Act Like Love

Chapter 4

Surprisingly, everything has been great.

It has been a few weeks since the first rehearsal with Grant. I feel confident in the scene we will perform for the class. Grant has helped me with being more vulnerable with my character.

We skip over the kissing part, as he dictated before, to keep it as real as possible when we do perform. If I am going to be honest, I am a little disappointed we won't at least discuss that part of the scene. Don't get me wrong, the actual kissing part fills me with dread, but we are professionals. We need to go over certain aspects of the act.

To conquer my anxiety I have been trying to be as analytical as possible. It helps, to a point. After a while, I start chewing on my lip and imagine everything that can go wrong.

"Mirabella, we need more medium cups." Kim, my co-worker and fellow barista, yells, white paper cup and marker in her hand, a queue of under-caffeinated students in front of her.

It's a Saturday afternoon, late October so Campus Bean Company, is packed. Nothing like a cool autumn day to make everyone crave coffee.

I am about to slip behind the plastic flap to the back storage when I hear the bell at the entrance of the shop jangle. When I look over I notice the person who enters and stop dead. Unable to move as his eyes catch me, causing my skin prickle.

I'm used to him in the theater department, but not outside. Not with everyone else. By the hush that has overtaken the shop I suspect most of the people here aren't used to seeing Grant either.

A woman shrieks and a few people shout at him. Seconds later he is surrounded. Arms are raised with cell phones pointed in his direction and I worry about the growing mob. He is so big, tall and yet there are too many people. Nothing he can do but submit to human bombardment.

"What is all this noise? Can't I take a break for five minutes without..." My manager, Jared pushes past me from the back before he comes to a stop. After eyeing the crowd he turns a curious eye to me.

I shrug, "Grant Trenton just walked in." I play it off because I know my boss won't care who as long as they aren't breaking anything.

"Who?" He thrusts his receding blond hair back.

"He's a movie actor. I know him. He's in my class."

"Then do what you got to do to get the guy out of here. If any of that furniture gets ruined, it comes straight out of my bonus for the year. The cheap bastards at corporate don't tolerate waste of any kind."

I turn to Jared and shove my hands on my hips, "And how am I to get him out of that crowd? Start tasering them?"

He rolls his eyes, "I will help of course. If I get the people out of the way, you grab him and take him through the back and out the back door."

I give him a nod and we begin to move from behind the counter.

It takes a minute but we both manage to push through the crowd. One guy shoves me forward while a woman elbows me in the side. It feels more like a mosh pit than a coffee shop. My manger raises his voice to make the crowd give some space. It works.

"Mirabella." I hear Grant before I see him. A warm hand curls around my upper arm and I know it's him. Even before I look up, the curling heat traveling over my skin makes me smile because he found me.

"Grant, over here." I point to a tiny break in the crowd made by my manager and we push forward. After a few ninja-like moves, where Grant did the ninja stuff and I awkwardly directed, we were behind the counter. We went behind the plastic curtain and down the narrow hall to the back exit.