Chapter 9

A Few Weeks Later, Early April

Mandy flopped her weary body down on her bed. She had just been filming for 8 hours straight, plus another two hours of school. She was exhausted. Still lying down, she reached to her side and picked up the phone, dialling a familiar number. After five rings, she heard a click, and then:

“Hey, you’ve reached Shane…if you don’t know what to do after the beep, then I don’t know you.” Mandy hung up the phone and sighed. She had called him three times today and all three times, the best she had gotten was his stupid machine. She ran her hands through her hair, grimacing at how short it was. She didn’t dare sit up, because she knew the mirror in front of her would reveal a new hair colour as well—blonde. The dreaded blonde.

She chuckled a little at her melodrama, most likely caused by sleep deprivation. Turning on the TV, she began watching some Canadian improv show when her cell phone rang.

“Mmm?” she muttered as a way of greeting.

“Hey baby.” She smiled broadly at the sound of Shane’s soft voice.

“Shane! How are you sweetie, I haven’t heard from you in…well, a day!” He chuckled a bit.

“Yeah, I know, I’ve been really busy.” He was talking so quietly, she could barely hear him.

“Shane? Can you speak up a bit?”

“Uh, no, not really. I’m not supposed to be on the phone.” Suddenly, there was a loud banging on the door. “What was that?”

“Oh, somebody’s at the door, hang on.” She let her arm drop to her side, with the phone still in it, as she lazily got up and—avoiding the mirror—made her way to the door. When she opened it, what she saw on the other end made the cell crash to the floor.

*

Shane mouthed Mandy’s cell phone number as he dialled it, quietly walking down the hallway. It smelled like a hotel—floor cleaner and chlorine from the pool downstairs. He smiled at the sound of her voice, trying to keep his voice low so she couldn’t hear him through the door. What was the room number Bonnie had told him again? As he spoke to Mandy, he dug in his pocket, pulling out a crumpled piece of paper. “1186” it read, and he looked in front of him to see the same number staring back. Grinning like an idiot, he denied her request to speak louder and then knocked on the door. Innocently, he asked her who was knocking, and was delighted to hear she had no clue. The door opened a notch, and the look on her face was priceless.

*

“Shane!” she squealed, ripping the door open and throwing her arms around his neck. He hugged her back and spun her around, causing her squeal even louder.

“Oh baby.” He showered her face with kisses. “I missed you, I missed you, I missed you!” He punctuated each “you” with a kiss.

“I missed you too, so much!” They laughed together and then kissed with fervour over and over.

Taking a breath, she leaned back and looked into his eyes. “You’d think we hadn’t seen each other in years!” She laughed at herself.

He brushed a lock of hair out of her face. “It feels like centuries,” he whispered, kissing her forehead softly. A tear glistened in her eye as she hugged him, inhaling his scent, revelling in the familiarity of his strong arms. For the first time in weeks, she felt at home.

*The Next Day*

“…And this is the apartment room set that I’m staying at in the movie, and that’s my trailer, and—”

“—That’s my extremely handsome co-star,” a voice interrupted Mandy’s tour. Both Shane and Mandy turned around to see Elijah Wood smiling devilishly at them both.

“Eli!” Mandy greeted, happily. “This is my boyfriend, Shane.”

“Nice to meet you,” Shane addressed, politely. Elijah returned the acknowledgment, and shook the hand Shane held out.

“Quite a girl you got there,” Elijah noted, slipping a cigarette out of the pack in his front pocket. Seeing this, Mandy crinkled her nose, causing Elijah to laugh. “She thinks she can change everyone.”

Mandy laughed and shrugged. “Well, I try. It worked on this guy here.” She motioned to Shane and pinched his side.

“Yeah, yeah…Well, I figured I kinda needed a transformation, ya know?” Shane said, chuckling.

Elijah raised an eyebrow, put his cigarette to his mouth, and inhaled. “Yeah. So Mand, did Jeff tell you about the change in scene twelve?” Jeffrey Porter was the director.

Mandy looked at her co-star quizzically. “No, he didn’t mention anything. What change?”

