Chapter 5

She hasn't spoken to Celeste since the incident. The anxiety was practically eating at her. She wasn't sure what she felt exactly, it was a mixture of guilt and embarrassment and confusion. She still wasn't sure why Celeste had blown up on her that way and what she could do to make it better. She was leaning towards pretending it never happened and never interacting with her ever again. 

Monday arrived and she was sitting in the hair and makeup chair. Katrina was brushing her hair back into a sleek ponytail. For a simple hairstyle, it needed a lot of product. 

"What's wrong? You look dead." Katrina commented, looking at her in the mirror. 

"Yeah, I'm taking care of that." Matthew was to her left, covering up a pimple of hers with concealer. Stress always did make her break out. 

"Gee, thanks, guys." Valerie rolled her eyes but attempted a smile. They had gotten closer in the last three weeks and Valerie enjoyed their company. "I got in an argument with Celeste last week and now I'm scared of seeing her." 

Matthew gave her a pitying look and Katrina snorted. "Why in God's name would you argue with Celeste?" Katrina asked. 

"It wasn't on purpose! She started it and wouldn't let me get two words in!" She exclaimed, feeling oddly defensive. She's recounted the story countless times to her best friend and each time she did, she felt more convicted.

"Yeah, sounds like Celeste." Matthew grinned, dabbing her cheeks with a brush. 

She wondered how many people exactly Celeste had snapped at.

***

Walking onto the set, she hesitantly looked around. She tugged at her leather jacket, the one her character was always in, and scanned the sea of heads for Celeste. To know what corner to avoid. 

Before she could do anything, she heard Celeste's voice call out to her. She turned and saw her sitting in her chair, script in hand. She waved her over. Valerie gulped. Time for round 2. 

"H-hey." 

"Hello. I wanted to apologize for the other day." 

Oh. She didn't expect that. From what she's been told, she was under the impression Celeste didn't apologize, just brushed over what she did and hoped you would forget about whatever she said to you. But here she was, apologizing for whatever reason. She sounded sure and confident in her decision, getting straight to the point.

"Oh, it's… it's okay. I get it." Valerie managed to get out. 

"It's not okay, it was childish of me to lash out at you for no good reason. I'm not a diva, you know. So, sorry." Celeste raised an eyebrow. For an apology, she didn't look very apologetic. Maybe she was teetering on the edge of being a diva. 

"Thanks for that. Uh," she paused, "apology accepted?" 

"Great. If you see Sam around, let him know I did what he asked." Celeste went back to her script, rehearsing the scene they had together. 

So her boyfriend made her do it. Thank you, Samuel Ross. At least the tension dissipated. She caught a whiff of that perfume of hers and resisted the urge to groan. She didn't know when her olfactory senses became so susceptible to arousal. She had a hunch the anxiety was part of it. "You got it." She forced a weak laugh out and walked away to get in character and psych herself up. 

"Okay everybody let's get this episode started!" Lanie yelled out from behind the camera. "Celeste, Valerie, first positions, please." 

They both walked onto the soundstage and took their spots in the middle of the room. 

"Quiet on the set!" Lanie called out. "Roll camera."

"Rolling." 

"Sound?"

"Speed." 

"Alright Scent of Winter season three, episode two, scene three, take one," Nora called, clapping a film slate in front of the camera. 

"Action!" 

***

They shot the scene in a few takes, repeating their performances to get all the angles the director wanted. Valerie really enjoyed working with Lanie, she felt the environment on set shift with Jason's absence. And Lanie didn't call her any slurs, so that was a plus. 

When they broke for lunch, an unexpected visitor showed up on set. 

"Hey, Sammy." Owen dapped up Samuel and the latter one laughed. "Hi, Owen." He looked around at the curious faces of the cast and crew sheepishly. "Don't mind me, everybody, I'm just here to pick this one up for lunch." He pointed at Celeste, who was fixing her hair in a hand mirror. She was wearing a stunning navy midi dress and black, heeled sandals. Her character was always such a contrast next to Valerie's own. 

Valerie wondered if she should greet him, if they were close enough for that kind of familiarity. She didn't want to be rude. Before she could make up her mind, Samuel saddled up to her. 

"Hey, you." He smiled. "We meet again." 

"Well yes, if you keep showing up to my place of work, you will keep seeing me." Valerie replied, attempting humor. He laughed. She grinned at her success.

"Touché." He looked at her expectantly, as if he knew there was something she wasn't telling him.

"Oh! Celeste apologized to me, by the way. Thank you." 

"Why are you thanking me?" His attempt at cluelessness made her chuckle. "I know you convinced her to apologize to me." Valerie crossed her arms, smirk tugging at the corner of her mouth. She assessed the man before her. He was tall for a soccer player, though she suspected Celeste would never be with anyone shorter than her own five-foot-eleven. He was more dressed up today, in a white knit camp shirt, gray slacks, and white sneakers. He was quite fashionable. 

"Busted." He did not look guilty at all. 

"You saved me a lot of awkwardness and embarrassment, so thank you. I don't know how I can repay you." She didn't actually expect him to want a reimbursement. 

Celeste joined them, and Valerie could tell their being together left a sour taste in her mouth, even when she tried to hide it. 

"Hey, hon." Samuel leaned down and pressed a chaste kiss on his girlfriend's lips. Celeste smiled at him. "Valerie." She said, by way of greeting. 

"Oh I know how you can repay me!" Samuel exclaimed. He was an incredibly chipper and friendly man, Valerie noticed. 

"Excuse me?" Celeste asked. Samuel's eyes never left Valerie's.

"I have a game on Saturday. Please allow me to invite you. In my VIP box, of course." He grinned down at her. That didn't quite register in Valerie's brain.

