Abroad

Chapter 83

*C H A R L O T T E*

Hero is struggling and it breaks my heart. He's so distracted, he can't remember his lines or what scene we're on. I know I'm making it worse because I'm hardly talking to him but that's just self-protection. Ending it completely was the hardest thing I've ever had to do. I barely said a word to him today. Just the necessary things. Hero's mood today makes us fall behind quite a bit but still I decide to end shooting early. Maybe a good night's sleep will be good for him. I know he worries about me alone in this place so I make sure he knows Jack and Lizzie are staying with me. I'm revising the schedule for the next days when Lizzie enters.

"Hey, I got some Chinese food from the restaurant down the road. Come sit with us." I follow her to the small kitchen and sit on a box.

"Thanks, this smells so good!"

"How is revision going?"

"Terrible." I sigh. "We're behind a whole day which means no time for reshooting scenes if necessary."

"What can we do?"

"Hope that tomorrow goes well?" Lizzie and Jack exchange looks but don't say anything. I know what the look was about though. It was about Hero. They are worried too. What would he be doing?

That night, I don't get much sleep. As usual, Hero is haunting me.

The next day he's even worse. He has this haunted look in his eyes. Usually they're sparkly but today they're dull. He has dark circles under his eyes and not even make-up can make them disappear. By noon I've send him home. I've moved the scenes with Lola to this afternoon. She has a lot of scenes without Hero and we're shooting them today instead of tomorrow. Lola is doing great and we manage to shoot all the scenes. I've bought some beers and pizza for the crew and actors. The spirits are high because it's the end of day four and they're off tomorrow.

"Charlotte, can we have a word?" Sam asks me. I follow him to the garden.

"It's about Hero. I don't know what's wrong with him but he's slowing down this project too much."

"I know. I'll have a chat with him tomorrow."

"Good girl. It would be terrible for your film and for his career if his performance sucks. He looks horrible!"

"No worries." I smile and Sam leaves. I'm not so sure that my chat with him will help though.

Hero is not in his flat the next day and no one knows where he is. I know. He's at our spot. He's sitting under our tree facing the Taff. I look at him for a while. His shoulders are bend. He looks sad. I'm shocked when I see him up close. He's pale with dark circles under his eyes. It breaks my heart to see him like this and suddenly I know what to do.

"Hey."

"Hey." His voice breaks. I wrap my arm around him but he shakes him off. "Leave me alone."

"Hero, we need to talk."

"Yes I know, my performance is ruining your precious film."

"True but that's not what I want to talk about."

"What is it then? What did I do this time? You know, I fought for you. I tried to ignore you at first, I tried to be your friend, I tried acting like I didn't care and I tried to be friends with benefits."

"You're right."

"And I also- wait what?" His eyes meet mine. God, I love those eyes.

"You're right. You tried and I didn't. I failed you. It breaks my heart to see you like this and I made me realise that I want to be the one that makes you smile. I want to make you happy." When he doesn't answer I continue. "Hero, you really hurt me and I guess I never believed you actually loved me. Yes, you said it and it felt good when we were together but after the whole Melany thing you avoided me for days. You could have come to my room. You started acting all brave and vain like you were in the beginning. Then you wanted to be my friend. Can you see why I didn't trust you?"

"What's changed now?" It's barely a whisper as if he's afraid to speak.

"You did. The way you are now... I really hurt you didn't I?"

"Yes, you did."

"I know I did and now I see that you care so much about me and I can't stand to see you like this. Now that I know for sure that we're both hurting, something has changed."

"What are you saying Charlotte? Because I swear I can't-" I don't let him finish, I just press my lips against his. For a second, he kisses me back but then he pushes me away.

"I need an answer, Charlotte."

"I want to be with you Hero. For real this time. Not out of pity or out of jealousy someone else might come along, not just friends with benefits. You've showed me that you really care and that's what I needed to forgive you. I love you Hero." During my speech I haven't looked at him once. I'm not that good with feelings. But when he doesn't answer, I meet his eyes. They're all sparkly again but suspicious.

"I swear Charlotte, if this is all a game to you..."

"It isn't." This time I keep staring into his eyes and then he kisses me, out of nowhere. The world is good again. The colours are brighter, the smells are richer and the sounds are more harmonious. Hero and I are back together. All is well.

(Hey guys! This is not the end yet, there will be 85 chapters to this story and I have some news I will share with you at the end of Chapter 85 :) :) Love, V.)