Behind the Time - Herophine

1

JOSEPHINE

"Jô!"

"Hero!"

We were silent for a moment and continue to stare at each other for seconds that felt like hours. I was on my way to a last-minute meeting in Los Angeles, with some of the production and cast people to watch the latest After movies, which we shot during the pandemic in Bulgaria.

"Hi!" It's the only thing I managed to say, still not taking my eyes off his deep eyes. Hero and I had not spoken for a long time, as we returned to our homes, each in a country, he in London and I in Los Angeles, we thought it was better if we keep completely distance from eatch other, go on with our lives, no more cell phone messages, or video calls... But now, here we are, facing each other, not knowing what to do.

We wore masks, which was good, it hid our despair, still not saying anything. We were vaccinated and wearing masks was no longer mandatory outdoors, but the fear of losing some work while with Covid was greater. I noticed a small smile come up from him, his cheeks lifted slightly, his eyes closed, I missed him.

Our first reaction after the scare was to hug each other, we hadn't heard about each other in a long time, it was very cruel do that. I wrap my arms around him, feel his chest rise and fall, his heart racing. It was funny, Hero covered me, he is very tall and I was wearing flip-flops, I was used to it, his hug is the best thing. I smell his scent, his heat, all over again, he was sorely missed. And it all came back, as if we hadn't been away all this time.

"I miss you Jô."

"I miss you so much".

I don't know how long we were there, but we heard a voice and quickly parted ways:

"Hey, you two! Are you lost?"

"Jen!" We said it together after we walked away. Jen was one of the producers, and she's been with us since the first movie, we really like her.

"Come on! It's just you two left!"

Jen takes us inside the place where they decided to gather part of the cast, some producers and directors to show the finished movie. The chairs were a bit far apart, I think to respecting the distance in closed spaces with a lot of people. Hero sits in the chair next to mine. I look at him before starting the movie, he also didn't take his blue eyes from mine.



HERO

She's right here next to me, I finally felt her again, smelled her, her breath quickened, I looked into those eyes that have been in my mind since our first meeting, I finally have her with me. I take a quick breath, I can't stop looking at her, and it gets worse when she looks back at me, it makes me want to be even closer, to be with her in my arms and not let her go.

Everything I'm feeling just prove that how distance, even taking a break, even without talking for months, when I look at her, her mouth, her scent that's only hers, her skin, it all comes back, all the sensations I've had, what you did to me Josephine Langford.

We watched the entire movie, we started tense, would it be as we had imagined? Are we going to like our performances this time? From the edition... Little by little we laughed with some comments that others made, with some memories during the shootings, at the hotel in Bulgaria... We laughed at Jô in the hot scenes, she said:

"Oh no!" And she covered her face, making everyone laugh even harder.

In the end, everything was amazing, the time we spent together, the movie, the feeling. During the scenes I looked at her, she looked at me, in the most tense parts, I felt that we wanted to interact, touch each other, but we held, we just stared at each other as if we could communicate with our eyes.

When the movie ended, we breathed a sigh of relief, I look at her and her eyes are watery, we hug as she looks at me, we just hear the clapping, I can't contain the emotion, the movie is as we imagined it, I'm very happy to be part of it, for being here, and especially for being with her today.

Jen asks to take a picture of us so they can post it, when the time comes, on social media. They freed up a table with delicious things to eat, I look for Jô around the place but I didn't find her, we were in a big white house, all glass, lit, without furniture, I think they rented it just for today. After a while, Jô appears.

"What a fright!"

"What? Am I that ugly?"

"No... I thought you were gone." She is quiet looking for something to eat, I follow there, not knowing what to do.

"Hero, I wanted to talk to you later..."

"Of course! If you want to go somewhere with me later, we can walk around..."

"It might be!"

We spent the morning together, production and cast, talked about everything, remembered the time we were in Bulgaria, compared the calm of today with the rush of shootings, Covid tests, endless texts. We laughed at every moment, everything that happened there was very special, for each one that was living it. We couldn't wait for what was to come.Everyone said goodbye and started to leave. We also said goodbye, but we agreed to meet again, all together, soon.

"Do you two want a ride?"

"No... We are going to walk a bit... Jô is going to show me some places in Los Angeles I don't know yet..." I smile, hoping they understand, and the production people smile back. That sideways smile that we know very well...

"Sure you didn't! You must know more about the places here than I do!"

"Well, We will let you know what's coming!"

"Alright, bye Jen!"

"Thanks Jen!"

I went with my... With Jô, aimlessly, which wasn't a bad thing, at least not for me, I was with her. We walked a few blocks, tried to say some random things but the subject ended and silence came again.

"So... What did you have to talk to me about?"

"Oh I want to know how you are..."

"Good!"

"Yeah, good!"

"And you?"

"I'm good too..." Come on, Hero, you're better than that.

"And... I was following some posts about the movie you were in..."

"Yes... We just finished filming recently..."

"Ah cool..."

"Uhum... And... I saw that you also shooted with Sydney..."

"Oh yeah... She's really nice!"

"Reaaally nice..."

The mood was still awkward between us, after this shameful dialogue, we fell silent again. We arrived at an empty park, at most a child running everywhere and the mother angry behind him, so he wouldn't get hurt. We took off our masks a bit, to breathe better, sat on a bench under a tree, got as close to her as I could.

"I missed you so much."

"I missed you too... I was getting used to receiving your messages every day..."

"It was your idea to stop!"

"Mine? It was our idea!"

"Okay okay, it was ours, but..."

I was surprised, Jô was getting closer, I felt her hand on my head pulling me closer, her scent, her mouth, I feel it all again. I hold her around the waist, I want her glued to me, I feel her arms around my neck, her tongue with mine, I missed this. Our breaths together, accelerated, almost talked. We didn't want to let go of the kiss, we slowed down, to last as long as we could, it was so good, I couldn't stop, I think it was one of the longest kisses we've ever had, full of love... Love...
Little by little our lips unglue, I open my eyes with her, I see her blue eyes watering once more.

"What's happening?"

"Nothing... Just... I'm happy to be here with you!"

I stop smiling, try to look away but she pulls my face away.

"What's going on to you, Hero?"

"Nothing, it's just that... This..."

"We..."

"Yes! What I'm feeling... It's just with you! Why do I only feel this way about you?

"If you discover this, Hero, let me know, because I have no idea either!"

"Oh stop Jô! You found someone else..."

"What?"

"It's no use denying it because... I already know you've met someone!"

"Who said... Hadley!"

"Who?"

"The girl who lives with me talked to Sydney, who made the movie with you, didn't she?"

"N..."

"No use denying bigguy! They talk on the phone almost every day!"

"Do not change the subject!"

"What about you? How many girls did you have sex with in that time in London?"

"With... Do you really want to..."

"How many?"

I gape at the direct question she asked me, but worse than that, it's the only answer that pops into my head...

"I don't know..."

"What? How do you not know?"

"I don't remember... One, some..."

"How did you fuck someone and you don't remember?"

"Better than falling in love with a guy!"

"I will kill Hadley! I'm not in love with him!"

"Oh no?!"

"No! I like you!"

We were almost screaming in the middle of the park, but those last words that came out of that beautiful mouth... I didn't think twice about holding her face and bringing her for another long kiss, enjoying every second of her tongue with mine, of her lips with mine, the smiles we gave between our kisses, her legs on top of mine, saving every second in my memory.