Celebrity Love
On cam, people say I'm the dashing girlfriend of Zachary Frost. Every girl envies me, and every guy wants me. Off cam is an entirely different story. I'm the girl at the side lines, secretly wishing that the one I love will at least look at me.
IMPORTANT NOTES:
Normal – Normal narration
Italics Bold – Script
Italics – Past
Chapter One: The Girlfriend
"Move it everyone! We'll be doing the last scene. Selena, remember you're a girl with ideal self-restraint but seeing your boyfriend being mobbed by girls gets into you. Zack, it's a rare opportunity for you two to date in public with both your busy schedules so you want this date to be perfect but the girls aren't helping. Selena will enter from behind you, and surprise you with a kiss. You need to give her a hypnotized look, you understand?" Director Su was hyper as always. It was another non-stop work at the set and the nearing of the film festival wasn't helping.
"Yes Director Su." The two young professionals said in unison, exchanging meaningful looks. It wouldn't take an expert to see the fact that they were so in love with each other. The Selena Dimples and Zachary Frost tandem was like a match made in heaven. Ever since they became official, the two were inseparable and the crowd loves them. It was no wonder the producers were willing to spend almost a hundred million for this production "Love and Glory." It was given the outcome would double or even triple their pay.
"Love and Glory, Scene thirty-four - Lights, camera, action!"
"She's already ten minutes late. It's not like something happened to her, is it?" Darren (Zachary Frost) said, checking his watch. He was standing in front of the roller coaster booth, not minding the looks of admiration he was receiving from the female customers and workers of the amusement park and the looks of envy he was receiving from the other gender.
He came to meet with one person, and that person alone. After months of persuasion for his girlfriend to go on a date with him on public, Darren Young wants everything go perfect for them.
"Wait, isn't that the famous detective Darren Young?" a girl squealed, proving the formerly assumption of the rest of the audience correct. The only reason nobody dared approach him was because Darren Young seemed aloof and was in perfect disguise of a normal teen-ager who came for a date. But now that a diehard fan triggers the intrusion of his privacy, he had no choice but to deal with the crowd.
"Damn it." He murmured as the crowd, mostly females, began surrounding him.
"Gosh, he's so cute!"
"Darren, please take a picture with me!"
"Please sign this for my sister!"
"Darren, do you have a girlfriend? No? Do you want me to be it?"
Meanwhile, unknown to them a white van parked near the entrance of the amusement park. Apparently, the squealing of the fans was loud enough for the passengers of the said van to hear.
Analisse Lawrence (Selena Dimples) half opened the window only to prove her guess that it was her boyfriend being mobbed. She and Darren agreed to date in disguise for her 19th birthday but it was obvious having their privacy wasn't possible.
"Layna I'm going to change. Please give me my spare clothes." She ordered to her assistant.
"Miss Analisse, are you sure? Won't Manager Liu get mad and fire me for this?" Layna answered with a tone of worry.
Analisse just smiled confidently at her, a smile that tells her she was positive she can protect her. "Don't worry. I was the one who hired you. I'm the only one who has the right to fire you, so please just do as I said, okay?"
Layna nodded, this time without hesitation. It took another five minutes to change. Finally, Analisse Lawrence, in her usual gorgeous clothes, stepped off the van, bringing all heads to turn to her direction. It was an easy task to get inside, with the fame, power and money that comes with her identity. A fan was about to approach her, but she smiled warmly at him and said, "I'm sorry but I'm not here for publicity. I would appreciate if I can have a normal date with my boy friend, so if you'll excuse me." That and everybody stopped their will to mob her and even made a way for her. Analisse Lawrence was a respected model who loves her fans, but her family was known to be powerful so no one dares to oppose them. Just one word and they'll automatically agree to her.
She soon found herself standing near the site of her boy friend being mobbed. She coughed, and as soon as a squealing fan recognizes her, she urged her co-fans to make way. They were all stunned of the scene. First it was only Darren Young. Who'd have thought the girl he was waiting for was Analisse Lawrence? They've heard Darren once worked for Analisse's family but the rumor of them dating was stopped even before it gets big. It must have been the use of power, they start to think.
Darren was busy and was starting to show his annoyance in fulfilling the crowd's demand, when he felt a pull in his arm, and found himself kissing the only woman allowed to kiss him. And just like that, the world stopped for both them and the crowd.
"Sorry, but he's already taken." Analisse gave a friendly smile to the crowd, unaware that Darren wasn't even blinking as he gave her a heart melting dazzled look.
The crowd squealed, and before Analisse could react, she found herself being pulled this time.
"I miss you." He said, before he kissed her this time. You could have guessed, the crowd was squealing nonstop.
"And cut!"
"Good job, as always Selena, Zack! Alright everybody, that's a wrap!"yelled Director Su.
