Actress in Disguise

Chapter 20

Chapter 20~

I looked in the mirror and sighed bitterly. I picked up my makeup brush and started to add more layers onto my nose bridge and forehead. No matter what I did, the bruises from yesterday were too stubborn to conceal themselves. My makeup was already so thick and heavy, that I could imagine it being the result of my face after taking a skinny dip right into some innocent granny's mixing bowl. And poor old granny's still mixing her batter for her raisin cookies... Any more layers of that batter, and clumps of cookies will start forming on my face, if they haven't already....

Staring at my hideous reflection, I cursed a certain asshole. How am I supposed to participate in my interview and movie shoot later this evening, looking like the mistake child of a clown and a prostitute?

I sighed for the hundreth time. My career is officially over. Before long it'll be all over the headlines of every single newpaper and magazine that ever existed.

And social networks too... that shit spreads like cockroaches during breeding season! Oh I could already see it, in big bold letters, the headlines will read: "Jessica Raymond; Suddenly Attacked by a Vicious Basketball!" Or "Jessica Raymond's Attempted Murder; Near Death Experience with the Dangerous Round Object." Or something cheesy and way over exaggerated like that...

I was still panicking over my colorful skin, when I was startled by my own ringtone. While balancing my brushes in one hand, I fumbled my phone with my free hand clumsily.

"Hello?"

"Je-Jessica! Jessica, listen- I... I-"

"Jeremy?" I called into the phone, surprised and suddenly alert by his voice. "Calm down, and explain to me what's going on."

"It's Noah..."

My heart sank.

I was so empty headed, that I didn't even notice I had lost grip of my foundation brushes, and they came crashing down onto my wooden floor. The sound of them colliding faded into the background, as my sweaty hands clutched onto my phone with great urgency.

I swallowed, and after licking my dry and cracked lips, my weak and raspy voice entered the phone. "What happened?"

"Noah..." There were signs of hesitation. "His baby sitter hit him."

"What?!" I screamed angrily into the phone. I was filled with uncontrollable fury, as I tried to keep myself calm. "She what? Wait... Isn't Noah supposed to be under your parents' watch?! What's with a babysitter?!"

There was silence on the other end.

"I- I don't know... My parents had something urgent so they- they couldn't care for him and I hired a babysitter... I don't know what happened but she kicked Noah into the wall... And now- he- He's in the hospital... She hit some vital organs, and his brain isn't fully developed yet... So the- the impact of the collision against the wall- I- I don't know. Jessica... I- I'm so sorry..."

It was as if my world froze... It just stopped. The clock stopped ticking, my breathing stopped, his voice stopped... It was as though nothing exists in the world.

**

"Noah!" I screamed with blurry vision, and an adrenaline filled head, as I hysterically bolted towards the operation room. I pounded at the door with every ounce of desperation I had, while fresh, warm tears tumbled down my bruised and caked face. "Noah!" I sobbed, tasting the salt from my tears. "Noah..." I pounded at the door, unable to think straight. With crazy hair and wild eyes, I banged with all I am worth, until I was pulled away by strong arms. "Let go!" I hissed at the well built men struggling to restrict my movements.