Better Than Me

Chapter 22

A/N: This chapter accidentally turned out really long (at least compared to my usual updates) but ¯\_(ツ)_/¯. Next update will be up this weekend!

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Chapter 22

The last thing I expected to receive at work was homework. Yet what did Sophia and I receive? Exactly that. Except this time, it was homework I could actually get behind – because our homework was to practice the scene that ended with our characters making out.

Well, technically it ended with Sophia's character pushing mine away and running out when she realized what she was doing, but it was close enough.

We both thought Nora was kidding when she suggested practicing this scene on our own before we had to shoot it on Monday. I mean, we were actors. Sure, we didn't exactly have a history of getting along, but when the time came for a cheesy or passionate scene, I was sure we'd manage somehow.

I guess it was easy to speak for myself. Personally, I had no problem getting half-naked and making out with Sophia, even if it was in front of a camera. This wasn't the first time I'd done this. All of my movies had one of these scenes. What was one more?

Sophia laughed at her suggestion at first before realizing she was serious. "Wait, you seriously expect us to practice making out?"

"Not just the making out," Nora said. "While that is the area I'm most concerned about, it's also important that you two are able to make the transition from being at odds with each other to falling in love. The scene we're doing on Monday is that stepping stone, where you use passion to go from 'I hate you' to 'hold on a second... do I have feelings for this person?' And it wouldn't hurt to practice that a little."

I stared at her blankly. "So you want us to make out for practice. Sweet. Count me in."

Sophia looked at me like I'd just betrayed her and smacked my arm. "How are you not on my side here? We don't need to practice making out!"

"Well, I know I don't need to practice making out, but I'd have to kiss you to find out if you could use some practice," I said, fully expecting to get another smack for that comment.

And I did. It was still worth it. "How about I use you as target practice instead?" she said.

I wasn't sure what exactly she'd be shooting me with, but I had a feeling I didn't want to know.

"Just work on something, guys," Nora said. "Something that will prepare you for the scene. Because I guarantee you struggling through this scene in front of an entire crew will be worse than struggling through this scene on your own. And we won't have all day to waste on it. Don't forget we're on a schedule. I'll see you guys on Monday."

Nora patted us both comfortingly on the arm, as if that would soothe the currently silently seething Sophia, and left us to it.

We went back to my trailer and just sat there awkwardly staring at each other at first. Usually I was the one to make the first move, but not with Sophia. If I moved too fast – or at all – I'd get kicked in the nuts and I wasn't about to risk that. As much as I liked making out with hot girls, I liked getting kicked in the nads considerably less.

"We could always say we practiced and go home instead," Sophia suggested.

"She'd know. I bet she has someone out there spying on us."

"Then what are we supposed to do?"

I shrugged. "Stay in here long enough that she thinks we practiced the scene. Or just man up and go through with it, I guess."