Bad Romance(Book1)

Chapter 5-Late Night

She went out of the office and took her bag from underneath her desk. When she did that, a strand of her hair fell down her cheek. She looked oddly familiar, but, I couldn't quite figure out from where.

We both walked quietly to my car and she was casually checking her phone.

"I hope you like vegan food. I'm quite a big fan of this lifestyle. Healthy and tasty in the same time."

"It's ok. And this comes from the person who is eating casseroles for the last three years."

"Seriously? No, that's gonna change. You will love it. Or, if you have another place to suggest. I'm happy to oblige."

"No,no it's fine. This coming from someone who spent the last years eating casseroles. Emphasis on three and years.", she replied smiling timidly.

"I like it when you smile. It really brightens up your face.", I said smiling back at her.

"Well, that's something I don't do often. By the way, the editors of GQ and Vogue would want to talk to you tomorrow."

"Well, any other appointments tomorrow?"

"Just the one with Terry Richardson. Regarding a photoshoot. And lunch with your mother."

"Okay, so tomorrow it's a field trip day. You have to dress casually."

"I'm coming too?", she asked, her eyes widening in panic.

"Yes. We didn't actually get the chance to get to know each other. Plus it's in your job description to be wherever I am."

"And when you mean casual..."

"Jeans, tracksuit, you know that casual...leggings...the whole nine yards, or whatever you girls wear. Here we are."

I stepped out of the car and opened her door and held out my hand to help her get out of the car, when it struck me who she was. Ella. Her name was Ella Patterson-Pierce. She was one of the prodigy method actors. And one of the youngest persons to get an Academy Award. I've read about her a lot of stories, she had the most expressive faces in Hollywood. Until she got married very young with James Patterson and had a daughter. She stepped out of the spotlight and became an assistant to celebrities the minute she became pregnant with her daughter and was dragged back in the spotlight when her husband killed their daughter and killed himself in a drunk haze.

"I know who you are!", I heard myself saying.

"Sorry?"

"You're Ella Patterson-Pierce."

She stopped and the expression of panic on her face became more and more visible.

"No, no...it's just a confusion. Same name.", she said regaining her composure.

"I thought you were familiar. Those eyes. It never occurred to me."

"No, you're mistaken. I'm not her...too bad for her though. Read the news of what happened. It was tragic.", she said, her face stiffening with every word that came out of her mouth.

"It's maybe just me. You look like her a lot."

"Did you ever work with her?"

"Never got the chance to. She was far too young...just about your age. Anyway...it was just a thought. Let's eat.", I said dismissively.

I changed the subject quickly. I didn't want to make her more uncomfortable than she already was.

"So, why don't you want to sell your sketches?", she asked me.

"Because I can't make up my mind about selling them. They're my kids. My demons, my fears. I like to print them onto different things, but I never wanted to sell them. So, what do you do in your spare time? Apart from spending late hours in the office?"

"I read. I find reading very curing. Escaping the reality you live in, into an alternate reality. Sometimes I think a lot that we are characters in someone else's books. In someone else's scenarios. You never know."

"That's a really interesting theory. I've never heard that one before. And I'm into reading too."

"Well, I'm filled with theories about anything."

"Oh do tell."

"It will take longer than eating a salad and a vegan burger."

"True, true. Do you like listening to music?"

"I do. But I would never listen to a song just because it's popular. I like the meaning behind the song, going into the writer's mind to figure out what he or she wanted to say with that."

"Interesting point of view. I like the way you think Ella. We should most definitely get together sometimes for a chat outside office hours. Did you ever go climbing?"

"I used to...it wasn't really my cup of tea. I'm more the type of running down the treadmill like a hamster, girl."

"Seriously you crack me up.", I said laughing.

"Jared I'm really sorry, it's getting quite late.  I should be getting home. Early day tomorrow."

"Oh, yeah, I forgot all about that."

I dropped her off in front of her apartment block. The building was very central, looked really clean and welcoming. She thanked me and jumped out of the car.

I was happy, that despite the incident in front of the restaurant her mood improved a bit. I drove back home and opened my laptop. I wasn't convinced about the story Ella just served me, so I decided to do my own research. I just skimmed through the million of articles available.

<<Ella Pierce, born 2 October 1990, born in Bronx, is an American actress, with both Irish and Czech origins. She was one of the youngest female method actors...most notable roles were. Órla in "The Diary of a Madman", Evelyn in "Saturation" and Keira in "The Imaginary Life of Keira Reed", a role which brought her an Academy Award....married at the age of nineteen to co-star James Patterson...>>
<<Ella Patterson-Pierce, 21, welcomes little Alice into the world as she announces quitting acting.>>
<<...committed suicide after drug and alcohol abuse in their L.A home...after drowning their two year old daughter...>>
<<Ella Patterson-Pierce, recent footage from her daughter's funeral...meltdown...>>

I looked at the photos and I knew that my assumption was right. She was indeed one and the same. I knew that she took her roles very serious, that she was very balanced both in interviews and very open. She was a genius. She never broke character. And now that starry eyed girl, was my assistant. Who would've thought?

I spent the whole night reading articles about her and also texted her to come to my place at around eight. I will eventually break her cover and make her come back to life. But for now...baby steps.