Part 13 (1/2)
The air outside the plane is hot and so muggy it feels like I have to swim through it. Our surroundings s.h.i.+mmer mirage-like in the heat, and the breeze smells like jet fuel. Brent trains his camera on the feuding cousins.
Great, just great. The band has wanted a concert movie for so long, and here they are, giving it footage like this. I wish there was something I could do, but obviously, there isn't. Even if Aidan will blur my face out of his shots, there's always a chance of getting shot by paparazzi when we're in the open like this. One long-range lens could easily snag pictures of me interacting with the guys.
Thus, I have to make sure I don't-or if I do, that it doesn't look the least bit interesting.
”Ben, show a little grat.i.tude,” says Zach. ”Fans put us where we are today.”
”Talent put us where we are today,” Ben shoots back.
”No it didn't,” says Logan.
I wince and all three of the guys look at me. I stay firmly in Brent's shadow, too close to be shot, and make a cutting gesture across my throat at Logan. The last thing they want to say in their doc.u.mentary is that they don't have talent. Maybe some fans will find it adorably humble, but it's still a bad sound bite. No sooner have I completed the gesture than I realize that here I am, interacting with the band. I'll just have to hope no paparazzi are watching and that I'm just paranoid.
Logan's expression goes from obstinate to defeated. ”Fine,” he says. ”I'll do the interviews.”
Ben waggles his eyebrows at me. ”Yeah, okay.”
I notice Zach's poised to thank them and I shake my head. Don't, I think. Don't make them think they're doing it for you.
He freezes then says, ”'Kay, let's go get ready.”
The three singers file on past us and the crew, their shoulders slouched. They look exhausted. The rest of us follow the band at a discreet distance, if there is any such thing as a ”discreet distance” for a camera crew.
Aidan punches me lightly in the shoulder. ”You sure you don't want to be in this film?”
”Positive.”
”Okay, well, listen. You can't do any more interactions like you just did without featuring in some way.”
”So keep quiet?” I say.
”Or sign a release.”
Keep quiet it is.
AS I help Brent and crew pack up once the interviews are over, Ben saunters on over and tugs on my s.h.i.+rt. The guys in this band have a s.h.i.+rt-tugging thing. We're in his suite, almost unrecognizable as a hotel room with all the lights and reflectors and backdrop and such.
I turn to see what he wants.
”Soooo, how you doing?” he asks.
”I'm fine, thanks.”
Brent hands me a length of electrical cord and I get to work wrapping it around my elbow and thumb so it can be put away.
”Fine, thanks,” he mocks. ”So formal.”
”Can I help you with something?”
”Listen, girl, what are you doing?” He flicks his gaze in Zach's direction.
”We're friends.”
”You don't want to be friends with him.”
”Listen, nothing happened that night-”
”In Albuquerque. I know. Come on, I was just giving you a hard time. I know Zach.”
I finish wrapping the cord and tuck in the end to secure it.
”You know you're wasting your time on him, right?”
”Being his friend.”
He makes quote marks in the air. ”I know about you, all right? Your friends didn't exactly hold back once you disappeared into his room.”
My body goes rigid with fear and I look up at him.
”I'm not gonna tell anyone,” he says. ”I'm just saying, you aren't his type and you know it. If he knew the truth about you, he'd run.”
”I know.”
Ben's expression goes from mischievous to pitying. ”I'm not like him.”
”Mmm.”
”Kyra, look, I'm not just talking about fooling around, though we could do that too. I'm saying maybe you should spend a little more time with me. Clear your head.”
”I'm not who I used to be,” I say, and turn on my heel to leave before he can answer.
Zach watches discreetly from across the room where he stands talking to the last interviewer. I gather they know each other and are just catching up a little. I give him a quick smile and resume my work.
He finishes up his conversation and walks over. ”That man bothering you, miss?”
”Nah.”
”If he's ever out of line-”
”It's all good,” I a.s.sure him.
But Zach catches me by the elbow and makes me look him in the eye. ”Seriously, if he ever makes you uncomfortable. If anyone does...”
He thinks this is the first time I've ever had to put a guy off and that Ben's star status actually means something to me. ”I'm fine. Really.”
He lets go of my arm with an uneasy look in his eyes and I turn away as if he's just another guy on the tour. Halfway through the motion, I sense I've made a mistake. Perhaps I'm misreading, but Zach's got a jealous vibe. I remember how he insisted I never lie to him.
But I'm not lying, I think.
When I head back to my room, though, I get a call from Chloe.