The party is vibe.
Occasionally, Kingstone family, a family friend of ours who happens to be in the same industry except in a bigger perspective, throws a party such as this. Kingstones and we have been close, in a manner, that Mr. Kingstone, John, is considered my father's brother, by five years age difference, they have been friends since they were twelve.
One would ask why they are still friends and not enemy through this evil industry. Well, the hidden secret is that while my father has a company, it is small. Kingstone Co. is five times bigger, much more successful and my father is not ashamed to admit it.
"They sure know how to make us stay here longer," Chris whispers beside me as we took our strawberries and hold it under the chocolate fountain. Before I can put mine in my mouth, Chris takes his out and offers it to me with his hand under it to prevent dripping.
Gladly, I take it before I do the same with mine and offer it to him. Chris laugh as I accidentally brush some excess on his lips. Shaking his head, he reaches with his finger and wipes it before putting the same finger in his mouth, sinfully.
"Oh, hey, I knew I can find you here," Mary Kingstone, John's wife said. Mary reaches and embraces me in a hug. She has been very fond of me since my birth. They never had a daughter. After Ethan, their only son, who is four years older than I am, Aunt Mary was never to conceive again. Therefore, when I was born, Mary has been always by my side, such as times when my mother would have a shift at the hospital and she wouldn't be able to take care of me.
"This is a great party, Mary," I say.
"Oh, come on, I'm not very good at this. This party is a mess. For example; where are your drinks, you two?" she tilts her head, examining us,
"We'll be driving, so..." Chris says with a smile on his lips. That's what caught my heart when I saw him first.
"Well, surely there is no excuse for you," Mary frowns and looks down at me.
"Oh, come on, aunt, I don't feel like drinking tonight."
"Oh, and you say this, four years after your allowed to touch a drink? How preserved for you," she then proceeds to take my arm and tangle in hers, "Now, if you excuse us, Chris, I'll be stealing her away," she tosses over her shoulder before taking me toward the bar.
"How's the charity going?" I ask her. Unlike my mother, Aunt Mary, or Mary as she prefers us to call her, does not hold a career. Her husband is rich enough that can provide for them both and some more. Coming from a wealthy family already, Mary was never required to hold a career other than her stocks and the management of her money. However, this did not stop her from being active.
She has been pursuing charity functions and fundraisers. Her work in donation and helping children is famous by many in Hollywood.
"It's been going amazing. Next week, I'll be attending your mother's hospital to see to the children with Cancer. There's just so much you can learn from them. These amazing children are going unnoticed and in pain, but they survive, so the least I can help them is give them a reason to fight."
"That's very nice of you," I say as I put my order after hers to the bartender. "Where's John?"
"Uhh, you know, somewhere with your father, discuss the business matter," she sighs.
"I thought you put 'no business in here allowed' rule?" I ask, giggling.
"Oh, I did. Who's listening!" she exclaims. Sighing, she leans over the bar and looks at the crowd, "And then we have Ethan here."
I turn around to look where she's looking, only to find Ethan standing with a bunch of men talking. Ethan was always the center of attention in a crowd. He was tall, handsome and dreamy. I would be lying if I say I have never ever daydreamed about him. Growing up with him, he was the first one who took my attention. After puberty, he started getting bulkier. His abs and muscles were visible from underneath his shirt just as they are now. I have spent restless nights dreaming about him asking me out. After all, I was once the person whom he would spend his times with her the most. And then, by the time we were in high school, his attention was no longer on me. He started avoiding our family gatherings; he wouldn't look me in the eyes. He would barely talk to me and like that, we started becoming strangers.
Until Chris came. I was less bothered by his coldness. I cared less when and how he would look at me.
"I don't like that girl. I think I've told you numerous times, but I cannot imagine her as my daughter in law," Mary sighs unhappily before looking at me with her eyes begging silently.
Almost a year ago, Ethane decided to settle down. After dating several girls, having numerous one-night stands- not that his mother is aware of all them- he stopped being reckless and started dating Lorena. Lorena Winslet is a fashion model who has been also considered as an actor. She's an absolute beauty. No wonder she has managed to capture his attention gravely.
Who Am I kidding? I still care about what he thinks. It's not just the matter of friendship or the fact that I spent my whole childhood looking up to him. It's the matter of attraction.
Enough with this thought! I snap at myself. I have Chris now!
"I'm sure everything will be alright," I respond to Mary's concern. I would be lying if I say Lorena's presence doesn't bother me. She's not good for him. Mary is right. But we can't force our opinion when love speaks louder.
