I'm busy was at the tip of my tongue as a response, but under Theo's expecting gaze, I tripped over my words. "No— I mean, yes."
His expression remained unyielding. "Which is it?"
"No," I said, immediately grimacing. I wanted to slap myself in the face. I was usually a good liar! Why did I fumble so much in front of Theo? "I meant no, I am busy," I corrected. "Very busy."
He didn't appear convinced, pursing his lips. "Uh-huh."
"Well, I think this is a great idea if you could go!" Director Ahn said, a smile breaking out on her face as she turned to me, completely oblivious to my hesitance. "This would be an amazing experience for you, Maisie!"
I tried to tell her with my expression that I very much didn't want to do this. I stared hard at her, eyes wide, lips pressed together, minutely shaking my head.
"She's a little shy," Director Ahn said to Theo, nudging him in the side. "Look at her, though. She looks like she really wants to go, but is too shy to say so, don't you think?"
Apparently, I was terrible at using expressions to convey a message across to someone. My shoulders sagged.
"What are you busy with?" Theo asked me, tilting his head to the side, his black hair falling into his face a little.
"Gaming," I said confidently, already having my answer prepared. It wasn't a lie, either. I did plan on gaming. It made me feel a little proud. Maybe I didn't need to lie all the time.
But both Theo and Director Ahn exchanged knowing glances with each other, eyebrows raised, and I knew it was the wrong excuse. "You can play games anytime, can't you?" Director Ahn asked. "You should take this opportunity, Maisie."
"Is this really something an assistant script writer should do?" I asked, putting emphasis on my fake job title.
"Well, you'd also be helping Theo out," she pointed out.
It was the worst sentence she could have said. I swear I saw the lightbulb appear over Theo's head, and my own words from earlier echoed in mine— if you can think of anything, don't hesitate to ask me.
"I'll walk her out and talk about it more," Theo said to Director Ahn, turning toward her. "I'll see you tomorrow."
She beamed brightly at us. "Sure! Think about it, Maisie!"
I forced a smile on my face and said goodbye, turning on my heel, and heading down the hallway with Theo, each step feeling like I was trudging through mud. Theo had the decency to stay quiet until we were alone, but the minute we reached my car, I could tell he was ready to pounce.
I made my move first. I lunged forward, grabbing my car door, hoping to swing it open and jump in before Theo could stop me. But his reaction was too fast— I'd only opened the car door two inches before his hand shot out and stopped it from opening any further. I put my full weight into pulling on it, but it refused to budge. One look at Theo's muscles showing through his shirt proved to me I would not win this match.
"You said you owe me a favor," he said.
"I did," I acknowledged, releasing the door.
He closed it again, moving his body to block it. "So I think it's fair to ask you for help since I'm keeping your secret."
The back of my neck prickled and I looked around the parking lot for anyone who might overhear us. A few groups of people loitered around other cars, far enough that I didn't think they could hear us, but close enough that it made me anxious. "Let's talk about this somewhere else," I said.
"Your car, then," he decided, opening my door again. "Here."
I stared at him for a moment and he gestured for me to get in. Briefly, I thought about what it might look like for me to be getting in a car with the main actor of my movie, but Theo didn't seem like he'd let up about this. I slid into the driver's seat as Theo walked around the car to the passenger side. Just before he reached for the door handle, I pressed the lock button.
Theo heard the click of the lock and leaned down so he could glower at me through the window. I cracked the window slightly. "I know I owe you a favor, but it can't be this," I told him.
"Why?"
"I'm hiding my identity, remember?" I asked pointedly. "Going with you would bring too much attention to me. You're famous. If someone took photos of us then my face would be out there and someone would try to figure out who I am."
"We can just say you work with me on set if anyone asks," he said, fingers hooked onto the window as if the thought I'd close it at any time. "You're showing your face to everyone here, anyway."
I hesitated, unsure of how much I wanted to reveal to him. Avoiding looking directly at him, I put my hands on my steering wheel, focusing on them. "It's just that there's a chance my family might see me there if I somehow end up being filmed or something." My parents didn't watch a lot of T.V., nor did they care about pop culture, but I wasn't so sure about my brother.
Theo stayed silent for a moment, and I peeked over at him, seeing him staring at my dashboard in thought. "What if we disguised you?" he asked.
"Huh?"
"The problem you have with coming with me is being recognized, isn't it? So, what if we made you unrecognizable?"
"Like... put me in a wig?" I asked, confused.
He nodded. "I know someone who could help with that."
I almost couldn't believe what I was hearing— especially coming from someone like Theo. He was stoic, calm, collected... and these were crazy words. "Are you okay?" I asked him.
