#colexfia

Alexander Dominic Reaves was an austere man. He had built up his family's firm from his father's time and more with a strict yet fair hand. His own father had been strict too and he took after the man's work ethics as well as continuing the long line of lawyers of the Reaves heritage.  If Oswald was alive right now, he would be sorely disappointed to know that his grandson had broken the tradition and instead pursued the 'bohemian' culture of being a freelance writer. Alex had tried to sway Cole's interest in law ever since he was seven since the child had grown fond of books and read the daily paper after he was done with his morning coffee. But the boy had other plans. Deliberately leaving his birthday gift of a children's book about professions (the one mainly about lawyers) unopened while he used Leah's present which was simply a thick notebook and a bundle of pens. He started writing short stories that was accompanied with ... doodles that were undoubtedly childish and he cringed whenever Cole would pull him into a bookstore and made his way to the fiction section with much gusto.  Something happened to his son when he attended a reading group with other children. Cole was the youngest in the bunch as he was five while most of the other children were nine and ten.  He walked out of the bookstore for a quick phone call and went back only to find out that his son was missing. It took him an hour and a half and five security personnel to look for Cole in the store and found him hiding in the store's backroom; hidden among the discarded boxes and ribbons of sticker bar codes. Cole was trying to catch his breath with blue eyes widely staring at nothing and his face paler than usual. Alex scooped him up from the ground and started to rock him, not knowing what's happening to the boy.  "What happened?" he asked for the seventh time, but the boy just shook his head and clenched his eyes shut.  He pretended not to notice the redness in his son's eyes nor the trembles of his lanky frame as they rode back to their residency with Alex unconsciously telling him to stop crying and grow up as frustration and panic took a hold over his paternal instincts. That was the last time Cole called him 'Papa' and it turned to 'Father'. Leah was beyond furious when she found out he almost lost their son but the child merely patted his mother's hand tenderly and within a few seconds, she deflated like a balloon.   After that, Cole refused to get recorded by a camera or being stared at for too long again. He would suddenly have loss of breath and needed to clear the room. Whatever happened in that accursed store that could have such a traumatic effect on his son, he couldn't answer. He would’ve liked to sue the store but it was the bookshop Cole regularly visited so he just let it be. Years went by and he saw the wall between him and his son had grown until Cole was basically a stranger to him. In his place was a young man who had Leah's hair and eyes, a prominent nose with high cheekbones and a lean body that has trouble finding appropriate clothes that fit due to the length. This stranger had a nasty temper that was hidden behind an apathetic facade. A calm that hides a storm. He began to seclude himself inside his room, doing who knows what and came out looking like he needed a month's worth of sleep because frankly, he had the eyes of a racoon.  The boy who stood in place of his son always had good grades except for art (he could barely draw a decent stick figure even when he was seventeen), didn't attend any social events except for plays where he writes the script himself and didn't even bother to go to the prom or homecoming parties.  PTAs were akin to torture for him.  The teachers agreed that Cole's grades were exceptional during written exams but they had concerns regarding how Cole was "acting up" during oral presentation. Leah had convinced their son to get a check-up and upon analysis, Cole apparently suffers from panic attacks that were rooted from the events in the bookstore. A child psychiatrist told them that there's not much she can do because Cole refused to talk about what happened on that particular day. He tried.  He really tried to reconnect, to rediscover this stranger and understand him but their pride and equally short temper had been the key factor to numerous shouting matches. Cole didn't want his guidance and insisted that he can make it without any help as well as refusing any offer to take up the practice of law while Alex wanted him to be a lawyer and uphold the family tradition. It got so bad that they couldn't manage to stay in the same room without any condescending tone of voices or backhanded insults. Then Cole went ahead and pursued his career in writing and no amount of threats Alex had made to sway Cole's misplaced passion, the young man wouldn't budge and ultimately; the Reaves patriarch decided to cut him off. If he had no money for tuition, then he would be forced to submit to his father's orders. But instead of seeing the error of his ways, that brat had the gall to look relieved when he hauled a luggage filled with clothes and a large box filled with books into a cab and hugged a sobbing Leah goodbye as he headed off to college. He didn't say a parting word to him; like failing to enter Harvard and Stanford wasn't enough.  