#mcxoc

Avante-garde - They were both proud of their uniqueness; her with the skill of camera manipulation and directing abilities and he with his mind filled with endless creativity and though-provoking stories. Some say they can do great things together and Cole certainly thought so too. Breathe - Whenever his panic attack starts to act up, Fia would calmly take his face into her hands and told him straight in the eye to breathe. It was laughable that she instructs him to catch his breath while her entire being also made him breathless. Coward - Fia would like to think of herself as a brave person but the fact that scriptwriter had spilled his guts to her unwittingly during a drinking session had froze the blood in her veins. When he sobered up and asked if he did anything stupid while in a drunken stupor, she tucked away that fact and told him to sleep it off. She doesn't want to face his feelings nor the fact that she might hurt him. Dance - Fia loved to dance. She may not be the smoothest dancer out there but she just loved getting lost to the beat or sway with the rhythm. She didn't notice the surprised look on Cole's face when she pulled him into the dance floor as Lisa sang her heart out on the mic. Heck, she didn't even notice the worried glance Ethan had sent their way as she grabbed Cole's hands and urged him to jump along with the lyrics like the rest of them. Ego - He had been called egoistical from time to time especially by others whom he had met personally and repulsed by his arrogance. He knew he had talent but he's not going to waste his image by being modest. But as he was admonished by Fia to stop acting like a moron because he accidentally insulted an interviewer; he remembered the pleasure-filled face she made a few moments before that only he could create and that stroked his ego even more. Fraction - It took him only a fraction of a second to see the soft look she had sent Hunt that punched him hard on the gut. It seems that the rumors were true. Gravity - It was a cruel tug-o-war between them. He tried to distance his emotions from her but once she's in contact, he can't help but orbit around her like a sailor to an unwilling siren. Hypocrite - Fia knew that she's being the person she hated the most when she saw a cute brunette approach Cole in a timid fashion and showed him a ticket to some sort of event (she can't have a good look since she was in the other side of the library). It irked her that someone had shown interest in him and it's quite bothersome since she said she never wanted to be possessed by anyone yet she had branded him as hers. Ice cream - He never could understand her supposed obsession with this sugary treat. Cole didn't like ice cream; it's too cold to bite into and he had to keep eating it before it melts. Frankly he wanted his food to stay in a permanent state before he digests it. But whenever Fia asks her entourage if they wanna go to the ice cream parlor with her, he would be the first to stand. Juxtapose - They're different from each other, polar opposites that clashed like fire and ice. She's vibrant, had the gift of gab and friendly whereas he's blunt, prefers his own company above others' and very passive-aggressive. But they're also the same with their passion, their stubbornness and willingness to get whatever they want. They're the two sides of the same coin. Kaleidoscope - During their sessions, he would find himself staring at the ceiling if her room or sometimes the window and watch the dark colors of blue and black and change to soft tones of yellows and reds as dawn breaks. He longed to see the day when he didn't have to leave before the sun rose. Lipstick - Cole would notice it right away. The telling rose-tinted sheen on her lips was unusual for her. Despite the color that made her fair tone stand out even more, he really preferred her lips to be bare- he didn't want the taste of cherry in his mouth while kissing her after all. Monday - Everyone hates Mondays, especially students and people with jobs. But Cole Reaves hates that particular day because he had to attend a class that was taught by a man he never thought he would be at odds with. But he had to be careful about his hostile thoughts, Thomas Hunt is not someone he could just trifle with so easily. Naps - Fia never indulged herself on napping. There's too much to do and it never failed to give her a headache every time she wakes up. But when she walked in the school library and saw Cole sitting on the table by the reference section, dozing away next to a pile of books, she sat on the seat across his own and smiled as she watched him peacefully sleep and gently swept the black curls from his face. Opal - Cole doesn't know much about jewelry except for the basic diamonds and sapphires his mother always wore. But when he saw Fia and her friends in a mall window-shopping, she was looking at a particular ring. When they left, he asked the jeweller if he could see what she was looking at and he produced a ring that had a stone that was flecked with different colors. The man proudly called it a Dragon's Breath fire opal ring- all Cole could see was the Eye of freaking Sauron. Pizza - Cole cursed as he nursed his injured hand and turned to glare at the director. "Damn it, if you wanted the last slice then just say so! You didn't have to fucking bite me!" Quills - Fia whimpered while Addi, Ethan and Holly watched as Cole carefully dislodged another prodding object that was sticking on the palm of her hand. Let this be a lesson to her about playing with Lisa's pet hedgehog without supervision. Rain - The rain held a significant role in their lives. Ir was raining when Fia encountered her first heartbreak and it was under the same rain he had met her when she literally bumped into him with a pathetic expression in her face. Sneeze - One of the things he finds most amusing was, believe it or not; Fia's sneeze. When she first sneezed because of the dust in an empty room, he thought it was a squeak of a mouse. But when she did it again, he did everything he could to make sure his phone would record the delightful sound. Tickle - Fia knew a lot of things. Her friends had told them their secrets in confidence that she won't tell another soul and she made good of her promises. But there's a secret of Cole's she can't help but abuse. And that's the spot on his side, the tickle spot. She found it by accident during one of their... meetings and now every time he annoys her, she would just poke that spot and he would squirm like a worm. Umbrella - That black umbrella had been forgotten for months now and Fia can't help but wonder where its owner had gone. She hoped to find him soon so she could return it and thank the guy. Volatile - She's an amiable person and he's the picture of calm- albeit an apathetic sort but they both have violent tempers and if those tempers clashed, everyone would be sucked in like a vortex. Apparently the boxes in Cole's dormitory hurt like a bitch when a pissed Fia flung at to him in the middle of a shouting match. Wealth - Fia had been born in a very well-to-do family. Her parents doted on her until high school and even bought her a good car for her sixteenth birthday but she didn't really thought about living a comfy life as a debutante. Despite the scholarships she earned after high school, she asked her parents to let her be a director without financial aid from them as she wanted to challenge herself (and someone had insisted they will cover her tuition). They respected her wishes and when she found out about Cole's family dilemma, she realized just how lucky she was to have understanding parents. Xenophobia - He would like to think that he's the antithesis of the word; he himself is strange according to most people but he considers himself as exceptional compared to the drab cookie-cut individuals who huddle together like sheep. They're all the same for him. Except the director who likes the unusual and strange despite being embraced by society as one of theirs. Yen - There's a craving that stirred within him and he knew it would result to disaster. Cole knew that Fia would never even consider the two of them have a relationship other than a platonic one she has with her friends. The kinship was barely enough to satisfy his yearning but every smile and touch, he found himself hungry for more. Zigzag - It was almost like they're playing a game- a dangerous one. They both know this could end in catastrophe but every time either one of them tried to cut ties, their paths would cross and parallel each other like the pattern of sharp edges and never ending ups and downs. Fia knew she had to end it sometime soon but as Cole breathed deeply while lying on her stomach and clutched his hands around her tightly like his life depended on it; she knew he won't like that option.

