He threw the first punch. I might have instigated him, but I really didn't expect him to take a swing. I hit right back. And now we are both sitting backstage, sprouting dark bruises on our face. He has a bruise on the left side of his jaw while mine is on my right cheek.

Jess stares down at us in arrant disbelief. We try to avoid eye contact with her. This definitely isn't respectable work behavior.

“I can't believe both of your stupidity,” She exhales so sharply, her breath could have cut our skin. “I don't care if you both hate each other and spit out at each other but the moment you raise your fists it's a dealbreaker.”

We both nod at her. She glares at us but then returns the nod. “Leslie will look at your bruises now.”

We both open our mouths to refuse, but shut it when Jess gives us a glare. This really isn't the first time we have gotten into a fight, so it isn't new for us to have a few bruises. Moreover, we stopped before any real damage could be done. Since Zachary didn't hit after I hit him, probably realizing that we were at work. Wren, one of the actors, saw us and we didn't really get into the fight. I guess it was my fault for calling him a coward and taunting his sex life with it. In my defense he started the whole thing. God, now that I think about it that sounds so juvenile of us. We acted like goddamn five-year-olds.

Leslie looks at the bruise on our face and puts something wet and slimy over it. It dries fast though. Then she shakes head at us when we still refuse to look at each other. “You guys were at each other's throat this past week but I really didn't think you would actually start fighting. Only been a little more than two weeks since Everett started and guys have already taken a swing at each other.”

Leslie looks at us disapprovingly. I wonder how she'd react if she knew that this wasn't our first fight or that we have hurt each other worse. We definitely shouldn't tell her.

“Get out of here. And you both better get this out of your system before you come here tomorrow.” Jess says, turning to both of us.

We both get up and say our goodbyes before heading out of the theater. I wonder if he will still take my offer for a ride back after all that happened today. Somehow I don't mind it. Actually it feels wrong to let him take a cab. I want to give him a ride back. So before he can say anything I look over my shoulder and say “Come on.”

He blinks but keeps his stoic expression in place. Even so, he still gets in the passenger seat. I don't know why that makes me want to grin.

Zachary keeps looking out the window. He is ignoring my existence. I return the favor and do the same. It isn't uncomfortable, it just makes sense that we ignore each other.

I park my car where I usually park it. Zachary is already opening his door when I see them coming, two of my soccer buddies. They already saw me parking, so they know that I am in the car. But what they don't know is that Zachary is in here too. More importantly Zachary doesn't want anyone to know that he has a job. That's all it took for my body to react before my brain could even process the thought. I grab Zachary's arm and pull him in. He turns to me with a scowl. He is too close. My grip on his arm feels good.

“Stay.” I say. Not giving him a chance to say anything else, I climb out of the car as Adam and Colton come over to me.

“Who the fuck were you banging? It's late.” Colton asks with a smirk.

“You are just jealous cuz he ain't getting any,” Adam tilts his head at Colton.

“I am pretty sure your sister will tell you otherwise,” Colton smirks at Adam.

I roll my eyes at them. The team loves giving shit to each other as much as they love playing soccer. It's entertaining and irksome at the same time. But we still love doing it.

“I wasn't banging anyone, I got to write a script with someone and it's time-consuming.” I tell them.

“Script? What kind of script?” Adam asks, focusing his attention on me.

“A script for a play.”

“Why the heck are you helping then?” Colton asks. He looks genuinely confused too. I grit my teeth so that I don't snap at him. It's not his fault, he doesn't know me that well for him to know that I like it. I tell myself that it's stupid to get pissed at him.

“It's an experience,” I shrug at them.

“Woah… when did you become such a geek?” Colton snickers.

I don't react. I just shrug again. Let them think whatever they want.

“You ain't losing your grades and shit right?” Adam asks. He is worried about me losing my grades and not being allowed to play.

“Nah. I just like doing it.” I reply.

He doesn't look convinced. Not that I care. My grades are good, if he'd rather believe that I am losing my grades than the actual fact that I like doing what I do, then that has nothing to do with me.

Adam looks behind me. My heart races. I sneak a glance and I don't see Zachary. He must be leaning down on the seat. I relax at that thought. But I notice that my window is a bit open.

“Well you guys should go, I think I need to close my window.” I tell them.

Colton nods at me. Adam says a goodnight and they were off. I watch them disappear into the dark before I turn back to the car and open the driver's seat. Zachary looks at me.

“They're gone, you don't have to worry,” I close the window.

“I don't have to worry?” he asks, confused.

I look at him. “You don't want anyone to know that you work right?”

He goes still. “That's why you-”

He stops himself mid-sentence.

“Your friends don't know that you can quote Shakespeare?” he asks me with a smirk. I glare at him.

“They see what they want to see.” I tell him.

“You don't like it though.” he says matter-of-factly. He isn't wrong, I don't like being an image they have of me in their head. It's exhausting.

I just stare at Zachary. Not saying anything. He looks right at me in a challenge. Amber eyes burning at me. Like whiskey in a glass, dark somewhere and light elsewhere but still captivating.

“They don't know you.” he tells me.

“Nor do you.”

“I know that you can be a complete bastard.”

I snort at him but my lips lift into a smirk nonetheless. His does too. That arrogant smirk I hate. But right now it doesn't feel so bad. We stare at each other for a moment, then he gets out of the car and leaves.

At first, I thought that Everett told me to stay because he didn't want his friends knowing that he has anything to do with me. So when he told me that he didn't want my secret getting found out I had to double take. I didn't think he would care.

It was also surprising to find out that his soccer buddies didn't know about his nerdy side. Kind of a shame considering the fact that he has read all of Shakespeare's works and then some. Most of them more than once too. He can literally quote from most of the works from classic literature. I know this because Sofia keeps asking him to quote something every day, and he goes along with it and entertains her. He fits right in with the group. It's like people are drawn to him, he just smiles, talks and makes them laugh. The effect he has on people is amazing.

My phone buzzes. I look at the screen and see that it's a message from the Kian. The guy I have slept with a few times.

Kian: do u wanna meet?

He has attached a beer, bed and then a rainbow emoji. I grin at the message. The reason I started sleeping with Kian was because firstly he is handsome, obviously, but he has a weird sense of humor. A good weird. Also, he didn't want anything serious.

I could go meet him in his room and have a good fuck, but something feels wrong. I don't want to.

Nah. Not today.

The reply is instant.

Kian: Don't tell me you got another boyfriend!

I didn't get another bf.

I attach an eye roll emoji to that sentence.

Kian: Are you serious abt someone then!? OMG! R you finally ready to embrace your inner Elizabeth Bennet?

U've rd Pride and prejudice? Also Emily Bennett wntd to marry for Love. If I do it, it will solely be for tax benefits.

Kian: Np. Movie. U'd die of a panic attack from hearing ur name and wedding in the same sentence.

I hate it when ppl are right.

Kian : wtvr. I am gonna go fall in love.

U mean get laid.

Kian : fall in love with my empty bed, I am not gtn up from here just to go out and get laid.

I laugh at that. That's Kian, he won't get laid if it means having to do any sort of work. One of the reasons why I like him. I put my phone away.

My phone buzzes again immediately. Kian again? But when I look at the screen my heart beats harder. My stomach pulls in. I open the text. Just three words.

Natalia : don't come over.

My throat goes dry. I honestly can't even say I am surprised. It's not like I didn't know. Vio told me that was the case, and I am okay with it. I have been okay with it all this time. I put away my phone and ignore the sinking feeling in my heart. I knew this. It still doesn't change anything.

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