But still, he's standing by the gates of the terminal, waiting for his son to pick them up. Leah had been giddy during the whole flight, almost too anxious to see Cole again. Although it's been two years since they saw each other personally, he didn't feel even the slightest touch of excitement upon seeing his disappointing progeny.  If anything, he expected a grim outcome. Among the sea of unfamiliar faces, he still managed to single out Cole who was walking towards them with a blank face. Leah made a choking sound and ran to him, leaving a huffy Alex with their luggage while she sprinted off.  He pushed the trolley to their direction with a schooled expression of apathy and his eyes widened when he saw his wife hugging a young woman and pinching Cole's cheek at the same time. "Oh honey I can't believe you finally have a girlfriend!" Leah sobbed and gestured him to come closer.  "Mom, she's not my girlfriend" Cole said in the exasperated tone of his. The girl gently peeled herself from his wife's embrace and cleared her throat, face flushed with embarrassment- "Er, I'm actually a colleague of his" she said "My name's Fia, it's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. and Mrs. Reaves." Ah, at least she had some manners, something his son severely lacked.  Leah apologized at her immediate conclusion but Alex didn't fail to see Leah's lingering touch on the woman's shoulder as she took a step back and placed a hand on her chest; "Please, you can just call me Leah. And this handsome man over here" she giggled while patting him on the shoulder "is my husband Alex." "Alex?" Fia repeated. Alex quirked a brow at her befuddlement and asked "Is there something wrong with my name?" She held up her hands in a defensive manner and shook her head "No- no sir! I just thought I heard of that name" "My first name is fairly common." He then stopped, "You have a slight accent, Irish?" Fia gave a slight grin and shook her head once "No sir, Scottish on my father's side."  "I see..." Finally his attention settled on the silent young man whom he called his son. Messy hair, bags and shadows under his eyes, wrinkled shirt that was covered by a grey muffler and pants that needed a good ironing.  "Cole" he gruffly acknowledged. The left side of Cole's mouth quirked before he plastered the fakest smile in the world and said "Dad." 'Dad' was just a pretense in front of other people to give an illusion they have a good relationship. There were no affections or sentiment behind the term and Alex told himself that he could care less. -•-•-•-•- When Fia saw Alex Reaves, she first thought that it was like meeting Hunt all over again; not based on appearance but rather the way he carried himself. But as the minutes flew by, this man was far more intimidating than her former paramour. This was a man who held real power and knows that his presence was indeed daunting. There was some sort of dignified air around him that would make anyone feel that they're inferior compared to him or more like, coerce them to submission. She noticed how Cole stiffened when the man came forth- it was subtle but it's there. She watched the two of them exchange sparse words like they were strangers instead of father and son and without further hitches, they hopped on to the cab (at which Alex skewed his face in discomfort at the small space) and told the cabbie to go to the Marriot.  As they waited for his parents to check in to their room, she saw Cole lean against the chair he was sitting on and closed his eyes.  He looked worse for wear and though she wanted to ask him about the antagonistic atmosphere between him and his father, she knew that wasn't the right time to ask and frankly, none of her business. It made her wonder why he named his character Alex though. Alex Brenner, a tough, taciturn man who had a strong sense of justice and courage but failed to connect with everything except his job. At first she thought Alex Brenner was entirely made up from the figments of Cole's imagination, then she thought maybe he just borrowed his dad's name... but after spending half an hour with the man, it's like she's in the presence of the character himself, albeit less pleasant than the Alex in the script.  "Relax" Cole suddenly grumbled "It's not like my mother wants us to get hitched"  "So when you said investors..." "Yes. And no, it's not some charity because they're my parents. My father would expect us to pay them back with the total amount used from that check and maybe five percent of the net if he's feeling generous" he said as he casually typed on his phone with a nonchalant tone. Fia blew out a low whistle and sat on the chair across his own; curiosity burning with every moment she spent stealing glances at him. It's hard for her to be in the presence of someone for so long and not know anything about them.  Hell, she learned a thing or two about Bianca just by sitting next to her during Moriyama's class and Bianca's definitely not one of Fia's favorite people.  Was Cole her friend? No. But is he an acquaintance?

