The Make-Up Artist

Chapter Seventeen: I Won't Lie Down

You sit on the floor of Taron's trailer, too overwhelmed with everything that's going on to move. How did you let this happen? Everything is such a mess and you feel like it's all your fault. After all, if you hadn't taken this job in the first place, none of this would be happening. Lisa and Anthony wouldn't have gotten together; you wouldn't have to be putting up with Colin's unwanted advances. Olivia would have no reason to hate you; and not to mention that you wouldn't have fallen for Taron. Well, one problem at a time. Right now, you need to get yourself out of this trailer before Taron comes back and wants to pick up where you left off. How could you have been so stupid to kiss him like that? You know it was wrong and can only cause problems for you both. How are you now going to explain to him that it was a mistake and can never happen again? You think you know what needs to be done, but you are dreading doing it. For the time being however, you drag yourself off the floor and quickly dash to the make-up trailer to get your things and get out of this studio as quickly as possible. You will deal with what needs to be done later.

Once back at the B&B, you shower for the second time today, hoping to wash away the day's events. You slip into p.j's and crawl into the safety of your bed. You text your mom back so that she won't worry, and then put your phone on "do not disturb". You then snuggle down into the safety of the blankets, close your eyes and try and not think about anything except sleep.

You don't do much else over the course of the next two days. The studio has had to postpone the regular filming schedule to film on location at the Royal Academy of Music since this is the only time they can film there with the child actor playing Elton. It couldn't be better timing actually since you can't imagine being around people at the moment. All you want to do is stay curled up in your bed as long as possible. You know it's not healthy, but you just need a little time to yourself for your own mental well-being. You also know that Taron, and most likely Lisa, have probably been trying to contact you, but your phone is of no interest to you right now.

At the end of the two days, knowing that you need to pull yourself out of your funk; you shower, dress and head downstairs to help Julia with dinner for her current guests. For the first time in weeks, you eat with the fellow lodgers and enjoy amiable conversation having nothing to do with movies, relationships or drama. You almost feel like yourself again when you crawl back into your bed that evening to get a good night's sleep for the following day at the studio.

The next morning, after you've gotten yourself ready for the day, you are not surprised that Taron doesn't arrive to drive you to the studio. You can't really blame him after not responding to his nearly twenty texts and phone calls over the last two days. You actually feel pretty horrible about that and will apologize, but you know it will be nothing compared to the blow you are about to deliver.

After taking a taxi to the studio, your first order of business is to track down Lizzie to have a conversation with her. It doesn't take long to find her meandering around the costume trailer, and after asking to speak with her in private, you explain what you've been thinking about for the last two days. When you are done with your conversation, you make your way hesitantly to the make-up trailer. You sigh in relief when you find it empty, and go about setting up your things for the day. You look over the chart that you will be needing, and see that you will require some darker tinted eyebrow make-up. You don't see it in the normal supplies or in the cabinet that holds extra stockpiles of make-up, so you wander into the bathroom to see if what you're looking for might be in there.

You are searching the shelves with your back to the door when you hear it close behind you. A feeling of panic washes over you as you spin around to see Taron standing not a foot away from you.

"Taron", you gasp. "What are you doing in here?" You ask as your heart rate escalates.

"We need to talk', he says and you can hear the desperation in his voice.