The Girl Behind the Cameras

Chapter 3

The next day after school I sit on my bed with a book I had to read for class laying beside of me. I usually liked the classics we read, but this was different. This book was full of scenes that had not changed one bit from mind to paper. It was too realistic for me to wrap my head around.

"Skylar Lily!" My mother shouts from downstairs. It wasn't an angry shout, but I was sure she wanted something from me. She seemed to always be getting me to do her errands since she 'can never get anything done due to paparazzi'.

I slide out of my bed and push open the door and meet her at the bottom of the staircase.

"We are going to have company Thursday. I'll need you to look nice and be on your best behavior." She asks as she sweeps a piece of her hair from her face.

"I'm going to be out. I have plans." I shake my head and remind her without specification. I turn and head up the stairs without another word.

•••

That Thursday I dress in a dress my mother had designed for me. I didn't love it, but I didn't have anything else to wear. It was red with cutouts along the top and staying tight on my torso and flowing out after my waist.

I'd gotten one of my frequent stylists to come over since I wasn't any good at doing makeup or hair. She paints my lips red and my eyelids silver. The woman braids my hair into a crown around my head and I thank her.

"Olivia, do you know where my mother is?" I ask her. She was kind to me and never ran to my mother with any information she had about me.

"She's out at the moment. I could call her if you want me to." She suggests.

"No, no I'm fine. I would appreciate it if she didn't know where I was when she turns to you with questions." I attempt a smile as I slide into silver pumps.

"My lips are sealed." Olivia giggles and I smile at her. I then turn to the mirror and look at myself with my green eyes. They weren't very pretty, nor bright or different.

"Thank you. Have a good day!" I say as I push out the door and nearly slip down each step. I see Paisley sitting on the couch in the living room.

"Where are you going, Sky?" She asks with a confused expression. She stands up from the chair and follows me to the door.

"Nowhere if anyone were to ask you." I tell her sternly. She was deeply influenced by my mother and seemed to always break under the pressure of keeping a secret.

"Mommy doesn't know? She's going to be home any minute!" Paisley hisses.

"No mother does not know for good reasons. Which means you will not say anything to her when she does get home. I went to the store with Nora if she asks." I tell her and pull open the door.

"But Sky, Why can't you tell me?" She asks with a pouty lip. I knew she honestly really wanted to know and probably didn't want to tell me Mother, but couldn't help herself.

"I'm going to Trey's movie premiere." I tell her. "Be good."

I don't hear another word come from her until I pull the door shut behind me. I walk trough the gate and meet the black car that would take me to Trey's house.

When I pulled into the driveway I notice how small the house was. Well, not exactly small, but for a movie star you'd think he'd have a bigger house for him and his family.

The door opens and Trey walks out in a simple suit with a red bow tie. He opens the door and smiles simply as he sits beside of me.

"Do you live alone?" I ask suddenly. Trey laughs as the car begins to move.

"I am nineteen. I moved out when I was eighteen, but the rest of my family lives on the same street." He finishes. I think about it for a minute. I'd never imagined moving out or the chance of being able to move out. I'd thought about college, but Mother was never fond of that.

"Did you ever think about college?" I ask after.

"In the past. It stopped becoming reality. You?" He looks at me with a pressuring gaze and I eye him slightly.

"One day." I shrug. "So what is the movie about? I've seen previews and all, but it's mostly in Spanish."

"That's one of the only reasons I was cast as one of the main characters. Yeah most of it is in Spanish, but it's just a Hispanic cultured movie about losing people and The Land Of the Dead and all." He shrugs nonchalantly.

"I took Spanish for three years. I liked it, but i can't remember most of it. We talked about the land of the dead and celebrated Día de los muertas with food." I remember the days when the entire class would make food to bring and share with everyone. It was easier to fit in then.

We made small talk the rest of the way to the event. He wasn't bad company surprisingly. I'd mistaken him for someone who only cared about themselves, but I guess it wasn't hard to fake it.

The event had dramatic posters up and there were cameras everywhere. There would be pictures on social media in minutes. My mother checked her social media often.

There were people walking up the streets from miles back just to be here; people that this may be the best thing in their life. Cameras turn from one celebrity to the next and finally us. The people who had to pay to get in were either rushed into the cinema or moved to the side to make sure they got shots of all the celebrities without "average" people in it.

"By the way, you look beautiful today." Trey mutters quietly in my ear.

"And you had to wait out here to tell me that?" It was weird him saying that, but it was just words. There didn't have to be meaning to them.

"Fair enough." He shrugs. I roll my eyes with a small smile, but don't look up at him. I didn't want to realize if he was actually serious or not.

Everyone became quiet as Trey connects our arms and starts down the row as cameras turn to us.

"They realized." I murmur. "They realized who I am."

I can feel Trey shrug and pull me along with him as cameras click and flash and people on the other side of the barriers reach for us. I hold my breath and keep walking.

Trey was stopped for an interview and I stand there patiently by his side while they question him.

"So are the two of you in a relationship now?" The man asks and I nearly laugh.

"No, no we are only friends." Trey answers smoothly without a seconds delay.

"Thank you for your time." They end the conversation quickly. It was nearly an hour before we could finally go into the cinema. On the seats were bracelets, that I didn't understand until the movie, and a snack with water.

Of course, since Trey was one of the main cast members, we got front row seats. There weren't many people left to come in since Trey was one of the last in. The room becomes dark quickly and the movie begins.

Trey seemed interested in the movie that was playing before him. I guess I would be too if I put all that work into it and finally got to see the end result.

I didn't understand nearly any of what they said, but they had English subtitles.

In the middle of the movie I find myself inspecting Trey's face. He seemed pure while he watched the movie and didn't flinch when he watched himself like I did whenever I watched any footage of myself.

In the middle of the movie I feel warm skin touch my own. I look down and see Trey's hand reach for mine and pull them together. Normally, I would pull away, but for some reason I didn't and just finished the movie out with his hand holding mine.