... Probably. It took her by surprise when the beautiful woman yanked her suddenly by the arm and trapped her into a tight hug while pinching Cole's cheek. When the word 'girlfriend' slipped from her glossy red lips, panic settled in her stomach and a sudden wave of uneasiness poured down like rain.  His parents were surprised to learn that she's directing his work which made his mother smile and happily stated-  "The more the merrier!" Though, Alex looked slightly impressed when Fia told them that they're trying to get another Audrey nomination under her studio. For a moment, she was startled on how she came to the point where she's curious about his background story.  She was about to duck out because it's like a family reunion (a very tensed reunion) and she'll be intruding but Leah (as Mrs. Reaves insisted that she must stay for a cocktail with them. It made her question if this family had some sort of affiliation with alcohol before Cole set her straight; saying it's a tradition for his parents since they first met on an afternoon cocktail by a mutual friend. Of course Fia's first course of action was to coo on how romantic and cute that was but he blatantly muttered something about an excuse for his father to 'drown out his shame' or some other kind.  When the Reaves came down to more comfortable clothes, both she and Cole sprang up like a couple of jack-in-the-boxes. The director suddenly felt underdressed even with Cole's outfit and standing next to his mom made her feel so... plain. The older woman practically tugged both her and Cole to the bar with Alex shadowing them. She tried to make a desperate look of plea to the scriptwriter but he just looked like a person who had accept his impending demise and let his mother drag them across the lobby. The afternoon crowd was filled with hotel guests that were in their mid-thirties. Alex and Leah were the first to order their drinks while Cole and Fia saved the booth. The orange dinner lights did add a nice sophisticated touch despite Fia's initial disapproval of drinking alcohol in the middle of an afternoon. Soon, Alex and Leah came back with drinks in their hand. Leah had a flute glass filled with pink champagne in hand while Alex has a Garibaldi, a drink that was familiar for Fia along with a single shot of Scotch that had been drunk by a fussy director-slash-professor. 'Don't even go there' her mind warned.  She was about to try and politely decline but Cole had grasped her wrist and gave her a look of warning that clearly stated 'If I'm going down, I'm taking you with me.' "Do I really need to?" she whispered as they marched to the closest bartender. Cole growled under his breath, "You don't have to drink, just get one, smile and agree to what they say and you're golden." "Well there's one thing I'm sure of; you won't wind the Son of the Year award" she huffed.  Cole didn't even give her a good response as he quickly ordered a Bloody Caesar (which made her stare at him with a subtle weird look) and saw a tempting drink from one of the women who were hanging out by the stools.  "I'll have a sparkling white peach sangria please" she ordered and the man nodded.  "So..." she started, causing her companion to look up from the surface he was scratching on. "What?" "About your parents as our majority investors; tell me if I'm wrong but you and your dad don't seem to be... close" she treaded carefully. Cole snorted as he sat on a stool and tipped the legs far enough for him to play a balancing game with the chair. "And you think you're qualified to be a shrink? It's bad enough we have sex there, now we have to use the sofa to share our feelings?" Fia rolled her eyes as the bartender came back with their drinks and quirked a brow at his celery garnish. Maybe he's a health nut judging by the murky tomato-based drink. At least that's something... She was about to walk back to the booth when he grasped her hand and leaned down to her level- "I think you should leave." His words didn't echo a suggestion but rather an order. And for anyone who knew Fia Harting by heart; she does not respond well to being dismissed like a servant. "Excuse me?" "I said you should-" "I heard what you said!" she snapped, not caring that she attracted the attention of several people and narrowed her eyes on Cole's angry expression. "If you don't want me to know about your parents then you shouldn’t have brought me here in the first place." "What, and have you sniping me with questions about the blank check if I didn't tell you? I'm doing this to clear the air between us as workmates" Cole sighed as he crossed his arms and glared at the carpet, avoiding her accusing gaze. Her lips pursed and there's a sense of anger filled her up- "I wasn't going to ask you about the check, you're the one who brought me here to meet with the 'investors' you... you lavvy heid!" she hissed, voice rough with her aggressive native tongue. "You act all friendly one second and the next, you're... you! Damn it's like Edward Norton and Brad Pitt in Fight Club all over again, I just- argh!" Before Cole could even open his mouth, she slapped a wrinkled twenty on the counter and walked out, leaving her drink untouched. -•-•- "Where is Fia?" his mom asked as he took a seat across them.  "She said there's a meeting she had to attend and she's sorry she can't stay" he muttered. Alex sighed under his breath as he gave his drink a slight swirl- "And I thought that girl had enough manners to at least properly excuse herself, apparently I was mistaken" "She's not like that" he snapped back (even when it's technically true) "There was an emergency so she wasn't able to say her goodbyes." Leah waved her arms to clear off the tension and placed her hands together, red manicured fingers glossed by the lights. "Now now, we're here to support you hon. I want to see your dorm and Hollywood U! I didn't imagine that you would even step foot in LA, I thought you said you hate mainstream genre?"  Okay his mother got him there, now he's sure she'd been listening to him. "Yes, because being a freelance writer had given him a lot of profit for his name" Alex rumbled before he took a swig of his drink.  Oh here it comes- "No, just a large chunk of the grossing net of Soliloquy and the royalties of my books" he retorted "For a 'lazy lout' I think I did pretty well for myself, don't you think?" "I want to see where you live darling!" Leah interjected "Your agent said that you have a quaint dormitory and we can-" "Mother," he grounded out "I think the university would appreciate- no wait, I most certainly would appreciate it if you skip the 'embarass your only child' part of your lives." Alex gave a stern glare by the rim of his glass, clearly displeased by Cole's remarks. This was exactly what he had been expecting, his father undermining him despote his recent success and if they saw the current state he's living in then there would be another mountain of insults waiting to be flung from his dad's side.  And that was only hours after their arrival.

