Strange Love Ch. 07

This was a bad idea. How could I have been so stupid as to let that slip? "You won't make a scene will you?"

Anna sat seething next to me. She made a sound that was something like a snort and looked over at me, "of course not."

I doubted she was telling me the truth, but she was already embarrassed enough about this so the odds were less likely that she would cause a scene. She settled back against the seat and I prayed that she would be able to keep her composure long enough. On one hand, Nicholas was an ass for leading her on like that, but on the other, he was a guy who had a one-night stand. That's not an odd occurrence, especially for celebrities- so she really had no claim on him. After that thought, I realized how lucky I was that Seth was going to so much effort to want to see me. Despite my own insecurities, I guess that left me some proof that I meant more to him than Anna did to Nicholas.

I slowly pulled up to the same barriers I had seen two days prior. Ironically, the same security guard was working. He motioned me forward and leaned in when I rolled down the window.

"Yes?"

"I'm here to see Seth Vernon. Remember me from the other day?" I hoped he did.

"Pass?" He simply ignored my hope.

"No." I shook my head. "You really don't remember me?"

"Do you know how many people I see everyday, ma'am?" He stood and looked behind me. Instinctively I looked in my rearview mirror for a repeat of the other day, but no silver car pulled up behind me.

"I'm not a worker, just a guest." I replied.

"Hmm. Name?" He walked towards a stool that had a clipboard on it.

I heaved a sigh, already aggravated from our previous encounter to know enough that he would not budge. "Sandy Belfour."

He scanned over the papers and shook his head. "You're not expected today."

"Just let us in." Anna tisked.

"I'm afraid I can't do that. Fans aren't allowed in." He held the clipboard behind his back.

"We're not fans." I rolled my eyes.

"We were here two fucking days ago. I came with Nicholas Roth and she showed up to meet Seth Vernon. Are you going fucking senile that you can't remember two days ago?" Anna spat. This wouldn't end well. If we didn't get arrested, we sure as hell weren't getting in now.

"Ma'am. My job is very difficult-"

"Yeah, standing around all day looking in cars and moving the little barrier must be a very mentally challenging job." She cut him off.

"I'm gonna have to ask you both to leave now." He stepped back and put his hand on his radio.

"Can't you just call someone for us?" I begged. He looked at me, obviously not as disgusted by me as he was with Anna and thought for a moment.

A black car pulled up behind me and the horn honked. The guard squinted against the sunlight and waved. "Fine, go on in. See if I give a damn."

He moved the barriers and both the black car and us drove by the guard. He waved again to the people in the black car as they passed.

"What a fucking prick." Anna scoffed. "He gave Nicholas a hard time the other day because he didn't have his pass on him. Like shouldn't he recognize the fucking stars?"

I shrugged. Maybe he was a prick. Either way he had let us through, again. I parked in the same lot as before and got out. "So how should we find them?"

We both scanned the parking lot. There were many more people walking around the lot today than there was before. Most of them seemed to be hurrying off in the same direction down the road.

The black car had continued down the same road that most of the workers were following. "I suppose we should head that way?"

I nodded at Anna's suggestion and we began our decent down a winding road. "Do you think talking to him will really be a good idea?"

"It was your suggestion!" Anna exclaimed. I knew I was being silly. She wouldn't be able to make a scene before all of those people. I just hoped Seth wouldn't be offended by anything she may say. Or anything I might say if Anna couldn't.

"I know." Up ahead was a large building. It looked like a large warehouse. The outside looked as if it had pieces of foam attaches to it to give it a damaged, old look. "Hmm, guess they're filming there today?"

Luckily for me I spotted Seth outside speaking to the girl he had called Emma. She shook her head and headed off in the other direction. He looked down at a bunch of papers I assumed was the script and then lifted his hand to his hair. It was in pristine condition. Before finishing the smoothing of the hair, he stopped and lowered it guiltily.

My stomach flipped when I saw him, remembering our morning encounter. "Should I just go up to him?"

After all, he hadn't invited me to the set. Maybe he wouldn't want to see me when he was already obviously stressed about something. Anna gave me a bit of a shove, "yeah. How else will he know you're here?"

I slowly made my way towards him. His mouth was moving with the words. I squeezed between groups of workers when I saw someone walking up to him. Both Anna and I stopped where we were. The man who had just walked up to Seth was almost his twin. His hair was the same blond as Seth's, but more natural looking, and his hair was slightly curled. His chin was well defined and his skin was extremely pale. He glanced across the way towards us and my eyes locked with his. They were a resilient green so close to emerald that my mouth dropped open. His lips were full and they curled into the most breath-taking smile I had ever seen, next to Seth's of course.

"Oh...My...God. Who is that?" Anna gasped at my side. I tore my eyes from the gorgeous man to look at her. Her face was completely flushed and her mouth hung open into a gawk. She couldn't take her eyes off of him.

"Maybe Seth's stunt double? They do look a bit alike." I offered. The man turned back to speak and Seth's head shot it my direction. A nervous smile crossed his face. Shit, he didn't want me here.

"That's no stunt double. He should be a model." Anna continued to gawk. Seth excused himself from his stunning companion and headed towards us.

"Wow. A phone call and a visit?" His smile still had not gotten to its usual relaxed look.

"Bad time?" I asked. Seth's eyes traveled down my body and over to Anna who was still watching the man now behind Seth. Seth turned to see what she was looking at. He shifted uncomfortably and turned back to us. The man leaned against the short wall built against a hill with his arms crossed, amusedly watching us.