The cool air of the park had an alluring scent after the heavy downpour. Fia took a deep inhale as she walked through town with a slight bounce in her step; feeling a bit refreshed for no reason although in the deepest part of her mind it certainly had something to do with Cole... and lips, tongue, teeth... a bunch of other stuff.  But she's happy that he managed to find a loophole to their seemingly endless web of troubles, easing her nerves somewhat before wondering how he managed to get his hands on a blank cheque. It's obvious that he's not in ordinary middle-class as he's raking money from the earnings of his movie and the royalties from his novels but her mind reflected on the dorm he was living in. Even if he was staying in the standard Screenwriter dorms; his room was so sparsely occupied apart from the most basic necessities that it was as if he didn't belong there at all. Fia herself was more than happy with her old room back at the Director dorms but soon her living space was invaded by multiple documents, reels, props and other projects that she had no choice to either move at the new Platinum Dorms or rent out an apartment and move from the campus site which was out of the question for her.  Strange, she had been with him for three months now (not necessarily meaning they have any form of commitment) and she didn't even know a single about him apart from what the internet can provide her with which was close to nothing. What she does know was that he studied in CUNY and that he's a native New Yorker who spends most of his time bent over his notebook or laptop, writing stories that pop into his head.  Honestly, she's a bit jealous with him. He's independent; hardly relying on anyone else and able to come up with plots that made her wonder if he was trying to one-up the Grimm brothers, Hans Christian Andersen and Geoffrey Chaucer all by himself.  Fia shook her head- when did she start asking questions about him?  It's all his fault, she accused in her mind. That kiss, lying down on her bed like he belonged there- it wasn't part of the deal. Then again, they never talked about the details of their supposed tryst; heck she didn't even know if he's sleeping with other people or not! "Damn it" she muttered, somewhat annoyed that her sunny mood dampened almost instantly. She shook her head; trying to clear her thoughts from the six-foot tall enigma who's currently occupying her bed... probably. The ride to town was short and several of her friends including Ethan and Addi had gone ahead- leaving her alone once again. Normally, she'd feel a bit lonely but she welcomed the rare silence and indulged at the given time to muse about their next strategy. Cole had gifted them a brand new script that derailed the old one; giving them hope once more that they'll get an Audrey. She wanted to protest against the New York setting again (though it was mostly out of reflex) before he pointed out that he's the one making the shots now since he saved their asses from cancelling the movie. "And now I owe that jerk a favor" she sighed audibly, brushing her fingers through her bangs. The town was as ordinary as a town could get but she supposed that she's too used to living in the city that she could mistake something quaint as boring. Then again, maybe studying in Hollywood U had probably gotten to her. Small shops and a bed and breakfast inn stood amidst the long stretch of concrete road that was framed by thick canopy of trees. She spotted Elijah texting on his phone while sitting inside a small restaurant and wondered how he was doing. It's been so long since they've had a proper conversation and although she's well aware of his attraction towards her; she berated herself to stop being so conceited and approach him like how a proper friend should. Plus, she's hungry as well so it's like killing two birds with one stone- a saying that she never thought she would use since it was affiliated with a certain family... "Hey!" she greeted at the blonde, prompting the SFX to jump in surprise. "Oh Fia! What are you doing here?" he asked.  The director tried her best to stop from replying a snarky statement. They're inside a restaurant aren't they? But rather than letting her frustrations out, she forced it down and gave a small grin- "Just wondering what you're up to and maybe grab something to eat. Mind if I join you?"  Elijah's face lit up brightly and she can't help but feel a bit guilty. She wanted to make him understand that she regards him as a friend and part of her crew, nothing more. Yet it would be highly conceited of her to suddenly tell him to hit the road so abruptly especially to someone as nice as Elijah. Besides, it's nice to talk to someone she's not that close to. Cole's particularly not a friend but their clandestine and somewhat vague relationship as 'friends with benefits' (loosely using the word friend in this context) puts a rather small chokehold to talk about things. "How are things doing? I hope this film will rock any critic's socks off" Elijah cheerfully exclaimed, taking a large bite of his cheeseburger with a grin. Fia can't help but share a faint smile as well, silently thanking her companion to have an infectious optimism and carried onto share her experiences with different classes- much to the blonde's delight. Their talk tackled generic subjects such as the weather, school and of course, movies. They had a friendly debate on which is the best professor as well but when he pointed out that Hunt wins by far despite his harsh and sometimes cruel words; Fia fell silent.  In his defence, Elijah didn't know about what happened in Bianca's probation hearing and the director wanted to keep it that way. Not only will it discredit Hunt from the SFX's eyes, but to her selfishness- she didn't want him to think wrongly of her and create a wall between them. She knew she was clamming up and before she could stand and pay for her unfinished meal of beef sliders and orange juice, Elijah curved the discussion to what she thinks of the new script. There was sincerity in his voice and a near apologetic grin that made her suspicious about how much he really knows on her dangerous former relations with their teacher. But rather than worrying with what he knows, she was immediately distracted about his insight about the different visual effects they can use when they film in New York. He talked about the vantage points they can use and the natural lighting of the park can really up the atmosphere and be the stark contrast of the original theme. She didn't realize that they had been talking for three hours straight before Addison, Lisa and Aria had unceremoniously dropped in. -•-•-•- Addi can certainly say with full confidence that she knows Fia Harting like the back of her hand. She'd been with the capricious director since day one and their bond just few stronger with each day. So it comes as a surprise that she had a sneaking suspicion that Fia has a secret she wasn't privy too.  Not to say that she was hurt but... yeah she was.  Fia's cunning but she had tells that Addi can see a mile away. Apart from the evading eye contact and rolling her bangs with her fingers, she had been keeping most of the time by herself. If that wasn't a telling sign then she should've just been born as a bat. The fact that she's seating in a table with Elijah alone was surprising enough since she'd never spent any alone time with any other guy other than business. And with Elijah no less. Her friend had been very vocal about her aversion towards having a relationship with anyone after Hunt but now, the fashionista's not sure if Fia's going to stick to her guns. "Sorry, are we crashing into your date?" Lisa bluntly asked as she slid into a seat and propped her elbows on the table; blue eyes twinkling with mischief.  Fia merely rolled her eyes in contrast to Elijah whose whole face reddened like a boiled lobster. Clearly he's thinking along the lines of a possible relationship but Addi can't help but feel sympathetic for the other blonde.  While she's a genuinely good person, Fia's a bit rough around the edges- hell, she'd seen Fia and Hunt waged near catastrophic verbal wars in the classroom and they're already in a relationship. Fia doesn't need someone who will just kneel down and let her do whatever she damn pleases. It sounded so cliché and a typical tongue-to-cheek thing but Fia does need someone who can handle her stubbornness and sarcastic tongue.  Hunt's the number one choice for Addi even if they're over and done with. She had never seen her friend glow brightly even when Fia was in a middle of a rant about how Hunt was being a jerk. The way her friend glanced at Hunt when she thought no one was looking... Addison had seen it all. In fact, she was the first one to notice Fia's budding affection to the surly man before the director knew it herself. Strange, for someone to be as observant as Fia to be completely blind to her own emotions. That affection turned into romance and Addi nearly swallowed her own tongue when Fia sheepishly confessed that she'd kissed Hunt during a charity ball. To be fair, Hunt didn't know who she was since she's wearing a mask but that story literally gave Addi the chills (the good kind) that almost made her think that it'll be a good rom-com movie.  But this was real life... and sometimes happy endings were mere fantasies. And that included relationships. The zombie-like state Fia was in had awaken a maternal instinct within her and it took all the willpower of the fashionista to restrain herself from shaking Fia by her shoulders and tell her to snap out of it.  'I ended it with him...' Those words were haunting enough but to see her mutter them in a defeated state was more than enough to scare anyone from having commitment again.  For such an independent individual, Fia's emotionally dependent even if she didn't want to admit it. And yet; for the past few weeks, her friend's back to her usually bouncy self again and she didn't look like a walking train wreck anymore with eye bags and sagged shoulders.  The only plausible reason for that was either Fia had got back together with Hunt (although this is highly debatable ever since their recent scuffle), or she had sworn off of men or she'd found someone new and Addi knew it was a long shot but Fia might be warming up to Elijah after all. Fia's gonna tell her sooner or later, right? -•-•-•- "This sucks" Cole sighed as he leaned his forehead against the glass.  The director hasn't returned from her little trip to town and he's thinking that she was serious with the whole 'I don't want my ex to find out' thing which made him want to scoff. If a person's truly over with their ex, they shouldn't be concerned with what the other will think, right? Well, he can't really give himself fool-proof advice since he can't even get a second date... A sudden rapt of the door came and Cole knew that it was just plain stupid of him to stay in Fia's hotel room. Panic began to settle in his stomach when Ethan's voice carried over the threshold- "Cole? You in here?" He didn't know whether to feel bereft or relieved that it was Ethan who caught him but he wasn't given a chance to think it over as the door opened and in came the agent with a poker face. Cole retaliated with his blasé expression and even had the guts to lean on the chair and prop his foot up on the bed with his shoes intact. "Fia's gonna kill you if she saw you putting your shoes on her bed" Ethan tutted, crossing his arms across his chest but careful not to wrinkle his suit. Cole rolled his eyes and planted his feet down but persistently avoided the other man's gaze; it was like he's a kid who got caught doing something bad. In which case, it might be true considering that Ethan told him to stop acting like that with Fia during the trip. 'Pfft what, he's her bodyguard now?' he taunted in his mind. Ethan released his firm pose and nodded at the pile of documents that laid waste on the wooden table; all of them were contracts and permits in New York that Cole had more than happily shared to the director once he secured his position in the seat of power.  Ethan leafed through the documents and studied them with a meticulous eye before he gave a low whistle. "Huh, you're dead serious about filming in New York." Cole scowled, "I didn't know I gave the impression of someone who jokes around" he mumbled while rising from the chair. The joints of his body popped as he stood in his full height, thinking whether or not Ethan's intimidated by his length. If the agent was, he didn't let the screenwriter see and instead focused on what (Cole assumes) his true intent was- "How did you get a blank cheque?" he asked, his tone was quiet and careful. A small vein right by his temple twitched before he shrugged and began to walk out of the room "It doesn't matter where I got it from, we're using it to finish the movie so the reason of how I got the money's not of main concern." He thought it's a one-way fight when Ethan moved right in front of him and stared him down with a steady gaze. "I know Fia's acting like she doesn't care but sooner or later she's bound to ask and I'm not going to have you pull a fast one on her. I've been lenient with this... thing between you two but I'm not gonna have you drag her down just for your fifteen minutes of fame." Cole's temper flared and before he could stop himself he sneered out, "Well then, I should know better than to stand between an agent and his commission." Ethan's hands curled into fists and Cole prepared himself to get punched (god knows he deserved that one) before the agent took a deep breath and walked towards the door. "Make all the sarcastic comments you want, but if I see something not right with you... you're out of the project and out of Fia's life" he warned before twisting the doorknob and walked out, leaving Cole alone in the middle of the room thinking how he got himself into this mess. -.-.-.-.-.-.-

