Between You And Me

10~Chemistry

“Just to see if we have chemistry,” he added, although his hazel eyes hinted at an already established attraction. My eyes widened at the question, unable to answer him back. “Most co-stars who have romantic scenes usually are tested beforehand but you were given an offer while I auditioned.” I couldn’t ignore the subtle touch of resentment sprinkled in his tone about my offer and his audition.

In my defense, I didn’t have the slightest clue what movie I’d accepted an offer for, having barely read the script without my father omitting a heavy amount of information. However, he had no business knowing that I’d been tricked, and I only stayed on through Director Cross’ cogent about finding closure. And a part of me truly wanted to believe I could find that closure, unlock the memories that’d been stored in a vault only Hawthorne Peaks seemed to have the key to.

The resentful addition made me hesitate, calculating him and his words. “You know, I actually n—”

“She will meet you tomorrow night at a bistro of her choosing,” a recognizable voice answered for me. I could feel the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end before I even looked up at Director Cross, who only gave L.J. a funny grin I couldn’t quite decipher. L.J., probably only noticing when I did, took a step back, his body heat now being replaced with Director Cross’ from behind me. “You’re right, L.J. Usually we’d test for on-screen chemistry. However, because of her name and her affiliation with the project personally, I offered her the job without consideration.”

L.J. seemed to be caught off guard, the once confident gleam in his eyes and rosiness of his cheeks soon evaporated at the sight of him. “Oh.” He shook his head, looking between both of us, a piece of him wanting to remain steadfast in his familiar confidence as he straightened at the last moment. “No problem, Director. I just wanted to make sure Daphne and I could build a…connection for our roles.”

I couldn’t see Director Cross’ expression, but I felt his body inch closer to mine, feeling him press against my back. It took all my willpower not to withdraw from the heavenly sensation of his touch behind me. “Oh, I completely understand. I’m also going to need her for a few romantic scenes with Owen. And there are a few you have with Rosemarie.”

The bunching of his eyebrows was faint. One blink and I would have missed it. “I—I do?” Those same eyes that once nursed confidence now flickered with uncertainty. “I…I don’t think Asher and Daphne had any romantic interests.” He looked at me as though I could recall this as truth, which I couldn’t. Did Daphne and Asher have a relationship? Did I have a relationship with Asher all those years ago?

I could practically hear the smirk on Director Cross’ lips, feeling his chest lift and fall against my shoulder blades. I held in a pleasurable sigh. “Creative liberties. It makes the story a little more interesting.” L.J. said nothing. “I’ll be ready to shoot in three minutes. Prepare yourselves.”

With that, he stepped away and I felt the sharp chill of his absence along my backside. L.J.'s face contorted between confusion and relief, no longer looking at me, but at Director Cross as he turned to return to the LCD screen for filming. Soon, he too retreated, heading over to Rosemarie, still texting on her phone unconcernedly until he gently grabbed her by the elbow and whispered something in her ear. Whatever he said made her scrunch her nose in disgust, finally looking away from her phone to look him straight in the eyes. There was something about them both I couldn’t quite place my finger upon, but it brought an unsettling broil within the pit of my gut.

One of the tech crew came to my side, snatching my attention from them so I could focus on my placement for the next scene. The scene where Lilah arrived at the doorsteps of her new home, her new family, and I had to center my mind on it. My father’s voice rang in my head: Think! You need to focus. We don’t need any more embarrassment.

Shutting my eyes, I thought of Lilah, my friend, my companion, my savior when I’d been kidnapped and trapped beneath the same roof, the same man who she called ‘stepfather.’ Lilah—tiny fragments of her face, her smile, her eyes flashed through my mind—so alike in the department of looks, yet completely different people. Based on the script, she sounds timid, graceful, and delicate like a flower petal threatening to break from its stem with a single touch. Nonetheless, Ezra and Asher brought out something hidden within her that not even she knew, strengthened by curiosity and vengeance and passion and grief. As though she herself whispered in my ear, held my hand, and breathed new life within me, I allowed Lilah’s character to consume me. To become me.

The brittle wind awakened all my senses, the sound of the car door closing loudly beside me. Melissa stood on the other side, trying to retain an air of delectation as her shoulders dropped with a dramatically pleasant sigh. “Welcome home, sweetie.”

Sweetie? Melissa never called me that but I knew she wanted me to give her ‘new family’ a nice impression. Give them the impression she liked me instead of constantly wishing for my demise.

I said nothing, looking over the intimidating height and width of my new home, my new prison, feeling the overwhelming yearning for my dear Nani, the only person who genuinely loved me, and held comfort when she called me sweetie.

Wait, who was Nani?

I blinked away the thought, intuitively approaching the house with my suitcase in hand. Despite the rays of sunshine looming over the stone structure and the newly manicured rose bushes, there was something malevolent lurking beneath its surface.

Standing by the doorway were two men, Pastor Ezra Graham and Asher, his son. Ezra stood domineeringly over us, his dark brown hair peppered with suave silver streaks pushed back and to the side, leaving a loop of hair against his forehead. He was cleanly shaved, well-dressed with eyes like a misty grey storm staring down at both of us. Despite wanting to appear welcoming and affable, a devilish nature shadowed his features, creating a sense of dread within my stomach. I quickly suppressed the feeling, turning my attention to the younger man beside him.

He looked about my age with lighter brown lazily tied behind his head, a few pendulous strands framing his clean-cut face. There was an alluring temperament in his eyes which made me stand straighter, taking in a heavy breath as I tightened my grip on the suitcase.

Ezra gestured towards the door. “Welcome, Lilah.”

Asher stepped down the hardy staircase, a deep moan cutting through the air with each step until he found the bottom and made his way to me. I stared at him for a moment. “May I?” he asked, gentlemanly. Is this how it went? That nagging voice in the back of my head awakened, forging its way through the fog of my mind. Did any of this—

Asher took the bag from my hand and then gestured, in the same manner as his father, to head up the stairs into the vastness of my new home with a pinched smile. I held back the urge to shake my head, to tread back to the comfort of the car, and not into that house. The house would only bring about the misfortune of my life. To live with the woman who dreaded my very existence within those walls, a threat to the perfect life she built for herself without me. To live with the two men before me who would mold me into their greatest desire and hack away at the undesirable pieces that kept me sane. To be consumed by the mouth of the beastly house which would tear at what little life I had left inside me without remorse.

I walked inside despairingly aware this house would be my last home.