Who's a very responsible writer? *waves hand* Yes, I updated! And I hope it won't lead me into another two years to write another one. Please, enjoy reading!
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Chapter 23 - Messed Up || Cassidy's P.O.V.
"Okay, cut this trash."
Connor looks at me innocently and raises his eyebrow. "What are you talking about?"
I put down my fork and look at him narrowly, he does the same thing.
"Why are you acting all pretty when we're on camera?" I lower my voice, not wanting the other passengers in the plane to hear. It was a pretty silent ride since the whole crew of this production booked the first class. Connor and I sat on the very first row on the right side. I sat on the window side while he sat on the aisle.
"It's for show. That's what shows are nowadays; fake. You don't really expect to see any reality especially reality shows, right?" Connor gives a short laugh as he sits properly and looks at me.
I remove my left ear plug, leaving me music-less. I open my mouth to say something, but Connor stops me.
"The difference between other shows and this," he says as he motions everything around us, "the director didn't give us lines what to say or do, we just improvisation."
"Why would you want to be someone you're not?" I ask him, and suddenly I lost my appetite already and I close the lids of the food. I didn't look at Connor whilst I say this.
"How can you be yourself when you don't know how to?" Connor mumbles.
I look at him only to find him closing his eyes, earplugs tucked in both ears and already pulling the blanket near him. He then turns on his side away from me, and suddenly, I felt alone.
I look ahead of me, Taylor Swift's album playing. I shake my head and plug my earphones and look at the time.
Three more hours.
I look at the window and see the clouds hovering us as we pass them. They look so calm, as if we never existed. It feels like we keep on invading their privacy of silence, but they remain emotionless.
"All of these clips will be shortened for sure, so some of them will not make the cut, but we're planning on making all the travel to Italy short, like a minute maximum, so you don't need to worry on the little things, okay?" Carlo says and quickly disappears.
I pull my bag out of the carousel as soon as I see it. Connor was beside me, but we haven't really talked ever since a while ago.
Carlo suddenly speaks out loud, counting into five before the camera man starts shooting. At the same time, Connor takes his luggage out.
I put a small smile on my face, hoping this scene won't be part of the video. I pull my bag on my shoulder, but Connor looks at me and takes it from me.
I give him a surprised look, not sure what's really happening except the camera has a red light blinking at us.
"Thank you," I mumble. The flight was very tiring and I slept most of the time because I woke up really early for today, so I have no energy to fight Connor right now.
Connor smiles widely at me and I was quite sure that he had an amnesia of what happened on the plane earlier.
"Cut! Now, onto the hotels!" Carlo tells the camera man.
I sigh in relief and look at Connor. "Okay, camera is off. Give me back my bag, I can carry it."
Connor looks at me emotionless and says, "No, I can do it. Plus, I won't be a gentleman if I gave it back to you since I already took it."
I can feel my hand wanting to facepalm Connor's face but I remain calm. I count to three and give him a fake smile. "Okay, fine, whatever."
The whole crew is already moving towards the exit and I look at my phone wistfully, wanting it to come back to life. Somehow, my phone is my life.
And right now, I'm in need of battery. Of my own and my phone's.
"Into the limousine, pretty boy and pretty girl," Carlo waves at us, opening the door widely.
I thank him and couldn't help but smile at him. Connor puts our luggage on the back and quickly enters the car. I move far away from him, on the other side of the window and he kept his space on the other side of the window.
"Uhm, excuse me, sir, would you mind opening the radio, please?" I ask, biting my lip because I don't know how to speak Italian and English is all I'm good at.
"Radio? Musica? Certo!" A woman's voice replies and I blush in embarrassment for my mistake.
"Grazie, uh, signora?" I question but my voice is overtaken by an Italian music.
I was about to make a request of changing it, but I thought that why not listen to their culture while I'm here.
I'm pretty sure Mom would be glad that I have something in common with her to talk about. That is if I figure out what the Italian words are. I better start learning them.
Google translate!
I get my phone and realized that it's still dead.
I look around me, and I felt lonely. I can't talk to my friends, and family is quite dead to me a long time ago.
I guess it's just me and Connor. And the loud music of a girl singing sadly.
We passed by a lot of houses and small roads, but when we reached Milan, I can feel the sun burning me already.
The car stops and I look at the neighborhood, it looks like a good place. There's a flower shop, fruit shop, and a drug store nearby. I refrain myself from looking a McDonalds, remembering that I have to concentrate on eating locals.