"... are you alright?" Fia asked quietly as they sat next to each other on the plane back to L.A.  A part of him- a huge part- wanted to shrug her off and maybe tell her to fuck off but he knew it would just make her pester him even more. So instead, he moved his gaze to the window which, unfortunately, was directed at the sun's glare and made him curse vehemently. Finally, Fia slapped a hand over his mouth and pressed down hard: making him bite the insides of his cheeks.  "Mmmmphmm!" he protested as she leaned closer with a strict scowl. "If I let go, are you going to stop cussing at the freaking sun?!" she hissed.  Cole rolled his eyes and took a big gulp of breath when she released her grip from his mouth and gently patted his sore cheeks.  "I know you're pissed that we got nothing from the park-" "We wasted five days for nothing" he huffed, leaning his head on a propped hand that was resting on the armrest. "Marla's now scrambling to get the contract revised and we haven't even added the fine print yet!" his ramble ended when the stewardess came through their aisle and asked them if they needed something, to which Fia had promptly answered, "A therapist for him and a noise-cancelling headphones for me please." The woman didn't know whether to think it was a joke or not until Cole crossed his arms and turned his back on her, pushing down the cover of the window as well. He knew she will tire out as soon as they touched down on the airport but there's a huge chance of her asking about how he did manage to compensate the budget and frankly, he didn't want anyone to poke their nose into his business. Career and personal life had to remain separate and what will people say if they found out that he had to ask for his parents to lend him some money? On one hand, he can just say that they're investors, not doting parents who will throw in a life preserver if they ever caught wind their son's in trouble. But on the other hand, not only will he have to follow his father's bidding but also the whole crew will want to hear his story and they'll probably make some sort of movie or sad song or some other kind of shit, Hollywood-style.  He could hear her mutter some words he didn't understand, no doubt it's with her native tongue before she settled on her seat and tucked away the book she'd been reading.

As he had expected, he received a frantic call from Marla who was still in New York as soon as he stepped out of the plane. But what he wasn't prepared for was the reason as to why she was calling in the first place-

"Cole, I heard your parents are going to visit you on the next weekend!" "What?!" His sudden outburst made everyone; his schoolmates and strangers alike- stare at him like he had lost his mind. Which was pretty damn close since considering that ostentatious parents will get to see his dorm (his mom will try to get him to move to a bigger place) and his dear old dad will no doubt comment on how "successful" he is now with a part-time job at a small clothing store and a barely decorated room that somewhat resembled a storage. "How the hell did you know about that?" he demanded as he rushed to the quieter side of the baggage claim with his lone bag secured on his back and deftly avoided a gaggle of tourists. "I have connections darling. By the way, have you seen the blog that 'predicts' your movie? Don't tell me they're right!" "I've taken care of that. It's already Tuesday here Marla, and you're telling me that my parents are gonna come here, in the same state as me, just for the heck of it? What the fuck am I supposed to do?!" "Uh, be a good son and show them around town?" "You're my agent, do something!" "What can I do? Physically block the gates to the plane so they'll miss it? Oh wait, you guys have jets..." Cole rolled his eyes so hard, he was sure Marla can hear it "My dad has those things, I don't. Look, we're going to go back to the campus to figure things out and until then, keep me posted about the contracts and what my folks are doing alright?" "Fine -sigh- fifteen percent doesn't seem to be fair for my cut anymore" she mourned, giving him a hint. Cole had half a mind to just drop the call but he felt a rare sympathy for Marla. No one really wanted him to be their client given his... driven attitude and ambitious goals that were hardly justifiable but Marla just stuck on to him like glue. The cynical side of him whispered that she just wanted to tailcoat him on his road to success but it will just be too troublesome to look for another agent. "... seventeen percent but that's final!" he caved. "Thanks sweetie!" the woman tittered as he dropped the call. He wondered why his parents are going to LA in such short notice and the reason of why just hung on the wind.  The cast and crew began to split up and he was left with the lot that was going straight to the campus, which meant saddling with Fia and her goon squad once again. Apparently Fia shared the same sentiment as they stopped a cab and told him to grab another one as she, Ethan and Addison entered the cab and there's clearly room for one more person. He gave her a dark look before retreating to the sidewalk and watched the cab drive off. "Tch, bitch" he hissed before hailing another cab. 

Marla said that his parents are coming on the weekend. The weekend- which was only two days away. Turns out his mom possessed some kind if sixth sense because his phone rang with his mother on the other line. "Mom what-" "Oh sweetie! It's a good thing you picked up because I need to talk to you. We're going to L.A. and the jet will arrive at about three in the afternoon so don't be late okay?" He supressed the urge to hit himself on the head; she didn't even bother to hide the fact that they were coming to California and even told him to pick them up.  "Mother" he started with a calm tone "Can you pray tell give me the reason as to why you want to leave Manhattan and go to LA?" His mother gave a little giggle (as if there's something funny about his question) and replied "Why to see you silly! Your father said that you begged him to allow you to come to my birthday. Honey, you don't need permission, you're always welcome to come home baby!" A cold shiver jolted through his spine as she continued to coo at the phone like a doting mother... which she is. He bit hard on his thumb and waited for her jabbering to stop, every second akin to torture and if she wasn't his mom, he would have let the curse words he had ever known flood from his mouth. She was about to get to the conclusion when there was a faint sound from her end and she stopped talking; evidently his father just came into the room or just got back home.  "Alex, Cole's on the phone. Do you want something to say to our son?" Cole knew his dad would rather pay the annual taxes thrice the amount rather than having to talk to him but he'd never say that in front of his mom so instead, he gave a cold scoff and answered, "If I wanted to be disappointed, I'd just watch the presidential elections." "Alex!" "Mom, it's fine" Cole drawled out "Are you sure about coming to LA? I thought you hate traffic?" "Hon, if I hate traffic then I wouldn't have stayed in New York. Now I'll give you the flight number so you can pick us up. Oh, and I heard from Marla that the director's a friend of yours." "More like a passing acquaintance" he clarified. So that's what Marla meant when she said she has 'connections'. He'll have to scrap that seventeen percent deal... "Bring him with you so I could meet him personally. I thought you took over the project like in The Soliloquy but you must've really liked this man." "Mom-" "Promise you'll bring him when you pick us up and we'll have dinner alright sweetie?" "Mother, please think about what you're-" "I have to go, I haven't even packed anything yet! See you honey!" She clicked the phone off before he could finish his sentence and left him burying his head on his pillow; thinking how the hell things got from good to bad to worse.  A knock came to the door.  He felt a villainous smirk dawn on his sullen face when he thought it was Fia asking for a favor. Knowing that she's not as prim and proper as the whole world thought, he will take revenge from the cab incident and tell her to scratch her itch by herself because he's not gonna do it.  Crossing the room with long strides, he opened the door and was taken aback when it wasn't Fia who was waiting but Elijah who was positively glowing with happiness. The blonde looked as if he's about to puke rainbows or some shit when the man entered his living space and jumped up in the kitchen isle with his feet swinging like a child. "You never guess what happened while we were in the park!" "You didn't choke on a pine nut?" Cole sighed as he closed the door and leaned against the wall with an impending headache coming up. Elijah shook his head- making Cole imagine a golden retriever trying to shake water from its ears- and grinned "I think I've made huge progress with Fia last week!" Cole blinked. When did Fia even had the time to chat with him? A sudden rush of memory came down on him; there's a possibility that they had some kind of 'moment' while filming in the park.  Like a friend, he dared to ask "What happened?" The special effects student began to talk about how he was eating a burger and Fia just walked right up to him and began to ask about what was going on with him. They talked for ages (obviously an exaggeration on Elijah's part) until Addison, Lisa and Aria barged in an roped them into a sudden souvenir shopping spree which wasn't entirely bad.  The writer looked at his friend and felt the urge to nauseate especially at the happy look he has. Guilt was an unwanted leech that just couldn't get off his back; with its hooks digging on his flesh and slowly sucking the life out of his veins. Another knock came and Cole opened it once more to see Fia standing by the threshold with her cardigan and denim shorts. And that pair of shorts really lived up to its name since it reached just three inches above her knee. She's not the revealing type but she's also not shy to show some skin. Apparently, you gotta have to possess some really thick skin to survive Hollywood U. "Hey. Sorry about the other day, it's just that I was pissed and-" "F-Fia!" Elijah squawked as he slid down from the counter and straightened his shirt for some reason.  The director's face was a combination of surprise and embarrassment when she realized they weren't alone. Cole's eyes bounced from Fia to Elijah and back again before Fia cleared her throat and said, "I think I'll just come by later." "No!" Elijah almost shouted, causing them to stare at him with weird expressions as he moved to the door and held up his hands "By all means, please come in!" Fia tugged at the ends of her hair "Um, it's a rather private thing Elijah and you're in a middle of something so I should-" "No it's alright!" the blonde frantically cajoled "I'll go, you stay!" "Don't I have a say on who should stay and go?" Cole asked but was decidedly ignored when Elijah pulled Fia into the room and exited it at the same time. Cole didn't know if he was either too scared to be in the same room as her or he's too giddy. He'd say it's a little of both. The young woman tugged at the ends of her hair and shifted her weight from one foot to the other. She gave a low sigh and placed her hands in the pockets of her shorts and said,  "Awkward... um, to rewind what I just blurted out- I'm sorry about what happened at the airport." "It was a dick move" he agreed, making his way towards the kitchenette to grab something to drink. Goosebumps appeared on his flesh as he was fully aware she was looking at him.  "So... did you hear anything from Marla about the contracts?" she asked, leaning forward with her elbows propped in the counter.  Cole took a sip of water from the bottle and swirled it for a little bit "Most of the permits had been signed, all we need to do is talk to the administration of Central Park to close off the section we need and maybe hire security so no one can sneak in and watch." -•-•-•- He's preoccupied with something. Or at least, that's what she thought as she watched him finished the glass in tensed silence. Maybe the tense part was only for her because he looked like he didn't care one bit about what happened.  His face was as blank as ever, bordering between boredom and apathy.  "So," he suddenly spoke up "Heard that you had a date with Elijah in Eureka." For some reason, his words caused her to recoil and instinctively made her crossed her arms over her chest in a protective gesture. His tone didn't sound accusing nor angry. In fact, it sounded trivial as if he's talking about the weather.  She took her time prolonging the answer before she casually shrugged "Not a date, more like just a chat between friends." "Huh, doesn't seem like 'just a chat' according to Elijah" Fia exhaled audibly and brushed her bangs from her face and muttered "People only see what they wanted to see or expected." Cole sized her up for a moment and had the audacity to smirk "And is that just for Elijah, or for everyone in this room in general?" "Think what you want" she sniped "And, I want to settle some rules if we're going to continue our... meetings." "Rules?" he parroted.  She knew this will be a complication but rules make it safe, preventing something to happen that she didn't even want to imply and if he doesn't want to, then screw it. His eyebrows knitted for a moment; she was unable to tell what he was thinking until he looked raked a hand through his unkempt hair "Fine, what are the rules?" "Alright, one. No kissing. Second, what happened on the quads? Don't even think about doing it again. Thirdly, absolutely no feelings whatsoever" she finished in a crisp tone. He was silent before he burst out laughing, making her blush with embarrassment. It's quite a shock to see him without his guard up and although his laugh was mocking, at least she could handle it better than a sneer. "What's so funny?" she demanded. "'No feelings?' I don't know about you William Wallace, but having a relationship's hardly one of my priorities and no offense, but you're the last person I'd go steady with." Oh, there's an offense taken. A huge one in fact but she held her tongue and nodded tersely. "Well that settles it then. Now I want to know what will he the next step since we scrapped the final scenes." He scratched his cheek lightly and a sly smirk broke from his lips "We'll meet up with the investors." She blinked, "My entourage? Or Mr. Trawler?" "No, the ones who gave the blank cheque" he stated, walking towards the lone table by his bed to fetch his phone that was lying on top of it. "Oh. Did we have to sign anything before we can collect it?" "No, your personal appearance is more than enough" he said in a Mona Lisa smile that she didn't trust one bit.

