Beginning, Section II, Next Section
Chapter Five
Posted on Monday, 21 January 2008
Charles shook his head and crossed his arms. “I’m not going to set you up with Elizabeth.”
Will slumped his shoulders. “Oh come on, Chuck! Please! Please, do this for me. I’ll be forever grateful.”
“Can’t you take a hint? The woman doesn’t like you.”
“I think she does like me. She just doesn’t want to admit it.”
Charles rolled his eyes. “God, you’re so arrogant! You can’t take it, can you? You can’t handle the fact that there is a woman out there who doesn’t want you! This isn’t a game, Will. If you toy with Elizabeth and break her heart, you can ruin my relationship with Jane.”
“I’m not going to toy with her! What are you smoking? You know I’m not that kind of guy.”
Charles sighed and then looked at Will with a rueful smile. “Yeah, you’re right…sorry, I lost my temper…I’ve known you long enough to trust you, but I’m glad to hear you say it…you really like her, huh?”
“Yeah. She’s fun and different…and hot.”
Charles laughed. “Are you sure you’re not enamored with her, because she’s a gorgeous woman, who had the nerve to reject you?”
Will shook his head. “I’ve been rejected before. It’s not like that never happens. Don’t you remember how I was in high school?”
Charles smirked. “Yeah…you were the awkward, filthy rich teenager who had starred in those annoying television commercials and crappy movies.”
Will grimaced. “I was far from being the most popular kid on the block.”
“Yes, but that was ages ago. You haven’t been in a situation like that since your success and fame skyrocketed. These days you’re surrounded by fawning fan-girls.”
“But I haven’t forgotten those early days and I don’t think I ever will…anyways, will you help me?”
“Yeah, all right, I’ll try to help. What do you want me to do?”
“Tell Jane you want Elizabeth to join the two of you for dinner, because you want to get to know her better. Don’t mention me. I’ll come with you and surprise her at the restaurant.”
Charles smirked. “What if she sees you and leaves?”
“She won’t do that. I’m betting she’ll stay and tolerate my presence for her sister’s sake.”
Charles sighed. “Okay, I’ll do it.”
Will grinned. “Thank you so much, Chuck! You’re the best! I’ll pay you back for this, I swear.”
Charles laughed. “All right, now get yourself to wardrobe. You need to get to the set on time.”
Will looked at his watch. “Oh man, I only have forty minutes. I have to get out of here!”
He grabbed his jacket and sprinted out of the room. Yelling out greetings to passing crewmembers as he ran, he made it to wardrobe in record time.
“Hey, Sarah. How’s it going?” He tossed his jacket towards the side of the room and sat down on a chair to regain control over his breathing.
“You look exhausted, honey. Did you run all the way down here again?”
Will gave the costume designer a sheepish smile. “I can’t be late.”
Sarah laughed. “You got that right. You show up late to the set one more time and Mr. Collins might fire you.”
Will stood up and grimaced. “He hates me, doesn’t he?”
Sarah took Will’s suit off the hanger and held it against his body. “This should look nice on you. Anyway, don’t you worry about that, darling. That man is a darn fool.”
Will smirked. “He has to be, if he thinks Caroline Bingley can act.” He took off his polo shirt and put on the white dress shirt Sarah gave him. He then removed his jeans and changed into Sarah’s handpicked suit.
“Now hush, Mr. Darcy. That’s no way to talk about your co-star. She has her spies all over the place, you know.” She said as she wiped the dust off Will’s suit jacket.
“You won’t rat me out now, will you?” He gazed at her with a teasing smile.
Sarah shook her head as she wrapped a tie around Will’s neck. “You’re secret is safe with me, Mr. Darcy. How do you like the tie? I think it’s nice. It brings out your eyes.”
Will looked at the mirror for a moment and then glanced at Sarah with raised eyebrows. “I have no sense of fashion, so I’ll trust your judgment, but since when have I been Mr. Darcy?”
Sarah smiled. “Since Collins lectured me on being more professional.”
Will’s jaw dropped. “He did not!”
“Oh yes, he did.”
“I can’t believe it! He’s even dumber than I thought. Who tricked my aunt Catherine into hiring this idiot?”
“I don’t know, but I’ll tell you what, I’ve been in this business for thirty years and I have never seen such a terrible director. If I were you, darling, I wouldn’t listen to a word that man says.”
Will frowned. “This movie could turn out to be my worst nightmare if I don’t do something to change it. Maybe I should talk to Catherine about Collins. He won’t take my advice, but he’ll do anything if it comes out of my aunt’s mouth. Do you know if she’s on the set today?”
Sarah shook her head and stepped away from Will. “I haven’t seen her around. I’m sure you’ll find out soon. If she’s here, Collins will turn into a little pussycat.”
Will looked in the mirror and adjusted his jacket. “Am I ready to go?”
“Yes, dear. You’re all set.”
Will grinned. “Thanks, Sarah.”
“No problem, sweetheart. You hurry up and do your thing, okay?”
“Okay,” Will answered and rushed towards the hotel lobby, where the shoot was about to start. He was greeted by his co-stars George Hurst and Maria Reynolds.
Maria laughed as he sat down to get some rest. “Wow, you made it!”
Will caught his breath. “I didn’t want to get another lecture.”
“You have to admit, you do bring some of those lectures on yourself,” George replied with a smile.
“Yeah, because I’m the only one here who has the guts to stand up to the idiot director!”
George grimaced. “You’re the only one who can afford to, since your aunt owns the studio.”
“Don’t you agree with me, George? Maria? Do you guys really think this movie can be any good?”
George and Maria shook there heads. Will stood up from his chair and approached his co-stars.
George looked at Will with a sly grin. “Anyways, forget about your problems for a second and get a load of this.”
He handed Will an envelope. Will opened it and laughed at its contents. He looked up and gave George a high-five.
“This is hilarious! Who made this?”
“Nancy Goulding.”
“Ah, I should have known. She’s the one who came up with Caroline’s infamous nickname!”
“That’s the ice queen's make-up lady, right?” Maria interjected.
“Yeah, she’s a clever one,” Will replied.
“So, what did she do this time?” Maria asked.
Will continued laughing. “She made a photo shopped picture of an aging Caroline Bingley with wrinkles all over her face and a gigantic wart on her nose. Here, see it yourself,” he said as he handed the photograph to Maria.
Will grinned. “You know, you have the easiest role in this movie.”
Maria crossed her arms and raised her eyebrows. “Do I? And why is that?”
“All you have to do is imitate our favorite co-star,” Will answered, making George and Maria laugh.
“Will’s right. The character of Rose fits Caroline to a tee. I don’t get why she was cast as Joanna and you were cast as Rose. You would be much better as Joanna,” George argued.
Maria frowned. “I auditioned for Joanna, at first, but Collins told me I wasn’t famous enough for the lead role, so he cast me as Rose instead.”
“You know, I might be able to change that, if you want.”
Maria wrinkled her nose. “What do you mean?”
“I’m going to talk to my aunt about Collins. The guy doesn’t know what he’s doing. He’s going to sink this ship if none of us stop him. I can tell Catherine to recommend that Collins switches your role with Caroline’s.”
Maria’s eyes widened. “Are you crazy? The frigid ice queen would throw a fit!”
Will shrugged his shoulders. “So? I'm not afraid of her.”
The others laughed until Georgiana approached them. “Sorry Will, you can’t stand around and chat anymore. All of you are called onto the set. They’re ready to shoot.”
Will and the others scurried to their proper places and prepared to do their jobs.
“Lights, Camera, and Action,” Collins yelled as he snapped the clapperboard shut.
Will glared at Maria. “I told you, I don’t want to be with you, so leave me alone! I have an important business meeting to attend.”
“You stupid jerk! Are you really going to reject me for that…that insignificant little trailer trash upstart? Don’t you know she’s engaged to someone else?”
“Yes, and it’s your fault!”
Maria gaped at Will. “My fault? How on Earth is that my fault?”
“You lied to me all those years ago. You manipulated me into leaving her and now she doesn’t trust me anymore.”
“I told you the truth.” Maria raised one eyebrow in a gesture so uncanny in its similarity to the mannerisms of Caroline Bingley that Will could not restrain a laugh.
