The Stranger / Chris Evans x OC

Chapter 9: Confession

TAYLOR

I wake up feeling groggy. Filming yesterday was brutal. I had to do a lot of stunts and although I consider myself to be in pretty good shape, I still feel sore.

I go to my kitchen to put on a pot of coffee and as I do, I hear a knock on my door.

I open the door to see Chris standing in front of me.

"Hey," he says, smiling, "thought we could practice lines before filming tomorrow. I keep messing them up on my own so I figured a partner would help."

I smile back at him, "Yeah sure. I was just making coffee. You want some?"

"Sure," he says before walking into my room and sitting down on the couch, script in hand.

I sit down with two cups of coffee and he picks one up and takes a sip.

"So, this scene we have tomorrow is giving me some trouble. Do you mind if we go over it a few times?"

"No, not at all," I say as I take a sip of my coffee.

We practice for a few times but I can tell he seems distracted. When he messes up for the third time I decide to ask.

"Hey Chris, everything alright? You seem a little distracted today."

"Yeah, I'm fine," he says, "I guess... Can I ask you something Taylor?"

"Uhm, sure..?" I reply.

"Your friend.. Amelia. What's her deal?"

His question catches me off guard and I look at him surprised. "Amelia?"

"Yeah," he says, hesitantly, "Amelia."

"What do you mean?" I ask him, confused.

"Well.. like.. what's her deal? Why doesn't she want to come out here if she's such a big fan? Why wouldn't she want to meet me?"

I furrow my brows at him. What's he getting at?

"Chris.. What? What are you even talking about right now?"

"Well, you said she wouldn't come out because she felt uncomfortable.. But she's also a really big fan.. Why wouldn't she want to grab at the chance to meet me? -Us...."

I tilt my head at him. "I don't understand. Obviously she would be very excited to meet you guys."

"Then why won't she come out here?" He asks, more urgently this time.

"I... I'm not sure, Chris. I think she was just intimidated at first. Maybe she was afraid of having the image she has of you guys, ruined."

He sighs at my response before taking a sip of coffee.

I contemplate telling him about the phone conversation I just had with Amelia yesterday, about her considering a visit, but something about Chris' reaction to this whole thing nags at me so I decide otherwise.

"Chris," I say as I watch him intently, "What's this really about?"

He looks at me for a second before looking down at his hands. 

"I messaged her on instagram."

"You did what?!"

"Yeah, but from a burner account. She doesn't know it's me."

"Why would you do that?!" I ask him, surprised and shocked at the same time.

"She's.. interesting." He says as he looks up at me.

"What do you mean she's 'interesting'?" 

"I mean, I find her interesting. I wanted to get to know her. Why is that so weird?" He asks me with an annoyed tone in his voice.