The Scene Stealer: A Hollywood Romance

I toss the phone onto the counter in front of me and lean forward, sliding my fingers through my hair. Nausea wells in my throat.

She wouldn’t. There is no way. But then again I’ve only ever known betrayal. The closer you become to someone the easier it is to hurt you.

“Get out, you fucking bitch. You have no idea what you’re saying.”

“Hey,” both Elena and Michael cry out in unison. “You do not speak to her that way,” Michael’s cracking voice declares.

“When she’s riding my cousin’s coattails, I can speak to her however I want. I suggest you both get out of here this second or I’m calling security.”

Despite the feeling of disloyalty surging through me, I crack a smile at Tessa’s forcefulness to protect me. She would fight to the death.

The door slams behind the exiting couple and I take a forceful breath of air.

“Don’t believe her,” Tessa claims as she spins on her heels and grabs her phone.

“I don’t know what to believe.”

“Yes, you do. You know Larsen. She wouldn’t do this.”

“Wouldn’t she? She loves her uncle; she’d do anything to help him. You’d do the same for your family, wouldn’t you? And that picture is some damning evidence, Tessa.”

“The picture is taken from the outside. She was serving them food, Devyn. Don’t let Elena fill your head with lies.”

“What about the interview?”

At Tessa’s silence, I know the cat has her tongue. I’m not wrong and she can’t argue her point further. Everyone has a breaking point. Everyone has a price that they’re willing to pay to save someone they love.

“You need to go talk to her.”

“I just need a few minutes.”

“No. Not on the phone. You need to calm down and soak it in. This needs to be done in person. You’ll always question the truth otherwise.”

“Yeah, you’re right.”

The clock in the trailer ticks time awa

y, a perfect metronome counting the slipping beats of my sanity. Our collective breaths are nothing more than background noise behind the steady thump.

Looking up in the mirror, bright incandescent lights illuminate the glass square my face and body pose perfectly in the middle. Spotlight solely on me. Behind me against the shelving unit and wall Tessa hovers, the shine of the light dying by the time it reaches her.

Our eyes meet and I ask a question that has been plaguing me for years. “Is this worth it, Tessa? I thought that this was what I wanted, what I needed, but I forgot how lonely it could be.”

Tessa steps over to me and turns the chair so that I’m facing her directly. “You don’t remember because you masked the loneliness and pain with addictions. And it’s not lonely if you surround yourself with the right people – me and my family, Quinn, and Larsen.” I cringe when Tessa mentions her name. “I’m going to book you a flight. You need to figure things out. I’m sure there is an explanation for all of it.”

“Thanks, Tessa.”

“And don’t worry; I’ll handle Elena and the director. I’ll buy you some time. Now I suggest you go pack a bag. I’m pretty sure I can get you out in the next two hours.”

“That’s why I pay you the big bucks,” I say in jest, craving a lightening of my mood.

“Ha, you pay me crap. I only stick around so I can meet other famous people.”

“Yeah, Yeah.”

Pushing my shoulder, she shoves me from the chair and almost out of the trailer.

“Now, get out of here. Go.”