Page 2 of Keeper of Hearts
So, last year, when a production company announced they were filming a movie in town and were looking for local actors, I auditioned. I thought I'd be cast as an extra if anything. Fifty bucks to stand around in the background of some movie seemed like easy cash to me.
Ha. Wrong.
Two weeks after my audition, the casting director offered me the leading role. I didn't think the movie would blow up the way it did. But it's been a little over a year, and the furor over the movie refuses to die down, especially with the sequel filming soon. Acting isn't a career I plan to pursue once this series wraps. But it's paying the bills and helping me build a little nest egg for now.
Unfortunately, all the attention makes Troian nervous.
She's an adorable little bookworm who is far more comfortable hiding in a crowd than standing at the front of it, which makesno sense to me because she's the prettiest little butterfly I've ever seen.
I don't give a fuck what anyone else says, I'd kill to have her on my arm at the premier. She's gorgeous. She's petite and curvy, with bright green eyes and long red hair that's always so damn soft when I touch it. The freckles scattered across her nose fascinate me. I want to lick every damn one. Don't even get me started on her dimples when she smiles. Men have killed for less.
She's not smiling as she scurries across the cafeteria toward our table, juggling her books. I would carry them for her, but it only pisses her off when I try. She growls that she isn't helpless and doesn't want to be treated like she is. As sexy as she is when she's growling at me, I know better than to make her feel helpless, so I reluctantly let her carry her books every day while I handle getting her food.
If it were up to her, she'd nibble on a pack of crackers and claim that's all she wanted. It isn't. But she hates eating in front of anyone because, again, people are assholes.
Her shoulders are hunched, and her head is down as she approaches the table, her face hidden behind her red curls.
My hackles rise at the sight.
If someone was mean to her again, there will be hell to pay.
Most people leave her alone now, but some of the other girls continue to tease her whenever my back is turned. Victoria Starling is the main instigator. Frankly, she's turned into a vicious bitch since the first movie came out. I didn't like her before the movie; I certainly don't like her any better now, especially since she treats my girl like shit. But she's harboring some serious delusions that I'm her ticket out of here.
Like I've told her, though: Hell will literally freeze over first. I know exactly what kind of person she is. She has to cheat, lie, and scheme to get ahead. I've seen it with my own eyes. She'll never compare to Troian.
"Hey," Troian mumbles, dropping into the chair beside me.
"What's wrong?"
"Hello to you, too," she says, blinking wide eyes at me.
"You're upset." I take her books and stack them with mine before sliding her tray over to her. She likes the pizza here, so I got her two slices and a piece of chocolate cake. She can't resist chocolate cake.
"Am not."
"Yeah, you are. You look sad."
"Maybe I'm just tired."
"Maybe you're full of shit," I say, holding a bottle of water out toward her. "Did you not do well on your presentation?"
She had to give a speech onAgamemnonin her literature class last period. She's been stressing out about it for the last two weeks, both because she hates the play and because she hates public speaking. She gets flustered and stumbles all over her words. It's cute as hell. Honestly, though, she could fail the presentation and still be valedictorian. My girl is smart as fuck.
"I think I did okay. I only messed up once."
"Then why are you upset?"
"I'm not upset," she says, rolling her eyes at me. "I'm just tired of hearing about Prom. It's all anyone ever talks about."
"What's wrong with Prom?" I ask.
"Nothing," Victoria sniffs from further down the table. Of course she's eavesdropping again. I swear to Christ, no one annoys me more than this chick. "She's just bitter because no one asked her to go."
Troian flinches.
I swear, Victoria is the biggest bitch I've ever met. If someone is being bullied, you can all but guarantee she's the ringleader. She's never liked my girl and makes no secret of it.
I can't stand her. Yet she plops her ass down at our table every day, bringing her obnoxious friends with her. They gossipand flirt and otherwise spend the entire lunch hour pissing me off. She usually keeps her mouth shut about Troian around me, though. She doesn't like being publicly put in her place, and I have no qualms about doing that shit.