Knowing he had ruined the take with his laughter, he decided to ad-lib. “No, you lied…you nasty, selfish, manipulative, egocentric frigid ice queen!”
The actors and the crew burst into laughter at the use of the secret nickname they had given to Caroline Bingley. The director, however, was not amused.
“What is so funny?”
“I’m sorry, sir. I…I lost my concentration,” Will replied in between chuckles.
Collins shook his head and called for another take. The cast and crew ended their mirth and resumed business. Will pushed through the scenes with thoughts of Elizabeth Bennet always in the recesses of his mind. Though he could not explain why, he had not been so infatuated with a woman in quite a while. He could be working or relaxing on the couch at home or in the middle of a shower, and something Elizabeth Bennet had said or a gesture she had made or an image of her would stir up in his mind.
After the shoot ended and evening drew near, Will’s anticipation exploded to great heights. He couldn’t wait to see how Elizabeth would react to his presence at dinner. He hoped she had reconsidered her actions since the last time they had met and would, therefore, be willing to give him a chance. Despite his desire to impress her, he dressed in casual clothes. Tired and hungry, he had no inclination to waste hours on perfecting his physical appearance. He figured Elizabeth wasn’t a shallow fashionista, who would sneer at him for showing up to dinner in a t-shirt and jeans. He called Charlie to get the address of the restaurant and then left his apartment.
Will walked into the cozy eatery in Little Italy and found Charles seated at a table for a four. Anticipating that Jane would like to sit next to Charles, Will sat across from him. Thus, Elizabeth would have no choice, but to sit next to Will.
Charles glanced at his watch and grinned. “Wow, you’re a minute early.”
Will laughed. “Yeah, I was too excited to be fashionably late.”
“Jane called me just now. Her and Elizabeth got off the subway and are on their way here. They should get here in like two minutes.”
“Great. How’s the food here?”
“I don’t know. I haven’t been here before. Elizabeth recommended it.”
“Oh really? This should be interesting.”
Charles nodded his head and Will turned around to find Jane and Elizabeth enter the restaurant. Will smiled at Elizabeth, but she turned crimson at the sight of him.
“Hey Jane, Elizabeth, how are you?”
Jane grinned. “Oh, hi Will. I didn’t know you would be here. Charlie, why didn’t you tell me?”
Will cleared his throat. Charles smirked at Will. “Oh, I’m sorry. I guess I forgot to mention it.”
As expected, Jane sat next to Charles. Will stood up and pulled a chair out for Elizabeth. Elizabeth glared at him and sat down. She turned her head away from his and stared out the window, while Jane and Charles engaged in small talk.
Will noticed the tension in her features, and started to regret his actions. He hoped she would let her guard down after a while, but he feared she would persist in ignoring him.
He turned towards her. “So, Chuck told me you recommended this place…it looks nice.”
“The food is amazing. I’m sure you will love it,” Jane answered for her sister.
Will gave Jane a resigned smile. “Is there anything you recommend?”
“The pizzas are all really good, but my favorite is the lasagna and Elizabeth loves the ravioli.”
Will scanned the menu. “How big are the pizzas?”
“There are small individual pizzas and also large ones that can fill up a group of people,” Jane answered.
“Do you think we should order a pizza for the four of us?” Charles asked.
Jane shrugged her shoulders. “Oh, it doesn’t matter. I’ll eat anything. What do you think, Liz?”
Elizabeth looked at Jane. “I’m not hungry. You guys can order whatever you want. I’ll settle for a cup of coffee.”
“Pizza sounds good to me,” Will said.
Charles called for the waiter and made the order. Will struggled to reign in his disappointment as Elizabeth’s silence persisted. Charles and Jane were acting like love-struck teenagers and there he was, sitting next to a beautiful and intelligent girl, unable to start a conversation. He asked her several questions, but she rebuked his efforts with one-word answers. He took the hint and fell silent, wallowing in regret and frustration.
After several minutes, Jane’s cell phone rang. She took the call and went outside. Will saw an opportunity to be alone with Elizabeth and took advantage. He gave Charles a pleading glance, gesturing towards the bathroom. Charles understood his hint and left the table.
Will looked at Elizabeth and saw her eyes widen. “Are you going to ignore me all night?” he whispered into her ear.
Elizabeth glared at him. “You don’t know how to quit, do you?”
Will frowned and lowered his head. “I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable. I wanted to see you again, but I thought you might not go to dinner if you knew I would be here.”
Elizabeth smiled at him. “You’re smarter than you look.”
Will chuckled. “You know, you are something else…so how did you get to be this way? Did some dumb jerk break your heart and ruin things for the rest of the male gender?”
Elizabeth laughed. “Hmm, maybe you’re not so smart after all. You seem to think everything in life is like a movie.”
Will grinned. “You’re right. I don’t know any better. I’ve done nothing but act my entire life.”
“I didn’t know you were a child star,” Elizabeth said with an earnest gaze.
Will grew uncomfortable. “Uh…well, I wouldn’t say I was a star…I did commercials and a few movies, but none of them became huge hits.”
Jane returned to the table, while Will was in the middle of his sentence. “Oh Will, could I ask you for a tiny favor?”
“Yeah, sure.”
“You see, our cousin, Lydia…”
“Jane don’t!” Elizabeth interrupted.
Jane blushed. “But I promised…”
Elizabeth shook her head. Will frowned. “What about your cousin, Lydia?”
“Nothing. It’s nothing. So, how did you first get into acting?” Elizabeth took a large gulp of her iced tea.
Will managed to repress a laugh. He was about to answer her question, but Jane did that for him.
“Liz, don’t you remember? His dad had been a director and later founded Pemberley Studios, and his mom was a famous actress. They pushed Will into commercials when he was five years old.”
“Wow, Jane, I wouldn’t have expected a smart girl like you to read tabloids,” Charles said as he returned to his seat.
“Oh, I don’t read tabloids. My cousin Lydia does. I know a lot about Will, because she talks about him all the time. Will, she has a huge crush on you. She’s seen all your movies and watches your old commercials on you tube.”
“Jane! Stop it. He’ll think she’s a crazy stalker.”
“But Lydia made me promise I would mention it…Lydia isn’t a crazy stalker. She’s a teenager and is a little boy crazy, but other than that, she’s a sweet girl.”
Elizabeth rolled her eyes. “God, this is so embarrassing,” Will heard her mumble.
He laughed. “Oh okay. You should bring her to the set. I’ll give her an autograph.”
Jane’s eyes lit up. “Would you really?”
“Sure, why not?”
“Oh, thank you so much! Lydia will be so excited!”
Elizabeth turned to Will. “You have no idea what you just got yourself into.”
Will smirked. He was not afraid of her cousin. He had grown accustomed to being accosted by overzealous fans over the years, and he knew this Lydia girl wouldn’t be any different from the rest of them. To his surprise, Elizabeth addressed him.
“So, if you hadn’t become an actor, what would you have done with your life?”
Will hesitated. “Uh…I don’t know. I never really thought about it.”
“You’ve known you would be an actor since you were five years old? You never considered doing anything else?”
Will shrugged his shoulders. “No, not really.”
“Did you act, because you loved it, or did your parents force you into it?”
“I enjoyed it. I used to do impressions of Marlon Brando and Jimmy Stewart when I was in pre-school. I liked making people watch me and I loved making them laugh. My parents recognized my preference for performing and encouraged me. They never tried to push me to do something else.”
Elizabeth fell silent. The waiter arrived with their food and Will satisfied himself by concentrating on devouring dinner. After fulfilling his appetite, Will turned his attention to Charles.
“So, I talked to my aunt about the movie today.”
“Oh yeah, what did she say?”
“She supported me. She’s going to pass my suggestions along to Collins.”
“Well then, good for you.”
Will cleared his throat. “Uh…listen, Chuck…if you get an angry call from your sister tomorrow, don’t be surprised.”
“Why would I get an angry call from Caroline?”
Will suppressed a grin. “She might have to switch roles with Maria.”
“What? Are you out of your mind? Why on Earth would you suggest something like that?”
