s such a good actress. That’s why people believe her.”
“The hard part’s going to be convincing Lunar to get on board.”
“Tell me about it. Anyway, where is everyone?”
“They’re all in the viewing area, waiting. Wanna go?”
“Yeah, may as well. I’m sure today’s gonna be torture no matter when it starts.”
Tillie takes another sip of her water and shakes her head.
“This really is quite delicious,” she chuckles as she wraps her arm in mine before we head to the viewing area.
Walking up the steps, I see Matt, Ryan, and Lunar are already there, and Oliver is off to the side on his cell.
As we approach, everyone looks over and smiles.
“Hey, it’s my girl,” Ryan says, smiling at Tillie.
“I just had the coolest conversation with Zaria,” Tillie tells them, making me bubble inside with pride.
“Let me guess… she’s possessed by the devil and just won the part of Regan in a remake of The Exorcist?” Lunar jabs.
“Fuck’s sake, Lunar,” I warn.
“Oh, relax. I’m only joking… kinda,” Lunar says.
“Actually, no, she was really lovely. Showed me a different side to her. The side Nate’s been seeing. The real Zaria, I think,” Tillie says.
Lunar rolls her eyes. “She’s probably a master manipulator—”
“Lunar, look… I love you, you know that. I’d do anything for you.
But please don’t talk about her like that.
She’s not a manipulator. That woman is the kindest, most warm-hearted person I know.
If you got over your jealousy for five seconds and gave her a chance, I think you two could be good friends. ”
“I might be jealous, I’m not gonna hide that fact from you guys, but she looks down on us, and I had just about enough of that bullshit when I was a club girl. People always thought I was a worthless whore because of my title. I won’t let that happen again, Nate! Never again.”
“She doesn’t look down on you, Lunar. All she wants is for you to like her.”
“Yeah. Never gonna happen.”
“You should give her a chance, Lunar,” Tillie suggests.
Lunar raises her brow. “You really believe the story she was spinning you?”
“There was no story, Lunar, just genuine kindness. She was trying, I could tell. There’s more to her, more than we know, right, Nate?”
“I think there’s more that I don’t even know. She’s had a rough life. Being a star isn’t easy, and having this life thrust upon you at such a young age never turns out well. It’s amazing that she’s still okay, to be honest.”
“Two broken-winged birds soaring together,” Matt says, and we all look at him as he chuckles.
“How very poetic of you, Matthew,” Lunar says, then laughs.
“Yeah, I keep finding little doodles of doves drawn around the house. I figure it’s Nate’s thing at the moment… birds in particular.”
I smile and nod, thinking of the canvas in my studio that still needs perfecting and finishing for Ria.
“Quiet, please,” someone calls out, and we all turn to see the hotel room staging lit just like yesterday, with Danger and Ria sitting in the middle of the bed.
My heart leaps into my throat.
I haven’t had a chance to talk to anyone about what’s going to happen today, and the scene in front of me has me pretty uptight right now.