Elijah stole a glance at Shane. “This is actually kinda funny,” he commented, taking another drag and directed his attention to Shane. “`Kay, see, I’m supposed to play this dumb ass little innocent, and Mandy here is the street smart tough girl, right?” Shane nodded, wondering where this was going. “In this scene, she’s trying to explain to me how to kiss properly, and the scene was originally just her talking about it to me, but now Jeff decides that it’s more realistic-like if you teach me how to kiss by…” He paused for dramatic effect, even though Mandy knew what was coming. “…kissing me!” He laughed and inhaled his fast-shrinking cigarette.

Mandy giggled. “Well, we knew it was bound to happen eventually right? You better gargle with a litre of mouthwash before you come near me though,” she warned, pointing a finger at him.

He grinned at her. “Yeah, yeah…” Flicking the cigarette onto the ground, he smashed it with his foot, then spat. Seeing the familiar crinkle in Mandy’s nose, he laughed and mussed her hair.

“Hey, hey!” Mandy stepped back and shoved his shoulder playfully. “Not the hair!”

Shane watched this exchange half amused, half envious. She seemed to have a good working relationship with this guy, Despite his cynicism, lack of respect, and sarcasm, Shane couldn’t help thinking bitterly. He quickly banished the thought. A friend of Mandy’s is a friend of mine, he tried to convince himself. Looking at Elijah’s slick smile directed towards a laughing Mandy, Shane wasn’t so sure.

*

“This…isn’t as bad as I thought it would be,” Shane admitted, curling his fingers around her gold locks. She sleepily leaned into his hand and yawned. They were both lying on her bed. The TV was on in the background, but they weren’t paying much attention to it, being more interested in each other. Mandy had just finished filming for the day and—much to Shane’s relief—hadn’t had to rehearse the dreaded “kissing scene”.

“I don’t like it,” she murmured, nestling into his shoulder.

“Anything on you looks beautiful,” he assured her.

“Aww,” Mandy cooed, grinning. “What a charmer!”

He laughed. “Well, ya know…Hey, how about we go out to dinner tonight?”

“Oh, that sounds great! I’ve been living off McDonalds for the past two weeks!”

He laughed. “So then it’s settled. We’ll just wander around until we find somewhere, alright?”

She was about to agree when they were interrupted by a knock at the door.

Mandy groaned and disentangled herself from Shane’s arms. “Who could that be?” she muttered, wondering aloud. She trudged over to the door and swung it open. “Yes? Oh!” She started.

It was Elijah, grinning widely at the other end of the doorframe. “Hey.”

“Hi…what’s up?” Mandy greeted, wondering what he was doing there. Shane got up and made his way over to the door. He nodded to Elijah in acknowledgment.

“Well…don’t kill the messenger!” He held up his hands in mock-defence. “But, remember that scene I was telling you about…the kissing one…?” Mandy nodded, then realization dawned in her eyes.

“Oh no! Don’t tell me we have to do it now!” she cried. Elijah grimaced at her expression.

“Sorry babe, it’s true. Jeff wants it done today so he can move on tomorrow. He just forgot about it until now, and I just happened to be down there, so he made me come and tell you. Don’t hurt me,” he added, jokingly. Mandy made a frustrated noise and ran her hands through her hair. After a beat, she sighed deeply.

“Alright. Alright, I guess I have to go.” She looked over at Shane. “Come with me?” she pleaded.

He didn’t even hesitate. “Of course.”

“I’ll just wait for you downstairs Mand,” Elijah said, as he backed out the door.

“Yup, see you down there,” she called to his retreating figure. He waved his hand to indicate he heard her, but didn’t turn around. She turned back to Shane and sighed again. “I’m really sorry, I—”

He put a finger to her lips to silence her. “Hey, come on now. You had no power over this.” He flashed her a stunning half-smile and took her hand in his. “We’ll take a rain check on dinner. How about tomorrow night?”

“Mmm…” Mandy smiled dreamily. Suddenly her eyes widened and she scowled. “No! I can’t!” she moaned. “Jeff wants me to—” A finger to the lips silenced her again.

“So then Thursday, the day after tomorrow,” Shane offered. Mandy thought for a minute then grinned.

“Thursday it is! Okay, let’s go down now before Jeff has a heart attack.” Shane just laughed and followed her.

*Three Hours Later*

“No, no, no!” Jeff shouted, throwing his hat to the ground. “More emotion, more passion. You’re kissing a BOY, Mandy, not a FISH!”