"Mary Kingstone, I haven't seen you in a while." A woman in white approaches us. She hugs Mary before acknowledging me. Yeah, I guess standing next to one of the most influenced and richest woman in this party, I may as well go unnoticed.
My father's business has never been as successful as theirs has, and days pass with our company never getting the needed attention. David Campbell, my father, who has been struggling to keep the name Campbell Production on the top of his gates, has never been able to achieve their success. One reason is the lack of finical support. Producing three movies at the time is his maximum, but even with that, he has managed to make the most memorable movies that have achieved more, spiritually. Or so, I try to tell him. It's his dream, his reputation, to keep the business going.
"I'm sorry, Evelyn, I'll be back," Mary says as she follows her friend.
Turning back to the open bar, I order another drink as I take my phone out and check my emails, waste some time on the gossip they have written about me until my drink comes.
"One Scotch, please," a familiar muscular voice, sounds next to me. I snap my eyes toward the person only to find Ethan standing next to me so peacefully. I observe his facial features as he keeps ignoring me. Sharp jawline, jet black hair that has been ruffled with a hand when a strand of hair is refusing to stand up like the rest of his perfectly shaped hair. His lips are full and pink.
"Hello Ethan," I murmur, still observing him.
He takes his time to turn toward me and smiles tightly.
"Hello, Evelyn," he acknowledges before taking his drink from the bartender and look at me one more time and takes his leave,
My heart stops at the way he calls my name. God, what is wrong with me? I'm twenty-four, not a teenager at the peak of her hormones. I have a boyfriend whom I am very happy and in love with. Then why do I react so vividly to him?
Exploring the party further with my final drink in hand, I hope to find Chris and ask him to take us away.
"Oh, and you know what? Their team is a lot better than ours. Like how are we supposed to beat them!" my sister's voice, Jessie can be heard from miles away talking about her sports team and competition again.
Turning the corner, I find Jessie standing next to Chris, who only nods to whatever she has to say. Smiling, I make my way toward them.
"Hey, you two fellows," I announce as I walk closer to them. At my sight, a wave of relief washed over Chris' face. He opens his arm for me to join his side. I gladly take the invitation and slide right next to him.
"Oh thank God you're here, I couldn't wait another minute," he whispers before taking my lips into a full kiss.
"Ew," my sister screeches, "you two are so gross." She makes a face before shaking her head at us. This starting year, Jessie will be a senior and next in line actor, as my father predicts her future. Secretly, however, she has told me, she has sent applications to New York University to study Law. Father doesn't know yet because we never found the heart to tell him about the 'misfortune set of a gene that wasn't passed to her'. He would be broken heart over this, I'm sure.
"Guess what? We'll leave," I tell her with my brow raised. Chris takes that as a cue to rescue himself and like that we're off to our car.
Chris drops me off at my apartment before giving me a kiss on the lips and driving off to his place. During these two years, though our relationship is strong and intimidate, we've never shared a house. We never had the opportunity to ask one another to move in. For me, I have a feeling that a level of intimacy such as that required much and deeper feelings, which I'm sure none of us have. Sometimes, in the middle of the night, or solitary times, where I wouldn't see him for a long period, I wonder if my feelings are strong enough. I do love him and I'm sure that he does too, but is it enough?
The day after the party, as I wake up and jump into the shower, I try to wake myself up and take my lazy self to the lot for our final shootings.
"Hello?" I answer the phone call as I drive to Campbell Production.
"Good morning, Eve," Angelic says,
Angelic is my best friend, who is a graphic designer. A few months back then, she was short on money when she couldn't sell her project. So I stepped in and asked her to do my scheduling and act as my agency for an amount of money I would pay for her monthly. She would refuse the money any other way and well, I really needed some help so what better person than my own best friend. Angelic knows everything about me. Except the fact that I fancy Ethan Kingstone, that one is my dirty little secret that only I know about it.
"Good morning, Angie," I reply as I take a right and enter the lot through the gate.
"How was the party last night?" she asks,
"Swell," I reply,
"Oh, I take that as 'not good enough, but things happened'" she says laughing.
"Well, shoot, you know me too well." I exit my car and start walking to our studio. "So what's the news?" I open the door and walk toward my trailer to get ready for my role.
"I just had a very interesting conversation with Kingstone Co. They are asking if you are interested to get a role in their a movie." She says.