Fia didn't come that night and neither did he to her abode. There must be a silent agreement between them that if they're pissed off, there's absolutely no room for angry-sex because he's sure that if they're in the middle of an argument and he suggested it; Fia would throw him out of the room via window... with the pane close before she would even let him touch her.  Okay, maybe he felt a bit guilty about coming down on her like that.  A little. Fine, a lot. But he had his pride and apologizing wasn't really high in his to do lost especially when she has a point and he'll end up looking like a complete jackass. But there's the question as to why she was offended that he assumed that she will interrogate him about the damn check. Normally she would just make some sort of sarcastic statement and move on but this time she sauntered off like a huffy peacock and left her payment which was actually short of five dollars.  "Women..." he sighed as he laid his head on the plumped-up pillow he stole from her dorm. Her bed may be a pain on his back but damn if this wasn't the most comfortable pillow he had ever encountered. She won't even miss it- Knock Knock Knock! -and he spoke too soon. "It's Sunday, let me have some sleep!" he groaned as he roughly opened the door. He thought he was still half-asleep but realized he might be having a nightmare because standing by the doorway was Elijah with his parents. "Cole, I think these folks belong to you" the SFX student chuckled.  Cole had half a mind to tell him to fuck off but knowing his parents' concern for appearances, he literally shoved the blonde away and ushered his parents in. This was going to be a long day. Fast forward to dinner... "-and you know your Aunt Ruth; if she's wrong then it's everyone else's fault!"  The young man forced a fake laugh for nth time that evening. It felt as if he had spent the day babysitting two children who had the power to tell him to 'comb your hair' and 'wear an ironed shirt like a decent human being'.  His dad wore the same apathetic stare that he may have inherited and it looked a bit villanous with his charcoal black jacket and slacks. Dinner at a hotel restaurant wasn't supposed to be this formal but his parents have spent way too much time with the fancy crowd to even consider Freddy's or, God help him, the sandwich shack down the Sta. Monica pier. "Hmph, cross-enrolling to another college without even finishing your degree; I don't know whether you're an idiot or a masochist" Alex grunted as he sliced neatly through his venison.  Leah daintily drank from her glass filled with sparkling water but Cole can see a chunk of ire hidden behind her blue eyes. "Alexander" she started, "I have waited for almost a year to see our son again; I'm not going to let this petty fight between the two of you ruin it!"  Her lower lips began to quiver and Cole found himself racked with guilt along with Alex. They murmured a garbled apology and returned to their meal.  "So honey, you sound pretty confident about your film. Tell me, are you really going to win another award?" Leah pried; cheeks bloomed with obvious motherly pride and affection. One of the things he loved about his mom was that she supported him in all of the things that got his interest- unlike some people... "Hoping it will; but I think this will be the pinnacle of my writing career" he shrugged. "Ah yes, like those one-dimensional stories that preoccupied your head instead of studying" his father sneered.  His mother cleared her throat before adjusting her position and at the same time his dad winced; no doubt she found this an opportune moment to kick him. It was hard to hold his tongue but he knew nothing would ever come out of egging his father to a verbal onslaught. But his grip on the silver fork had tightened and the utensil was steadily bending forward as his temper escalated.  They came in his school unannounced, probably embarrassed him with Elijah, mistaken that he and the director had a deeper relationship and nit-picked everything he owned. And they acted like it was a normal thing parents do.  "You act like you own the city but you're nothing but a speck. Sooner or later you will find yourself in the real world and realize tyat you're not equipped to handle it. You could've lived comfortably but instead you shacked up in a broom closet trying to pass it as a living quarter with a job that doesn't entail whether you get your dues or not" Alex jabbed on despite Leah's pleading looks. "I'd rather starve to death doing what I love than live in luxury while working for someone else's dream. I'm not the family's puppet... I'm not like you" he spat.  The vein on Alex's temple emerged and Cole knew he stepped on the biggest, most obvious landmine. The constant badgering that his career choice was trash according to his father's family, the complete shame that shadowed Alex's face every time he looked at his son- he was so fucking tired of that routine. "Y'know what? I think I'll just change my name to mom's. That way the whole Reaves family can just drop dead" he blatantly stated as he stood up and purposefully walked out of the restaurant without so much as a backward glance.  He was seething; boiling with pure unbridled anger that threatened to swallow him whole and before he could even think about punching a random person in the face to sate his anger, he bit down hard on his thumb and let the blood flow in his tongue; wincing at the coppery taste. A red car that was oh so familiar drive up to him and the passenger window dropped to reveal Fia's face. Her eyes scanned him from head to foot before she tilted her head and said- "Need a lift?" He didn't know whether she somehow sensed his ire or she was being a Good Samaritan but he reluctantly welcomed her generosity for once and climbed on. They were silent for a while before he spilled his guts to her as she dabbed his wounded thumb with tissue before she drove them to her 'special place'.

