More Different

 MORE DIFFERENT 

"Ms Torre?" 

Hallie's hold on the door knob loosened as she turned back to look at him.

"There are some packages downstairs for you from your fans over here and Odessa is waiting at the diner." 

Hallie sighed, glancing at her phone. She could see a message from the person named 'Odessa'. If Hallie was truly in her, sh would have known who the woman was but now....she had to think deeply.

She scrolled down the long lines of messages and she got the point. Odessa was the CEO to Hallie's acting company, Young Galaxy.

It was that Odessa. She shook her head lightly as she fixed her phone into her back pocket and started going out.

"Do you need me to go with you?" Mr Grills asked.

"No." She said....firmly. The man looked like an hawk, watching everyone's movement. She could bet her left kidney that he was a spy sent from Tom Torre, her father.

"I can manage to get there on my own. Where are the gifts?" She asked.

She was particularly excited for the gifts. She knew she was living a fake life in someone's else's body, but it was her first time of having the slightest idea that fans would give her gifts in the first place.

"The lobby." Mr Grills said and she nodded, opening the door and stepping out of the suite.

 She got to the elevator and walked out. Glancing at the lobby, she could see the gifts arranged. It was so much, SE couldn't possibly take it all by herself.

"Ms Hallie?" Someone in an attendant uniform walked towards her. "Should I take the gifts up to your suite?"

"You can't take it all by yourself."

"Oh..! I would call the others to help me. You don't have to worry." 

Hallie pursed her lips. Why were they treating her so nice? Was it be because she was rich, a VIP member at the hotel or because she was an actress? Or was the fact she was just Hallie?

"It's been so long since you and your father visited us in here. Most times, he doesn't even come for the meetings the high up holds." The lady said and Hallie's lips twitched.

"Meetings?"

"I wish you would take over your father's shares here and visit us from time to time. It would be great having a beautiful actress like you as the second highest shareholder?" She hit her hand playfully.

Hallie's head snapped towards her sharply, "The second highest shareholder?" She gasped.

****

If anyone had told Edna that Hallie's life was pure luxury, a diamond spoon in place for silver, jewels for breakfast, and wealth unexplainable, she wouldn't have believed it.

It shocked her...oh yes, it did. Just a fraction of her wealth would have saved her grandparents, just a tiny little fraction would have made her life literally better forever. She wouldn't have to go to bed some nights on an empty stomach. She wouldn't have to use all her grandparents trust fund to build a secret underground ICT center.

Odessa.

He stood up and stared at Hallie, waiting for her to walk towards him.

Yes, that was right.

Odessa was male.

"What took you so long? I've been waiting here for like forever. I know you read my text, I saw the double ticks. Switching off your read mode wouldn't help it." He threw at her immediately even before she could get too close.

Her mouth dropped open, her eyes wide as she stared at the man who looked at her in a girly manner. For the first time, she was seeing Odessa real life.

Odessa arms were crossed, his expression was veiled annoyance. His eyebrows went up, waiting for a response.

She fought the urge to smile. He was exactly like he was on TV...sharp, commanding, impatient. But here, in person, there was something more. Something in the way he looked at her, like he expected better. Like he knew her. Like they were friends.

She turned toher face into Hallie's usual look, polished, unaffected. "Jet lagged," she said smoothly, sliding into the seat across from him.

Odessa sat down with a sigh, studying her like she was a particularly frustrating script. "You could have at least replied my text!"

"Didn't think you'd care," she replied, keeping her tone light.

His brow arched. "You know I do." The words were casual, but there was something behind them, something that made her stomach twist. Did he care about Hallie? Or was it just habit, expectation?

She needed to steer this conversation before he dug too deep.

"Well, I'm here now. What's so urgent that you had to summon me?" She picked up the menu, feigning interest, though she already knew what she wanted. Or rather, what Hallie would have wanted.

Odessa leaned back, fingers tapping the table. "You tell me. You've been… off."

Her grip tightened on the menu. "Off?"

"Don't play dumb, Hallie." He tilted his head, eyes narrowing. "You're different. You move different. Talk different. You're pretending, but I see it. It was true, what the producer told me about you. Your last few rehearsals."