“Because Caroline can’t act to save her life, but if she plays Rose, she won’t have to act at all.”
Charles slapped his forehead. “Oh God! Caroline will never settle for a supporting role. She’s going to freak out if this happens and I will get the blame.”
“No you won’t. I will tell her it was all my fault. She’ll aim her hatred and anger toward me, so don’t worry about it.”
“You realize she will do all she can to ruin your career if you tell her the truth.”
“Yeah, but I’m not afraid of her. I can roll with the punches.”
Charles shook his head. “You’re insane.”
Will smiled. “You’ll think I’m a genius when you see this movie’s box office results and reviews.”
Will heard Elizabeth laugh at his declaration, but he ignored her. Will’s news must have soured Charles’ mood, for he said nothing through the rest of dinner. The table remained in a state of awkward silence until it was time to say goodbye.
“You’re going to visit the set again soon, right?”
Jane smiled. “Yes, of course.”
Will looked at Elizabeth. “I meant both of you. You’ll come too, won’t you?”
Elizabeth shook her head. “I don’t think so.”
Will knew he must have looked pathetic. He was so disappointed; he could not hide his feelings beneath a disguise.
Jane laughed. “I’m sorry about Liz. She can be a real grouch sometimes.”
Elizabeth rolled her eyes and motioned for Jane to leave. Jane ignored her sister and approached Charles. Elizabeth went outside, but Will followed her.
“I had a good time tonight.”
“You’re such a terrific liar. It must come easy to you.”
“And you are too sarcastic for your own good.”
“You are in no position to judge what is or is not for my own good.”
“Go out with me.”
Elizabeth laughed, but Will persisted. He was convinced she felt an attraction for him, and he would not relent until he could confirm his gut instinct.
“Come on, just one date. That’s all I’m asking for. If you still don’t like me after one date, I’ll leave you alone.”
Elizabeth raised an eyebrow. “Promise?”
Will smiled. “I promise.”
“I’ll have to think about it.”
“I also promise that I won’t stop pestering you until you go out with me.”
“You’re such a spoiled brat.”
Will lost his patience. “And you are full of it! You kissed me back, and yet you pretend you don’t like me.”
“That was a mistake! Stop being cocky and grow up.”
Elizabeth turned around and walked away from him, but Will refused to allow her to end it there. He caught up to her and grabbed her arm. She glared at him and tossed his arm aside.
“I’m sorry I said you’re full of it. I didn’t mean it.”
Elizabeth sighed. “Why do we act like bratty kids when we are around each other?”
“I wouldn’t say we act like kids.”
“You think this is normal adult behavior? God, you’re even more divorced from reality than I thought.”
Will smirked. “I was going to say we’re more like cat and mouse.”
Elizabeth’s eyes widened. “Yes, because relationships are nothing more than a game to you.”
Will took her hands and drew her near him. “No, because you keep hiding and running away, but I know better and will bide my time. You’ll get tired from the chase, eventually.”
He let go of her and walked back into the restaurant to get Charles. He spotted Elizabeth staring at him in amazement out of the corner of his eye and smiled to himself.
Chapter Six
Elizabeth felt exhausted, but she pushed through her fatigue in order to finish her work. She wiped the bar with silent determination, while Lydia and her best friend, Kat, gossiped about the latest stupid Hollywood rumor. Once the bar was spotless, she took a broom and swept pieces of shattered glass off the floor. There were always accidents where some loser drank more liquor than he could hold and dropped his glass in a drunken stupor. Elizabeth enjoyed her job, especially when she managed to give a great band the spotlight on her stage. Nevertheless, there were moments when she wished she had never bought a rundown property and turned into a nightclub. Her giggling employees did not make her feel better.
“Liz, did you really refuse to go out with Will Darcy?” Kat asked with her hands gripped against a bar stool.
Elizabeth rolled her eyes and continued sweeping. “Do you and Lydia have nothing better to talk about?”
Lydia rested her elbows on the bar and glanced at Kat. “You shouldn’t be surprised. Liz has always been snobbish and picky.”
“Lyds, can you do me a favor and steal Darcy away from me when you meet him? I would be forever grateful.”
“He won’t date a girl my age. I’m too young for him. No matter what you might think of him, Will Darcy is not a sleaze.”
Elizabeth laughed. “Wow, you’re starting to make sense! Maybe there is hope for the future, after all.”
“I’m young and maybe naïve, but I’m not brain-dead. You don’t give others enough credit. You think you’re smarter than everybody else.”
Elizabeth shook her head and stopped working for a moment. “I should never have agreed to hire you. You’re getting bitter and it’s annoying me.”
Lydia’s expression softened. She took the broom from Elizabeth’s hands and put it away.
“I’m not bitter. I love you, or else, I wouldn’t tell it like it is.”
“Your problem is you’re like your mom and tell it like it is too much.”
Kat coughed. “I hate it when you two argue. Anyway, Liz, I don’t understand why you don’t like Will Darcy? He seems so nice and down to Earth in interviews.”
“Of course he does. He has publicists and agents and all sorts of handlers training him to come off as a nice guy in interviews. All movie stars have to learn public relations skills.”
“Jane said he was gracious and kind when she mentioned that I’m a big fan of his.”
Elizabeth smirked. “Jane thinks everyone is gracious and kind.”
Kat smiled with a mischievous gleam in her eyes. “Jane also says he really likes you.”
“No he doesn’t. He’s a cocky jerk, who can’t take no for an answer. He’s chasing after me, because he’s clueless enough to think I’m playing hard to get.”
Lydia sighed. “I thought you were over what happened with Mark, but it seems like you’re still judging every guy you meet based on what that loser did.”
“This isn’t about that, okay. I have plenty of good reasons for why I don’t want to get involved with Will Darcy, and those have nothing to do with Mark.”
Lydia crossed her arms and gave Elizabeth a suspicious glance. “What good reasons?”
“Will Darcy is an arrogant, spoiled, irritating brat who grew up with a silver spoon in his mouth. He lives on a different planet and can’t relate to people like us. I can’t trust him, because I can’t tell if he’s being honest or acting. He may be smart and he may be talented, but he has done nothing to convince me that he deserves his millions. Plus, he has to be too young for me. He looks and acts like he’s eighteen and it wouldn’t surprise me if he used a fake i.d. to get into my club.”
“Your reasons are based on stereotypes and you’re wrong about his age. He turned twenty-one last February 6th.”
Elizabeth was disconcerted enough to turn her attention to Kat. “Doesn’t it freak you out that your best friend knows everything there is to know about someone she has never met?” Kat shook her head and kept quiet.
“What’s wrong with that? He’s my favorite celebrity. Of course, I’m going to know his birthday.”
“But you know everything else about him too.”
Lydia rolled her eyes. “Ugh, whatever. Anyway, you’re twenty-six and he’s twenty-one, so he’s not too young for you. It’s only a five year difference.”
“Only a five year difference? He was still in high school when I graduated from college! You’re forgetting that guys take longer to grow up than girls. A twenty-one year old guy has the maturity level of a fifteen year old girl, so dating him would make me a cradle-robber.”
Kat laughed, but Lydia shook her head. “You’re hopeless.”
“Good, don’t turn out like me when you get older.”
Lydia laughed. “I won’t, you can count on that!”
“But, Liz, you have to go to the set with Jane and Lydia,” Kat persisted.
“Why?”
“Why not? It’s a great opportunity. It’s not like you’ll get another chance to watch how movies are made.”
“I saw the set once. I don’t see the point in going there again.”
“Liz, you totally have to come! I want to see how Will behaves around you. I’ll be bitter with you for the rest of the week if you don’t come!”
Elizabeth rolled her eyes. “All right, I’ll go. Now, will you please find something else to talk about?”
Lydia smirked and did as Elizabeth suggested. Thus, Elizabeth had the chance to stew in her resentment over her cousin’s meddling in peace. Her frustration diminished, however, upon Jane’s ecstatic reaction when she mentioned her decision to revisit the set.
The second time she walked into the lobby of the Waldorf Astoria, Elizabeth felt uneasy, but at least she was more familiar with her surroundings. She spotted Will in the corner and turned her eyes away, hoping he would not notice her. Her hopes were dashed by Charles, who led her and Jane towards his friend. Elizabeth was surprised to find Will and Caroline Bingley in a heated discussion with the director.
