Pillars

Chapter 30: Out of Focus (Kelci)

Three Years Later...

My show, Hyland Square, was picked up by a major network. The first three seasons went by in a flash. While I worked long hours on the show, my relationship with Remi struggled. He was partying in college, and I was working like an adult. Two different worlds.

Somehow Adrian and Lorin were able to make their two worlds fit. When he finished law school he moved out to LA. Lorin started a new and exciting project. When she decided she'd rather write and produce songs than perform on stage, Gary and Adrian turned the back bedroom into a small recording studio. Her first project was to record Magenta's new album, which included several songs that she and Dax were writing together.

Adrian approached Dax as he was leaving after one of their six-hour long collaboration sessions. "Listen man, I'm not a jealous guy but I'm just going to come out and say it. Do I need to worry about you and my fiancée spending so much time together?"

"No, dude. Lorin and I are chill," Dax said.

"Good."

"It's Kelci I'm in to."

"She has a boyfriend."

"Really? I never see them together."

I think Adrian told me this as a warning, but I just laughed it off. 

***

Catch LA was the best place to celebrate amazing things, with amazing friends. So, Adrian and Lorin decided to celebrate their recent engagement with their friends there. Lorin eyed me across the table. When I got up to go to the restroom, she followed.

"You can't do this?" she said.

"What, pee?"

"You know what I mean." I ignored her and shut the door of the stall. "Don't think I didn't see you flirting with Dax," Lorin shouted through the door.

"Chill sis," I called back. "We were just having a good time."

"What would Remi say about that if he were here?" She followed me to the sink where I washed my hands.

"Would you back off. We're just friends."

"You need to tell him that."

"Fine. I'll talk to him."

"We are going to be working together, Kelci." She had convinced me to record "Edge of Everything" with Magenta. "Don't screw this up."

"Okaaaaya!" I said throwing my hands in the air.

***

The next day, while we were listening to the playback of our track, I went over the script in my head of what I was going to say to Dax. The band packed up after their session, and I asked him to stay for a minute.

"Listen, this thing we're doing..." I lost all my words when he touched my hand. "You need to chill."

He leaned in and kissed me. It was as if he hadn't heard me at all. But I didn't stop him. In fact, I kissed him back. It wasn't like when I kissed Remi. It was reckless and selfish, and I instantly regretted it.

"That's the opposite of chill," I said pulling away from him.

"I'll say," Dax smiled. His eyes were hungry, and he stepped in toward me again.

"No. We're not doing this." I turned and left the room.

Remi called at 12:30 that night. He was at some party, and he was wasted. I had an early call time on set the next day, but I got dressed and went to pick him up anyway.