Becoming Ready

Chapter 21 - Snake

The next weekend was the final weekend of production on The Outlaws, thank god. Charlie wasn't sure how much more strain her life, not to mention her relationship, could take. However, the kiss scene was near the end of the movie, and they were going to film it that night. Charlie learned that films were never shot in chronological order, the schedule was usually just up to location and convenience. On this particular project though, it just happened to be the most convenient to shoot the climax of the movie last.

Charlie didn't know if it was better this way, or worse. At least after it was over, she didn't have to spend any more time with River. God knows how awkward it would be. But on the flip side, it had been hanging over their heads for weeks, the tension building up more and more.

She hadn't seen River around yet, which made her even more nervous. It wasn't that she was worried he would be late. Strangely, after his tardiness on the first day, he was never late again.

 He actually wasn't even due on set yet, but she wished he was so they could to talk about the kiss in advance. If they discussed it, it would feel more like work, not a real kiss. And then she wouldn't have to have butterflies about it.

'Not butterflies,' she reprimanded herself. Stage fright, nerves. Those words had less romantic connotation attached to them.

She paced instead of sitting in the hair and makeup chair. Leigh, who had actually become a pretty good friend of hers during all the night shoots and long hours, watched her walk back and forth.

"What's going on with you?" Leigh asked.

"Nothing," Charlie said, biting her lip.

Leigh made a face. "You're a good actress, but a terrible liar."

Charlie took a deep breath. "It's just the kiss scene. That's all. I have a boyfriend, so I guess I'm feeling weird about it."

"Call your boyfriend," Leigh suggested. "He already knows about it, right?"

Charlie nodded. "Yeah, he knows. He's fine with it. He knows it's just for the movie."

"So call him and tell him you're thinking about him. Screw it, tell him you're feeling weird. I'm sure at the very least he will be happy to know his girlfriend has reservations about locking lips with another dude," Leigh said.

Charlie thought about it. Maybe Leigh was right, and it was Shawn she needed to talk to, not River. If she could just hear his voice, she'd feel better.

She pulled out her cell phone. "You're right. I'll be back."

She walked away from everyone to give herself privacy. She dialed Shawn's number and waited as it rang.

"Hello?" Kaley answered.

Charlie almost dropped her phone like it was a poisonous snake, but she held on.

"Uh, Kaley? Why are you answering Shawn's phone?" she asked, trying to keep her voice from shaking.

"He's... busy," Kaley said.

Charlie closed her eyes. She wasn't a violent person, but she felt like punching this girl. "Are you guys at a meeting or something?" she asked, even though she knew it was too late in the evening for that to be the case.

"No," she replied. It sounded like she was enjoying herself.

"Then why the hell are you with my boyfriend?" Charlie yelled, unable to contain her anger.

"Hm, boyfriend? He seems pretty single to me," Kaley replied. "Or at least, he did when I kissed him."

That was it. Charlie hung up the phone, she didn't want to hear anymore.

She choked back a sob as she stood there, her head spinning.

She knew Kaley must have been lying. In her heart, she knew she could trust Shawn. He wouldn't cheat on her. They had just started saying "I love you" to each other. Kaley was just trying to break them up.

But a small voice in Charlie's head asked the inevitable question, what if she was telling the truth?

Charlie hadn't spent a substantial amount of time with Shawn in nearly a month. Kaley saw him several times a week, and like Shawn said, she was one of his good friends. What if she really had become more than a friend? And why did she have his phone?

Charlie typed out a text and sent it to Shawn that said Call me. She waited for it to go through. Kaley probably still had his damn phone, but she didn't care. He'd have to get it back eventually.

Maybe the reason why Shawn didn't care about her and River, or her and Cassius for that matter, was because he was interested in other girls. The more she thought about it, the more she came to the conclusion that he was unusually cool about everything. Like, too cool. Not that Charlie had a healthy relationship to compare him to. All she knew before him was toxic, possessive behavior.

They were calling her back to set. As much as every fiber of her being wanted to get in her car and drive to Shawn's house, or call his friends and ask them where he was, and then go there, she didn't. She had a commitment to this film, and she wasn't going to mess that up over a guy. She had been down that road before and she regretted it.

No matter what was going on with Shawn, she was going to choose herself, stay on this set, and finish her job. Acting was her dream, and she was going to follow it.

And as soon as she was done, she would get answers.

***Oh man, do you guys think Kaley's lying? Or is she telling the truth? And if so, is there more to the story?