“I agree with everything you have said, William. I welcome your advice and will not stand in your way from now on. I assure you; I am fully repentant of my previous behavior and hope that you will forgive me. I am sure the two of us can become friends by the time this shoot is over.”
“Listen, Collins, you don’t like me, and I don’t like you. You thought you could get away with treating me like dirt as long as you sucked up to my aunt, but you found out you were wrong. Now, you’re trying to fool me by changing your tune. I’m not an idiot. I can see through your charade and I won’t be a part of it. You do your job and I will do mine, you understand?”
Elizabeth smirked as the director cowered under pressure. He answered Will with a meek nod and did not attempt a second round of flattery.
“This is unbelievable! I will not stand for this! Collins, if you don’t change your mind, I swear I will drop out of this movie. Your career will be ruined and so will yours, Darcy!”
“Caroline, calm down. You haven’t thought this through enough yet. There is no reason to be angry. If you will let me explain, I can convince you why this role will be terrific for your career.”
Caroline sneered at Will. “Please, explain away.”
“Think about it for a minute. You’ve always played the good girl in romantic comedies. This is your chance to play against type. You can silence the critics that have accused you of being a one trick pony. You can surprise everyone. If you don’t believe me, then look at what going against type did for Denzel Washington. If this movie is a huge hit and gets good reviews, you could win an Oscar!”
Caroline’s demeanor turned thoughtful and her previous anger disappeared from her sharp features. Elizabeth had to give Will credit; he was persuasive and knew how to get what he wanted.
Caroline held her chin with her fingers and turned to her brother. “What do you think?”
Charles grinned. “I think Will is right on the money. Go for it, sis. I know you can do it.”
Caroline’s expression changed to one of petulance. “But it’s a supporting role, Charlie.”
“There is no such thing as supporting and leading roles. A role is what the actor makes of it,” Will answered.
“Catherine Zeta Jones’ role in Chicago was considered supporting by some, but she stole the show and won tons of awards,” Charles added.
Collins’ eyes opened wide in apparent eagerness. “Think of it this way, Janet Leigh was a huge star when Psycho came out. Hitchcock billed her as the lead of the movie, so when she was killed off early, audiences were floored. We can do that with you, Caroline. People will come in to this movie expecting another romance between your character’s and Will’s, and they will be shocked to find out you’re the ex-girlfriend from hell!”
“Okay, okay, you’ve all convinced me. I’ll play Rose. Darcy, if this movie doesn’t work and my career takes a beating, then I will have your head!”
Will laughed. “You’ll be singing my praises when this film hits theaters. I’m sure of it.”
The discussion ended and Collins called for the actors to get ready to shoot. They completed the scene after several takes and a break became necessary for the crew to prepare the lobby for the next scene. Much to Elizabeth’s discomfort, Will spotted her and approached her as soon as his break started.
“Hey, you came!”
She gave him a wry smile. “Don’t look so happy. I was forced into it.”
Will laughed and then greeted Jane. “Hi, I’m so glad you could make it,” he looked at Lydia, “and this must be your cousin.”
Lydia blushed and lowered her eyes for a moment. She clutched a picture of Will in her hand, but did not ask him to sign it.
“I heard you’re a fan of mine. It’s nice to meet you.”
Lydia nodded, still staring at the ground. Elizabeth was shocked, but relieved to witness her cousin’s sudden shyness.
Will held his hand out towards Lydia, who blushed even more as she shook it.
“Would you like an autograph?” Will asked with an encouraging smile.
“Yes, please,” Lydia whispered.
Jane laughed. “You’ll have to excuse my cousin. She’s not always this tongue-tied. She must be really star-struck.”
Will smiled. “That’s okay. Here you go,” he said as he handed the autographed picture to Lydia.
Lydia’s cheeks remained crimson as she smiled. “Thank you.”
Elizabeth, Jane, and Lydia left the set soon after Lydia received her autograph. Jane only had an hour to spare before she had to return to work, and Elizabeth did not wish to stay behind. Will, however, did not let her go without having another word with her. He hinted she would see him again soon, and though she could not know what he intended to do, she felt mixed feelings upon hearing his declaration. His goodness towards Lydia softened her judgment of him, but she remained unconvinced of his sincerity.
That night proved to be hectic for Elizabeth. Lydia had called her in the evening and told her she wouldn’t be able to work. Her mother was in labor and she needed to rush to the hospital to see the birth of her new baby sister. Elizabeth was overjoyed for her cousin and gave her the night off without hesitation. When Kat called and said she had come down with the flu, however, Elizabeth’s mood turned dark. She was overwhelmed with worry over her unfortunate situation.
She had a night club to run, but no bartenders and the club was set to open in a few hours. She considered closing the bar for the night, while keeping the rest of the club open, but came to realize it was a bad option. The club profited off the sale of alcohol more than anything else, so closing the bar would result in a drastic loss of revenue. She might as well have shut the entire club down if she could not find bartenders.
Elizabeth pondered the matter and came up with a decision after considerable debate. She would not shut the club down and she would not leave the bar unattended. She would work as the sole bartender for the night. Business would be slower than usual, but it was worth a try.
Her night was beyond difficult. Customers were grumpy and rude, because of the slow service. She explained the lack of bartenders again and again, but few people would give her compassion. She felt exhausted and yet the night had only begun. There had already been one bar fight and she knew there would be several more for her to stop.
Elizabeth, therefore, could not maintain her composure when Will Darcy walked into her club. She cursed herself for being sweaty and disheveled, and then cursed him for coming. He was not wearing any disguise, and Elizabeth feared he would be recognized, causing even more trouble for her. He stood in line and waited until it was his turn to make an order.
Despite her feelings, she turned towards him and smiled when he reached the bar. “I see you’re a man of your word.”
He sat on the bar stool and looked at her with a frown. “How come you’re the only one here?”
Elizabeth sighed, repressing the urge to curse. “Lydia’s mom is about to give birth and Kat came down with the flu, so I’m stuck serving drinks alone.”
“You look exhausted.”
Elizabeth rolled her eyes. “Thanks, that makes me feel so much better.”
Will did not respond. He stood up on the barstool, reached his hand to the edge of the bar, and hopped over it.
Elizabeth watched him in astonishment. “What are you doing?”
“Helping you out,” he said with his customary cocky grin.
Elizabeth seethed and tried to push him away, but he resisted her and faced a customer.
“What would you like, sir?”
“A margarita.”
Elizabeth held Will’s arm. “Are you insane? You’re going to ruin my bar!”
Will ignored her and grabbed the margarita mixers from the shelf. He poured the ingredients and shook them as though he had done it all his life. Elizabeth couldn’t believe her eyes and after staring at him for several minutes, she burst into laughter.
“How on Earth did you learn to mix drinks?”
Will turned towards her with a wry smile. “I played a bartender in a movie.”
Elizabeth laughed some more. “You are priceless!”
Will helped Elizabeth run the bar throughout the night. Elizabeth was amazed and relieved at his skill, ease, and charm as he chatted with the customers and made them laugh, while winning their praises for the excellent beverages. Elizabeth found him to be easy to work with and was so grateful for his assistance that she felt disappointed when it came time to close the bar. Will grabbed a towel and started wiping the surface of the bar for her.
Elizabeth watched him with a bemused grin. “You were amazing. I can’t believe you did that! It’s too bad you can’t quit your day job. I would have hired you, if I could.”
Will appeared surprised at her praise. His cheeks reddened and he smiled with sudden shyness.
“Thanks. I’m glad I was able to help.”
“I’m afraid I owe you. You saved my night. I don’t think I would have stayed sane if I had to run the bar myself.”
Will grinned. “Well…there was that deal we talked about earlier.”
Elizabeth blushed. She had forgotten all about that. “You mean, the one about the date?”
Will’s expression changed all of a sudden. He frowned and averted his eyes. “You don’t owe me anything. I saw that you needed help and I knew I could do it, so I did. I don’t want you to date me out of gratitude.”
