Breaking Point

Chapter 1

*Xander's PoV*

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I wake up, sitting up straight in bed. Its dark here. I have the curtains closed and they're made of thick material so it doesn't let in a lot of light. I look over at my alarm clock, reading the numbers that blare out into the darkness. 9:15. Oh shit! I have five minutes to get to work. I jump out of bed, throw on a black tee, jean shorts and a faded pair of Air Walkers. I need to get new ones. I run into the bathroom, brush my teeth in three seconds, squirt some gel into my hair and rub it in. I grab my shades, grab my car keys, and run to my car. I open the garage door, pull out of the driveway, press a button in my car that opens the iron front gates before I speed off down the highway. There is no way I'm getting there on time. Alec is going to kill me.

Over the summer, I've been working on a movie with director Alec Fory. He's pretty new for a director, but he's got the goods. He's produced two horror movies and successful spy television show that is into its third season. I've seen the movies but I can't bring myself to watch the television show. She's in it. Emilee. I can feel my heart burn at the thought of her. I haven't talked to her since May. Its almost September now. I've tried calling, texting, IMing, emailing, even writing her. She never answers.

She's still with that jackass Ian. They flaunt it all over the news. Every time one of them is out, at a premier or a party, they're together. My fists clench the steering wheel until my knuckles turn white. That should be me. I'M the one who's supposed to be holding her hand, holding her close, kissing her lips, looking into her beautiful eyes. I feel a tear slip down my face. I wipe it off with a finger and look at it briefly. One of many. I keep crying over her. I never do that with girls. Never. But then, she's no ordinary girl.

He doesn't deserve her. He's always been one to grab attention. We've been rivals ever since teen years. His agent doesn't help either. Always egging him on, encouraging him to act like a hot shot. He thinks he's all that. The guy can't even act! It doesn't help that he's competitive, good-looking, charming, persuasive... I slam my fist down on the wheel in anger. I hate the guy. I really do. And now that he's stolen Em, MY Em from me, I hate him even more.

I jerk the wheel to the right and exit off the highway. I enter the CCB Studios, where I've been filming lately. The movie, Persuasive, is about a guy who's family is killed in a car crash and he eventually falls in love with the girl who killed was responsible. I hate romance movies. It only reminds me of Em. And what I lost. For no reason at all.

I tried to convince her it was false. I really did. But I guess she was hurt too much to believe me. That and Ian had to step in and pull her toward him. He's been pulling her in his direction ever since they met. He can't keep his hands to himself. Just like last time, he can't see that what is with me belongs to me. He can't seem to realize that he can't steal everything away from me. But he never stops trying.

One of my co-stars, Rebecca Terry, meets me in the lobby. In the movie she plays the part of my seventeen-year old sister Holly Beckett. She smiles sympathetically at me. "Alec's pretty ticked. Good luck talking to him." I sigh. Great. Just what I need. Rebecca points to his office. "He's waiting. I wouldn't keep him waiting any longer." I flash her a half-smile. "Right." I head into his office, ready to face the Fory fury.

He's sitting in his plush chair, watching me as I enter. There is no emotion on his face. "Alexander." Uh-oh. He didn't use my last name. He's more pissed then I thought he'd be. I swallow. "Yes sir?" He cocks an eyebrow at me. "Care to explain why you're late?" I don't have a good enough answer. Fretting over Em, weekly, daily, hourly, isn't a good enough answer. He wouldn't understand. "I-I.." I try to come up with some lame excuse and fail. Alec leans forward in his chair, watching me. "This isn't like you." I shake my head slightly. "No, it isn't."

Alec asks me in a steadily rising voice, an angry fire burning in his eyes, "What happened? What happened to make you forget your responsibilities? To make you decide that the world revolves around you and your personal interests? Forget about everyone else's time. Yours is obviously more important-"  I interrupt, "No!" His voice rises to its highest pitch. "Then what happened?!" My shoulders slump. "I'm sorry. I just... I lost someone. So, still kinda coping with it." I stare at the floor, my eyes creating holes in the wood. "The girl. Thorn wasn't it?" I jerk my head up. "How...how did you know?"

Alec stands up, a smile resting on his face. I'm still getting used to his mood swings. "I've been there myself. Alexander, you know, I'm divorced." I shake my head. "No, I had no idea." Alec shrugs his shoulders. "Its, one of those things that happen. Sadly, its been hardest on my son. We both had a lot to deal with when Alice and I," he pauses, "split. Women cause problems. Especially in a romantic relationship." He opens his office door. "But I know you'll get over it. Eventually we all do." Not me. I think as I walk out of his office silently. No way.

After that little discussion, work was pretty normal. Alec decided we were going to film the car crash scene, where my family gets injured and my character, James Beckett, meets his love interest, Katherine Flatts. The actress playing Katherine has been acting for a long time. Madison Grant is good in some areas, but I really don't think she fits the part of Katherine. Katherine is calm, quiet, shy in some areas, smart, and willing to help. Madison's personality is more along the lines of angry, resolute, demanding, selfish, and annoying. Completely bitchy. I've had to learn to deal with her. Its been, interesting.

I leave the studios after seven, finished for the day. I pull out my phone, holding onto the false hope that Emilee decided to contact me. No missed calls, no unread messages. I sigh. Another day come and gone and for what? I bang my head against the steering wheel before heading home. I'm such an idiot. Why can't I get over her? Why can't she get out of my head? I flip on the radio and even though its playing loudly as the sun sets, I don't hear it. I've tuned the world out. I can feel a tear slip, out of my eyes and down my face.

I get home and drag myself inside. Hattie's sitting just inside the door, waiting for me to come home. She barks playfully, making me smile a little bit. I rub her ears fondly before walking slowly up the stairs. I yank off my sunglass and toss them onto my dresser. I flop down on my bed and close my eyes, not bothering to change clothes. Exhaustion washes over me and I fall asleep. I fall into dreams of Em and what used to be.