End of Chapter Ten

A/n: Sorry guys, I had to rewrite this chapter over and over to feel right! I’d like to thank the people who supported this fic from the beginning. Both the active readers and the not-so-active ones.

I dunno who’s got more sass; Fia, Cole or Alex (Cole’s dad) xD I love them all~

@mdlitbatgaawb - here’s my promise mon cheri! And the first chapters of my novel is gonna be posted next! x3 And maybe draw Noa as well 

"-yes, in Redwood State Park. No mom, I'm not skipping school. I told you it's for the film... I don't think dad would- (sigh) yes I'll send some tickets for you guys but he definitely won't... No I'm not underestimating you- Fine, fine! No I'm not shouting at you... Uh-huh... okay. I gotta go mom it's about one in the morning here and we have to shoot scenes later on. 'Kay, bye." Cole huffed out a burdened sigh as he clicked at the button to drop the call. His mother can be damn overbearing and he knew that having a face to face with his father will just lead up into another argument that ends with either one of them stomping out of the facilities although he would leave a trail of curse words his parents never approved of.  He leaned against the windowsill and rubbed a tired hand against his face. He may be twenty five but he started to feel thirty years older from all the things that was happening. His final project was still stewing in his brain, unable to manipulate the words to his fingers- hell, he can't even draft out the basic outline. The biggest writer's block of his entire life. "Ah fuck it" he sighed and proceeded to walk out of the hotel to smoke away the oncoming migraine. The hotel was smackdab at the middle of nowhere which he appreciated since he's a very private person and three quarters of the cast and crew were all sleeping soundly so that leaves a quiet and peaceful atmosphere. Even with his sneakers on, he could feel the softness of the grass beneath his feet and looked up to admire the clear view of the stars on the dark night sky. The stillness of the night calmed him down somewhat although most of his nerves were still shot after talking to his mother; now he's sure that he won't be getting the rest he needed since his brain decided to fill him with several 'what if's like- what if he didn't manage to finish the manuscript in time? What if the finished product was no good? What if his father was right all along? What if- "Hey" Cole turned around to see Fia walking towards him with her hands tucked into the pockets of her grey cardigan. So far for having a peaceful night... "Can't sleep?" she asked, her hair messed up on the back as if she'd just rolled out of bed. "Nope" he answered, taking a long drag from the cancer stick and blew it above their heads, barely missing the strict look she gave him as the smoke curled around their space.  He watched her sit on the ground and cocked a brow when she patted on the space next to her-  "What are you doing?" Fia shrugged as she took off her cardigan and draped it over her legs; "The hotel room's kinda stuffy so I figured that I could relax a bit more out here." Cole scoffed as he followed the suit and flicked the stick; sending several ashes on the bed of grass, "You've spent almost five hours snoring after filming. How much more relaxed do you want?" His statement earned him an eye-roll and a grumbled 'I don't snore'. She pulled some of the blades of grass and leaned back a bit to stare at the sky. "The scenes are coming together so all we have to do when we get back to LA is film the scene with Mr. Trawler's grandson" she listed down verbally "I don't wanna jinx it but I have a gut-feeling that this will be our best movie yet." "It's not a gut-feeling, it's the truth" he drawled. It may sound proud but he knew that this might be one of the crown jewels of his career along with 'Soliloquy'. Yet, there's a nagging thought that tugged along his mind- somehow he kept wondering on and on why Hunt visited her personally in her dorm... after dark no less. He opened his mouth to ask her just that, but he suddenly clamped it shut. Discussing personal affairs with each other is something people with a relationship do; they're barely friends- to put it bluntly; they're just a couple of fuck buddies which wasn't even clear whether it was exclusive or otherwise. Based on what he gathered during his time in Hollywood U, the director's earned a little reputation to being 'undateable'.  Hell, even Elijah had been yakking about how hard it was to ask her out and he thought it was a total bull since she's too nice to even reject someone- then again, she had rejected his New York idea so many times that maybe he didn't give her enough credit. She's a good person but she's not afraid to show her fangs especially when you picked a particularly bad day. He even saw her verbally bulldoze Bianca Stone into submission once and it resulted with the celebutante shrinking back and avoided her the rest of the day with her tail between her legs all the while glaring daggers at the director's back.  Usually guys shied away from such an outspoken and strong-willed girl but he thought it didn't bother him as much. He didn't like the quiet genteel types who hide away their inner thoughts with painted smiles and fake pleasantries.  "Penny for your thoughts?" she queried, poking at his forearm.  He retaliated by tugging at the ends of her hair and stomped on the cigarette with his heel. "You're quite the chatterbox for someone who suffers from jet lag" he mused. Jet lags were one of his major pet peeves... one in his top ten actually. She stretched her arms up, not caring that her outstretched limb almost hit his face and poked out her tongue- "I don't get jet lags and if I did, I adjust fairly quickly." She plucked something from one of the pockets of her cardigan and fished out a fruit bar, no doubt she got it from one of the vending machines by the lobby. Fia broke the bar in half before opening it, nudging the exposed piece to him. "What, no steak?" he japed but took the offered food nonetheless. "Shut up, you're lucky I would even give you something when I'm hungry. You still owe me a lava cake... jerk." He can't help but chuckle; although it wasn't as quiet as he wanted the rest of the night to be, he figured that sitting next to her while eating a fruit and nut bar under the night sky wasn't too bad. -.-.-.-.- The whole day was set- every hour, every minute was planned to the last detail when someone upstairs thought it's a good idea to send a rather heavy outpour over the city. Irritation nipped at her but none so much from the lividness radiating from Cole that came off in waves.  He kept pacing around the large bay window that overlooked the view of the rain-drenched garden and the grey-dappled skies soured his mood even further. No one except Fia had the guts nor the patience (but more of the guts part) to deal with the brooding young man and they're incredibly thankful he didn't punch through the window yet, setteling to glare at the glass with a permanent scowl on his face. The young woman let out a sigh when he hissed a particularly vulgar curse before she called out- "Will you plant your butt on a chair and be quiet? Glaring and complaining's not gonna stop the damn rain." Cole pulled a face but did as he was told. A rush of pride swept in her chest- he's not the kind of person who will do something just because you said 'pretty please'. He's the kind who will do whatever the hell he wants- although he's a professional and has some level of respect to anyone he deemed worthy. A monotonous jingle pierced from the tensional atmosphere and it was coming from the front pocket of her jeans. Curiosity filled her as she flipped her phone and answered the call of the person who happened to have the name 'FourthPersons' in her phone list- "Yeah?" "Is Cole Reaves with you?" "Wow, no 'How are you Fia? Did you have a good flight?" "Now's not the time for idle chit-chat, I'm calling you to see if Mr. Reaves is with you right now?" In an instant, her mind went blank and the saliva in her mouth and throat evaporated as she gripped the device tightly in her hand. "Why do you ask?" she sighed, trying to keep her wits as she leaned against the wall and watched Cole tapping on the side table while his eyes fixated on the window. "Remind him that he only has five more months to complete his final project or else he finds himself repeating the same course" he explained. She blinked, "Can't you just call him on his phone? I'm not his secretary." "No but I'm assured that he'll always be nearby since the both of you were joined by the hip since last month-" An invisible noose tangled itself on her neck in a vice-like tightness, millions upon millions of excuses began to flood in her mind just so she can negate his statement and before she can pick one, he continued talking, "-understandable as you're both making a film. I expect good results from the both of you since I'm the one who signed the permission waiver for you and your crew to film in different locations at such short notice." 'We're all clear captain' a tiny voice at the back of her head squeaked and she shoved it back with a vocal sigh. He didn't know and it's all for the best. Even if they've broken up, she can't help but feel guilty about talking to him in regards to another person to whom she's intimate with.  "So that's it? You're only calling to check up on his assignment?" she huffed, easily inserting a faux indignant tone. There was an unmistakable clicking of the tongue from his end and she can practically hear him roll his eyes as he tutted "You're my last resort because Mr. Reaves had been ignoring my e-mails about that subject. And don't think I have forgotten about your poor attitude in my class, I've been very lenient with you lately and you're a glutton for punishment. Once a troublemaker, always a troublemaker." Fia made a mocking gasp "Me? A troublemaker? That's a very tall accusation professor." "Whatever. Just tell Cole about his project and for God's sake, don't do anything stupid because all the things you do there reflects the university" he strictly said.  "Roger" she joked while gesturing a mock salute; entirely forgetting that Cole's in the room with her presently.  She was so engrossed with her banter with the professor that she missed the suspicious glance the writer had been sending her way; ears perked at the unguarded voice she used so uncommonly that it was almost unnatural but she wouldn't even notice a thing even if a herd of rhinos and elephants were to stampede right out of the double doors like freaking Jumanji. Nostalgia and comfort had wrapped around her like a warm embrace- it was wrong but she felt that she deserve at least a bit of comfort in knowing that their closeness hadn't dissolved completely like dust. Call her an idiot or a delusional love-struck fool but she knew that deep down she still saw him more than just her professor and that fact had shook her to the core. It wouldn't be fair of her to ask him for another chance- not when she had abandoned him when the going gets tough, not when they were on the verge of being career pariahs and be socially (and to her parents, morally) shunned by almost everyone.  They say that you can't choose who you fall in love with- but you do have a choice of hanging on to that hope or let it go.  And right now, the empty feeling was chased away by the temporary comfort. "I have to go, a meeting's about to start and I'll be waiting for any news of misconduct that you and your entourage might commit" he warned. "Oh okay"  She could almost kick herself at the tiny desperate tone and she hoped to God that he didn't notice. Maybe he did and didn't comment on it and she didn't know who should drop the call first. Should she drop first, or will he? Apparently it was decided for her when the door opened and Ethan popped his head in with some news- "Uh Fi? We got a situation here."