Elizabeth smiled and put a hand on his shoulder. He turned around to face her.
“Thank you.”
Will shook his head. “Don’t mention it.”
Elizabeth lowered her eyes, overcome with nervousness. “You’re right, of course. If I agree to date you now, then it would be out of gratitude only. You showed a different side of yourself tonight. A side I never expected to find. I don’t know what to make of it yet. I need time to figure it out.”
Will took her hand and squeezed it. “Can I call you sometime?”
Elizabeth considered it for a moment and then nodded. She gave him her phone number and bid him farewell.
“Are you taking a cab home?”
Elizabeth shook her head. “No, I walk home.”
Will’s eyes widened. “Alone? In this neighborhood? Are you crazy?”
Elizabeth laughed. “It’s only a few blocks. I’ve walked home every night for a while, and nothing bad has happened to me yet.”
“Oh no, I don’t care what you say, I’m not letting you walk home alone tonight!”
Elizabeth raised her right eyebrow. “Will you be walking with me, then?”
“Why don’t you take a cab?”
“It’s too expensive. I wouldn’t be able to afford a cab ride every night and it’s not necessary, since my apartment is close by.”
Will dug his hand into his pocket and took out a few bills, but Elizabeth held his wrist. “Don’t. I’m not going to take your money.”
Will sighed. “Fine then, I’m walking you home.”
“It’s really not necessary. This neighborhood is not as bad as you seem to think it is. I’m a big girl. I can fend for myself.”
As usual, Will refused to take no for an answer. Elizabeth lacked the energy to argue and surrendered. She closed her bar and the two of them set out for her apartment together.
Elizabeth walked next to Will in silence. She was tired from all her hard work and still felt confused over his generosity. She stared ahead and struggled to prevent her eyes from straying in his direction.
Will broke the silence after a few minutes. “I’m sorry. I forgot to congratulate you and your cousin for the new baby in your family.”
Elizabeth smiled. “Thank you.”
“Is it a boy or a girl?”
“A girl.”
“She’ll grow up to be pretty and smart, I’m sure.”
Elizabeth rolled her eyes, thinking that line was too slick. She glanced at Will, however, and was surprised to see how sincere and wistful he looked.
“You don’t have any brothers or sisters, do you?”
Will smiled. “No, that explains everything, doesn’t it?”
Elizabeth laughed. “Yeah, your parents must have spoiled you rotten. They probably never let you out of their sight.”
Will averted his eyes and his expression turned somber. “I guess you can say that.”
“You must really miss them.”
Will gave her a surprised glance. “Excuse me?”
“You looked so sad when I mentioned your parents. I thought maybe they have passed away.”
“Yes, they have,” Will whispered as he lowered his head.
Elizabeth felt guilty for bringing up a painful subject and, therefore, fell silent. They reached her apartment, but Will insisted on walking her to her door. Elizabeth turned her doorknob, took her key out of it, and faced Will.
“Thanks again for helping me. I’ll think about a date. Good night.”
Will leaned his face towards hers. Elizabeth’s pulse sped up at the thought of him kissing her again.
“Good night,” he whispered in her ear and kissed her cheek.
Elizabeth was astounded by the whimper of disappointment she felt when he turned around and left. She needed plenty of time and emotional distance to make a rational decision. She could not bear the thought of admitting defeat.
Posted on Monday, 28 January 2008
Chapter Seven
Will was in a good mood. He had enjoyed acting as a bartender at Elizabeth’s club for a night and felt hopeful that his actions had impressed Elizabeth. Without him realizing it, his feelings towards Elizabeth had taken a serious turn. He had developed an interest in a beautiful girl who seemed smart and unaffected by his wealth and fame, but in his determination to win her over for the sake of his ego, he had managed to fall into a deeper infatuation with her. One that was strong enough to cause him pain if she rejected him again.
He sat on his couch and thought about her, while trying to watch television. He wondered where she was from and how she came to be in New York City. He suspected she had not always been a New Yorker. She didn’t have the accent, though she did display the tough attitude on occasion. There was so much about her he had yet to learn and wanted to find out. If only she would agree to date him, he could learn a lot in one night. He knew he should call her, but to his tremendous surprise and frustration, the thought of another rejection had him quaking in his boots.
If she refused him again, he would have to hold up his end of the bargain and leave her alone. He started to doubt his ability to continue the chase when the catch seemed so out of reach. He wondered if the pursuit was worth it. There were other smart, gorgeous women he could be with, who wouldn’t give him half as much trouble. Then again, that was what made Elizabeth so desirable. He would not have experienced half the passion he felt for Elizabeth if she had fawned over him from the beginning.
After struggling to avoid thoughts of Elizabeth with nothing but failure to show for it, Will lost his patience. His cowardice disappeared and a new sense of determination surged within him. He picked up the phone and dialed her number, his heartbeat getting faster with each push of a button.
The sound of her voice at the other end of the line sent his head into a tailspin. “Hello?”
“Hi, is this Elizabeth Bennet?”
“Yes.”
“Hi, it’s Will.”
“Oh, hi. How are you?”
“Good. What about you?”
“I’m fine.”
“So…uh, I was wondering if, uh, you wanted to go out with me sometime.”
Will was met with prolonged silence. He bit his lip and began twiddling his thumbs as he waited for Elizabeth’s answer. He heard her sigh and did not know what to think.
“Yeah, okay.”
Will’s jaw dropped. “Okay? Really?”
Elizabeth giggled. “Yes, I’ll go out with you.”
Will lowered his phone and took a moment to celebrate his victory by jumping up and down. Restraining his excitement as best he could, he sat down and lifted his phone to his ear.
“Great! What time is good for you?”
“Around six o’clock would be good. I can open the bar a little later than usual. It’s not a big deal.”
“Okay, how about I meet you at your place on Friday at six?”
“Sounds good to me.”
“Great, I’ll see you on Friday, then.”
“Yeah, see you then. Bye.”
“Bye.”
Will hung up the phone with a big grin on his face. By Friday night, however, the grin had transformed into a nervous frown. This was a big night. This was the chance he had been waiting for. This was his opportunity to impress Elizabeth and convince her of the depth of his interest towards her. He could not afford to screw it up.
He had decided to make it simple. He didn’t want to flaunt his wealth by taking her to a fancy, expensive restaurant, or to the opera, or anything else that could be seen as over the top. He wanted to get to know her better, and he wanted her to know him, the real him, without the perks and the baggage that came with his wealth and fame. It may have been naïve of him, but he thought Elizabeth would be pleased. He knew enough of her to know she was anything but shallow.
Nevertheless, Will had to struggle to suppress the urge to bite his nails after knocking on the door of Elizabeth’s apartment. He shoved his hands in his pockets, but his anxiety would not be concealed. Once the temptation of biting his nails was over, his foot started tapping against the carpet. Irritated with a foot that had a mind of its own, Will stepped away from the door and leaned against the wall. Unfortunately, his lips turned mutinous and started whistling. He covered his traitorous mouth with his hand as soon as he heard his whistles. Rolling his eyes and shaking his head, he slumped against the wall and slid downward until his bottom reached the floor. He bent his legs and grabbed hold of his knees, hoping to stop his body from fidgeting.
At the sound of the door opening, Will jumped up. Shoving his hands behind his back, he greeted Elizabeth with a forced smile.
She frowned at him. “Are you okay?”
Will stroked his hair, but then shoved his hands back. “Yeah, I’m great. How are you?”
Elizabeth gave him a wry smile. “I’m fine. So, what are we going to do?”
Will grinned. “Guess.”
“I have no idea, but I’m sure it will be something over the top and crazy.”
Will suppressed a smile. “Crazy? What would be crazy? I need examples.”
“Well…I was thinking you might…I don’t know, maybe…take me to some ultra-fancy, exclusive restaurant with pretentious food and insane prices, or…maybe take me to a theatre and buy all of the tickets so that we could watch the movie alone…or escort me to the opera in a limo, where you have a sky box with the best view in the house, of course, or maybe fly me to Paris on your private jet for the night…you know, something like that.”
Will cracked up with laughter and could not stop until long after Elizabeth finished speaking.
She watched him with her eyebrows furrowed and her nose wrinkled. “What’s so funny?”