His gaze flickered back to me in askance. "Yes. Why?"
"Why wouldn't you just find someone to go with that doesn't need a disguise?"
"Because there's no one else I could ask to do this."
"And yet you feel comfortable asking me? Didn't you think I was a pervert until today?"
"That's—" he cut himself off, pressing his lips together tightly. "Can you just let me in for a minute?"
I knew I shouldn't have, but I unlocked the door. He climbed in awkwardly, too tall to fit comfortably with my seat up so far on its track, his knees pressed up against the dashboard. After watching him fumble for a moment searching for the control on the side of the seat, I pointed at where it was located. He put the seat all the way back and still almost didn't have room for his long legs.
A bit flustered, I avoided his gaze in favor of my steering wheel again. "But why me?"
"Because I have something on you."
I whipped my head in his direction again, my heart sinking. So, he was going to use my secret against me to get me to agree to this. Now I didn't have a choice in the matter.
"I'm not forcing you into this," Theo said, his voice surprisingly soft, and I wondered what my expression had looked like. "I just meant that you wouldn't try anything because of it. You wouldn't risk having me tell the world who you are."
I relaxed a little, feeling less backed into a corner, but still a little awkward. "What do you mean by try anything?"
His eyes darkened momentarily before he turned away from me. "I am just saying I can trust you to do this."
Hearing him say he could trust me made my heart flutter. I ignored it. "You don't know me," I pointed out.
"And you don't know me, but I know your biggest secret. You have no choice but to trust me to not tell anyone. I'm also extending that trust back to you."
"No, you just want me to do you a favor," I corrected, but not unkindly.
He went still for a moment before nodding, hunching in on himself. "Yes. I do."
Theo seemed serious. It made me wonder why he wouldn't, or couldn't, ask anyone else to do this for him. Why someone so closed off would request someone to do this for him. It made me curious.
But it also made me feel a little special to be asked.
And that made me want to agree.
"If I agree to this," I began, and Theo immediately straightened out again, facing me, "are you really sure you can make me look unrecognizable?"
"I could make it so you wouldn't even recognize yourself," he said.
I chewed on my lip, considering. If I really wouldn't be recognizable, I could go. I'd never been able to attend any event for my writing before, and while this wasn't quite the same, I had to admit it would be a one-of-a-kind experience. One I could possibly use for future writing reference.
And I'd be returning the favor of Theo keeping my secret for me.
"If I feel like even after disguising me I'm too recognizable, I won't go," I told him, "but if I feel like it's good enough, then I'll go with you."
Theo smiled slightly, a soft curve at the end of his lips, and it ignited the fluttering feeling in my chest again. "I'm sure you'll be satisfied by the results."
"Right," I mumbled, hoping my cheeks didn't show the warmth that I felt.
"Let me give you my number," he said, holding out his hand. "So I can get your address and text you when I come to pick you up."
"I can drive myself," I responded, but handed him my phone anyway, ignoring the voice in my head getting overexcited about getting someone's phone number. It's not a big deal, I told myself.
He shook his head. "We'll arrive together."
"Like in a limo?" I asked. I'd never been in one, but I also thought they were a bit ostentatious.
"Would you like to? I usually prefer an SUV."
I shook my head. "Anything that will draw the least amount of attention."
He frowned. "I think arriving with me overshadows any type of transportation we arrive in, anyway."
"Oh. Right."
"My publicist will contact you tomorrow. She'll help you go over any questions you might have for the red carpet and what you should be doing."
Well, that was reassuring. I'd just planned on googling what to do. I couldn't even ask my own publicist— he didn't know what I looked like either, and my questions would be too obvious. "Sounds good."
"Then, I'll let you go. Good work today."
"Good work today," I echoed, watching as opened the door and climbed out of the car.
His scent lingered, though, and I thought briefly about asking what cologne he wore so I could buy it, too, but decided that was weird. I put my seatbelt on and turned my car on before noticing the door was still open.
Theo put his arm over the top of the door and ducked his head back in. "Oh, and you'll have to meet my parents. See you Sunday."
"Wait, what? Theo!" I called, leaning over my center console, only for him to slam the door shut. I quickly rolled down the window. "Theo! You didn't say that was part of the plan!"
He gave me a one-handed wave, back still turned to me.
"Theo!" I tried again, but he just kept walking, and in the distance, I saw Rowan coming toward him.
I snapped my mouth shut and rolled up my window. I had Theo's number and I'd see him on set tomorrow. We could discuss it later without Rowan breathing down my neck. I backed out of my parking spot and started home, trying not to think too much on what I'd just agreed to.
Of course, it wasn't that easy to put from my mind. The award show was only four days away.
I needed to start with my skincare again.