"Well fuck"

Cole summarized the situation quite nicely, she thought as she rolled her bangs between her fingers. The tall man beside her began to chew on the tip of his thumb, no doubt lost in his own thoughts as they stared at the television screen. May Gordon, with her pixie-cut hair and infuriating smirk graced the tube as she sat on her chair with legs crossed. "-for all that's worth of Fia Harting, whom I had personally met (unfortunately), it's quite a shock for everyone that she managed to have C. Z. Reaves, novelist and screenwriter of the indie hit, The Soliloquy; as the writer for their new movie 'Hereafter' starring the TV heartthrob Aiden Kavanaugh who's known for his vampire roles. Now, the cast and crew of Hereafter are hush-hush about the story but a reliable source that came from a blog in Tumblr was said to be accurate that it might even be the spoiler for the whole movie-" Anger boiled her blood that it was a wonder that steam haven't blown out of her ears yet as she turned to Ethan and snarled- "Find that blog!" Ethan quickly typed in to his phone and within minutes, he replied with a dutiful "Got it".  Everyone gathered around his phone and Fia scrolled through the blog of the person whose screen name was 'TheSpoilerMaster' which was pretty spot on considering they did have the plot to a tee. "They even managed to figure out the plot twist!" Cole snarled, pounding his fist on the table.  "We have a rat!" Lisa accused, making the whole crew look at each other before Fia came to an unthinkable conclusion. "Or the story's predictable and someone's able to figure it all out" she said. "Cut the bullshit!" Cole marched towards her with fury in his blue eyes. Any lesser person would've backed away but Fia and her stupid stubbornness and pride, met him head on and crossed her arms. "You said it yourself that my screenplay's practically flawless and it's got brains compared to those testosterone-filled movies they're splurging out with today's industry." "Let's face the facts, this isn't a movie that requires a PhD in Nuclear Biology and it's an easy thing to crack especially when it comes to par with Shutter Island and Donnie Darko. We need to change the plot itself... or at least half of the movie so we can have the element of surprise." Almost every person nodded at her suggestion- except for Cole and Ethan.  "We don't have any resources for another location" "I'm not going to change the damn script again!" Blatantly ignoring Cole's petulant complaint; Fia knew that Ethan's worries were indeed valid and worth the thought. They had spent almost all of the budget by booking the location for three days and they can't make a movie wih only five-thousand dollars unless they're gonna make a 'Saw' film and shoot everything in one vacant room. Fia knew one more option but this was a Hail Mary pass. It's an even more desperate move than asking Anders Stone or Richard Sheridan for help. Unfortunately, Ethan had thought of the same thing and pulled her to the sidelines with a low voice "Fi, do you think we can ask some financial backup from Hunt?" That was the same option that she had but it sounded so desperate when said out loud and she can't help but glare a bit at her agent, "You said I shouldn't associate with Hunt outside the classroom anymore, now you're asking me to have him as a finance backer? You better make up your mind, E." Ethan's face fell for a moment before he blew out a breath and raked a hand through his short hair. "Right, sorry 'bout that. I'm not trying to put you on the spot, it's just that-" "It's awkward, yeah" she completed for him. Right now they're between a rock- no, a mountain and a hard place. And not just hard like jawbreaker hard, it's titanium hard. Can things get any worse? A crash came from the other side of the hallway and eyes slowly zeroed in on Cole who just stared at what was once a vase now dissolved into thousands of porcelain pieces. "Cole!" "Wha- Why would they even put a fucking vase on the floor where no one can see them? It's a lawsuit waiting to happen!" Fia was just one pinch short of throwing herself at the man and beat the crap out of him when he shrugged and lazily said "Just bill it to my card then." She bit her bottom lip and she felt her face heat up with anger, he's too blasé with things like this! The broken decoration doesn't look cheap and even if it was, the price wasn't the problem but rather his attitude towards certain things. Things that were important but he treated it like it wasn't worth his time just like the cracked vase that will now be paid with their meager budget. Cole pulled a face when she swiped the back of her hand over her eyes and groaned "At this rate, I'll have to pay with my tuition to finish the movie." She could either do that or postpone the movie; wasting not only the time of her backers, crew and cast but their effort as well to create a film that will be a breakthrough in cinematic means. Huh, so this is what a career-heartbreak feels like.  "How much do we have on the budget?" Cole asked nonchalantly, to which she spat out- "Five thousand dollars flat, but since you broke a vase, I'm guessing it will be half of that when we leave." Their eyes connected for a moment before he looked away. Did he felt guilty? Well he should, because he added another headache to the pile along with a chunk of pretty penny they now owe Percival Trawler.  Lisa, Aria and her classmates wouldn't be bothered by the loss of their shares but for someone like the wealthy financer as Percival Trawler, he can either make or break someone's reputation by a single comment since he's part of the top financers of Hollywood projects.  Slowly, the group dissolved until the only ones left were Fia, Addison, Ethan and Cole. There was an air of discomfort, a hum of trepidation as apprehension crawled into her veins while different negative scenarios flashed behind Fia's closed eyelids. It took everything in her power not to curl up into a ball and cover her face with her hands like she did when she was a child. "What do we do now...?" Addi quietly asked to no one in particular.  For once, even Ethan was at a loss; not that she could blame him, there's only so much he could do even with all his connections.  Fia was about to tell them that they should just cancel the movie when Cole sighed and took a step forward. "Give me twenty minutes" he said. "Twenty minutes and we will have a budget and I can write a new storyline."  Before anyone could say a word, he was already marching out of the door with his mouth set to a grim line. The director contemplated about following him and ask how he will be able to fix everything by himself but something told her to wait and trust his decision for once. And she did.

