II. We'd run this together.
After so many weeks of acting, the movie nears the end. The cast are celebrating downstairs but Myla is in the studio with Jamal trying to finish up their songs for the movie.
It gets late and though so many go to sleep they don't. Jamal excuses to get something for the both of them.
Few seconds after he exits, Dr. Ed walks through the corridor and sees Myla at the piano.
He walks in and closes the door which was slightly open behind him. She rolls her head when he approaches and ends the music she was playing at once.
“Good night Dr. Ed” she greets with a small smile on her face.
The man smirks and nods. “That was a beautiful song.”
She smiles. “Thanks.”
He looks around to make sure no one is in before saying. “Everyone is asleep. Why don't you rest?”
She shakes head. “I'd soon leave. Just waiting for someone.”
He frowns. “Someone?”
“Yeah. Jamal was here a while ago.”
“Oh. So are you two together?”
Myla ices for more than a second before meeting his gaze. “No.”
He nods. “But do you have any feelings for him?”
She asks herself the same question and the answer is yes. But why will she answer this man?
She doesn't respond and he assumes that she does. He walks closer to her.
“I saw the both of you the other day. He seemed to have fed so many lies in you. He's a very handsome and talented young man. But-what if he's ugly from the inside?”
“You know . . . I don't want you to end up like other women of the house. That's why you should know that he's having an affair with the female cast Tasha.”
He's now very close that she gets the scent of alcohol from his breath.
Myla looks down on the piano and he continues. “We can make this right. You're so beautiful to be used like a trash can. Why don't you prove to him that you can play his game too. Just between you and I.”
She has always known that so many ladies of the house are attracted to him. Most especially the cast Tasha.
She more access to him like she does in the movie. Several times they rehers together when she is in the studio.
Maybe she made a step towards him in secret. Myla knows that woman is capable of doing that. Not just in the film as a jealous antagonist but physically.
Before Myla comes to her senses and rebukes him. Dr. Ed lands a kiss on her cleavage. She twitches and Jamal walks into them.
“Director Ed!”
Dr. Ed gently stands up and arranges his shirt. Myla's eyes Blur at an instance. Jamal's words replay in her memory.
‘Stop being so innocent.’
‘And that's why you're easily deceived and used.’
He walks away and towards Jamal who has daggers on him.
The man pauses when next to him and deeply looks at Jamal before strolling out.
The door sounds over his shoulder and he walks towards Myla. She keeps her head down in embarrassment. Jamal warned her about this and everything he says is always accurate.
“Myla.” he calls and she doesn't respond. Her heart is so swollen now and the least thing she'd be crying over him.
She doesn't want that. She knows he saw what happened just now but she doesn't want to talk about it.
“Myla!” his voice goes deeper and she jerks her head to meet his golden orbits. No matter the lights that illuminate around him those eyes can never be confound.
His hair is unkept as it bounces against his forehead. His face is a tad red. Certainly from keeping himself from upsetting Ed's face.
“You have nothing to hide. I saw everything.” He settles the cup of coffee he brought for the both of them on a stool near by.
And that's all she didn't want to hear. She lets her tears drill against her cheeks. He flops next to her and pulls her into his arms.
He clenches his jaws, his jawline printing out every inch of his countenance.
“Why do they always do this?”
Jamal shrinks his thick eyebrows. “Who are they?”
She sobs and replies. “Shae. He-he kissed me once.”
*Flashback*
After Myla applies the ice park on Shawnee's face, Ms. Grayson excuse herself and Myla takes the opportunity to show him where to sleep overnight.
They walk upstairs and she opens a door at the corridor.
She walks in and he does the same after her. She turns to face him. “Here's where you'd be. If you need anything, text me and I'd come to rescue you.”
He laughs and she follows him.
“Ok. That's enough. I'm so tired.”
She walks ahead and he blocks her path. “I need you to rescue me right now.”
She stares at him disorientated. “How's that?”
He smirks and draws near. “It's easy. Just-follow my lead.”
His head slant and he places a kiss on her lips. Her eyes grow wide and she shift back immediately.
“W-what the heck!”
He sighs. “Stop holding back. I know you like me.”
Her eyebrows furrow. “No I don't! I don't like you Shae. I just-respect you.”
He shakes his head. “I don't believe you. Like the last I let you cry over me was because you wanted me close to you. And even at the party you choosed to come with me. After all what I said about you. How could you not have seen that I have feelings for you. So tell me you were acting all along?”