Mandy’s cheeks reddened from both the public criticism and the rage she felt for being publicly criticized. They’d been on the same scene for the past three hours now. She was exhausted, frustrated, and thisclose to attacking someone. Her lips were numb from kissing Elijah over and over again. She felt no romantic feelings from it. In fact, she might as well have been kissing a fish. There was absolutely no chemistry between her and Elijah. Even he was getting bored. Sighing, she stole a glance over at her boyfriend. He was trying hard not to fall asleep as his head rested tiredly in his hands. Mandy resolved to do her best so that they could both go back up to the room.

Five minutes later, Jeff was yelling again. “Mandy! I’m surprised you haven’t insulted Elijah yet by showing him so little interest. COME ON NOW!”

“That’s it!” Mandy cried out. With all the pent-up frustration, anger, and passion she had in her, she grasped Elijah behind the neck and pulled him towards her, enveloping his lips with hers. They kissed for a full thirty seconds before pulling up for air. A hush fell over the entire set. Every crew member, every actor was stunned to silence.

Jeff broke the quiet. “And cut.”

*

“Shane,” Mandy said pleadingly. “Don’t be mad. It was acting.”

“I’m not mad,” Shane said, lying back on the bed. They were back in Mandy’s hotel room, and he’d barely said two words to her since they left the set.

“Yes you are, I can tell. But you shouldn’t be, because you’ve kissed girls in movies before, so why can’t I? Kiss boys, I mean! Boys, not girls. But still…Shane?” Mandy was cross-legged on the bed, facing him.

“Not like that Mandy. I haven’t kissed co-stars like they were my…my fuckin’ oxygen.” Only you, Mandy. You’re my oxygen.

“No, you just went out with half of them,” she retorted sarcastically. When he did say anything she cried out, exasperated. “Shane! You don’t understand—it meant nothing. Why can’t you trust me?”

Shane sighed and propped up on one elbow. “I do trust you, baby,” he assured her gently, taking her hand. “But seeing you kiss him like that…” Especially that dirt bag, he couldn’t help but think.

Mandy stroked his hand with her thumb and put her other hand on his face. “Hey. Look at me.” He looked up at her, into her eyes. “You’re the only one for me, okay?” She began to run her fingers through his hair. “It’s you who I come home to at the end of the day, right? Figuratively speaking,” she added with a bit of a blush.

He grinned broadly and brought her face down to his. Their mouths were barely an inch a part, and when he spoke she could feel his breath on her lips. “Kiss me.” Grinning, she happily conceded.

*A Few Days Later*

“Don’t open them, whatever you do,” Shane instructed, his hands on Mandy’s waist, guiding her towards his destination.

Mandy’s hands flailed wildly in front of her as she giggled. “Where are we?”

“You’ll see.”

“I enjoy your vagueness,” she replied sarcastically, still flailing. Suddenly, her next step caused her foot to sink. “What the—!?” she stumbled, and then groped at the blindfold around her eyes.

“No, no, no, no, no! Not yet,” Shane commanded, gently bringing her hands back down to her sides. “Take off your shoes,” he whispered in her ear, causing a shiver to go up and down her spine.

Mandy slipped off her black sandals and put her foot back down into the sinking ground. She immediately realized that the ground wasn’t sinking—it was sand! She giggled at the newfound realization.

Shane led her a few more feet onto the beach before stopping and stepping away from her.

“Shane?” she called out, reaching around her.

“It’s okay baby, take off the blindfold.”

Mandy reached around her head and struggled with the knot before pulling it loose and letting it fall. When her eyes focused, she gasped. In front of her, illuminated by the setting sun, was an entire picnic set up right on the sand. “Oh Shane,” she breathed, her hand flying to her mouth. “You did all this?”

He came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. “I pulled some strings, paid a few people…so yeah, I did this.”

She gave a short incredulous laugh. “You…are too much.” She turned around and kissed him fully on the lips. “I don’t deserve this.”

“You deserve better than this,” he said softly, kissing her temple. She closed her eyes and leaned back into his arms. A warm Pacific breeze blew around them. For Mandy, this was heaven.

