So many unknown factors
1130 Words
Next day
*Nina*
Shaun’s reaction is as if I just told her I won the lottery. “Elijah Grant gave you three orgasms?”
“Almost four…” I correct her with a playful grin.
“Almost four orgasms in a romantic Mexican bungalow? s**t, you Damn lucky girl… you should be paying him ten million dollars.” She takes a sip of her coffee, her eyes wide with disbelief.
I stroll over to the kitchen counter, leaning against it. “Right, can we just forget about the s*x for a moment, please?”
“I can’t. I mean, number one, I can’t, and two… that’s what this is about, s*x. Elijah is a stupidly hot guy with a private jet and some… special skills.” Shaun sets down her coffee cup, her expression serious. “We’re not talking about long-term potential here… you are not doing this playing his wife.”
“So you think I’m crazy for even considering this?” I sit down with my own coffee, watching her closely. As a legal aid, she has her eyes glued to the contract she’s flipping through.
She closes the contract with a resigned sigh. “I think you’re on the rebound… and he has major trust issues. Have you looked at the language in this contract? He expects you to be, like… the perfect girlfriend. And I’m sorry, but we both know you haven’t been perfect.”
“I knew you would bring that up.” I set my cup down, feeling a mix of annoyance and vulnerability.
“You’re welcome,” she says with a teasing smile, but it quickly fades to worry. “It’s a landmine… it could blow everything up.”
I let out a frustrated sigh. “I know… but I still have to live my life.”
“You’d be taking a big risk,” she says softly, her tone laden with concern.
“And that’s worse than waiting tables for the rest of my life? I mean, what if Elijah and I are amazing together?” I am not sure why it intrigues me so much.
She places her hands on her head, exasperated. “Oh God, seriously…”
“I mean it! I’ve never met anyone like him before. He totally got me right away, and I know we only spent one day together, but it feels like I’ve known him for so much longer than that…” I look at her, searching for reassurance. She meets my gaze with a poignant look. “I know… but maybe it’s because he’s somehow what I’ve been looking for.”
She exhales slowly, considering my words. “Look, there’s no law that says you have to decide right now. You should wait… wait until he gets back from Venice, then give him an answer.”
I rise, carrying my coffee cup to the sink. “I guess I could do that… but it would be so amazing to go to Venice.”
That afternoon:
Oh wow… I feel my jaw drop as I pull up in front of Elijah’s modern house. It’s stunning, perched high above the ocean in Malibu, the waves crashing melodically against the shore.
“There you are.” His voice is warm and inviting, like he’s genuinely happy to see me.
I can’t help but smile as I watch him approach. “Yeah, here I am.”
He laughs joyfully, lifting me off the ground and twirling me around. “Hi.”
“Hello to you too.” I’m swept up in his infectious elation; I love seeing him like this.
This time, I initiate the kiss, I just can’t help myself, pressing my lips to his with an eager intensity. I really enjoy kissing him… more than I expected.
When we finally pull apart, he’s still smiling at me, and I take a moment to look around. “So… this is your place?”
“This is my place.” He takes my hand, leading me toward the door. “Come on.”
“Oh wow.” I exclaim, my eyes wide with wonder as we step inside. It’s absolutely breathtaking, the space filled with natural light and contemporary design.
He beams with happiness. “I bought it from one of the guys in Foreigner. He had the walls covered in velvet… that’s a whole different story.”
“But this view… It's stunning.” I gaze out the window, captivated by the ocean stretching endlessly before me. Then something catches my eye; I turn to spot a painting on the wall. “Oh my god… Bergland!” I walk over for a closer look, my heart racing. “When I was in college, I would spend hours at MoMA, just escaping into his world.”
“Take me with you.” He looks at me, his expression almost pleading, as if he’s lost and needs saving.
I wonder what he means, sensing an underlying tension, when a voice interrupts us. “Hello.”
Elijah sighs, stepping around me with a smile. “This is Silas Cross, and this is Nina Blake.”
“Playing Nina Blake this time,” I say with a smile as I shake his hand.
“The hardest role of all,” he replies, returning my smile. “I’m a very big fan of yours.” He glances between Elijah and me, his demeanor shifting slightly. “Well, shall we take care of business?”
*Cassandra*
“Talent gets you noticed… maybe. And looks? Sure, they can catch someone’s eye for a moment. But the only thing that truly secures you a seat at the table in this town is force of personality. I’m talking about complete and utter confidence in who you are. If you possess that, people are drawn to you… without even knowing why. Suddenly, they need you, and they’ll turn their lives inside out to be with you. But you have to work your ass off. You must be the one willing to face what scares everyone else to death. That’s the difference between talent and success.”
I look at the young blonde in front of me, wondering if she is getting it. “You’re off to a great start… but you have to keep pushing.”
She smiles confidently at me. “I plan to.”
“Okay, Annika. Let’s see what we can do about getting you an agent.” I tell her, feeling optimistic. This one is destined to make waves in Hollywood. She’s ruthless and willing to do whatever it takes… qualities that are always advantageous in this industry.
She gives me a knowing smile, as if she’s holding onto a big secret. Yup, I can tell we’re going to get along just fine.
- Writer