Once I arrived home, I decided I didn't have the effort to cook dinner and ordered delivery. Eventually, I'd need to get myself together and start eating at home, but adjusting to the filming schedule was taking a toll on me. That, and everything else.
I flopped onto my computer chair, leaning back momentarily, before letting out a long sigh. I really hoped I wouldn't regret helping Theo. He'd promised he'd make me unrecognizable, though. I just had to believe that.
I booted up my computer and opened Discord, frowning as I noticed Levi wasn't on yet. Just as I picked up my phone to text him, his name popped up on the member list, and a second later he was already in a voice chat channel he'd nicknamed Maisie's-Lair. I grabbed my headset and threw it on, clicking on the channel.
"That was quick," came Levi's voice through my headphones. "Don't tell me you feel that bad about not texting me back you rushed home to get on today."
"I just happened to be looking when you got on," I responded.
"Who said that? I can almost place that voice..."
"Levi," I said with a laugh.
"Just kidding. But just so you know, I rushed home from work, too, hoping to catch you on."
"I still need to eat dinner," I told him. "But then I'm down to clown."
Levi hummed something non-committal. "Is it hard being on set all day for you?"
"It's definitely tiring," I said, opening up World of Warcraft. I wanted to check on some auctions I'd created. "But it's fun. I like everyone I work with."
"The days are long, though."
"I used to work longer days when I first moved out of my house," I responded, shrugging even though he couldn't see me.
"Ahh, yes. I remember that. You used to be so cranky. We haven't seen rage-y Maisie in a long time. I miss the all-chat during those times."
"You work fourteen hours and see how grumpy you are," I muttered, not wanting to be reminded of the time I'd actually get mad at video games. But it was on me— I'd wanted to move out as quickly as possible, and had two work two jobs to afford it.
"Yeah, but you're usually so nice, it was funny to see you trying to be mean," he teased.
"I can be mean," I said. "I even snapped at the main actor in my movie today."
"Wait, really?" Levi responded and I could hear the surprise in his tone. "Why?"
At first, I'd thought about not telling Levi that Theo found out about me, but since Levi knew everything about my life anyway, I decided to tell him about what had happened over the past few days, including everything with Theo, and how Marco wanted to change the script.
"Maisie, you're in the middle of a drama yourself," he said when I finished. "You're only supposed to be helping shoot one."
I let my head fall forward onto my hands. "I know."
"I suppose you haven't really been around a lot of people before, right? You weren't really prepared to guard your secret harder."
"I was pretty careless," I admitted begrudgingly. Thinking over the events again made me realize how badly I'd messed up. Just keeping my voice low would have prevented this. "But I'll just have to trust Theo."
"Theo is low-key blackmailing, you, though. Why did he ask you out of everyone to help him out?" Levi didn't sound accusing, but I could hear the concern in his voice.
"Well, he did say I didn't have to if I didn't want to."
"Still..."
"I'll just do it and then I'll feel like I won't owe him for keeping my secret," I said.
"Do you feel like you owe me?" Levi asked.
I rolled my eyes. "No. You're my best friend."
I heard Levi snap his fingers through the phone. "Damn, so I can't benefit from this, too."
"You benefit by having the best duo partner you'll ever get."
"Tell that to our rank," he complained.
We both laughed and I felt a sense of comfort come over me. No one made me feel like this as Levi did. He was my safe space. It was strange to think I only knew him over the Internet, but he was the person I trusted most in the world. The stress of the day melted away whenever I talked with him.
"What do you plan on doing about Marco wanting to change the script?" Levi asked.
"It doesn't seem like he'll listen to me, so I'll just have to rely on Theo."
"You should be there if Theo does talk to him. Don't let Marco treat you like a pushover."
"He gets the final say, though," I said, even though I hated that it was true. "I'm lucky I even get to be on set. Most authors don't. And I'm lucky I got to okay the script, to begin with."
Levi clicked his tongue. "And Director Ahn? Does she know? She's the director."
I paused, not sure if I ever told Levi her name. Maybe I had. "I should talk to her, yeah. Maybe all three of us can persuade Marco."
"Try that and let me know how it goes. I'm sure you can convince him. Who could say no to that face?"
"I will," I responded, biting back a smile, especially because Levi didn't even know what I looked like. We never exchanged photos or did video calls.
But that was what made Levi so special. We could be completely honest with each other. We knew each other better than most other people did. I could rely on him completely, and me on him. We didn't hide secrets from each other.
I thought it might have been awkward since I'd missed one day of our usual gaming and ignored his text messages, but he acted like it never happened. I'd just been overthinking. And Levi comforted that.
"Now let's try to get our rank higher," he said.