"Your stop is here," the lady driver opens the window that is between us and says in a very thick accent.
"Grazie!" Connor and I say at the same time. Connor quickly opens the door and as I was reaching it, he quickly closes it.
You better fix your attitude if you don't want the doctors to fix you soon-to-be-broken nose.
I open the door angrily and step my foot outside, I walk towards Connor who is taking care of our luggages. I take my luggage from him, not politely I might add. But Connor remained emotionless and looks at me dead in the eye, "I can handle it."
"Are you sure you're not just going to throw it away at the garbage when I'm not looking?"
"No promises," Connor says and walks ahead the big entrance
I count to three and breathe in and out. Carlo and the crew just arrived and they all ushered me inside the revolving door.
Connor sits at one of the big cushions at the lobby and I stay far away from him and stand near the reception, where Carlo is busy talking to the receptionist.
"Here is two single beds. One for the pretty girl, and another one for pretty boy. Where is he?" Carlo looks around the room and sees him right away. He walks towards Connor and I follow him.
I take my luggage which is sitting patiently at the table. "I'm going to my room. Call me when you need me, bye."
"Pretty girl, you need to meet us down here half an hour for the first fashion show! A make-up artist will be knocking on your door, by then!" Carlo says and waves at me. I give him an awkward wave and smile back at him.
"Yay," I say dubiously.
I put my head down as I pass by a lot of business people in this very classy and big hotel, I can see a chandelier after another one. I wonder how much the production paid for this whole trip.
I reach the elevator and I sigh in relief because I have it all by myself. I look at my room card and saw my room number.
23254
I press the 23rd floor and hum quietly on the soft music playing inside. I can see Connor still talking to Carlo as the doors slowly close, only to have one hand stopping it.
"Sorry," the boy mumbles and presses the 11th floor.
I just nod my head and refrain myself from looking at him. He was basically half-naked, with his shirt still unbuttoned and his suit wide open. He has his tie around his neck, and keeps on giving loud complains.
We already reached the fourth floor when I look at him. He finished buttoning his inner shirt and now trying to fix his tie.
He gives a loud sigh as he tries again and again, completely doing it wrong.
"Here, let me," I say, not caring if this stranger would think weirdly of me.
If I can't help my own problems, at least I can help other's.
"I always see how my mom fixes my dad's tie after breakfast."
The boy stayed silent and murmured a 'thank you.' The elevator gives a loud 'ding', reaching the boy's destination.
I just nod my head at him and went to my place a while ago, as if nothing happened. I can still smell his perfume after being close to him.
He walks away quickly and I press the close button.
12 more floors to go. Bed, wait for me.
A very familiar hand stopped the elevator doors from closing again and I look at the boy questionably. I really really don't want anything from impeding my relaxation at my room.
"Hi, my name is Nate. What's yours?" His blue eyes reminds me of someone very familiar but I take that mind away.
I hesitate for a moment, not really pleased to meet a stranger in the elevator.
"You can just call me tie-girl," I say and wave him goodbye but the boy's hand remained in the doors.
"I really want to know your name," he says. I notice how his hair is quite disheveled and I give a loud sigh. He must be going somewhere very important and must be in a hurry.
I take a few steps forward, still inside the elevator unlike Nate. I fix his hair, to his surprise, making it look more presentable.
The elevator door opens more widely as seen someone stopping it from closing.
"There. You're good to go." I smile at him, pressing the close button once again and he didn't stop me.
The door closes then after a short moment, it opens again. I knew it was not yet my floor because it wasn't that long enough for 12 floors to be reached.
"Nate, you have to stop--" I quickly shut my mouth as soon as tourists enter the elevator.
I look at the number of the floor and I blush in embarrassment.
"Sorry, I just thought that, oh, nevermind."
Let's say, the entire ride to my room was silent and I quickly got out of the elevator as soon as I reached my floor.
I'm having a second thought that I might just take the stairs down later.
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a u t h o r ' s n o t e :
I did it! I wrote another chapter after two years! I can't believe it. *wipes forehead*
I'm sorry in advance for everyone who had a hard time reading this story because, I admit, it's in a bit of a construction. Plus, I think my writing style changed after two years. And I'm sorry that this chapter is short.
But if you're still reading, well, congratulations! :)
If you like this chapter, feel free to press vote or comment down below to share me some love <3
P.S. SMILE! WIDELY! YES, WITH YOUR TEETH! :D
"A genuine smile comes from the heart, but a healthy smile needs good dental care." ― Wayne Chirisa