Her pulse quickened. She couldn't let him get too close. She forced a smirk, setting the menu down. "Or maybe you guys are just imagining things."

Odessa didn't laugh. He just studied her, the weight of his stare making her feel like a fraud in her own skin....Hallie's skin.

A waiter arrived, interrupting the tension. Odessa barely acknowledged him, ordering a whiskey without looking at the menu. Hallie, still keeping up appearances, ordered ice cream.

"Hallie," He called with a glare, "You don't take ice cream."

She'd forgotten. "I like it now. Gary bought it for me and it wasn't that bad as I thought it would be."

He looked at her silently without a word.

As soon as the waiter left, Odessa leaned forward. "You know, when I offered you this role, I wasn't doing it out of charity. You earned it. But lately, I'm wondering if I made the wrong choice."

 "Why?"

"Because the Hallie I knew wouldn't show up late, wouldn't deliver rehearsals like she was reading from a teleprompter, and sure as hell wouldn't be sitting across from me acting like a stranger." His voice was calm, but there was a razor's edge to it.

She forced a small laugh. "Maybe I'm just tired. Shooting starts in a few days. It's a big role."

Odessa's gaze didn't waver. "You're not tired. You're different. I can feel it. You can't lie to me, Hallie, we are friends "

Said it.

She exhaled through her nose, pushing down the rising anxiety. "Well, I hate to break it to you, but people change, Odessa. Maybe I just grew up."

"Grew up?" He smirked, shaking his head. "No. This isn't growth. This is something else." He took a sip of his whiskey as the waiter returned with their order, then continued as if there had been no interruption. "You're starring in the biggest project of the year, Hallie. A psychological thriller. An actress possessed by the spirit of a vengeful teenager. It's a role that requires passion. Depth. If you can't handle it--"

"I can handle it," she interrupted, gripping the ice stick tightly. The movie wasn't lost on her. A woman possessed? If only he knew.

Odessa watched her for a long moment before nodding. "Good. Then prove it. Because right now, you don't convince me. And if you can't convince me, how the hell are you going to convince the audience?"

She forced a confident smile. "Watch me."

Odessa studied her a moment longer before finally picking up his fork. "I hope so. Because if you mess this up, Hallie, not even I can protect you."

She swallowed hard. He knew. Maybe not everything. But enough to be dangerous.

****

"You looked different today," he said. "People are noticing."

It had been just a moment since she got back into the suite. She had seen Logan taking water, but she'd pretended not to notice as she made her way to her room swiftly.

Hallie rolled her eyes and made her way towards the fridge instead. She pulled out a bottle of water, twisted the cap off, and took a long sip before speaking. "Who? Who noticed?"

He chuckled, setting his glass down. "Odessa noticed."

 Her eyes thinned at him. She wanted to ask if he followed her. But she didn't, instead, "Odessa notices everything. It's literally his job."

"It's not just him. The others... They're watching you. If you're not careful, someone's going to figure it out."

She leaned against the counter, tapping her fingers against the cold bottle. "Then let them. Maybe it'll make things easier."

His smirk faded. "You don't mean that."

She shrugged. "Maybe I do. Or maybe I'm just tired of pretending. You should know how that feels."

He sighed, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees. "You're playing a dangerous game. No one would just sit back and let you ruin them."

Her expression hardened. "Good. Then at least they'll finally feel what it's like to be powerless and then, killed."

He rubbed his temple, looking at her like she was a puzzle he couldn't solve. "I get it, alright? I know what happened is unforgivable. But revenge isn't going to fix it. It's not going to bring you peace."

She scoffed. "You don't get to talk about peace. Not when you were right there."

His jaw clenched, but he didn't argue. He never did when she brought it up.

After a long pause, he said, "I still want to help you."

She shook her head, pushing off the counter and walking toward him. "You don't have to help me. You can't make this easier for yourself. You were one of them. And that means you have to pay too."

His Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed. "And if I already am?"

For the first time that night, she hesitated, staring into his eyes. She gulped lightly.

Then, she straightened, brushing past him toward the bedroom. "Then maybe you'll finally understand."

She shut the door before he could say anything else.