Selena stood frozen as Zack pulled away from the kiss, catching his breath.
"Great job, as always." He whispered. She blinked a couple of times. It took her a while to digest what he just said. The last scene was over. It only means that the filming of "Love and Glory" was over. She forced herself to smile warmly at her co-actor.
"You too Zack, great job." she complimented and walked passed him.
She wasn't even five steps away when her agent came to her with a drink. "Selena, your next job will be a LIVE interview with Zack for channel eight at 3:00. Also, Douglas said Zack should drive you home for greater impact. Is that alright?"
Selena smiled again and nodded. She had been doing that a lot lately, not that she'll complain. It wasn't a pain to be seen with Zack even most of the times. In fact, it was beneficial for both sides. The crowd loves them as a pair. They go wild when they see them together. So there's no reason to not be fine with their set-up, was there?
"Selena!" Zack called, catching up to her. He was wearing his trademark smile. Doesn't he know how much effect he has on people? Selena Dimples was no exception.
"Stop that. We're not acting." She said, hoping to sound irritated. She didn't lie that one time in their interview when she said she was like other girls, and feel the butterflies when Zack does that. She was positive he took it as just acting, but the fact that a simple gesture from him was having a greater effect on her these days was starting to make her feel uncomfortable. She has always thought of it as a stupid crush, a stupid crush and just that.
"Stop what?" Zack asked, innocently.
"That, that smirk."
When Selena averted her gaze from his eyes, he finally understood. "Oh, I'm sorry. I forgot it has that effect on you, the butterflies." He grinned, teasing her.
So he remembered, talk about an embarrassing moment. "No!" She defended. "You idiot, I only said that because I don't want our managers to misunderstand."
Zack wasn't buying her lies but asked nevertheless. "Huh? Why would they? They were the ones who told us to pretend to be going out!"
This time, Selena grinned. She has a perfect excuse to prove her point. "Really? Then why are they looking at us as if we're some bunch of interesting pair. We're not even on cam." She whispered but made sure he heard. Not even the crew was aware of their little scheme. To them, it was a top secret that needs to be protected for an entire lifetime.
Zack followed her gaze and as soon as he met eyes with his agent Douglas and her agent Sandra, the two pretended to be busy with their own thing. Zack couldn't help but chuckle at the humor. So they really were trying to pair them up, for real this time?
He suddenly felt like being watched and a short glance at the right proved him right when he saw a reporter approaching. He immediately put on the actor face and smiled sweetly, drawing closer to Selena till she can already feel his breath. "Don't worry. Rest assured I won't fall for you, babe." He whispered then drew back, messing with her hair. Selena's blush was a bit evident and the reporter didn't waste the opportunity and took a shot of Selena playfully hitting the laughing Zack on the arm.
"So is the beautiful couple ready for the interview?" Mr. Bo, a familiar reporter greeted.
Zack grinned, finally succeeding in grabbing Selena's hand. "Sure. Where do you prefer to have it?"
"How about in that bench over there?" Mr. Bo said, pointing at the bench shaded by a huge tree. It was fortunate one of their producers was owner of the amusement park. They were able to use the place for as long and however they want, even for interview promotions.
"Ladies first." He said casually, offering Selena to go first. She did and he followed, holding her by the waist. The two of them sit side by side and the reporter made himself comfortable on a chair carried to him by a staff.
"Thank you." He said and the staff nodded politely and left them.
"Shall we begin?" He offered and Selena smiled warmly, putting her head on Zack's left shoulder but pulling it up again.
"First question, Selena, is it true you guys started dating when you were seventeen?"
"Yes."
"Can you please share how you became close? I bet the fans would be delighted." He cheerfully encouraged.
Selena stared at Zack, and he took it as hint for him to answer for them "You won't believe it, it's like in movies." He was smiling, recalling the memories. "We actually first met in Director Su's training class. You know that class he held for wannabe actors?" He waited for Mr. Bo's nod before he continued. "I came late on our first day. They were already acting on pairs and it was Selena's turn but she wouldn't do the kissing scene. As punishment for me being late, I needed to convince her to kiss me. By then I was already crushing on her, in fact it began since day one of the training when I saw her in Director Su's garden. You know that feeling when you see a beautiful girl, only that time, I thought I saw a goddess came down from Olympus." He described, and the reporter noted Selena's brows moving up surprise. Who'd have thought that two years of being together and she wasn't aware of how her boyfriend (on cam) sees her.
Selena had to bite her lip to stop herself from chuckling. She too remembered how it happened, and she was well aware, Zack was exaggerating their story.
"How can you be a famous actor if you won't kiss a girl?" Director Su demanded, fired up and angered.