*

She couldn’t remember a time when she had laughed so hard. Everything he said made her giggle hysterically. Maybe it was the champagne in her glass, although she hadn’t taken more than three sips. Maybe it was the chocolate covered strawberries, although sugar had never made her too hyper before. Looking into Shane’s laughing eyes, she became aware of exactly what it was, and the realization hit her like a ton of bricks. She was in love with him.

*

Her smile was to die for. Her laughter was like music to his ears. He didn’t even know what he was saying that made her laugh in such a way. He rambled, told stories of his life, jokes he’d heard in the past…all the while staring into her beautiful hazel eyes, brightening with each word he said. He couldn’t imagine life without those beautiful eyes…and her wonderful smile…legs that went on for miles…

Shane kept talking, but he tuned out even his own voice as everything around him went silent, and he just stared at her. It seemed as though everything was moving in slow motion, that he was removed from the scene staring at himself…and at her. Then, suddenly, it all came whooshing back to reality, and he heard her laugh and he realized something—he couldn’t imagine life without her because he couldn’t live without her. She was beautiful, she was his…and he loved her.

*The Next Morning*

Mandy drowsily tossed her head, blinking against the sunlight streaming in the room. She stretched out her arms and came in contact with Shane’s sleeping form. She smiled and ran her leg up and down his.

“Mmm…” He awoke. “I could wake up like this for the rest of my life.”

She laughed. “I’m sure you could. Just don’t tell me parents you were in my bed.”

It was his turn to laugh now. “Trust me, I wasn’t planning on it. Although it is a nice change from the pull-out couch…”

“Don’t get any ideas,” Mandy warned.

“Yes’m.”

*Mid-Afternoon*

“That’s it!” Franka Potente announced, holding up her hands. She threw her sunglasses to the ground and added, “I’m done for the afternoon.” With that, she stalked off set.

“What?!” Jeff was practically having a seizure. “No, no, you can’t do that!”

“She can, did, and I’m going to too!” Elijah proclaimed, following his co-star’s footsteps.

Jeff was now an interesting shade of purple and foaming at the mouth. Mandy couldn’t help but feel sorry for him.

“OKAY!” he shouted, finally. “Take a break, we’ll start again tomorrow, BRIGHT AND EARLY!”

“YES!” Mandy cried, pumping her fist in the air. Shane was there, quick to scoop her up into his arms and celebrate with her.

Once they were back in the hotel room, he spoke. “So…it seems as though someone’s having a birthday soon, hmm?”

“Why, who could that be?” Mandy mocked innocence.

“Hmm…I do not know!” Shane exclaimed. Grinning, he tucked a lock of hair out of her face. “What do you want?”

“Mmm…surprise me!”

“Ugh…worst answer ever,” Shane commented dryly, yet smiled.

“Ah, but think of the possibilities.”

Shane laughed. “Too bad I have the imagination of a slug.”

“Hey, hey, don’t say that…” Mandy admonished. “Slugs have a good imagination.” Before he could comment, her cell rang. “Excuse me.” She turned it on. “Hello?…Hey Jon…I’ve WHAT?!” Mandy’s eyes widened and she laughed ecstatically. “For real? Oh my gosh!…WOW! That’s…yeah!!…Okay…okay, great!…Thanks for telling me!…oh gosh, okay…okay, bye.” She hung up and looked at Shane dazedly.

“What? What was that?”

“I’m nominated for Female Breakthrough Performance in the MTV awards!”

Shock registered on his face, then he broke out into a huge grin. “Hey hey!!” He wrapped her up in a huge hug. “Congratulations baby! You deserve it!”

“Mmm, thank you! Ahh! I’m so excited.” She jumped up and down giddily. He laughed, and then sobered up just as quickly. “What?”

“Mandy…I—”

“Hey, Mands!” They were interrupted by Elijah swinging their door open. “You should really lock that, huh. Anyway, the cast is going out for lunch, you…guys wanna come?” He looked at her expectantly.

“Yeah! Sure!” Everything she said was an exclamation due, to her excitement. “Shane, you coming?”

“Oh, uh, no. I’m just gonna chill here. I’m kinda tired.”

“Oh…oh, okay. I won’t be too long okay?”

“Yeah. Yeah, you go and have fun. I’ll see you soon.” He leaned forward and kissed her lightly.

‘Bye,’ she mouthed, closing the door behind her.

It was when he was alone in the room that he finished his sentence:

“—Love you”