"What?" I stand rooted to my spot. Kingstone Co., although a friend of ours, they have never asked for our actors. And not just any actor, they want me to play a role in their movie. Why not hire someone much better than me when they can afford it? "Are you sure? Why me?"
"Yes, I'm positive, and girl, don't think so low of yourself, you're great in every movie you play. That's why they want you,"
"But I have a contract with my father, I can't just leave them," I exclaim as I walk to my trailer to see my dresser and make-up artist ready to do their magic. I sit on the chair silently and Terra starts working on my face.
"Actually, you can. There's no restriction on your contract, remember? And this is Kingstone we are talking about, your father would be fine with you working a movie with them,"
"But what about my next movie, Train to Paris?" I close my eyes, so Terra can work on my eyeshadow,
"Yeah, about that. Your father has put a hold on that movie and your next one." She says quietly.
"WHAT!" I stand up, ignoring Terra's groan as she realizes that I wouldn't stand still. "Why? What has happened? Why didn't he tell me so?" frustrated, I exit the trailer and make my way outside the lot, which is now filled with people checking lights and decoration.
"I don't know exactly what has happened, but seems like there have been a few issues with the production process. Wait, you didn't know about this?" she asks.
"No, I just heard about this now, from you. I saw my father yesterday; he could have said something last night. Sh*t! Is he trying to cut me off?" I ask as I rake a hand through my hair, pacing the ally next to the lot back and forth,
"I don't know. Hey, your shooting starts in fifteen minutes, I'm gonna let you go, ok, bye," she hangs up on me before I can say anything else.
Dad would never hide anything from me. There's been something happening with him lately. I remember Mary telling me that he had excused himself with John to discuss some matters. Oh, dad, what's happening?
After the shooting, I put my pace toward my father's office in the main office building in front of the lot. This lot is small enough that it only took me five minutes to arrive at my father's office,
"Hey, Jane, is my father available?" I ask his secretary,
"Yes, you may go in, Evelyn," I nod my head at her before pushing the door open.
"Hey, sweetheart," dad stands from his chair and comes to me with his arms open, asking for a hug. Pressing my lips, I find it irresistible not to give him one. "How was shooting?"
"Fine," I settle before his massive desk. I wait a few moments to collect myself so I wouldn't yell at him. "Why didn't you tell me you're withdrawing movies?"
"I was supposed to tell you this tomorrow, but now you know," he laughs before sighing and looking away from me. "We're not doing very well this year. I've already tried to cut back the expenses, I had to lay down some workers, give them to John. I have been restrained to get actors. I had to do that. I'm sorry,"
"So what's the next movie?" I ask nervously.
"The Child with a Lollipop," he answers.
"A kid movie? Why that?" I ask.
"It's less expensive and would bring enough revenue, once we have that; we'll go with the rest of the movie.
"Dad, you can't do that. Once you pull the string, people would want out. Our customers wouldn't even remember us after a while. We're not gonna make it," I stand up and go toward the window to watch the crew and members of this lot working hard when they don't know what's gonna happen to them tomorrow.
"I know of the possibilities. Besides, John has assured me he would take care of my people," he says.
"Is that why he offered me a role in their movies?" I turn around and look at him sharply. I love my dad, I really do, and I just wish he would tell what he's planning to do. "That's what you were discussing last night, isn't it? No wonder they called Angelic to ask for me. They don't actually care about my talent; they care about me being your daughter." I sigh before walking back to my original spot and sit down. "How much do you need?" I ask.
"More than you can afford," he answers remorsefully.
"I may be able to take half of it. I have some savings. I can ask a few actors and directors to drop some penny. We can make it," I suggest.
"I can't have the whole world to know I'm in financial need, can I? It would only temporarily. Besides, those b*astards only care about money, if they find out I don't have their next salary they sail their boat to other production companies," he smiles sadly.
I stand up and walk around the desk toward him before dropping to my knees before him.
"No matter what happens, dad, mother and Jessie and I will always be with you. Even if the world decides to put the lock on these gates, remember that you have us. I'll do anything you ask, anything, for your daddy," I promise him as I put my head on his thigh and his hand in mine as his other hand soothes my hair.
"Remember this Saturday we are gathering at Villa next to Golden Lake. We'll go to Kingstones and stay there on Sunday, also," he reminds me of the event for this weekend, five days away.
"Sure. I'll bring Chris," I say as I open the door to leave.
"No, please. Just family," he looks at me intensely.
"Ok," I nod and walk out of his office.