How's It Going To Be // Third Eye Blind

The next morning, I wake up to a boatload of texts from Ryan. I laugh my ass off when I open them up.

Ryan: WTF!

Ryan: Are u fucking kidding me?

Ryan: Why am I tagged in like 100 tweets?

Ryan: What did you do?

I type out a reply knowing I'm opening Pandora's box. But totally worth it.

Me: Don't come at me. I had nothing to do with it.

Ryan: This Emily chick is up my ass. I woke up to her all up in my dms.

Ryan: If I answer her, she's gonna blast the screenshots all over social media.

Me: so don't answer.

Ryan: I'll get cancelled for that too!

Me: rock stars smh

Ryan: FU asshole. I'll remember this.

Me: here's what you can remember. I said nothing to her. Gave her no inside info or dirt. Kept my mouth shut. So she went around me. Girl is like life, she uh, she... found a way. *jeff goldblum accent*

Ryan: Fine. Maybe I can pawn her off to Jace. The kid needs to get some. He's cranky lately.

Me: leave him alone.

Ryan: sure, sure. I'll get right on that.

I'm fully awake with more than a few hours before today's call time on set, so I decide to handle some business back home.

I mean, back on the tour. Shit, how did that silver bullet start to feel more like home than my actual home?

Me: I'm checking in. How are things with her? Is he leaving her alone?

I don't bother mentioning Curt by name. Clinton will know who I'm talking about.

Clinton: no sign of him since I escorted him off premises. Court date for the guys is next month. Not sure if Char has one set yet, but I'll be with her when she goes.

I breathe a sigh of relief knowing she'll be in good hands with Clinton. We realized I wouldn't be able to go to the hearing with her for support when I got the movie. Plus, that would draw the wrong attention to her, being linked with me. Neither of us want to give Curt any reason to drag this out.

Me: Thanks.

Clinton: She's family now. We take care of our own around here.

I smile reading the text.

Me: yeah we do.

With call time looming, I focus on getting ready and eating breakfast. I'll have plenty of time sitting around on set waiting for everything to be in place before shooting to send more texts. Vowing to myself to keep contact with everyone as soon as I have a chance, I put the phone down.

***

Char: I miss you.

Her text waits for me when I get back to my trailer after visiting wardrobe for the day. I sit on the pleather couch and send my reply.

Me: I miss you, too. So much baby.

Before I put the phone back down the motion of three little dots catches my attention. She's already responding.

Char: is day 2 smoother than day 1?

Me: I'm definitely getting the hang of it. So much waiting around.

Char: it can be like that.

Me: Emily is strangely quiet today. I can't find her anywhere but Cookie, the makeup artist, said she's here.

Char: the drama on this side of the country probably got back to her.

Me: drama?

Char: the texts she sent to Ryan. He's on a warpath trying to find out how she got to him.

Me: my money is on Seth or Alex.

Char: Agreed. They've both been enjoying his freak out a little too much.

Me: glad I'm not subjected to it.

Char: How's filming going today?

Me: First scene of the day should be up soon. We're doing all the relationship scenes first, ending with the action. No bruises yet.

Char: If I was there, I'd kiss them better.

Damn, the images that conjures. I roll my neck and adjust my shorts, trying like hell to think of anything but her lips on my battered body. But even rolling through memories of scrapping half eaten sushi off plates used by celebrities at my last job can't ease the temptation Char creates.

Me: baby, I can hardly wait.

I send off a quick goodbye as I'm called to set. Emily waits for me with a giddy smile.

"Guess who's trending?"

Oh god. I don't think I want to know. I hold back the urge to run a hand down my face because make up already did their thing.

"Would that be you?"

"No, it would be Ryan Christiansen, because of me."

"I'm sure he's thrilled." I refuse to let her know that he's blowing a gasket behind the scenes.

"I'm sure he's pissed." Emily laughs. I gape at her.

"Then why are you so proud of yourself?" I can't help the accusatory tone. Ryan's my friend. Sort of. Close enough. I'm a loyal guy.

She shrugs. "Social experiment."

Yeah, right. I'll buy that when I buy the 'Curt is a stand up guy' narrative.

He's not. And Emily Montano is no sociologist conducting unethical investigations into the psyche of the rich and famous.

Before we can say more about it, the vibe on set shifts to filming mode so our side conversation dies off, thank goodness.

Almost twelve hours later, I'm back in my hotel room. I'm fucking exhausted. I swear I have more energy after a full shift of working a show venue than I do after sitting around for most of a day waiting to shoot a scene. The actual shooting part only took a couple of hours. But I feel like I could sleep for a week.

I'd gotten a slew of other texts while I was unavailable to answer. More info from Clinton about the hearing date which I'm definitely missing. Confirmed. Ryan blew me up some more about the Emily shit before ghosting me. Hopefully she finds some other victim for her social experimentation, if that's even what it actually is. Char sent me some cute selfies and a couple of funny memes about guys missing their girlfriends. My heart trips a beat realizing that's what she is to me. The labels were implied rather than stated but the fact remains, she's my girlfriend. I'm a boyfriend.

But the text that caught my eye and freaked me out most was from Zack. The two of us haven't had much chance to connect since the tour started. I get it, he's super protective of Brianna after what they went through just before her last tour. And now with Curt rearing his ugly mug, he's doubled down on the alpha male bodyguard shit. He doesn't have time for my issues.

