Someone I Used to Know - By Blakney Francis Page 0,79
with the sunset blazing as a soundtrack in the background?”
“Not even close. You Hollywood people have to over-romanticize everything.” She made a face. “Simple things can be beautiful too, you know?”
Her eyes almost matched the sea when the water reflected off of them. A need sizzled inside of me. More than anything I wanted to know what was behind that look.
“How did it really happen?”
The softness vanished, leaving in its place hard eyes filled with skepticism.
“In the entire time we’ve known each other, what indication have I ever given you that sharing intimate details about my past relationship was even a remote possibility?”
“Maybe the fact that I started getting to know you intimately.” I wiggled my eyebrows suggestively.
She kicked enough sand at me to ensure a costume change.
My only choice was to retaliate by shoving her to the ground and rubbing sand in her hair. After another few cheap shots, I had her by the legs and a few pulls away from the icy water when someone cleared their throat behind us.
I instantly dropped Adley’s legs, and smiled contritely at Madeline, who was standing a few steps away with hands poised tightly on her tiny waist.
“We’ve wrapped for lunch.” Every line of her face bowed with disapproval.
“Thanks, ankle biter.” I exchanged limbs, grabbing Adley’s hand instead of her leg that time, and yanked her to her feet.
Madeline continued to frown at us before turning briskly and marching back to the tent where the crafts’ department was setting out food.
I followed dutifully, letting Madeline’s powerful strides carry her out of hearing distance before I murmured to Adley, “We’re in troooouble.”
Not that I was expecting her to giggle, but when I was treated to nothing but silence. I looked over my shoulder to find the space empty. It only took me a second to spot her heading up the beach in the opposite direction.
“You’re such a stalker,” she announced hearing my footsteps.
I ignored her. Really, it was second nature at this point. “Where are you going?”
Our slanted path was leading us towards a nearly deserted parking lot right off the road.
“I’m going to get a hotdog from a vendor I saw on the way in. The real question is – what do you think you’re doing?”
“Well now that you’ve made it sound so appetizing, I want one too.” I gave her a toothy smile that I’d been told was endearing.
“Oh, no, no, no.” And she was off again, kicking sand up in her wake. “I want lunch, not to be swept up in another riot thrown in your honor.”
“Well I want one.”
“You’re a toddler,” she accused, but quit walking. Her mouth twisted unpleasantly before she relaxed and pointed to an isolated bench at the edge of the beach. “Go wait over there. But this is the last time I enable your diva ways.”
I did as she instructed. I wasn’t going to push my luck.
Nearly fifteen minutes later, she finally joined me on the bench with an armful of food.
“I’m noticing a trend here,” I said as the crinkling of our wrappers filled the air.
“Oh?” She was barely paying attention to me, breathing in the scent of the junk food. I couldn’t blame her. It smelled delicious.
“I’ve never seen you eat with the rest of the cast and crew. Actually, I’ve never really seen you interact with anyone on set besides me or Madeline & company.”
She had no response, and I was sure I’d run into another roadblock. They seemed to be waiting around every turn with her.
“They stare at me.” Her voice was soft, wrangled into aloofness.
“You’re really complaining about people staring at you when you almost got me mauled a few days ago to satisfy your sweet tooth?” I teased, swallowing down a whole bite of the steaming delicacy. Americans really knew their foods.
“They stare at you to marvel at your impressive life, the weight of your accomplishments. They stare at me for the same reason you slow down to look at a car accident.”
We were quiet, finishing our food. Curiously, I watched Adley pinch off a bit of bread and toss it into the sand.
And then I saw them, terrifying creatures flocking towards us with evil in their lifeless eyes. Adley tossed some more bread their way.
“What the hell are you doing!?” I hadn’t realized how close I was to the end of the bench until I fell of the side, trying to flee the monsters.
Her mouth hung open as she watched me scurry away from her and the bench.