“What? I've never seen you that way! I-I thought you were just being nice.”
“Nice? Are you fucking kidding me? I've always wanted you to be mine. And I knew you wanted me too. Just stop all this show.” he steps close again.
“Don't touch me!”
He forces himself, holding her hands and pushing her to the wall. She struggles to get out of his grip.
But he's hovering over her and liggering his lips on her neck, and cheeks. His hands find her hips. He holds it tighter, pressing her unto him.
“Nooo!” she cries out.
He covers her mouth from screaming by placing his lips on hers again.
She bit his lips and presses her knee against his groin.
He stoops and holds the thing in-between his legs. “Fuck!”
She gets far from him breathing heavily. “Get out of my house!”
He groans again. “Now!” her voice breaks as she speaks. Her eyes are so red and her cheeks are stained.
“You bastard!”
He turns and stares down at her figure. She's out of the room and far away so that he doesn't get hold of her.
He struggles to walk out and when her Manager meets her throwing him out, she doesn't reveal anything.
“So you have no excuse in doing that! You just drove Shawnee from your house! Whatever it is you need to talk it out.”
“He's not who you think he is. That's all you need to know.”
She pelts away to lock herself into her room while her Manager tries to understand her statement.
*End of Flashback*
“I-I couldn't tell her what it was. I-It was so embarrassing.”
“Shush. I understand. I'm here now and no one is going to hurt you again.” he kisses her hair.
She just sobs until his cloth is damp. Jamal is giving himself a promise to deal with Shae as soon as they get out of here.
He missed to do that long ago at the musical hall. Right now he needs a little fire to ignite him.
She calms down after some time. He walks her to her room and at the door, they stand there ogling one another.
He smiles at her and she smirks, her dimples pop out and for some strange reasons Jamal gets heated up.
He sees this always and now it's making him feel weird. No doubt he's so fucking in love. She exposes different qualities of her everyday. Like each time he sees her he gets more feelings.
Sooner enough he'd be unable to store all these feelings in him. He blinks his eyes off. And Myla clears her throat.
“We go separate ways from here uhh?”
He nods. “Good night.”
She feels a sharp pain in her heart and disappointment sinks in.
He turns to leave because if he keep being close, he may do something.
“Jamal?” she calls and he turns around immediately.
She hangs on her words. And suddenly her mind goes blank. She shakes her head. “It's nothing.”
She opens her door and gets into her room with the speed of light.
She knows what she did was very weird but that was the only solution to run away from those eyes of his.
She gets in bed and deeps her head into her sheets. The room is dark and her window is wide open.
“I heard that you're scared of the dark.”
She jolts up and turns the light from the night stand next to her.
“Jamal!”
“I'm sorry I scared you. May I?” his eyes move to her bed and she nods.
He read her mind. This is what she wanted to tell him outside.
He lays against the bed with his back and rolls his head to look at her.
“What are you waiting for?”
She looks at his posture then back at him. His brow is now raised.
She snugs in and wraps her arm around his crate. He smiles at how tiny she looks on him.
Then sends his hands to turn off the light she on.
There is silence as her eyes blink in darkness. None of them intending to sleep any time soon.
She lifts her head to see if he's still awake and he looks down just in time for their eyes to collide.
She looks away at once. Adjusting her head against his torso.
He giggles and his chest vibrate against her cheek. She smiles at the twinkling feeling.
Another silence feel the room and she breaks it. “Jamal?”
“Mmm.”
“Why . . . can't I stay friends with a guy? Why do they always have to break my trust and our friendship? Am I at fault for keeping them as friends?”
He frowns. Is this about him? Or her past?
“Because they were not sincere. They were never truthful from the start. They used your ignorance to get what they want.”
“But you shouldn't worry about that. It shouldn't change who you are. Because even if the world is against you, there's always someone who won't be against you.”
She cranes her head to look at him and he gives her a reassuring smile. She nods and replaces her head against him.
She places her palm against his crate as sleep takes her into itself. When Jamal notices she's gone he places his hand against hers, and plays with her fingers.
“You don't have to worry about the past. Whatever it is men did to you. I'm not perfect but . . . I'd give you my all. Remember I told you we'd run this together. Well, I meant it. And that's why I'm here. To get you through this. And stay by your side forever.”
He kisses her forehead and shuts his eyes.
To be continued...