Until now.

Zack: Char is holding it together. Barely. She seems more messed up since you left. Are the two of you okay?

Zack: I know I gave you a bunch of shit before you got with her, and even more once you did, but I'm worried about her.

Me: Fuck. She seems like she's doing alright from my end. Nothing is standing out from her texts.

Me: But I haven't had much time to video chat or even talk on the phone. It's been texting for the most part.

Zack: Up your game, bro. She misses you. That part's obvious. But I think it's more than that.

Me: what should I do?

Zack: call her. Send flowers. Make it known she's at the top of your list. I don't know but make an effort.

This is what I've avoided all these years of basic hook ups. The emotion between two people is a bitch to navigate. But I'm all in, I'm not running from the responsibilities of caring for another person anymore. I'll do whatever it takes to give Char the security she needs.

Me: thanks for the heads up.

Zack: no problem.

The next morning, I bring a pad of paper and a pen with me to set. I'm seated in the make-up trailer, waiting for Cookie to do her thing after she gets her daily caffeine boost. My head is down, eyes closed, as I try to think of a word that rhymes with dream...

Cream...

Seem...

Ream...

Beam...

"'Being with you has been a dream. When you look at me I beam.' Aw, is that a love poem?"

I jump 4 feet in the air at Emily's voice right in my ear. I didn't even hear her come in. She's standing behind me, leaned over my shoulder reading what I've been scratching out on the pad of paper. Instantly, I pull the pad to my chest, cutting her off from the intense scrutiny. Emily pinches my cheek with one hand while ruffling my hair with the other.

"So shy. And so cute. That's one lucky girl, right there. I'd do you."

"What the fuck, Emily? Could you be more inappropriate?" I wish I could hide the physical expression of my embarrassment but the heat in my face tells me I'm bright red at her comment.

"Give me a break, Jacob. It's harmless fun. I'm just saying that any girl would swoon if her guy was writing a sappy poem. It's like catnip. Better than chocolate cause we can put it in a little box with the ticket stubs and rose petals you give us."

"Who still uses actual tickets?"

"Beside the point," Emily says with an eye roll. "I'm saying, good job, Romeo. But you can do better."

"For fucks sake." I let my head fall back and my eyes close.

"Let me help you write it."

"Not a chance. You are a meddler with a capital M. I want no part of it." I hug the pad to my chest tighter, now positive that this chick is certifiable.

"Granted. I know I come off high energy." She concedes with a bow. "But once you get to know me, that's the last thing you notice."

"High energy. That's one way to put it." I keep my eyes closed, hoping that she'll take the hint and back off. I hear her sigh and realize I have zero chance of getting out of this conversation any time soon. "You know this will ruin our on-screen chemistry."

"Talking about your love life?"

I shake my head. "You're giving little sister energy." I open one eye to find her shrugging.

"Par for the course. Always the sidekick, never the main character."

"What are you talking about?"

"I put myself out there and end up in the zone, every time. Not that I'm trying to put myself out there with you. I got the 'taken by my dream girl' vibe as soon as you walked on set. But take Ryan for example. He already ghosted me." She tilts her head. "This is social experiment number forty-three and every time it's one of two stories: zoned or ghosted."

"Zoned?"

"Friend-zoned." She gestures between the two of us. "Like you and me, for example."

"You just said you weren't trying with me." I'm so lost already. No idea where this conversation is going whatsoever.

"Duh. But you were never tempted either."

Dumbfounded silence. I have no words for a solid minute. Neither does she. Then something else she said catches my attention.

"How did Ryan ghost you if he never responded."

"Aha!" Emily points at me with a sparkle in her eye. "You did talk to him about me."

"Uh..." how do I get out of this one. "I didn't really." Shit, shit, shit. I feel like I just stepped in a giant pile of dog poop.

She crosses her arms, saying nothing but still with the glare aimed right at me.

"He just texted me that you messaged him, but he hadn't messaged back." Retreat! Say nothing more. I bite my literal tongue hoping to quell the rising tide of words in my mouth.

The trailer door swings open as Cookie steps inside with two steaming cups of coffee. "Ready to get started?" she asks as she hands me one. Emily smirks before making her exit.

Fuck. That was a close call. Emily is a rabid dog. I know she isn't done with me, yet. I need to use the buddy rule around her. Never be in a room alone with that one or I'll be covered in dog shit before I know what's happening.

Hollywood is a fucking nightmare.

Emily is a hoot. I love playing around with side characters and making them questionable, ahah! I have stated in the past that I don't do filler chapters. Each chapter needs to move the plot forward, and while this one does have filler vibes the fact that Jacob is struggling with balancing a relationship and missing what he now considers home is a huge part of his journey. So yes, some of this has definite filler qualities but the overarching point of this one is very plot related.

Did that come across? I hope so. But please let me know any questions you may have or any thoughts on improving this one if you've got them. I love your feedback!

This is kind of a break up song, but it's got Jacob's homesick vibe written all over it...

[There should be a GIF or video here. Update the app now to see it.]

Are any of you Vella readers? I'm considering moving my folktale/fantasy mash up, Charmer, over to that platform. If I can get my act together and finish revising it, that is! (this would be the Vella thumbnail. They don't have full book covers)