The magnitudes of their little moment at the observatory had lifted his spirits somewhat. He felt her shift on her side of the bed and curled up in a ball like a cat. She had long since kicked the blanket away from her body that revealed a blue tank top and pajama bottoms despite the cold of the room and for whatever reason, he grabbed her by the middle and gently pulled her to his side; relishing the contact. 

Fia murmured something in her sleep before slipping back to her unconscious state, summoning an amused grin on his face.  He figured having her around this close wasn't that bad. Unconsciously, he intertwined their fingers together and reveled on the sheer intimacy. Yeah, having her by his side was not bad at all. -•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•- Bringing him to the observatory was a good idea and she gave herself a huge pat on the back when he's back to his old self again. Sure he's still arrogant and impatient but at least he didn't look so miserable anymore. When they got back to the campus, he asked if he could just sleep over at her place since the presence of his parents there earlier still lingered. The maternal instincts within her kicked in and she yielded.  There was a new light in his deep blue eyes that was strange but she figured it's a newfound self-confidence and received the reassurance he definitely needed.  They may not be the closest of friends, but they're friends nonetheless. Yeah, having Cole Reaves as a friend might not be that bad.

End of Chapter Eleven

A/N: Took them eleven chapters to make them friends. But things are gonna be a roller coaster ride for now on and even I’m debating whether it will be a happy ending or not. O_o

Also... it makes you wonder what happened in the observatory huh? I dunno if I should make a side ficlet for that xD

Anyways, a big thanks to the people who had shown their love and support as always:

@kayoimhey : Oh believe me, the hurting has just begun... (for future use, I’m so sorry Fia... and Cole too)