"What?" Both she and Celeste asked in unison. 

"Yeah! It'll be fun. It's always exciting at the game, ask Celeste." 

"Uh, yeah. Riveting. Honey, I think Valerie's busy on Saturday." Valerie sensed the panic creeping up Celeste's voice. Her grip on her boyfriend's arm looked deadly. They locked eyes and Valerie shivered under her imploring gaze. 

"Y-yeah," she stuttered out unconvincingly, "sorry. I have plans that day." She didn't know why Celeste hated her presence that much, but she wasn't about to investigate. She was done trying to figure out any motives of hers. 

Samuel huffed at the women. "Come on! You know you want to." He attempted to poke her rib. Valerie hadn't realized they were that close.

"Really, I'm not a big soccer fan." That was a lie, she just wasn't huge on the American Major League Soccer teams, she preferred European. Still, sitting in a VIP box sounded like a fun way to spend the day. 

Samuel turned to Celeste and gave her a look. Valerie watched curiously as they conversed with their eyes, before Celeste seemingly conceded and rolled her eyes. "You should come, Valerie." She sighed. 

Fuck it. She deserved a fun afternoon. 

"Okay."

Samuel actually cheered and high-fived her. "Awesome! I'll have my assistant email you the details." 

Valerie nodded. As the couple left the set hurriedly, a thought kept nagging in her mind. Why was Samuel so adamant on having her there? She wondered if the rest of the cast was going to be there, or if she'll be alone with Celeste. Her stomach churned at the thought. 

***

Valerie stood in front of her closet, staring at her clothes. 

"Just pick something. It's a soccer game not the Oscars." Natasha rolled her eyes from the bed, exasperated by her friend's indecisiveness. It had been a long week for both with Valerie being anxious about the game, and nagging to Natasha about it.

"It's not just a soccer game, Nat, you know that!" Valerie scanned the few jerseys she owned. Nothing for LAFC. "Maybe I should've bought something." 

"Val, you're literally going to their stadium. Just buy some swag there. They sell those scarves, right?" Her best friend was clueless about sports, bless her heart.

"Scarf? In the LA July heat?" Valerie turned to her, raising her eyebrow. Natasha just shrugged. She got off the bed, determined to help her friend. "Go sit. Let me pick something." 

Two minutes later, Natasha handed her a pile of clothes. 

"Was that so hard?" 

***

The drive to the stadium was nerve-wracking, but Valerie had to admit, she was excited. She hasn't watched a live soccer game in ages. She wasn't about to let Celeste's presence dampen that. 

She tugged on the red flannel around her shoulders, hoping it wasn't too hot in the VIP box for it. Natasha put her in a white tank top, light wash jeans, a pair of Converse, and the flannel. She hoped to buy a cap at the stadium before the game, even though she didn't care much for LAFC. 

She went through the VIP section of the parking lot, giving her name at the door. She was already experiencing Imposter's Syndrome. Since when was she a Very Important Person?

The VIP entrance was a breeze. No lines, no loud obnoxious fans, she just walked straight up to the box, stopping on her way to buy a snapback from the gift shop. She was sure the box would be equipped with food and beverages. 

Upon entering the box, she had to close her mouth. She didn't want to look too awed, like a peasant. The view of the stadium was perfect. There were many people scattered around, but she didn't recognize anybody. Until a certain someone turned around. 

"Nice hat." Celeste commented, the corner of her mouth tugging up slightly. 

"Thanks." Valerie smiled awkwardly. Celeste was standing by a table alone, holding a plastic cup filled with some blue mixer. She didn't take her for a day drinker, but a soccer stadium was as good a place as any to do it. Valerie's gaze ran down her frame in her casual wear; dark jeans, sneakers, and Samuel's black jersey with ROSS 15 emblazoned on the back in gold. Her hair was down in loose curls and she had minimal makeup on. 

"Do you want anything?" Celeste pointed to the snack table and the bar. Valerie nodded. She needed a drink. The game was starting in a few and they needed to take their seats. 

Sitting right behind the window on the balcony, she had the best view. 

"Remind me to thank Samuel for these seats." Valerie said, placing her beer in the cup holder. Celeste sat next to her and Valerie's senses perked up, her closeness emitting a certain warmth. Celeste's arm bumped with hers on the armrest and Valerie quickly straightened, pulling away on instinct. Celeste gave her a look. "I didn't know you were a fan of soccer." Valerie's nostrils awoke when her scent wafted over. She was wearing something different today. Cherries? She cleared her throat. 

"Yeah, I am. Well, kinda. I like European soccer more, I used to watch the Premier League and La Liga with my dad." Valerie's eyes trailed down to the field, watching the crowds and listening to their chants. 

"That sounds fun. Any favorite teams?" Celeste sipped on her blue potion. 

"Yeah, Arsenal." 

"You look pained. Bad year?" 

 Valerie laughed. "You could say that." She found banter with her co-star to be easy, fun even. She wished they could always be like this. For whatever reason, Celeste was making conversation with her. And she was enjoying it. 

"What about you? Do you like soccer?" 

"I had never watched a game before meeting Sam. I come from an NFL family." Valerie turned to her. She had a misty look in her eyes. 

"So you had never heard of Sam when you'd met him?" 

Celeste straightened her back and cleared her throat. "Uh, you can say that."

"Oh. What drew you to him?" Valerie doesn't know what possessed her into asking that, knowing full well her companion would rather jump off the balcony they were on than divulge any information about her relationship. Celeste's face took on its typical closed off look and Valerie cursed under her breath at her clumsiness. 

"He's a good man. It's rare to find that nowadays." Was all she offered. Valerie was just glad she didn't bite her head off again. 

At the sound of the announcer through the speakers, they both turned to the field. The game was starting.