The Journalist and Her Actor

Chapter 40

"Are you sure you don't want me to go with you?" Carter asked, putting Bowser in his travel tank. "We can leave Bowser at Duke's house and I can be your plus one," he offered, sounding equal parts horrified by going to a red carpet event and equal parts brave. 

Where spotlights had never scared me, Carter was like a shadow, the more light that shined, the more he seemed to vanish under its attention. I adjusted my lavish long flowing dress and shook my head, my rainbow hair back to it's vibrant shine as I pushed several curls over my shoulder until the strands fell across my back. 

The long gown felt like silk across my skin, the pink swirling into baby blue as it reached my ankles, the a line material cinching in at my waist before blooming out. My cherry blossom tattoo was on full display across my shoulder and arm now that I was no longer shooting the movie and seeing the flash of color in my hair, the pink inked across my skin, the bright dress color on my body, I finally felt like myself after months of playing someone else. 

"No. You don't want to be there for this one," I said to my reflection in answer to Carter. 

"I never want to be at those things," he said with a shudder. "Those camera people are crazy. The things they find fun to take pictures of are dumb," he said placing a piece of lettuce in Bowser's tank before settling on the couch in his ninja turtle pajamas. "Why would anyone want pictures of people who look mad at having their pictures taken. It's a weird hobby."

He smiled as Bowser began to chew on the lettuce leaf with slow, deliberate chomps. "I'm glad you don't write those things anymore." 

I gave a mock shocked expression back at Carter over my shoulder. "What? You DON'T like me writing lies for a living? I'm shocked."

Carter snorted. "Okay neon queen." Plucking up a piece of pizza from the coffee table, Carter took a large bite, chasing the cheese that glooped off the side before getting the entire thing in his mouth. "When do you leave?" 

A knock at the door symbolizing Duke's arrival came as answer. 

Clutching my clutch purse, a fancy glittery looking thing with a silhouette of a unicorn on it, I pulled on my converse with one hand while hoping towards the door. "Now. Lavender said she'd be here in five minutes... five minutes ago. She'll start calling me every thirty seconds if I don't get downstairs now-ish." 

Duke smiled widely at me, taking in my outfit with a long whistle. "Holy smokes kid, you are gonna knock em dead." He walked in and slumped down on the couch next to Carter, helping himself to a slice of pizza. 

"When is that movie of yours comin' out? Will it be on a streaming service? Watching movies at home has ruined me for theaters." 

"I don't decide those things," I said with a laugh. 

Both boys began to scroll through Netflix, trying to decide what movie to watch, only half listening to me now. "I can't believe you know Delle Falls," Duke said as he hovered over the reality tv show she had been on, 'Hearts Don't Lie.' "Is she really as terrifying as she is in person?"

Duke had been a fan of Delle for a while, having watched her reality tv show several times since it first came out. I had been tempted to invite her over several times when Duke was going to be around mostly to watch him fall into an excited panic. But Delle would kill me. 

"You got this Em," Carter said as I made my way for the door. "Just be brave. Be honest, and show them why you are awesome."

Duke looked over at me with a raised brow. "No idea why you need a pep talk before a fancy event, but... what the kid said," he added before holding up a second piece of pizza with a cheers gesture.