@mdlitbatgaawb: Thanks for your love Boeboe :D

For all the time they've spent together, this was the first night in her dorm (or his for that matter) that ended up with them not having sex. They just lay on her bed in quiet solitude, both enjoying the tranquility for once. Cole stripped down to his boxers while Fia just threw on a discarded shirt, leaving her bottom half bare except for a pair of red panties  They laid on her bed without saying a word while he rested his head on her chest- listening to her heartbeat. The sound had calmed him, making him forget the disaster that occurred a few hours earlier and it washed away the shame and disgust he felt for himself when the scene replayed in his mind in an endless loop. She didn't say anything about his episode- something he's entirely grateful for and instead, she took the initiative to apologize to everyone on their behalf and cancelled the interviews that was lined up for their group before driving him back to the dorms. He motioned her to follow him the path leading to her own dorm rather than his and he was mildly surprised that she didn't oppose, letting him take the lead.  When they entered the dorm, he pushed her against the door and covered her lips with his in an aggressive manner. She gasped at the painful way his large hands tightened around her arms but again, she just let him do whatever he wants.  And that didn't sit well for him. He pulled away from the kiss and pressed his forehead against hers; his hands releasing her arms and placed it on the wall to keep her in place. Her light brown eyes stared right into his blue pair; searching, prodding for answers- Trying to figure him out. He opened his mouth but nothing came out- he didn't know what to say, didn't know if he should even speak without sputtering like a spineless idiot. He was so angry with himself, so ashamed that he still has panic attacks in the mature age of twenty-four when being stared at. He was always uncomfortable with staring people and camera lenses being an eye in a sense- unblinking, cold and indifferent. Even if he was a towering six foot-three man, that miniature recording device had crumbled him back to the tiny five year old kid who stumbled on the park, too slow and too weird-looking to be friends with anybody else. But she's staring at him right now and he didn't feel the slightest discomfort; finding solace into the brown orbs that reflected the color of the earth. The shade too light to be compared with chocolate and held warmth that rivaled the sun's rays. He almost flinched when she held out a hand only to sweep off the stray bangs that obstructed his vision. "You better cut your hair short, you're starting to look like a caora." "A what?" he asked, puzzled with her foreign language. She gave a teasing smirk and tugged lightly at the scrap of hair that was caught between her fingers "It means sheep. Hahaha, the black caora of Hollywood U- I didn't know you're trying to take my title." Cole rolled his eyes but let his forehead rest against hers still; "You, a black sheep? Please, everyone in the school likes you; you're one of the stars."  He purposely slurred out the word 'stars' like it was some kind of insult but she poked her tongue out before placing her hands on his chest and began to push him back.  He stiffened at her actions but took a step back nonetheless, appeasing her wishes. He expected her to throw him out and lock the door, not pull him to the bedroom while saying "I'm tired. We can just do the other stuff next time." It's amusing how they fucked so many times already but she still can't say the word 'sex'. She's by no means shy- almost defining the antithesis of the word but there's a limit to her boldness he supposed. She led him to the bedroom and that's how they ended up on the bed; silent with their own thoughts. For a rare moment of vulnerability, he lay against her chest and in turn, she gently slid her fingertips through his hair, sending shivers down his spine. The reticence was comforting at least and his ears perked when the soft pitter-patter of the sudden rain hit the windows. He was grateful she was on the fourth floor of the building; it meant she has enough privacy to keep the blinds open so he could see the murky gray clouds that dappled the sky.  "Did you manage to add Timothy's part yet?" she asked. "Who?" "Timothy. Trawler's grandson? The two hundred fifty thousand dollar kid?" He blew out a frustrated huff and moved himself to a more proper position. While her bed was bigger, the mattress was too soft for him and it never failed to give him a backache for the rest of the day. Finally giving up, he propped himself against the headboard of the bed and ran a hand through his hair. "Yeah I did. Just make sure the brat won't complain about his lines or I'll make him eat the script." "Charming" she scoffed before rolling over so her back faced him and curled into a C-shape.  She always turned her back on him whenever they finished; at first it didn't bother him, letting her do what she wants but he can't help but feel inadequate. He's not the hottest guy around, barely passable to even be considered attractive because of his peculiar features but she didn't have to rub it in. He had half a mind to leave her alone, cold and unwanted to the night and throw away his purpose of their rendezvous but he found himself settling on the bed with his head on a pillow and stared at the ceiling while listening to her steady breaths. *-•-*-•-* Ethan prided himself for being observant.  Call it a prerequisite to becoming a great agent. Know what his clients do and want and help them achieve their goal (while getting his fifteen percent) is the main criteria to be the best in the biz so his indignation about learning his favorite client's (actually, second favorite cuz Addi claimed the top spot) little tryst with the surliest professor in Hollywood U or anywhere else was gigantic.  Fia had assured him that she was passed over the Hunt-issue although he still worries about the repercussions of their actions. She had been a walking zombie after splitting with Hunt- sinking herself elbow-deep with projects and assignments. He might as well be a bat if he didn't see the bags under her eyes and the squared shoulders that denied the exhaustion that was evident with her posture. While he looked nonchalant during the whole process, it didn't mean he that doesn't care about her well-being and wished he could do something to ease his friend's inner turmoil but she insisted she's fine and kept handling things all on her own. Along came Cole Reaves. True he was caught by surprise when he found out the tall man's the brand new darling of the indie genre scene but he knew that it will be a difficult feat to make them work harmoniously together especially with Fia's stubbornness and Reaves' temper.  He applauded Marla Thacker's patience with his petulant attitude but it doesn't hinder the results of having a novelist and award-winning screenwriter to work with them. He knew that the movie 'The Soliloquy' wasn't just something he had written- he had been in charge of everything from the casting to the lighting.  But making a movie takes a team, not an individual to make it great. Fia's a team player which made his job a cake-walk but when he called to ask if she had made the deal with Cole, she's angrier that a hive full of pissed hornets and she's not afraid to show her animosity to anyone. Sometimes her moodiness can be her low point especially when dealing with the good of the whole.  She had fought tooth and nail with Cole every step of the way, but he can't really blame his client for all the fights. The screenwriter's more than happy to fuel the fire with his scathing words and condescending comments that infuriates her further. After the preliminary casting however, he noticed subtle changes between the two of them. Just small things that could be dismissed as a passing thought but it was enough for him to see.  