𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒂𝒓 𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆 || baxter radic (discontinued)

8.

𝒋𝒐𝒔𝒉'𝒔 𝒑𝒐𝒗

There is something about the way Stella looks at me that made my heart do stupid things inside my chest. Even when she was hating me it still jumped half way out of my chest when she was around.

I used my sarcasm to try and push away the overwhelming feelings she gave me. That didn't really work though. Instead it kind of made my mind go crazy.

Every single word I chose to say, every single action I made felt like a ploy to get her to realize that I was much better than I seemed to be. I wasn't anything special. I was just her costar, who happens to have to hit on her constantly. It accidentally rolled over into real life, sometimes it just happens in our line of work.

"I think whatever I'm doing is slightly winning her over." I look at Kai, who plays Ari. "I mean not that that was my plan or anything. I'm just not upset about it. She's fiery—a lot to handle."

"Right up your alley." He chuckles. "You've even given her a nickname that she's loathes. Best way to get her to cave is get under her skin so much she actually tries to like you to stop you, then ends up falling for you."

"I honestly don't care if she does or not. But it would be an added bonus. I definitely wouldn't mind continuing to see her outside of filming." I shrug my shoulders just as Stella enters the room.

"Sugar Pie." She greets me with a smile—a devious one she's adapted—probably from me. "Kai, how are you guys today?"

We reply with the same generated response everyone always gives, which is a mix of good or fine. I think is the dullest I've ever been around her, but the last scene we filmed has me feeling some sort of way—more than normal.

"I don't even get a sarcastic response. Wow Sugar Pie. You've changed." She shakes her head in disapproval. She's flirting. I think she's actually flirting with me. "What am I going to do now? I have no one to argue with?"

"I have not changed." I perk up, leaning forward to be just a hair closer to her. "You're the one who brings the arguments, not me. So if anything Buttercup, you've changed."

She scoffs, there's the girl we all know and have begun to accept and love. "Well you weren't annoying me, now you are." She crosses her arms against her chest like it will make her seem big and bold... and mean. But it does quite the opposite.

"Oh come Buttercup, you were doing so well." I reach out toward her to pull her toward me, but she doesn't accept my waiting hand. Instead she pushes it away. Her and that damn bubble of hers.

"I've actually come to steal Kai. Sorry loser." She smiles at me and the next thing I know she's walking off with Kai without another word. What in the actually hell was that? And why does she need Kai?

I don't see her until it's our time to film. We're just sat in the background. We don't have any lines. Today we get to play the role of extras, and she's made it her entire goal to try and make me mess up the entire scene. She's got the devil eyes ready every time the director shouts action.

I'm staring at her, watching her every move. Her backs to the camera, but it's staring straight at me. She's pulling every single silly face she can possibly make. Sticking her tongue out, going cross eyed, making every emotion she can with the features on her face. It's taking every morsel of my being to not crack. But eventually I do. I burst out laughing, pulling glares from our friends. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry." I throw my hands up.

"Compose yourself back there." I hear being yelled but it doesn't even register in my mind. I'm too caught up in the fit of giggles Stella is lost in. She's nearly keeling over, holding her belly from the laughter she can't escape.

I wrap my arms around her. "Shush it, they're trying to film." I whisper in her ear. Her giggles slow until they dissipate in the air. I expect her to shrug me off, but she doesn't. Instead she rests her head on my chest not even thinking about the fact we're being filmed.

"You're comfy." She whispers to me, I barely hear it over Sky and Kai's conversation. I catch it though and I can't stop the giddy smile from plastering across my face. I hold her in my arms long enough for the scene to run through smoothly.

I expect her to break from me when the director calls 'cut', but she doesn't. It earns a few head nods from the boys, almost as if they're giving me a silent congrats for winning the stubborn girl over, at least a little.

"I know I'm your comfy pillow and all, but our work here is done." I chuckle, trying to pry her off of me, but she only wraps her arms tighter around me when I try. This was new—very, very new.

"Why didn't you tell me you were like a teddy bear?" Was she implying that I was chunky? I start to get lost in the land of self-consciousness when Kai and Sky approach us.

"This is new." Sky motions between the two of us. "Finally use your charm on her Josh?"

"No, he still sucks. He's just comfy and I haven't slept in two days." She mumbles into my chest. She could have fooled me with her faces, and upbeat energy just an hour ago.

"Two days?" Sky, Kai, and I all question in the exact same tone. What kind of drugs was she putting in her body? Because that just isn't normal.

"My best friend back home she uh- she's decided to try and ruin my life half way across the world. It's fine though, don't worry. I have a new pillow named Sugar Pie." She shoots a thumbs up away from her body at us.

Sky and Kai shoot eyes toward me knowing only slightly about the feeling that have brewing inside of me. "I guess I'll be escorting my owner back to her trailer to get some sleep."

Yeah, maybe not the best choice of words. I can't think clearly when I've got a girl just holding me hostage. Especially when it's a girl that hasn't giving me any sort of attention like this the entire few months I've known her. Well, and the fact that I may like her, maybe, sorta.