While the rest of the other trainees were backing away in fear, a young boy in baggy shorts, lose shirt and red cap was standing bravely. "I'm sorry Director Su, but I had no plans to enter that type of productions." He said, and removed the cap revealing the long sparkly brown hair. He then removed the other face accessories, giving them a view of her true form. "As you can see I'm a girl. I didn't mean to deceive you but I had no time to change, neither to object because as soon as you said pair up for a kissing scene, this girl you want me to kiss grabbed me and declared we're partners." She looked at the said girl who was now blushing in embarrassment.
Everybody gasped in awe. Even the famous Director Su was stunned. He fully thought he was a he and was just stubborn. Even her voice was like a boy's.
"And you were in disguise because?" Director Su asked when he found his voice.
"I had to or else my family will stop me by all means from attending your class." She answered confidently and casually yet Director Su sensed her politeness and admired her for her honesty.
And that was when Zachary Frost came into scene.
Next thing they know, Director Su had come up with another plan.
"Alright since it came into this, you, come here!" He eyed Zack and signaled him to come over. "As punishment for being late, you are to make her kiss you. You are free to act out anything that comes to mind as long as you end up making her kiss you and not the other way around. That or I'll sue you from my class. By the way, what's your name young girl?" He continued, looking back at Selena, leaving Zack no time to respond.
Selena smiled, and Zack immediately recognized his crush. "Selena Dimples."
Director Su smirked, remembering the name. "And you?" He said, now turning back to Zack.
"Zachary Frost sir."
"Alright, Zachary, Selena, lights, camera, action!"
The other trainees were feeling like they were now watching some sort of movies, only this time, they're watching a LIVE shooting making it even more exciting.
"Ah, ahm." Zachary was still digesting what's going on. Instinct tells him to act out if he doesn't want to be banned, but what's a guy to do in the said situation?
"You know what I hate most about guys." Zachary was surprised but managed to look confused which their audience identified as acting.
"What?"
"Cowards, the type to invite me to talk but stutters. I'm a busy person. " Selena really looked like irritated and Zack had no clue that she was only half acting. "If you don't have anything to say then I'm leaving now." Selena said coldly, starting to walk away.
It was then when it hit Zachary. He was an aspiring actor, and he was no way letting a girl walk away from him.
"Wait!" He said, pulling her by the arm, only to cause her to stumble in a bag that she was sure wasn't there last time she looked, and ended up pulling Zack with her in a position that usually happened in movies.
"So we ended up it an awkward position. She was holding me by the shirt and I was on top of her, our lips touching. It wasn't really what I thought was an applicable act but Director Su accepted it and even approved of our pairing. Next thing we know, the entire class was squealing and congratulating us for such performance!" Zack was laughing unaware that Selena's face was now blood red in embarrassment.
"How did Selena react?" Mr. Bo asked, finding the entire story fascinating and funny.
"She slapped me! I had to use a lot of ice packs because her hand mark was very evident on my face. But it was thanks to that that she was ordered to buy me ice packs, and we ended up going home together that day. We had a lot of arguing but eventually get on each other's good side." Zack seemed proud, which Mr. Bo didn't fail to write down. After all, he was a feature writer and very well knows that the audience would love to know how their favorite actor and actress were like while narrating their stories. Too bad, he was only allowed to bring a voice recorder as gadget.
Mr. Bo was about to ask the next question but Douglas came in sight, announcing an important call for Zack. Zack apologized for the inconvenience but the moment he received the phone and saw who the caller was, his delighted expression was enough for Selena to know who it was.
"Ahm, Mr. Bo, I'm sorry but can I please ask for the interview to be continued some other time? I-" Selena began, and held her forehead, playing sick. "I'm not feeling well."
"Oh, is that so? I guess now's a good time. You guys must be tired. I thank you for being professionals and still accommodating me. So we'll continue some other time then?" Mr. Bo politely accepted her request. He too was aware they just finished shooting the last scene and the two celebrities must be worn out.
"Yes, we'll do that." Selena smiled and she and Zack thanked Mr. Bo before asking a staff to get him a cab. Mr. Bo bid his farewell and courteously left.
It was obvious to Selena that Zack wanted to leave but was still being the gentleman he was. And as his pretend girlfriend, she wasn't the type to make it hard for him.
"You can go. It's Samantha who called, right?" She said understandingly, to which Zack responded with a genuine grin.
"Thank you! Thank you. You're the best girlfriend ever!" He said and ran off, leaving her watching him from behind.
"I am, aren't I? Because I'm probably the only girlfriend who's letting you go to the girl you truly love, even when that girl, isn't me."
Next on Celebrity Love
Chapter Two: Love Triangle
"I like you."
"What? But that couldn't be. You know I'm with Zack. You're joking."
"I- I know that, but I want to be honest with you. Selena, I like you."
Author's Note: So, what do you think? You liked it?