"Not at all. I just have to film, and it gets a bit boring." Seth's eyebrows furrowed at Anna, "Nicholas's inside, I'm sure he'd love to see you."

Anna's eyes snapped to Seth. "Thanks." She smiled innocently and headed towards the front doors of the school. Her eyes always fixed on the attractive man. He too, took a fascination in her and I noticed his eyes traveled along with her.

"You two look so much alike." I blurted out. Apparently I had been staring at him too.

Seth cleared his throat, and my eyes returned to him. His eyes, the beautiful gray or black ones, were the same emerald color as the mysterious man behind him. "It's good to see you. I'm glad you came." His smile seemed much more sincere now.

I smiled at his sincerity and looked behind him, but the man was gone. "We should go find Anna. I accidentally slipped about Emily."

"Who?" Seth furrowed his eyebrows again but led the way towards where Anna had just entered. I sighed as I felt his hand, cold but firm, against my back.

"The girl Nicholas spent the night with last night." I barely listened to his response as yelling overtook my ears.

"You're fucking out of your mind!" Nicholas stood firmly a foot above Anna. Others had gathered to listen to the scandal.

"I never expected this to work out, but did you have to be so crude about it?" Anna's voice, surprisingly, was below a whisper.

"Never work out? What kind of thing is that to say?" Nicholas's hand raised above his head as he gripped for some sort of sanity. His hand sliced through the air back to his side.

I rolled my eyes. How "Remus" to overreact to such a statement, given his side to the argument.

"You didn't even have the decency to tell me you weren't interested." She accused.

"I was sick! I was going to call you but I could barely move!" He defended. He crossed his arms over his chest and narrowed his eyebrows at her as if she was the unreasonable one.

Anna ignored him though, "I mean a one-night stand is one thing, but to immediately jump into bed with another girl!" Anna's voice had finally risen.

"What girl?" Nicholas yelled. Someone stepped forward to hush him, but immediately stepped back, most likely because of his size.

"Emily!" Anna cried out. Nicholas's mouth skewed up with confusion. His head snapped in my direction as he registered how she had found out. I turned my head away. Damnit I should've known he would've signaled me out.

"Emily?"

"I heard all about how you spent last night with 'Em'" Anna shouted. She flipped her hair from her face and glanced around at all of the witnesses.

Nicholas's mouth snapped shut. He looked at me and then to Seth. I felt Seth shift and looked up to him just in time to see him shake his head.

Nicholas's face dropped from anger. He looked around the room to all the watchers and his eyes rested back on Anna. The pause seemed infinite as he obviously tried to piece together his response. His face softened slightly. "Emma." Was his quiet reply. He looked to the floor.

"Emma?" Anna gasped, hearing him agree. Something wasn't right though. He sounded defeated, not ashamed. Emma was the one that chatted with me so sweetly. That bitch.

"I was with Emma last night. But she's just a friend." He suddenly pleaded. The scene had changed so much in a matter of a second that I felt something was amiss. Then the eyes were on me again. Even though I was with Seth my chest tightened just the tiniest bit.

I heard Seth let out a shallow exhale that lasted many moments, while Anna formalized her next move.

"A friend doesn't spend the night alone with a man." Anna's voice was back to a whisper.

I turned around to see the overly attractive man at the doorway. His hands were balled up into fists as he watched the display before us.

"Let me make it up to you. Please, Anna." Nicholas begged. He scanned the room again and his eyes fell back on Seth and I.

"I leave in two days. You had your chance." Anna's voice broke at the last word. Shit. Perfect way to break it to Seth. I felt him tense slightly next to me. She turned away from Nicholas and I saw his shoulders slump with disappointment. Something definitely was not right with this.

Anna shook her head and continued towards me. "I want to go home."

"Okay." I looked at Seth. He shrugged his shoulders and nodded.

"No. I'll meet you at the car. I want the walk alone." She touched my arm. "Bye Seth."

"Bye." Seth sounded guiltier about all of this than Nicholas did. Nicholas watched Anna as she walked out the door and turned back towards the set. He skulked through one of the side doors and then disappeared.

I turned to follow Anna outdoors and noticed that the attractive man was gone as well.

"Who is he?" I motioned towards the door.

"Who, Love?" Seth placed his hand gently on my back. I nearly melted into his touch.

"That guy you were talking to earlier." I relished in his touch.

"Just a worker." He smiled tenderly. When I reached the open air I frowned. That wasn't the answer I wanted and the reality of him knowing I was leaving was in the back of my mind.

Once again, as if reading my mind he whispered, "I knew you were leaving Tuesday."

My stomach lurched and I heaved a sigh. "Is that why you don't mind spending so much time with me?" I hadn't really wanted to confront that idea, but it was there.

"That's why I'm trying to spend more time with you." He whispered quietly as some women walked by carrying lighting equipment. My heart skipped.

"You want to be with me?" I smiled sheepishly.

"You've made these last few days much better." He took my hand. He leaned down and I felt his warm lips greet mine. He pulled away and scanned around him, "I'll miss you when you leave."

"We can always keep in touch." I offered.Please say yes, please say yes.

"Of course. I'll just miss you while you're away."YES! "I better get back to work. I have to memorize these lines that I should've done last night."

I thought of Anna following that narrow road to the car by herself. "Yeah, I better get to Anna."

"Tell her I'm sorry, but it's for the best." Seth kissed my cheek and sighed.For the best?She would not be the better for being used. I sighed, maybe he was referring to the disappointment he was feeling with me leaving him. "I'll see you tomorrow."

I nodded and released his hand. Every time I said good-bye, it hurt.