Hate Me

“Did it hurt?”

He flinches, pulling away from me. “It did, yes.”

“Why were you working for a guy like Ramsey?”

“My younger brother, he got in with a bad group. Starting dealing and using,” he says sadly, staring into space.

It makes me want to hug him. He’s a good actor.

He continues. “I got involved so he could get out.”

“So this isn’t the kind of life you wanted?”

He shakes his head, and the bad boy is back. “It doesn’t matter. When this is over, I’ll be rich and powerful.”

I shake my head right back at him. “No, You're nothing more than a pawn. A babysitter.”

“Bullshit. When we take over the country, I get New York. When anarchy reigns, I will be a king.” He gets in my face. “Ramsey told me not to hurt you, but he didn't say I couldn't scuff you up a little. Maybe we’ll have some of that fun now.” He kisses my neck obscenely.

This is where the scene is supposed to stop. To make the audience think that if Tommy doesn’t find me soon, I’ll get raped.

But fuck that. Tommy Stevens’ movie daughter wouldn't allow herself to be the victim.

“So, you really don't want to make the world a better place? Face it. All you are is Ramsey’s little bitch.”

He keeps going too, improvising his lines. “Bullshit.”

“Fight me then.”

“What?” he asks, his face screwed up.

“Untie me, and if you can pin me, then I’ll go for whatever kinda fun you want, willingly.”

He shrugs, unties me, then says, “Interesting. Let's see what you've got.”

I stand up and massage my wrists for a second, while he takes off his shirt.

I touch his muscular chest. “It’s really too bad you wa

“I thought you wanted to fight me?”

I take a step back then throw a jab to his face, careful not to co

This surprises him, so he takes a defensive stance. “Interesting,” he says again, studying me carefully. Then he goes all cocky. “So, you like what you see?” He points to his real chest and, somehow, even though he’s staying in character, I’m pretty sure he’s talking to me.

He throws a punch back at me, which I easily block with my forearm, returning a quick jab to the chest.

“You hit like a girl.”

“I am a girl,” I say, stripping off my own shirt.

“What are you doing?”

“Just evening the playing field.”

“Sorry, I’m not twelve. You can’t distract me with a pair of boobs.”

I throw another punch at him, this one landing on his shoulder harder than I meant it to. “Last chance. Turn good guy and let me go.”

“No,” he says, throwing a kick at me, which I block with my forearm. Then I punch him in the stomach.

Which I’m pretty sure pisses him off a little. He flings himself at me, pulling me into a tight hold.

“It’s go

“You’ll save me.”

“I’m going to change the end of the movie. Let you get shot in the knee. Then, when you’re writhing in pain, I’ll knock you off that cliff myself.”

“But I’ll grab you and both of us will roll down the hill. You’ll land conveniently on top of me. Then you’ll kiss me,” he says with a grin, moving his lips closer to my face.

“No. You’ll kiss me.”

“That’s what this is all about.” Knox is talking to the whole room. “She doesn’t even have the part and she’s already demanding a rewrite. You know, sweetheart, all you have to do is ask.”

“The last thing I’d want to do is kiss you.”

“Cut,” a voice says.

Knox says to the guy who seems to be in charge, “Where'd you find this girl?”

“We all know where he found you. Under a rock,” I quip.

“Everyone knows I was a model well before I started acting. And what’s your name? Besides one that no one knows?”

“It’s Keatyn.”

“Well, Keatyn, you need to learn a thing or two about this business. You don't stray from the script like that, especially at a screen test. You're lucky I'm such a professional and went with it.”

“The screen test was just to see if we have chemistry. Which, clearly, we don't. Which means they'll probably kill you off even earlier. Heck, maybe they'll let me kill you off.”

“You just wanted to kiss me.”

“If they make me kiss you in the movie, I'm requesting a stunt double.”

“You know I'm a movie star, right?”

“How could I forget? Your picture is splashed on every magazine. You with a different girl. Your mother must be so proud. You should take a tip from Tommy Stevens. You know what happened to him after he met Abby?” I make a rocket with my finger. “‘From the atmosphere to the stratosphere,’ he always says. And what’s with you playing the bad guy lately, anyway?”

“Just trying to break the mold.”

“You want the big romance action stuff, you need a leading lady.”

“Let me guess. You want to volunteer? No one knows you, sweetheart. You just want me to help you get famous.”

“I hope you got all that,” I hear a familiar voice say. I turn around, but can’t see him in the lights.

“Oh, you’re in trouble now,” Knox whispers to me. “That’s the director. Hope you enjoyed your two seconds of fame.”

“At least I’m not going to die in the movie,” I tell him. Then I turn around and scream, “Uncle Matty!”

I hear Knox say to the casting director, “Uncle Matty? Just who the fuck is she?”

“This, my boy,” Matt says, putting an arm around each of us, “Is the girl who not only just saved your character’s life, but is also going to make you a very rich man.”

Matt turns us back toward the lights, which have dimmed, and addresses his crew. “Meeting in ten minutes. And someone order in di

Then he leans toward me and says, “Go check on Tommy back there. He said he needed a minute.”

I walk in the direction Matt pointed, suddenly worried.

Did I embarrass Tommy by going off-script?

This is why I never wanted to audition before.

But Matt didn’t seem mad. He’s even changing the script.

Writing the daughter out of it and giving Knox a bigger role, most likely.

I walk off the set defeatedly and find Tommy sitting in a director’s chair with his head down.

“Tommy, I’m sorry I went off-script. I didn’t mean to embarrass you.”

His head pops up and his eyes are shiny. “Embarrass me?” He stands up and pulls me into a hug. “I don’t think I’ve ever been more proud of you.”

I’m not ready for that.

5pm

“Hey.” I let myself into my loft and find Aiden in the kitchen putting away groceries. “I sort of lied to you,” I say abruptly, standing in front of him.

“About what?”

“Remember when I told you that I didn’t want to act?”

He squints, remembering, I think. “Uh huh.”

“Until I did the play, I was really afraid I wouldn’t be good enough. And that thing A

“The nationwide search?”

“Yeah. It was for a lead role. I’m not ready for that.”

“Trying to be like Abby Johnston would be a lot of pressure for your first role.”

“Exactly. So, today, I didn’t really have a hair appointment. I had a screen test. It’s for a really small part.” I’m practically bursting with excitement. “I did good.”

“Of course you did.”

“Aiden, just because I did well in a little play, doesn't mean I have what it takes.”

He shrugs. “Whatever. I know what I saw.”

I smirk at him. “And the fact that you maybe had a little crush on me didn't affect your opinion?”

“You're wrong. It was a big crush.”

“Oh . . .” I say as his lips crash into mine, giving me such a hot kiss that it makes me want to tell him a secret every day.