Amazingly enough, he found a sole financier who gave them a blank check that was addressed to him and he had already created a draft for the new plot, which impressed her (although it's not the point) which was now being handed to his team of co-writers who were so immersed with the story Fia had to repeat herself at least twice to make sure they got the gist correct. And he got his wish of filming in New York and she didn't bother to reject it since it's now his call. Her light brown eyes sailed to Cole's direction where she met his gaze and sent him a thankful smile that was with utmost sincerity. He stared at her for a moment or two before his attention was needed by Aiden and Suresh to discuss their new dialogues. Hundreds of questions flooded her mind but for now, she just lets him have his moment and thought that Cole Reaves wasn't as bad as she had first perceived him to be. *•*•*•*•*•* "Fia's hiding something from me." Ethan looked up from the new script to see his girlfriend sighing across from his seat with a glass of water on hand. The bubbly blonde's usual smile was dampened by worry and a hint of disappointment and the agent could understand why Addison would feel that way.  Ever since Fia had stepped into Hollywood U; all bright-eyed and naive, it was Addi who had been her constant companion, advisor and confidante. They had a small bubble that even he can't enter (not only because he's a guy) and she'd been the director's secret keeper for so long that he was surprised that the fashionista had known about Fia and Hunt since the beginning. 'I thought it was obvious' she shrugged when he asked her about the scandalous affair the first time, 'They clearly had eyes for each other even with all those insults and glares. I really thought they would make it.' And as tender-hearted as she's talented; Ethan thought his two female best friends shared the same emotional bone when Fia told them that she had ended it with their surly professor. He had seen that one coming but he wasn't ready to see the usually strong young woman shaking in the middle of Addi's dorm; completely drenched from her head to her boots with an equally wet black umbrella on hand.  Her vibrant eyes were dull and her skin was even paler than normal as she walked towards the couch in zombie-like state and dropped herself on the cushions.  Addison didn't care about her wet floor and couch, focusing more on their friend who's out of her wits and just stared blankly at the floor. It was disheartening to see their friend like that and they immediately wrapped her into a hug, not caring that her wet clothes seeped to their own.  She didn't cry, just held on to them until her knuckles turned white with force and closed her eyes in mock serenity. Addi stayed with her the whole night, whispering reassuring things on Fia's ear but she didn't seem to be listening.  Ethan had seen the after-effects of Fia getting her heart broken and he will do everything he can not to see her into that state again. Which was why it took him a herculean effort to not mention Fia and Cole's "arrangement" to Addison because he knew that the blonde will barrel through the director's door and demand that she should break it off. He may not be an expert on relationships but he knows that this kind of relationships doesn't end well. "Why would you say that?" Ethan asked airily, trying to look casual. "I dunno, something's just off about her" she said, leaning back on her chair "She's a bit jumpy lately and she even sassed back at Hunt during his class." He quirked a brow "Uh, they do that at least once a week." Addi rolled her eyes and pushed the stray blonde stand that was obscuring her vision; "Well she almost swore at him 'cuz he called her out. I mean, she'd been staring into space and even sleeping once in Professor Moriyama's class." "But she'd been focusing lately so it's all good now, right?" She opened her lips to interject when they heard a sudden thump on the next room and a hushed curse. Addi's brow's furrowed in confusion, "What's happening to Fia over there?" Ethan was about to shrug it off as she stood up to find out when he remembered that Fia and Cole were supposed to be discussing the new setting of their movie. And according to what they just heard right now, he'd bet all his clients that they were past that point. He immediately stood up and straightened his tie; "I-uh, I'll ask her about the kickbacks of the financers okay?" "Oh, can I go too?" Addi requested, motioning to stand up but he raced to the door and called out- "It will only take a minute. Tell you what; let's get dinner out to town okay? Great see you later!" He didn't bother to look apologetic as she blinked in confusion and hurriedly exited Addison's room and walked to Fia's own. Ethan didn't really, really wanted to do this but he had to tell them to quiet down (or preferably stop it for the benefit of his sanity) or else someone might hear. Ethan prayed to all the deities up above to say that he's wrong and he's paranoid but as he tapped his knuckles against the door, he heard something or rather, someone, stumble towards the door while additional noise could be heard from inside. "Please don't be naked, please don't be naked" he chanted under his breath; the lock clicked and the doorknob twisted to reveal Fia who's thankfully clothed... but not fully. She opened the door by a couple of inches so he can't really see her whole form and she was leaning diagonally to the doorframe. Her hair was released from their ponytail confine and the exposed flesh that wasn't covered by an overlarge blue shirt (which was put on backwards and definitely belonged to Cole) was flushed especially her cheeks.  "E-Ethan! I was- uh, I was sleeping-" "Okay, we both know you're not sleeping so we can stop with the excuses. Just keep things quiet cuz we can hear you guys next door and-" he looked over her head by craning his neck "-tell Cole that hiding under the bed never works in real life." Fia blushed as she slowly closed the door and whispered "Sorry 'bout that." *•*•*•*•* "Alright, no more wall sex, ever." Cole dragged himself from underneath her bed, hissing as the carpet chaffed his skin. When they heard the knocking, she pushed him away with surprising force and told him to get under the bed. Hiding in the bathroom was obviously the best solution but she just told him ducked down the bed and out of panic, he did. He could almost kick himself by his stupidity and no doubt the person who interrupted their session will agree with him once they see his feet prodding out of the bed. Fia sat on the foot of the bed, wearing his discarded shirt to retain her dignity although he much preferred that she wore nothing at all. He stood up, working up the kinks along his shoulder and walked towards the bathroom, kissing her squarely on the mouth and entered the lavatory to clean himself, ignoring her alarmed look at his impulsive gesture of affection. When he came out, his shirt was folded on her bed and she's wearing a black dress top and cycling shorts which showed off her legs perfectly with her hair tied back to its proper style. She was sitting on the bed with her laptop on her lap, eyes staring at the screen as she typed hastily on the keyboard. Cole gave his soaked hair one last wipe from the towel and walked towards the bed. The mattress dipped as it received his weight and goosebumps appeared as the cold air from the air conditioning hit his skin.  "Aren't you cold?" he asked her, slipping on his shirt which provided no warmth at all.  "Nope" she replied, eyes still glued on the screen. He knew he should get going but somehow he felt a little bit lazy and he proceeded to lie on the left side of the bed. "What are you doing?"  "Sleeping" he answered, pulling at the duvet to cover himself from the cold.  Cole heard the typing ceased and he took a deep breath knowing that he's got her attention even when he didn't want it. Sure enough, he felt something shift from her side and he turned around to see her stand from the bed.  "Where are you going?" he asked- more like demanded as she put on a pair of shoes. Fia had the gall to send him a questioning look as she pulled the sole of the shoe and zipped the zipper; "Out. I can't really order dinner with you sleeping in my bed. Someone might see and they'll think that we're-" "In a relationship?" he offered. "No," she rejected, her face made a sour expression as if the thought repulsed her. Somehow it sent a wrenching feeling in his gut, adding one more thing into the secret pile of insecurities he had since childhood. "They'll think that we're fooling around and it will be media frenzy out there. Something we don't really need especially with the ongoing production" she explained.  Cole sat up, letting the duvet fall from his upper body "Technically, we are fooling around and wouldn't it be a good thing to gain some media attention for us?" Her lips curled for a second as she turned her back to face him and exited the room with a disembodied mutter.