Will bent over and clutched his stomach. He tried to catch his breath, but his laughter continued to stream out. He felt tears sliding down his face. The salty drops trickled to his mouth and he knew he had to regain his self-control. He stood up straight and looked at Elizabeth.
“Seriously though, what were you expecting me to do?”
Elizabeth’s eyes widened. “You mean we’re not doing any of that?”
Will repressed the urge to laugh again and shook his head.
“Then, what are we doing?”
Will shrugged. “I was thinking of walking around Greenwich Village…and I guess we can get some pizza or burgers or something, if you’re hungry.”
Elizabeth gaped at him. “You’re joking!”
Will blinked. “No, I’m not…uh, Liz, you didn’t really think I’d fly you to Paris, did you?”
Elizabeth slapped her forehead. “You begged me to go out with you and wouldn’t take no for an answer no matter what, just so you can walk with me around the neighborhood?”
Will chuckled. “Yeah…sorry, I don’t own a private jet and I hate limos. I’ve never been to the opera, but we can take the subway to Times Square and buy tickets for a musical, if you want.”
Elizabeth burst into laughter. Will bit his lip. “Does this mean you don’t want to date me anymore?”
Elizabeth stopped laughing and glanced at him with a frown. “No, it doesn’t. Hold on for a minute, I need to get my jacket. I’ll be right back.”
A minute later, Elizabeth returned and left her room. She shut the door and then turned towards Will.
“All right, Mr. Wonderful. Knock my socks off!”
Will chuckled. “I wonder what you’re like when you’re not making wisecracks.” He and Elizabeth walked down the hall and stepped down the stairs side by side.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. Everyone else I know thinks I’m sweet and kind and lovely. You'll never hear any of them complain about me.”
Will smirked. “I’m sure you are the epitome of sweetness to everybody in your life, except me. I guess I should feel privileged for the special treatment.”
“There’s no such thing as special treatment, dear. You get what you give.”
Will held the door of the building open for Elizabeth. “Were you always a cynic or is this what happens when a girl like you ends up in a city like this?”
Elizabeth snuck a glance at him as she stepped out into the streets of the East Village. “Why do you assume that I’m not from New York?”
Will gestured to the right. “Let’s walk this way. It’s just a feeling I get. I don’t have a scientific reason, only circumstanstial evidence…like my sense that you don’t sound like a New Yorker.”
“You mean I don’t have the accent.”
“You don’t have any accent, which is why I suspect you’re from California,” Will said with a sly smile.
“I never bought the Californians don’t have an accent myth. Of course, they do. If someone from Alabama moved to California, they would have a hard time understanding Californians, because of their different lingo and their distinct accent.”
“You don’t act like an Angeleno and you’re definitely not from the OC. I’m thinking Bay Area.”
“Close, but no cigar. I studied at UC Berkeley, but I didn’t grow up in that area.”
“All right, you’re from somewhere in the middle of the state, then. Maybe a small town girl…hmmm…I’m guessing Fresno.”
Elizabeth grinned. “Born and Raised.”
Will raised his eyebrows. “Ha! I was right. I’m a genius!”
Elizabeth rolled her eyes. “You have the ego of a genius, but I don’t think that counts.”
Will laughed. “You never fail with the quick come-backs…so what did you major in at Berkeley?”
Elizabeth lowered her eyes. “Business, but I minored in music.”
“Oh, do you play an instrument?” he asked, watching her with a detailed eye.
She averted his gaze. “I used to play guitar.”
“Why don’t you play anymore?”
Elizabeth turned to him with a frown. “It’s a long story. I don’t feel like getting into it right now.”
Will’s cheerfulness faded, but he fought back against the coming gloom. ‘Oh, okay…so, other than growing raisins at the farm with your blue-collar family, what did you do in Fresno?”
Elizabeth rolled her eyes, but her smiling lips gave away her amusement. “You Hollywood people are so full of it, you know that?”
“Ah, come on! You have to admit it. There’s nothing to do in Fresno. No wonder you moved to The City.”
Elizabeth shook her head. “And what do you do in Beverly Hills when you’re not sipping decaf soy lattes and whining about the bird droppings on your brand new Ferrari?”
Will laughed. “For your information, I grew up in and live in Bel Air, not Beverly Hills.”
Elizabeth smirked. “Oh I see, you belong to old money. You wouldn’t step foot in Rodeo drive for fear of having to mingle with those tacky new money folks.”
Will smiled. “Yep.”
“Then what are you doing dating a country bumpkin from Fresno?”
Will shrugged. “I don’t know. I guess I’m bored.”
“I thought so.”
“You sure do think you know everything, don’t you?”
“No. You proved me wrong a few times. I wouldn’t be with you now, if you hadn’t.”
Will grinned, feeling triumphant over scoring a victory.
“Are you hungry?”
“Not really. Are you?”
“Nah. I had a big lunch on the set.”
“You guys are overloaded with free food.”
“I know. Isn’t it weird? They stuff us like pigs and then go nuts when we gain a teeny bit of weight.”
“Actresses have to struggle with that more than actors, though. Actors can get a way with being fat and ugly, but actresses can’t!”
“True. Someone like Jack Nicholson would never have been in the running for the Hottest Guy on the Planet award, yet he’s had a long, successful career,” Will grimaced and shook his head, “in all seriousness, you were right earlier. Hollywood is so full of it, it’s sickening.”
“I thought you liked your job.”
“Eh…I used to love it, but I got sick and tired of all the…phoniness and bullshit that’s associated with it. I mean, some people in showbiz get so full of themselves and act like they’re doing this tremendous service to the world or something, when really all we actors do is spit out somebody’s else’s writing…we’re puppets on a string, you know, and too many of us lose sight of that and get into this ‘holier than thou’ attitude...sorry, you must think I’m whining like a baby…spoiled rich brat, that I am.”
“Don’t be sorry. You’re not that bad….at least, you know your limitations,” Elizabeth said with a laugh.
Will laughed as well. “Yeah. I lost all delusions of grandeur a long time ago, believe me.”
“Did you ever get to go to college?”
“No. I was too busy with work. I wanted to go to school, but it never panned out.”
“That’s too bad. You seem to have the brains for it.”
Will chuckled. “You have a knack for giving back-handed compliments. I don’t think anyone has hurled as many clever insults at me as you. Are you sure you weren’t born to do stand-up comedy?”
Elizabeth’s eyes widened. “I was trying to be nice. I didn’t mean that as an insult or a back-handed compliment.”
“Maybe you should try to be mean for once. You might manage to make me feel better that way.”
“So, you’re suggesting reverse psychology?”
“Yeah. You’re too weird. I think your mind works backwards.”
Elizabeth smiled. “You might be right. I never had my head examined.”
They fell silent for a few moments. Elizabeth looked at her watch and then turned to Will. “It’s time for me to go back. I need to open up shop soon.”
“I’ll go with you.”
The two of them continued to exchange witticisms as they marched towards Elizabeth’s club. They were both astonished into silence, however, by what they saw there. A long line of people snaked up the block and around the corner in front of the club. The crush of potential customers was so large and so boisterous that even Elizabeth’s experienced bouncers appeared overwhelmed. Cameras flashed in unison as Elizabeth and Will came within view of the crowd. Will paled as he heard the calls of the photographers.
“Will! Will! Is this your new girlfriend?”
“Will! What happened with Caroline?”
“Are you and Caroline Bingley officially over?”
“What’s the girl’s name?”
Elizabeth’s jaw hit the floor and she gazed at Will in utter amazement. He stepped forward and wrapped an arm around her, trying to protect her from the glare of the cameras.
“Oh my God! Look at all these people! I can’t believe it…this is all your fault!”
Will was relieved to see the bemused glint in Elizabeth’s eyes. “I guess they’re expecting me to be the bartender again.”
Will held Elizabeth’s hand in a firm grip as she pushed her way through the crowd and reached the door. They breezed passed the hollering fans and eager paparazzi, ignoring their pleas for autographs and pictures and focusing on what they needed to do. The bouncers held people back as the people in the front of the line jumped at the chance to get in. Elizabeth turned around and gave a flabbergasted look to Will. Will could only echo her astonishment. What had he done?