He saw them exit the dressing room together and while it's not a really big deal considering that they're working together, he saw the wrinkled clothes, the tousled hair and the fact that Fia had her belt tied lopsided said so much more. They have that kind of relationship. If he can even call it that. He didn't want to interfere with their private life but he can't help but feel trepidation with whatever's happening with them. She's still nursing an open wound from Hunt even if it's been nine months and they don't look like they're in a cusp of a serious commitment. It was strange to think about Fia and one night stands in the same sentence except if the words ‘doesn’t do’ were between it. Ethan didn't say anything to his girlfriend, knowing how worked up Addison will get especially if it involved her blood sister. At first, he thought about stepping between this... thing and shut it down before it blows up on their faces. But it might be beneficial for them.  Fia's got her fire back; focused and determined and Cole- well, nothing's really changed in that department. The 'thing' they have proved to be useful when the screenwriter bailed on the interview and shut himself inside a storage unit without any explanation. When Addi came back, she said Fia's in there with him and he just ate bad steak hence the flight action. Strange, Cole said he had a fever but Fia said differently despite being present when Cole said the fever excuse. She'd always been a bad liar. He didn't say anything and apologized to a huffing Larry Edwards, telling him that the man just had food poisoning and cancelled all the preceding interviews per Fia's request (although it came out like an order). Samantha looked as if she smelled something rotten but didn't say anything on the matter. They were lucky that they didn't do a live segment and edited out their bit. He really needed to talk to them mano-y-mano... plus one woman. He was in the middle of his morning jog around campus when he noticed a familiar tall silhouette exit out of the dorm. Sprints turned to a brisk walk until he finally stopped by the trimmed hedges that surrounded the Platinum Dorms. He knew why Cole's there because only three people occupy the building and two of them definitely has no connection with the New York city slicker. Adrenaline pumped through his veins as he wiped the sweat from his brow, his heartbeat slowing down to its normal pace and eyes trailing at Cole's back as he maneuvered himself through the pathway that led to the Screenwriter's dorm. Speaking of screenwriters, he haven't heard anything from Holly yet. She kept dropping his calls and didn't reply to his texts as well.  Did she feel betrayed that they collaborated with her 'rival'? God he hoped not.  Dealing with a scorned Holly Chang's harder than climbing Mt. Everest without a rope. But they did wait for her during the pitch and she didn't show. Whipping out the cellphone from the pocket of his jogging pants, he tried calling Holly again but it remained unanswered. It's six in the morning, surely she's still up by then judging by the copious amounts of espresso she inhales every day. Ethan sighed as he stopped and scratched his head; reminding himself that there's so much to do before classes start. He took one last look at Fia's window before leaving. He hoped they know what they're doing. *-•-*-•-*-•-* Fia drummed her pen in a random beat as Hunt continued with his lecture about... something- she really wasn't listening, finding the blackboard more interesting than his boring lecture. Strange, it's eleven in the morning but she still feel so drained. Her mind had been wandering the whole morning and she's just one daydream away from sleeping with her eyes wide open. There was a nudge on her left and found that it was Addi who had been elbowing her. "What?" she hissed. Addi pointed in front of them and her eyes followed to see an irate Hunt glaring at her with his arms crossed. He's frightening whenever someone interrupts his class but instead of bowing her head to at least act like she was ashamed, she steadily held his glare with a challenging look. "Perhaps you fancy yourself as an expert in retro-cinematography Ms. Harting because you think you're entitled to zone out in my class." 'Ms. Harting' he called her. Like a stranger, someone he didn't have history with. Fia felt at least twenty-six pairs of eyes looking at her, all waiting on her reply. She always had something to say to him but right now she just wanted classes to end so she could go back to her dorm and pack the stuff she needed for the flight to Eureka. Or maybe sleep off the whole day. "You will pass a four thousand word essay about on different styles directors had used in camera shots, to be submitted by Friday" he said. "What?!" she yelled, her voice cracking "I have a lot of things to do before Friday!" "Then I suggest you start doing it before everything else or I'll make it into an eight thousand" he warned. "Son of a-" Addison slapped a hand over Fia's mouth and pressed a finger on her lipstick-covered lips, pleading her friend to shut up before she gets into even bigger trouble. She mentally counted down to ten and took a deep breath, slumping back to her chair. So instead of spending her lunch with Lisa, Aria and Crash to the new barbecue restaurant like she had planned, she's now stuck in the quads; typing on her laptop while stabbing her spaghetti with a cloud of hatred hovering over. "Stupid Hunt and his stupid punishment. He should fall into a ditch and die..." she seethed, not particularly caring that she had scared at least four people from sharing a table with her because of the murderous aura. She didn't even notice that someone had placed their food across her seat. Only looking up when a sprightly voice greeted her- "Hey Fia!" "Oh, hi Elijah" she murmured before raising a brow at his group. There was Tonette, a composer whom Fia had worked with a couple of times. Adam, a senior martial artist with his girlfriend Daisy, a striking movie star who just started late that semester and played characters in some of Fia’s works as well. And of course, Cole whose eyes seemed to look through her, not making a move to acknowledge her presence. Weird. She gestured them to sit down, sliding to her left so they can all fit. Unfortunately, she had to sit next to Cole and he expressed the same excitement she had.  "Don't worry Fia, Hunt's just being a jerk-ass as usual" Elijah smiled. If he's trying to cheer her up, he's failing spectacularly. Still, she won't lash out on him because of that so gave him a sorry excuse of a grin and scooped a forkful of spaghetti.  "So, you guys are gonna fly off to Redwoods State Park huh?" Adam asked, taking a sip from his cup. "Yeah." "Great, that means we'll have some peace and quiet here then" Adam deadpanned, making Daisy shush him. Fia snickered, appreciative to the martial artist's dry humor (or at least she hoped it was a joke), feeling a bit cheery as she watched Daisy lecture Adam about his words while Adam pretended to listen and absent-mindedly nodded at her words. She didn't notice Elijah and Tonette started talking when she felt something brush up against her lap, the partition of her dress hiked up to her thigh and she looked down to see a hand creeping up her dress. And of course the owner of that hand was a poker-faced Cole who was silently chewing on his sandwich like nothing's happening around him. Without breaking composure, she swatted his hand beneath the table and looked at the talking special effects student to make it seem as if she was listening to his words. It was effective for about two minutes before she felt the hand again. She mentally groaned and felt her cheeks burn as she wondered what would be their punishment if they were caught doing... whatever Cole's doing.  'I hate this day' she wept. 