'I don't want him to find out'

Her words bounced in his brain, taunting him with her wistful voice that sounded so fragile that it didn't suit her one bit. He knew she had a boyfriend but she didn't dwell too much on it, hinting that it's a rather touchy subject and it would just complicate things.  And again, he doesn't deal with complications. The cellphone in his pocket suddenly rang and frowned when he read the text she sent to him- 'I forgot to tell you, Hunt wants to remind you about your final project and said that you better hustle or else you might not pass the subject-' He scoffed at the words, almost offended that she backed the asshole professor's opinion before he scrolled down and read the continuation of her text. 'But don't mind the grouch, I'm more than confident that you can finish it by the deadline and kick that project's ass.' A small smile crept up to his lips without him knowing as well as a sudden skip of his heartbeat when a call came. The grin instantly dropped into a frown as he read the caller's name. Knowing that it's time to talk to his financier, he answered the call took a deep breath. "Hello dad." "I'm surprised that you still acknowledge me in that sense", out came a strict tone that never failed to make him feel inadequate.  The sound of people's garbled talking and the tapping on what could be keyboards indicated that his father's in his firm right now. He had been there before when he was six; his father had been trying to get him interested on the world of law. "So," his father continued "I supposed your mother had given you the check?" "... She did. If you want it back I can-" "No. We both know your mother won't be too happy if I cancelled the check even if I wanted to. But I will ask you a favor-" An alarm blared in his mind, warning him that it will require something in return but deep down, he knew that asking a favor to his estranged son was a big blow on his pride. "What is it?"  "I want you to make an appearance on your mother's birthday next week. Do it or I will take back that check."

End of Chapter 9

A/N: So sorry for the late update, things are so out of whack here I barely had time to open my emails that aren’t college related. Thanks for the condolences, I feel so much love from my internet friends and readers. 

As always, I hoped you enjoyed this chapter. Leave a like/reblog and don’t forget to comment your opinions, it’s always appreciated and suggestions are noted as well. I’m now available for questions and violent reactions via messaging.

Tick- toc Tick-toc Tick-toc The seconds ticked by in silence but as she counted them in her mind, they sounded as loud as canons being fired. Her throat clenched and the inside of her mouth was as dry as Death Valley. Right in front of her wasn't Hunt; this man is not her professor and director mentor. The man in front of her was Thomas, the guy she'd been secretly dating for almost two years before she ultimately ended it with the most pathetic 'I'm sorry' in history. That's all she said to him- a flappable apology without any further words to explain or to even make it feel less shitty and she just ran away like a coward; leaving him in the dark with a bullshit reason of preserving his career and his dignity, when in actuality she was only concerned with saving her own skin. The list of her flaws steadily grew and the bubble of self-hatred began to stir within. She immediately closed the door behind her, hoping that Cole had enough manners to know that it's a conversation he shouldn't listen to. "Don't you think it's too risky for us to be talking outside of your dorm room?" Hunt asked, frustration lacing his words. "Well I wasn't informed that this meeting's pre-determined" she snapped, eyes suddenly darting from side to side; trying to see if there were prying eyes and so far, they're alone... except for Cole and the quiet sandy brown-haired fashionista who lived downstairs.  "Someone's inside" she whispered but temper flared when he made a tutting sound- "It's not like I'm expecting you to come here anyway!" Hunt's mouth twitched but he took a deep breath and eased the tension from his shoulders. It bothered her that she can still read his actions- the meaning of every gesture and expression still nestled in the confines of her brain and she loathed herself for it.  "I see. I apologize since I made a rash decision by dropping in without any notice but I think this talk had been long overdue." "What talk?" she managed to squeak out.  The man blew out an irritated huff and lifted a dark brow at her sad attempt to be nonchalant about the matter at hand- one of the reasons she can't pursue a career as an actress. But he decided to strike while the iron's hot, lest she'll find another reason to run away. "I know that this is an awkward situation ever since the hearing but I want to clear the air between us" he stated; frank as ever. "For all its worth, I think things never meant to last between us and you know it; you're strong enough to cut off the ties while I was under the illusion that we might find a way."  He wasn't using an accusing tone nor did he look any way angry or hurt.  And that fact just made her blood boil. She wanted to scream at his face, pound the truth to his head like a mallet and the truth was-  She still loves him. As soon as she thought about it out loud, her whole body froze and her throat constricted, unable to form the words she needed to correct his presumptions. He thought that she was disillusioned about their relationship and gave them the chance to get out before it destroyed them further but he didn't know the empty days she had spent staring at the conversations they had on her phone. Stealing glances at him while he wasn't looking. Too afraid to talk to him even during class because her heart had beating too hard and fast for it to be normal. The numbness she felt after breaking up with him wasn't apathy but rather shock; shock at herself that she can do that to the person she didn't want to hurt the most.  "-suppose we can manage to be professionals."  Oh, she didn't realize he was talking. "Yeah" she mechanically answered "You're still my mentor, I guess. I wish I can say we can still be friends but I don't think that's an option." Hunt pulled a grim smile before he gave her a curt nod and turned his heel; the sight of his back facing her as he leaves was something that filled her eyes to the brim with tears. Their final goodbye to a relationship they tried to save but like a beautiful dream, it just had to end sometime.

*-•-*-•* Pale as a ghost was something Cole would use to describe the director as she entered her dorm and leaned against the door, staring at the ceiling with blank eyes. "Are you okay?" he asked.  "No" she replied. He scowled, there goes the sex session.  It must be his cue to walk out because her whole being screamed that she's about to cry. He didn't know what to do about crying girls, he mostly just leaves them alone- except if it's his own mother of course, that's the only time he'd be willing to comply. But as soon as he stood up, her knees buckled and she slumped to the floor with her head dipped down so he can't see her face. He had never seen her this vulnerable before- even after seeing her drenched from the rain along with the lost look that didn't suit her one bit. In a rare flash of sympathy, he knelt in front of her and silently stared at her, not saying a word since he didn't even know what the hell was happening. Hunt just appeared at her door and she suddenly acted like she had received the worst news of her life- Was it about her grades? She didn't seem to be the type to fall in a pit of desperation if she got a bad grade. Then again, the very question of why Hunt was here in the first place echoed in his mind.  He flinched when she leaned forward to rest her head against his shoulder. Unfamiliar in the context of comforting other people; Cole awkwardly tried patting her head like how he would to a puppy but she quickly peeled herself away from him and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. "Sorry 'bout that" she murmured.  He sat on the floor, feet splayed clumsily in front of him while she hugged her legs tight, her chin resting atop of her knees.  "So, what are we going to do now?" he asked but not expecting an answer since she's obviously not in a conversing mood but he really needed the tension to clear out. "I dunno... have sex?"  He snorted at her ill-timed humor; if she can make a joke during some kind of inner turmoil then she'll be fine throughout an apocalypse. He tugged at her bangs which earned him a glare and a weak swat on his hand. "What was Hunt doing here anyway?"  The words spewed from his mouth before he could stop himself. Her eyes were clouded for a moment until she brushed the strands from her eyes and took a deep breath "Not worth mentioning, mostly about the paper and other projects. Have you packed your bags yet?" He didn't comment on how she redirected the subject, complicating things was something he frowned upon although Marla and other insignificant people had been telling him he's the one doing it.  He would've left her there on the ground, not caring if she needed comfort or not but somehow his stomach twisted at the thought of leaving her alone, helpless like a newborn baby.  It irked him to care this much about someone he knew for such a small period of time-  "Yeah, just packed the clothes I need and shit" he answered and quirked a brow at her disapproving expression "What now?" "Do you really have to curse at every statement?" "Yes" he simply replied. "Kind of like how your accent keeps slipping every time you get angry." Cole can't fight off the smirk that invaded his face when she punched him on the arm. "Wanker" she growled as she stood up, leaving him on the floor to pick himself up- he would never admit to a single soul that she punches harder than him.

The flight was quite peaceful in his standards. At least the people sitting behind him weren't kicking the seat or bothering him with selfies or useless jabbers. Beside him was Ethan who was busy with his phone, texting other clients about their projects and such that it made Cole wonder how the agent even had time to breathe. He sat up a bit higher to adjust his hip that was digging on the armrest and saw Fia chatting with Addison and Aiden on the opposite aisle. He didn't fail to notice the closeness the woman have with the actor and he felt his dry lips curl. Were they that comfortable with each other for him to play with her hair and she, to poke on his pale cheeks? "Don't worry about Aiden" Ethan spoke up suddenly, "He's close to Fia but he never made a pass on her. I think it's about sharing the same continent or something like that." He blinked in confusion- "What are you talking about?" The Armani-wearing man turned to him with a slightly offended stare then returned his attention back to the phone, "You two don't really have the art of subtlety on the dot although I applaud the effort. This thing going on between you two is none of my business but you should really try to minimize it while we're in this trip. The last thing we need is you two having some kind of lover's spat that can ruin the schedule." "You're right" Cole mumbled, making Ethan smirk before adding, "It's really none your business so don't assume that we're dating." Ethan's relaxed posture stiffened. He clicked off the phone and turned to face Cole who was now looking at Ethan in a whole different light; gone was the agent and in its place was someone who had a frightful glint in his eyes and stared him down like a wolf to its prey. "Whatever your deal is with Fia, it's between you guys. I get it. But if I ever got wind that you did something to hurt her, you're gonna regret it." "Why, are you going to hurt me?" Cole taunted. He knew this was the part to shut up but he never responded well to threats. "It's not me who you should be worried about the most" Ethan cryptically warned before he took a deep breath and lifted the phone back to his face. "Let's get something straight here; Fia's my client but first and foremost, she's like a sister to me. Try to mess with her, there will be at least ten people who will be out for your blood and that's not even including me, Addison, Lisa and Aria." And Cole firmly believed his statement to be true. Her entourage was one big unit moving together and the glue that held them was the Scott who was too busy chatting with her best friend to even notice the heated glance he'd sent her way.   Ethan's words irritated the hell out of him and he concluded that it's because they don't even have a relationship to begin with. It's just two people having carnal needs and fulfilling them with each other- it's that simple. Why do people always try to mix pleasure with emotions? Those were the types of complications he- scratch that, they, both didn't need. They had an agreement and it entails that it's only for physical needs, no boasting or telling to other people and no kinky fetishes since their coupling is already weird enough for a lifetime.  "You have nothing to worry about" he stated; although now he's not sure whether he's talking to Ethan or to himself.