Despite the hustle and bustle, Elizabeth managed to maintain control over her club throughout the night. Lydia and Katie, meanwhile, thrived off the attention and came to life in a way Will had not seen before. He lingered in the shadows and watched Elizabeth do her work, signing autographs when asked, but also trying to keep a low profile. It was not as bad as he thought it would be when he first caught sight of the line outside. The paparazzi had not been allowed inside, so Will did not have to worry about having his picture taken every five seconds.
When the time came to close the club for the night, he approached Elizabeth. She agreed to let him escort her home again and then shut the doors. He hoped she wasn’t upset about the mess he had made.
“Sorry about all that.”
Elizabeth smiled. “Are you kidding? What do you have to be sorry for? We made more money tonight than we had made in five weeks!”
“So, you didn’t mind the craziness and the photographers?”
“I did at first, but it didn’t turn out that bad. You gave my club its fifteen minutes of fame. I’m sure the rush of interest will die down after a while.”
“I hope you’re right. I would hate to have to avoid your club. It’s really grown on me since I first saw it.”
“Thanks!”
They walked the rest of the way in silence. Will followed Elizabeth to the door of her apartment.
Before she had time to take out her keys, he stepped closer to her and held her hands. “You know, in spite of everything, I had a great time tonight.”
Elizabeth smiled. “So did I.”
He fought the urge to kiss her and summoned up all his courage to ask her a crucial question.
“Will you go out with me again soon?”
Elizabeth lowered her eyes and backed away from him. Will could hear the rejection coming and his heart fell with a thud.
“William…um, I was wondering…um, can we be friends?”
Will’s eyebrows furrowed and he frowned. “Friends?”
Elizabeth bit her lip. “Yes. Listen, I like spending time with you and I think you’re a good guy, but I don’t think we’re right for each other as a couple. I think we will be much better off as friends.”
“Oh…uh, yeah…sure, why not? Of course we can be friends.”
Elizabeth grinned. “Great! Thanks for understanding! I’ll see you again, soon, I hope.”
“Yes, of course. Good night, Elizabeth.”
“Good night.”
Chapter Eight
Will simmered in unrelenting frustration through the cab ride home. Friends? What was she thinking? Will couldn’t understand it. He had tried so hard, he had done everything within his power to show her he cared only to be met with another rhetorical slap in the face. He refused to believe friendship was what she really wanted. She may have never wanted to see him again, which meant her request was nothing more than a botched attempt to turn him down gently. Will doubted that was the case, however. The more reasonable conclusion was she was wanted to have it both ways, trying to fight against her attraction, while still seeing him on a regular basis. She must have been disturbed by the swarm of photographers at her club and, thus, rejected him out of fear of losing her privacy. If that was the case, he couldn’t blame her. He had long been disillusioned with the spotlight his occupation attracted and he was not one to throw stones from glass houses.
He wished she had not used the dreaded word, ‘friends.’ He regretted agreeing to an arrangement that could not make him happy, but she had left him with no other choice. Perhaps, after thinking about her decision for a few days and seeing things in hindsight, her nerves would calm down and she would reconsider her decision. He had to hold on to hope. He was in too deep to give up on her now. Friendship did not spell disaster. Friendship could always turn into something deeper. The more he thought about it, the more confident he felt. Considering Elizabeth’s constant rejections, he realized friendship may be the best way to win her over in the end. She would come to trust and respect him as a friend, thus, half the battle would be won. Once he convinced her of his reliability, he could show her how passionate he felt and maybe then she would accept him as a boyfriend.
Despite his growing inclination towards optimism, Will wanted a second opinion. This matter was too important for him to leave his next course of action to his own counsel. He wanted advice from someone he trusted. He turned to his cousin Anne for help. He held her in high regard and trusted her judgment more than anyone else’s. He knew she would be there for him when he needed her.
After telling Anne of his dilemma, he watched her with baited breath. She shook her head and paced across the room as he told her he wanted to pursue a friendship with Elizabeth, with the hope that their relationship could evolve into a romance in time.
“I think you’re making a big mistake,” she said as she sat down next to him.
“Why?”
“She’s not interested in you, Will. It’s silly to think otherwise. If you continue to see her, you can fall for her, while she views you as nothing more than a friend and then you would get hurt.”
“So what am I supposed to do?”
“Avoid her from now on.”
“I will have to see her once in a while. She’s the sister of my best friend’s girlfriend.”
“You might see her now and then, but you don’t have to talk to her. You should pretend she doesn’t exist and get over her. Trust me, a friendship with a woman you’re infatuated with will come back to haunt you. There’s no way you can see her as a friend, and there is no way she will want anything more from you than friendship. For whatever reason, this woman doesn’t want to be your girlfriend, so your best option is to let her go.”
Will cast his eyes down and started fidgeting. Anne must have noticed his discomfort for she held his hand and smiled at him.
“Don’t worry, Will. You’re a great guy. You will meet a wonderful girl who can appreciate that and find happiness. Love is a tough old road, with lots of twists, turns, and forks in it. We all get our hearts broken along the way. The best way to cope is to keep driving through.”
Will looked up at Anne. “Thanks, Annie…I’ll keep your advice in the back of my mind, but I have to admit I hope you’re wrong about Elizabeth.”
Anne’s smile faded, but she remained silent. Will reflected on her words for a while, but his opinion stayed the same. He knew Elizabeth better than Anne did. He felt justified, therefore, in feeling more optimistic about pursuing a friendship with her.
Will’s good mood didn’t falter as he went to work. He greeted everyone on the set with bright smiles, even Caroline was included in his general complacency. His cheerfulness worked to his advantage. The scene he had to shoot was a happy and romantic one. His character, Joseph, had come to an agreement with Joanna. Will had always found the heavier scenes to be more difficult and was, thus, able to relax and be his charming self for a more fluffy moment.
Will’s good humor was met with a start, however, when he spotted Elizabeth on the set. She made eye contact with him and smiled. His heart skipped a beat, though he knew he shouldn’t have allowed it. He had to shake the emotion off. Collins had the clapboard in his hand and a moment later, he yelled “All quiet on the set! Lights, camera, and action!”
Maria stepped towards Will and wrapped her arms around his neck. Will looked down at her and froze. The lines wouldn’t come, though he had spent hours memorizing them. All he could think about was that the scene called for him to kiss Maria on the lips and Elizabeth was watching him. His eyes glanced in her direction and he felt a deep blush creep onto his cheeks. Maria’s smiling face began to fade away into an expression of confusion. Will forced his eyes away from Elizabeth and stared at Maria. He felt his lips tremble and bit down on them. He took hold of Maria’s waist as he was supposed to do and looked into her eyes. Instead of soft blue eyes, he saw glimmering dark ones. Shaken, he backed away, knowing he had screwed up the scene. He lowered his eyes and bent his head in embarrassment.
Collins yelled cut and approached his actors. Maria looked up at Will with a worried frown. “Are you okay?”
Will stood motionless. “Yeah, I’m fine,” he whispered, knowing he sounded unconvincing.
“What’s going on here?” Collins asked with impatience creeping into his voice.
Will lifted his head. “I’m sorry. I…I lost my…I forgot…can we start over from the top?”
Collins’ expression was a peculiar mixture of half-smiling and half-frowning. “Sure, no problem,” he said in a voice of forced composure.
Will sighed. He had to forget about Elizabeth. He had no reason to feel awkward about kissing another woman in her presence. It was his job and she was nothing more than a friend. There was nothing to worry about. There was nothing wrong, his mind told him, but his heart disagreed.
Collins called for action again and Will quieted his nerves. Focusing only on Maria’s face, he repeated the same gestures and the same lines he had practiced again and again during rehearsals.
Maria’s arms encircled his neck again, but this time Will did not hesitate. He held her waist and pulled her forward so that she stood leaning against his chest.
“I love you,” he whispered.
Maria’s eyes grew teary on cue and she gazed up at him with a trembling smile. “I love you too, Joseph,” she said loud and clear.
Will leaned his heads towards her and caught his lips with her own. They kissed for what felt like ages until Collins yelled “Cut!”