Come nightfall, she was already half-dead as soon as she reached her dorm. She practically threw her book and laptop bags to the sofa and to add to her frustration, her damn stomach rumbled loudly, proclaiming to the world that her body needs sustenance. But her muscles protested as well as her feet to leave the dorm just to get dinner. Laziness had always been her number one enemy and right now, it had won this round but she can't think straight when she's hungry. A knock came to her door; loud and unsteady.  She had learned a long time ago that it was Cole's knock; the last thing she wanted to hear. "Go away!" she bellowed "I'm not in the mood right now!" Apparently she forgot to lock the door because he entered her dorm like he owned the place- then again, he had always barged in to her office like that so why should she be surprised at his behavior? In his hand were a thick orange file envelope and a black mesh bag filled with compiled papers. Those said papers were contracts to the Redwoods State Park that she gave to Ethan. Why would Cole have them? As if reading her thoughts, he made a face and hefted them to her eye-level "Can you tell your agent I'm not a damn messenger?" "What?" "I was leaving my class when Ethan swooped down and gave me this bag, saying that you should hold on to it." "Why you?" "Don't ask me, he's your agent" he hissed "He said something about 'be safe' or some shit like that." "Why would Ethan say- oh no..." Realization dawned on her as well as Cole because he dropped the bag to the carpeted floor with a dull thud. Fia felt every drop of blood drain from her face and her hands felt stone cold. Do killers feel this way when they're caught?  Okay, comparing themselves to murderers was a bit extreme but it didn't lessen the guilt that weighed down her stomach.  Wait... Why should she feel guilty? They're not doing anything wrong, both of them are unattached and they're not really hurting anyone so what's the big deal? 'Morality?' a tiny voice offered but she shut it down rather quickly. It's because it was a secret. A secret she had sworn not to tell a soul, not even to her closest friends.  Sure Addison knew about Hunt but it was this tiny bit that she wished she didn't have to share with others. A small information that the world didn't know about- a selfish wish. Because that's what she really was.  A selfish person who tries to get everything she wants and more. Beneath a kind and casual visage lies a greedy soul. And that fact scared her so much that she had hidden it in a figurative chest and locked it away from prying eyes.  "What do we do now?" she muttered to herself, not expecting him to answer but he did anyways. "Just do whatever we want" he shrugged. Her eyebrows knitted together in confusion; asking herself why he doesn't take this seriously, unaffected that someone knew about their nightly ritual. He was shocked at first but it was more of the shock that they were caught, not because someone knew. He didn't see this as a mountain of hurdles, more like a small pothole on the road and she hated him for that. "This is your fault!" she accused, jabbing a finger on his chest. His nostrils flared and his cheeks bloomed bright red- "Why are you blaming me?!" "Ethan must've seen you leave the dorm or caught on in the dresser- or in the quads, (which I'm still mad about as well) I don't know!"  Cole cursed harshly under his breath and pinched the bridge of his nose, his whole frame shaking violently. Fia knew she was being unreasonable but it felt good to blame someone, to lessen the guilt that paralyzed her. "Regardless" he grounded out through his clenched teeth "If he didn't call you when he found out about this, doesn't that mean that he's not objecting to it? And for that matter, I don't give a fuck what anybody says- it's our business not theirs so they should shut their fucking mouth and focus on their own shit." Fia rubbed her temple to calm the incoming migraine but she can't deny that he did have a point. If Ethan thought they're doing something wrong, he'd talk to her face to face or even call her but this time he just let them know that he knows about them- even if there's not really a 'them' to start with. "Sorry..." she muttered, her eyes focused on the synthetic fiber of the carpet "It's been a messed up day and finding out about Ethan just- sigh- it's very frustrating." "I thought I did you a favor earlier" he casually drawled. Her eyes narrowed "Don't you dare do that again! What went through your mind to think doing that in public is okay?!" "I was thinking that you would return the favor later" he honestly declared, his face free of any form of shame or embarrassment. How he became so bold with this, she didn't want to know and she didn't have time to figure out the walking enigma that is Cole Reaves. All she wanted was some peace and quiet for the night; was it too much to ask? "I don't have time for hanky-panky's, I have a paper to type and pack my luggage"  He snorted as he sat on the sofa and hiked his feet on the coffee table, earning himself yet another glare for the nth time "'Hanky-panky'? Since when are you so pure to not say 'blowjob'?" "It's called decency you ass! Something you can't possibly understand because you spent most of your time between my legs!" The words had her blushing furiously but she didn't shy away from his smirk and threw a book that was innocently lying on top of a side table, to his face.  Unfortunately, he caught it before it could land on his nose  "Even if that's true, it's because you've been very willing to let me-" "Stop talking!" "Why? Afraid that you're not a virtuous as people think you are?" "No, because I have a lot of shit to do and you're getting in my way" she spat out and dragged her laptop with her to the bedroom. She closed the door with a loud slam, clicking the lock for good measure as she roughly placed the stray strands of hair behind her ear, accidentally scratching her scalp in the process.  She faintly heard him spout various vulgarities before he took his leave with an answering slam of his own.  She sighed, maybe separation from each other will do a whole lot of good for everyone. *-•-*-•-* "That damn woman" Cole growled as he took a long drag from his cigarette. He doesn't usually smoke but desperate times call for desperate measures.  The smoke curled into misty ribbons as he exhaled slowly, trying to calm himself down and compose back to his poker-faced self. It's much better to resort to apathy rather than immersing all his emotions to a single woman who won't even give her time of day- or night... whatever. He did enjoy tormenting her though, how she gripped the edge of the table until her knuckled turned white with pressure trying to to make a sound as his fingers danced around the garter of her underwear- Now he's torturing himself with that flashback.  He audibly sighed and wiped his face openly with his free hand- tired but pent up and his hormones were running rampant through his bloodstream. Once he finished off the stick, stomped it with his heel and walked through the parking lot. He had been loitering around the campus for quite some time now but he always came back to the fountain that sat in front of the Platinum Dorm. The manicured hedges and pristine statues were just displays and nothing more; the ones who held real value were the people that lived in the dorms. Cole bit his thumb gently as he stared at Fia's window; wondering what she's doing at that moment when he's not with her. He took a deep breath and tried his luck again. A frown appeared on his face when he realized she still didn’t lock it because it may mean she’s still holed up in her bedroom but it immediately disappeared when he saw her sitting on the sofa with her legs under her and she was staring at him- silently asking what’s their next move and he responded by crossing the threshold to the sofa by taking long strides and pushed her down, his mouth covering hers with urgency. Kissing her was more satisfying than smoking a full carton of cigarettes and he found out she didn’t like it because she pulled away for a second just to complain about the smell.

He chose to ignore it as he was too busy snaking his hands under her clothes and unlatch her bra when a knock came from her door.

Cole groaned as she stood up, making him lean on the sofa as she answered the door. She opened the door by a crag and immediately her voice dropped-

“What are you doing here?”

“I think it’s time we have a talk.”

Cole’s eyebrows dipped in confusion; mentally asking what Thomas Hunt would be doing outside Fia’s dorm at such a late hour.

End of Part VII

Part VIII

A/N: Cliffhangers are such a joy aren’t they?

As usual, comments, suggestions and questions are always welcomed except for nonsensical flames like what I have addressed earlier.

Replies section:

@kayoimhey: Here’s a hint for you... Braveheart and Gordon Ramsay xD

@mdlitbatgaawb: Thanks! I hope you love this one!