"Places everyone!" she called as she crouched by the main camera. Cole hunched over her with his hands in the pockets; eyes critical at every detail and his mouth set to a straight line while the sun hung low, marking the end of the day. The crew hustled to do their work, all the excitement and fun-filled aura was replaced with strict professionalism.  It may have been a few hours since they've landed on their destination but everyone knew that it wasn't the time to lounge around and act like tourists. "Final Scene, Take One!" The assistant director, Terrance, announced as he clicked the clapper board and Fia called out "Action!" Aiden silently stalked through the foliage; his boots avoiding the dried leaves that might conjure up sounds as Suresh hid behind a redwood tree, a fake gun raised close to his chest that was focused by the other camera. "Camera C pan down" she whispered on the mouthpiece and the operator followed.  Cole eyed the scene through the monitors in a scrutinizing stare and felt his mouth twitch. The scene didn't feel... right. Alex Brenner should be stumbling around the forest confused and tense, not confident and unafraid. No, this would ruin his vision. "Cut!" he barked out, startling everyone on the set. "We just started filming!" the director protested, annoyance flashing in her eyes as she glared from her seat.  He blatantly ignored her and turned to Aiden- "Read the script! The character's supposed to be making a lot of noise and scared shitless! Goddammit, if you're a raging schizophrenic who hallucinated that his enemy's a living and breathing immortal monster, wouldn't you be pissing your pants too?! Start again!" Aiden nodded in compliance (although his jaw tightened considerably) and walked back to his marker while everyone else returned to their task, except for Fia. She watched him for a couple of moments, long enough to make him feel uncomfortable, until she turned to the monitor with a blank face. Cole caught Ethan's glare and he turned to him fully; challenging him on his decision before the agent blink first and turned away. Did Ethan think that he was releasing some sort of petty jealousy on Aiden? He could almost laugh at the silliness of the thought. His patience may not be close to Mother Theresa's but he valued professionalism and this was a crucial moment, no room for errors.  The shuffling of feet against the earth and haggard breathing gave them the cue that Aiden abided on Cole's wishes. Cameras followed him around as he tumbled to the dirt and blindly groped the vegetation for the gun he dropped. Suresh jumped from behind the tree and stepped on Aiden's pale hand with his boot and a sneer on his face- "I told you to stop following me Brenner. What would Sarah think about coming home to a crazy father? Poor child just might be begging to go back to the loony bin-" Aiden's eyes narrowed as he retracted his hand from the weight of the foot and threw a punch at Suresh. "I'm not crazy!" he bellowed, his eyes wide as he tried to grab Suresh's collar but the Brit managed to avoid his hands and kicked him squarely on the chest, sending him crashing to the tree. "Cut!" Fia called out "That was great guys, are you okay Aiden?"  Aiden winked at her with a thumb's up, "It's nothing love, I've been through worse. You know that." The screenwriter didn't miss the way she rolled her eyes as she instructed Suresh to talk into a recorder while Aiden picked out the twigs off of his red hair. He shrugged off the uneasy wave that clenched his stomach and decided that it was disgust- playful banters aren't appropriate in the set after all. They continued filming until the moon hung on the sky, bathing the forest with its soft glow. Ethan did the time-check and they all hopped up to the buses they rented out from the nearby town.  Redwood State Park had a lot to offer; if they weren't in such a tight schedule, he would've stayed on the camping grounds and sleep under the stars in the tranquility of it all. The crisp smell of the woods, the comforting shade of green and brown and the moist air of the early morning mist fueled his desire to write something that captured the beauty and mystery that can be found on every corner of the forest. The sudden weight on his shoulder snapped him out of his reverie and realized that he was still inside the bus with Fia's head lolling against his shoulder, apparently sleeping.  Addison giggled from the other side of the bus when the vehicle hit a speed bump which resulted to her ridiculously hard head colliding against his shoulder. She yelped awake and looked around; blinking owlishly at her surroundings before she fell right back to sleep. Almost everyone in the bus laughed, except for Ethan who just shook his head with a smile on his face and an irritated Cole whose shoulder became the unwilling pillow. He would've pushed her away but the person beside her was an equally snoring Elijah whose messy yellow hair mushed against the window.  *-•-*-•-* Her eyebrows knotted in confusion when she felt soft sheets under her hands. The smell was different; instead of the earth and its woodsy scent, it was replaced by the smell of fresh laundry and something akin to a perfume that tickled her nose. Fia squeezed her eyes shut once before she slowly lifted her eyelids to see a bleary image of a cream colored ceiling. Oh, she must've fallen asleep. 'No duh' her brain taunted as she struggled to sit up until she decided that her body's too tired to complete the menial task.  She was still wearing the clothes she wore earlier but her shoes were taken off to avoid spoiling the clean sheets of the bed and her belongings which consisted of two large duffel bags and a hard case luggage sat on the opposite side of the room.  She unconsciously moved her arm on her left- expecting to feel warmth beside her only to realize that she wasn't in her dorm- this was not one of those nights where she lets him into her room and lose herself to physical ecstasy. Well maybe it's for the best; after all, she shouldn't be so dependent on their 'activities' and they haven't talked about being exclusive anyway.  She barely looked at someone else after Hunt and Cole's already a handful even if they weren't sleeping with each other. Some had asked her out a couple of times but she just rejected their offers with a flimsy excuse about having no time to think about something like that while she had spent half of her free time fooling around with the screenwriter, doing things that would shame her parents to the next century (as if being caught with her professor wasn't enough to do the job). After a few more minutes of lying around, she ultimately decided to grab something from the vending machine in the hallway to curb her hunger. Joints popped as she jumped out of the bed and walked out to the silent hallway; only to bump into Ethan. "There's my favorite client" he said amiably, flashing his smile that she might've appreciated if it weren't for the sleeping thought emerging from the back of her head. "We need to talk." Ethan quirked a brow at the seriousness of her tone but nonetheless followed her to the empty balcony that overlooked the whole town. The crickets chirped their songs and the silence was calming but it didn't reflect the whirlwind of thoughts that plagued her brain. She turned around to face hom and he in turn, placed his hands in his pockets, curiosity radiating from his body in waves. "How did you found out?" she curtly demanded. Ethan sighed, knowing that it won't do him any good to play stupid; he already told them in his own way that he knows. Surely he could've anticipated her rebuttal for his blatant announcement, right? "I have my ways" he answered, studying the red hue that sprung up on her cheeks. Fia hated being toyed around- preferring to go straight to the point and right now she was in one of her demanding moods. "Ethan, it's just me" she coaxed "I'm not gonna get mad if you somehow found out about Cole and me... I just- I need to know how you caught us." He shrugged "You don't need to be Sherlock Holmes to notice the things haplening between you two. I've known you for two years and I've never seen you put makeup on your neck unless you're hiding something that's not supposed to be there." She felt her lip curl, the blush on her cheeks ran all the way to her neck and she rolled her bangs again; entirely conscious of the agent as of the moment.  "But you didn't call us out on it-" "Yeah but that doesn't mean I have to like it. You're a grown woman, I know that but this thing between you isn't something you'd normally do. Does it have something to do with Hunt-" A touch of anger bubbled in her chest and an unmistakable pang of shame had forced her to toss away her friend's concern. "Look, whatever happened- happened. We're just fooling around, nothing serious. Anyways" she breathed out, "I have to go somewhere so..." she trailed off and dropped her gaze to the nails of her fingers. Ethan let her go without any interruptions but before she could disappear from the hall, he called out- "I don't want you to get hurt Fi, be careful." She answered with a whisper "Always am."

End of Part Eight

Part Nine

A/N: Hey gang.

Sorry for having such a late update but I had a lot of things that happened and one of them is that my dad died. I’m fine if you’re asking and I want to thank all my readers who had been actively supporting the story by liking, reblogging and commenting.

For the comments from the last chapter:

@mdlitbatgaawb: Glad to see that I can make a suspenseful story xD

@kayoimhey: Yep, Fia’s a proud Scot and Cole’s not shy about those kind of things... I dunno why I made him like that but I think he doesn’t really fit the ‘shy’ type category.

@dizzyclueless: Yes, Hunt has the best timing and thanks for the kudos, I really needed that :)

@thomashuntxmc : Thanks for the condolence and for reading the story.