Even In Pieces [bxb]

Chapter 7

Everett

Working with Jess on her script is relaxing and exciting at the same time. The things I get to learn from her are stuff that I'll never forget. I also found out that when Jess is not working on her script, she is a freelance writer for magazines. I'd say she has become my favorite person here in the theater.

The week passed and everyone has got on with the fact that Zachary and I hate each other. We have been slandering each other non-stop, to the point where we stopped looking at each other. Just thinking about him makes me want to commit homicide. I still give him a ride to and from work, where we keep silent and ignore each other. But no fists were thrown. Yet. But I also found out that Zach is a completely different person when he is in the theater. He smiles more, and is friendly with everyone. Mason is his best friend even if neither of them will acknowledge that. But even he really doesn't know why Zachary works here. He told me that both of them had started working here since high school and Zach doesn't really talk much about himself.

“I don't know man, she's totally out of my league.” A voice says from behind me. I turn and see that Roman was talking to Mason and Leslie while Zachary scrolled through his phone. His head is slightly dipped making his wavy curls fall over his forehead. It almost makes me want to push them back. He might be attractive but he is still an arrogant jerk.

“Yeah definitely. But you won't know if you don't give it a try.” Mason says with a grin.

“Hey Everett,” Leslie calls out when she catches me looking “What do you think about it?”

“About what?”

“Roman here likes a lady. He doesn't know what to do.” Mason tells me pointing his thumb at Roman who looks a bit embarrassed by all the attention he is getting.

I walk over towards them. Zachary still ignores all of us.

“What's there to do? You go and talk to her.” I shrug at Roman who gives me an unimpressed glare.

“Is that how you pick up guys?” Leslie asks with a mischievous glint in her eyes.

I give her a smirk. “No. I don't have to. They usually come to me.”

Leslie rolls her eyes at me. Mason snorts.

All of a sudden Zachary's phone rings and he tenses. That's the second time I have seen that happening. He blinks at the screen before turning to us. “Give me a minute.”

He doesn't wait for us to reply before rushing out of there. I look over to Leslie and Mason to check if they know what that was all about but both of them look as confused as I feel. They all stare at each other.

“Break's over guys. Get back to work,” Carl says loudly, turning to look at us “Where's Zach?”

“He got a call,” I tell him.

“Get him back. I need to talk to him,” Carl says.

I nod and move out to search for Zachary. Just as I reach the backstage, I hear hushed noises. Turning over, I spot Zachary in the corner talking on this phone. His face is set on a distressed frown. He is tense now but more nervous. And that catches me off guard. He just doesn't look like the Zachary I know.

“It's fine.” he says.

There's a pause then and Zachary's face turns into pain. Like someone just kicked his puppy. And it makes me feel a little unsettled.

“Of course not. You know that's not true. I will meet you somewhere else.” he says. His voice pleading.

Another pause before he talks. “I love you too, Vio”