Behind The Scenes

53. Jo

I hate taking this shit pill. It feels like... I don't know.
My makeup and hair are still perfect and intact, I hope they last until at least midnight.
But all of a sudden, tears wet my face. I hate this fucking pill and my makeup is gone. I don't even understand why I'm crying, it's just a morning after pill, nothing special.
Of course, as long as you do not realize that it serves to avoid unexpected arrivals of babies.
Now I'm sobbing in front of the mirror, when Anna walks into the bathroom. She approaches me and, taking my wet face in her hands, she looks at me.
"What happened? You should have fun tonight, Jo. Tell me what's the problem now," she orders me.
My crying intensifies and I throw myself into the arms of the dearest friend I have. "That thing over there is the problem," I mean the pill.
"What's wrong? You just have to put it in your mouth and swallow it with a sip of water. Here," she takes the glass from the sink and she puts it in my hands, which tremble.
I swallow it quickly, without thinking too much.
"You made it, you see," she hugs me again.
"I believe."
She breaks away from the embrace and washes her hands. "What's the big deal with the pill then?"
I snort. "I hate taking this shit. Yeah, unprotected sex is better, but if the pill is the prize... then no thanks," this is the short motivation.
"Well, the reward is actually his orgasm inside you and all the pleasure you feel."
"Okay, you're right. In fact, that's not exactly the reason," I confess while taking off my make-up with the wipes I had in my clutch bag.
"What is it then?"
Someone knocks on the door of the women's bathroom. "Jo? You are here?" is the voice of Hero.
"Shit. Do you see that I cried?" I ask Anna in a whisper and she shakes her head.
"Thank God."
Hero keeps knocking until I get out of the bathroom. "Hey."
"I was looking for you," he looks at me worried. "Everything good?"
"No, yeah yes, don't worry. I just took the pill. Are you having fun?" I ask him to change the subject while his arm is on my right side when we get back among the others.
He says yes, and wonders how I knew so accurately who to invite and who not. I explain to him that I have my methods, or, simply, Felix gave me a hand, but shhh, he doesn't have to know.
"I'm glad you're having fun," and I give a kiss on her his, freshly shaved cheek.
"Are you sure everything is okay?" he insists.
"Yes! Enjoy the party, don't think about me. "
"Fuck, I always think about you," he suddenly cups my cheek with his hand.
"Same thing, but turn off the Josephine Langford option from your brain for tonight. Please," I beg him.
I love being in his thoughts all the time, but now I want him to enjoy the whole evening well. I would feel guilty if he didn't enjoy it because of me, of my eyes swollen from crying.
"Okay, you know I love you," and he kisses my forehead before walking away to join his friends.
I absolutely want to have a drink and stop thinking for tonight. I think bloody too much.

I've had two Sex On The Beach and it's ten to midnight.
"Ten minutes to go, are you all ready guys?" someone exclaims into the DJ's microphone.
I feel the room spinning around me as I sit on a small sofa next to Felix, who is tired of wandering aimlessly around people.
"Are you okay?" he asks me raising an eyebrow.
"Yes," I answer absently.
"Your boy is 21 in five minutes, you know that right?"
"Oh shit."
I get up too suddenly and stagger on my heels for a moment, then regain my balance. I'm still sober, but tired.
I join Hero in front of the table for the huge cake I had made.
I show him my thumbs up as if to say "the scene is yours, you own it all" and he smiles.
"Ready guys? 10 ... 9 ... 8 ... 7 ... 6 ... 5 ... 4 ... "
It looks like New Year's Eve.
«... 3 ... 2 ... 1 ... Happy birthday Hero!" we all exclaim in chorus.
When Hero blows out the candles, the first person he looks at is me. Then he signals me to join him behind the table.
"Happy birthday, I love you," and I kiss him on the corner of the lips.
We pose and the photographer takes nice pictures of us, after which I step aside and he takes pictures with his closest friends and family, and then with all of the After cast — myself included, obviously.
We danced, sang and drank for another hour. At half past one they almost all left.
"Let's go home, I'm exhausted, my feet and head hurt," he tells me in a plaintive tone, but he smiles at me at the same time.
"I feel you."
We walk outside where the same taxi driver awaits us to take us back to the hotel.
Once we arrive we both immediately take off our shoes.
"Unzip me, please," I ask, giving my shoulders to him.
He does it right away and doesn't make any nasty comments, he's too tired even for that.
I'm relieved that he doesn't want to do something, I wouldn't tell him not to but I would have fallen asleep in the middle of it all.
I wore a shirt of him as pajamas, leaving only the panties, he is with the usual boxers. We didn't bother looking for something to put on, too tiring for the moment and the room is quite warm.
We fall asleep as soon as we touch the bed. Hero hugs me from behind and his hand is resting on my belly, mine are under my left cheek.
"I loved the evening anyway, thank you," he whispers and kisses me in the crease of my neck before falling into a deep sleep.
"I'm glad you enjoyed it, night. Love you."