“That was terrific! Let’s do another take.”
Will felt a lurch in the pit of his stomach. “Another take? Why? Wasn’t that good enough?”
“Oh, yes, it was perfect, but I didn’t get a close up. You’ll oblige me with another take, won’t you?”
Will took a deep breath and exhaled. “Sure, why not?” he said with a fake grin.
Though he knew better, he could not stop his eyes from wandering in the direction of Elizabeth. He caught sight of her. She was smirking. His heart sunk. Why on Earth would she be amused at the sight of him making out with another woman? Did she have any feelings for him at all? Did she not feel even the tiniest bit of jealousy towards Maria? He shook his head.
He performed the scene again, in the exact same way as before. When he finished, his eyes went to Elizabeth. She smirked no longer, but he still did not like what he saw. She was giving the boom mike operator a steady gaze. He examined her for any signs of emotion. Her posture spoke of composure. Her face showed indifference. Her eyes said nothing at all. She seemed to be lost in daydreams. Will had to face the truth. She was anything but jealous.
Will was forced to put his fears aside for the moment. Since being rebuked by Will’s aunt, Collins had begun shooting the film at a much brisker pace. He had the actors move on to the next scene and kept going for all of the afternoon. Will concentrated on his work, but never forgot about Elizabeth’s presence. To his astonishment, she lingered on set for hours. She must have been waiting for a break in shooting. Will’s spirits were boosted by that possibility. Perhaps she wanted to talk to him. Perhaps she had thought about her decision more and had changed her mind. Will felt his heart swell at the vision of him being with Elizabeth. He couldn’t wait for the chance to speak to her.
As the day drew to a close and evening came into view, Collins called it a wrap for the day. Will went to his room to change into his own clothes and then sprinted down the hall to find Elizabeth. He found her leaning against the wall just before the stairway. He went up to her with an excited smile.
“Hey!”
“Hi.”
“I was surprised to see you here today.”
Elizabeth smirked. “Yeah, I noticed.”
Will couldn’t hide his blush. He was right. She had been amused by his earlier discomfort. He shrugged off his embarrassment, determined to be as good a friend as he could be.
“So, what’s up?”
“Not much. I was bored and thought a visit to the set might be fun.”
Will gave her a self-deprecating smile. “I’m assuming you weren’t disappointed.”
She grinned. “Nope. I was entertained more than I thought I would be.”
“You love to see me make a fool of myself.”
Elizabeth laughed. “You weren’t that bad. Your co-star didn’t seem to mind.”
Will shifted his feet. “Maria is a very good person. I’m lucky she was in the role instead of Caroline. That woman wouldn’t have missed the opportunity to draw attention to my discomfort.”
Elizabeth stood up on her tip toes and wiped a lock of Will’s hair away from his eyes. Will startled at her touch. She flattened her feet and slumped her shoulders, her cheeks reddening enough to make Will smile with delight.
“Do you have any plans for tonight?”
“No, why? Do you want to hang out?”
Elizabeth shrugged, but Will wasn’t deceived by her attempt to look indifferent. “Yeah, I guess. I mean, I have nothing better to do before I go to work.”
“Well, I’m hungry. I haven’t eaten anything since lunch and that was five hours ago. You want to have dinner with me?”
Elizabeth’s eyes widened, and she looked up at him with confusion. Will didn’t know how to respond to her and said the first thing that came to his mind.
“Or, we could go to my place and order in.”
Elizabeth’s eyes were now bugging out and her eyebrows shot up through the roof. Will realized what his statement had sounded like and turned crimson.
“Uh, I mean…uh…that probably didn’t come out right…uh…I meant we can have some like take-out or something and maybe watch a movie or just hang out…as friends, of course.”
Elizabeth lowered her eyes. “Sorry…it sounded like you were asking me out again.”
Was the thought of dating him really that bad? Was she that dead-set against him? God, what was wrong with this woman?
“Oh, it’s my fault. I don’t say the right things sometimes. I didn’t mean to sound that way.”
Elizabeth smiled. “So, Chinese food and a movie at your place sounds good.”
“Great. Did you drive here or take the subway?”
“Subway.”
“Okay then, I’ll give you a ride.”
“You drive a car?”
“Uh, yeah. How else am I supposed to get around the city?”
Elizabeth turned her head away from his. “I thought you would have a limo and a chauffeur.”
“Oh!” Will laughed, “Nah, I hate having servants around doing things for me all the time. It makes me feel like I have no privacy.”
Elizabeth didn’t respond and Will lead the way to his car in silence. He opened the car door for Elizabeth. She smiled and sat in the passenger seat. He walked around the car and took hold of the steering wheel.
“Okay, I have to say this even though I’m sure it will come off as rude. I can’t believe you drive a Honda civic!” she said with a laughing expression.
Will smiled. “It’s a hybrid. I’m eco-friendly. I didn’t think that was something to laugh about.”
Elizabeth shook her head with a smile. “You’re right, it’s not…thanks for thinking of the planet.”
Will sighed. “You know, your sarcasm can get really grating sometimes.”
Elizabeth rolled her eyes. “Wow, I must have been too hard on you before. I guess I didn’t consider my words as much as I should have. You think every thing I say is sarcastic now.”
Will faced her with confusion written all over his face.
“You mean, you weren’t being sarcastic with me?”
Elizabeth giggled. “No. I’m glad to see you drive a hybrid. I would love to have one myself, but there’s no way I could afford it,” she ended with a grimace.
“The price will come down in a couple of years, and there’s been talk about giving people who buy hybrids tax deductions. You might be able to get one some day.”
Elizabeth smiled and looked around the car’s interior. “This is very comfortable. I like how it’s simple and nice, instead of overpriced and flashy. You have much better taste than I could have expected from a movie star.”
Will smirked. “We don’t all think alike, you know. Last time I checked, there weren’t any scientists doing research on the “movie star” gene. People tend to put us in a box, like our minds think as a block or something, but they’re wrong to do that.”
“Yes, but it’s not like movie stars are the only people in the world that get stereotyped. Lots of non-famous people have been hurt, because others put them in a box based on other factors like race, religion, where they grew up, and so on.”
“Has anyone ever put you in a box?”
Elizabeth frowned and turned her head towards the window. Will decided to drop the subject, but he was unhappy about it.
“I had the opposite problem. I couldn’t fit into any of the available boxes and had trouble maintaining friendships as a result,” she said after several minutes of silence.
Will was surprised to find her opening up, but was excited to learn what he could from it.
“I have trouble picturing that. I can’t imagine why you would have a hard time making friends. You’re fun, outgoing, and you have a great sense of humor, even though it does get too sarcastic at times.”
Elizabeth turned around and stared at Will. “I spent the early years of my childhood in Fresno, but my parents divorced when I was eight and my mom married a military man. My new family moved from place to place, depending on where my step-dad was assigned to go, so I had to change schools all the time. I would lose my friends only a short while after I made them.”
“Oh, I see…so you must have traveled a lot and lived in different cities. Have you been all over the world or did your family move only across the fifty states?”
“I wouldn’t say I’ve been all over the world, but I spent a lot of time both outside and inside the U.S. I lived in the South, and the Midwest, and the Southwest of the U.S. througout my childhood. I lived in Germany and Japan for a while and went to high school in Kuwait.”
“Wow, that must have been…difficult. I guess you had to change your lifestyle every time you moved somewhere.”
“Not really. My mom and Jen and I always lived in housing provided by the military. It didn’t matter how poor the country we lived in was, we always had everything we needed at the base.”
“But you must have been exposed to the world around you. You couldn’t have lived your whole life on the military bases.”
“Yes I was…and in hindsight, I think I benefited from that, but at the time, it was a hard thing to adjust to.”
The conversation ended when Will reached his apartment. Elizabeth followed him to his room without a word. They did as they had planned and scarfed down chow-mein, while watching an arthouse flick Will had rented earlier. Will had a wonderful time that night. He felt much more comfortable with the idea of a friendship with Elizabeth. She was telling him more about her self and her life and he was forming a bond with her. He could no longer see any harm in this arrangement. His journey had only just begun, and he failed to see the roadblocks ahead.