Chapter 7: Nathaniel and Daphne (part 2)

I groaned and sit up, I looked at the side of my bed and grab my phone. It's already 8 in the morning, too early. I laid back on my bed and covered myself with a blanket when a sudden ping is heard from my phone. I lazily open my phone.

Nathaniel the jerk: I'll be coming over

My eyes widened of a sudden text from Nathaniel, I pressed home screen and click the camera icon. I looked at myself. Messy hair, tired eyes... Ugh. I quickly stood up and take a shower. Why does that jerk suddenly text me that he'll come over. Does he like me? I shake the thought and let the water droplets slide in my body.

Rubbed my wet hair, I opened the door and took a step backward to let Nathaniel enter the room.

"Got your favorite Korean food," he said, lifting the plastic bag and placed it on the table.

"You know my favorites?"

"Yes, I'm not like you who is dumb at knowing my favorites,"

I cross my arms. "Sorry, jerk. I don't remember kinds of stuff that aren't important"

He scoffed. "So, what's the reason why you are here? Nathaniel settle himself and took something out of his phone and wave it at me. "To practice our scripts"

"But you don't have to come here just to practice," I said, rolling my eyes and sits on the couch. Nathaniel smirks, shaking his head.

"How pitiful, Daphne. If you forgot, you don't act natural around male leads on the films." Shot by his sentence, I only rolled my eyes as a reply.

"But I can do it without—' My sentence was cut off as Nathaniel's face is a centimeter away from me. "Hmmm? What's that? You can do it without me?"

I averted my gaze, flustered, and pushed his face away. "I'm going to get my script" and stood up and head to my room to get my script. Why guys like him know how to make us flustered? His face irritates me.

"Clarah, I love you... "

Why does my heart pound faster when it is just all a practice. "Guess, you cant still be natural," Nathaniel said as he moves his face away from me.

He sighed, "Look, I'm trying to help you here. Be grateful."

I averted my gaze, "who says anyway to help me?" I muttered under my breath.

"What did you say?" he asks, looking at me. "nothing"

"What did you say? Tell me or I'll.." I looked at him, "Or what?"

He smirked and pulled me, his eyes staring at me. I laughed as I felt his hands, tickling me.

"Stop, please," I said, laughing. "I won't till you'll be natural when talking to male leads"

"Okay, l will," I said, wiping my tears as he stopped tickling me. Looking at him, I smiled.

"Maybe we should try staring contest. What I noticed is you averted your gaze when I stare at you" he suggested.

Because you are so handsome, jerk.

"So, stare at me for..." He said, setting a timer on his phone. "...3 minutes," and stare at me.

I stared at his eyes, holding my smile. His serious eyes staring at me, I can't help it but say how handsome he is. The urge not to smile is too weak. Don't smile, shan! Don't smile! This is for Daphne Summer so don't smile!

"Are you holding yourself not to smile?" he asked, shutting the timer off.

"I'm not smiling"

"Don't hide it, daphne. Smiling could be a great way for you to be natural in front of male leads"

"Is it proven though?" I asked. He sighed and shot me a helpless look, "You are an actress yet... Shooting a scene with the male lead is your weak point"

I open my mouth, finding a way to reply but shut it after he said that, he is right though. It is my weak point, it is Daphne's weak point. Daphne just couldn't handle guys.

"Could you change your outfit?" he asked, examining me. "What? Why? I'm comfortable with this look"

"Just go change a casual outfit"

Not listening to him, I crossed my arms. "What if I don't, jerk?"

"Or do you want me to change you--"I cut his sentence off by slapping his arm. "Pervert!" I said and went to my closet.

"So, how is this?" I asked. Nathaniel looked at me head to toe, open-mouthed. Wearing black boots, a black and gray plaid pleated skirt that matches Japanese text on a black fitted crop and a bit of makeup applied to my face, I felt embarrassed being stared at by Nathaniel.

"Cute" he said as he stood up, "Come, we'll watch a movie" he said as he grabbed my hands and stormed out of the condominium room.

Nathaniel is wearing casual checkered pants that match his black shirt and sunglasses, why is he so effortlessly handsome. I looked at his hands, holding mine as we headed to the cinema.

I've never been to a cinema and now, I'm with Nathaniel Clayton, a handsome guy that is an actor. I flustered as he still holding my hand as we go inside the cinema and find an empty seat.

The cinema was quiet and dark, I can hear him struggling with the popcorn that he is also holding.

"hey, I can he---" I cut my sentence off as I felt his lips pressed against my cheek, "Look how the female lead naturally act, this is a romance movie so pay attention"

I comfortably position myself as the movie started, our hands that rest on the armchair almost touched. I watched the movie and look at how the female lead act.

"I love you..." The actor said as he cupped the female lead's cheek. The male and female lead look at each others' eyes, eyes that filled with so much love.

"Mommmm!"

The female lead took a glance at her right, a young boy coming towards them. "I found the flower that Daddy picked for you"

"oh, you do?" The female lead asked as she took the young boy in her arms. The young boy look at the male lead, "Dad, is it really true if you give this to the girl you like... She will like you too?"

The male lead smile at the young boy, his son. "Yes, my son."

The male lead suddenly pulled the female lead, "Because of that flower, your mom loves me and I love her too and now.."

The female and male lead's eyes look at each other, "And now.. We have you" smiled and kissed their son's cheek.

The credits rolled in, the movie ended. Nathaniel stood up and noticed Shan didn't stand up from her seat.

He looks at Shan, "Daphne, the movie ended. Come on"

Shan slowly looked at Nathaniel, crying.

"Was the movie... Bad?" Nathaniel asked.

Shan shakes his head off, "It was beautiful..."

Nathaniel only smiled at Shan and grabbed her hand and walked out of the cinema

"With what you saw in the movie, the actor knows how to make the audience emotional just like you..." Nathaniel said as he turned around to looked at Shan, wiping her tears.

"The actors justify the characters in the movie and made you say in the end that it was beautiful" Nathaniel cupped Shan's cheeks that made Shan looked up to look at Nathaniel.

"That's why... You have to act naturally around male leads, I don't know why you're even almost at the top of the industry when you are still awkward around male leads. Anyway, let's go eat dinner before I take you back to the condominium" Shan nodded as Nathaniel holds her hand again, walking.

Shan looked at Nathaniel with his back on her, "How could I be natural around you, Nathaniel..?"

Shan knew it was not her, it was Daphne's.