Beautiful Hue

I sit at the edge of my bed with my script in my hand. As I detox and get out of character, my phone interrupts my focus and I see Sarah calling.

“Hey, what’s up?” I answer.

“Hey did you get the email yet?” She asks.

“Let me look.” I say.

As I remove my phone from my ear, a text from Bridget pops up.

“They just pushed the shoot back to next Tuesday. Just got the email from William.” Bridget

“Just got it.” I say, as I put the phone back up to my ear.

“I’m going to go back to LA for a couple of days. Do you want to come with me?” Sarah asks.

“I’m going to stay here with the family until we shoot. Spend some time with them for a while.” I say.

“Alright Ben. Have fun.” She says irritably.

“Hey, let’s talk about whatever’s bothering you,” I say.

“Everything is alright.” She says.

“It’s not. Tell me.” I say to her.

Sarah takes a moment. I hear her take a deep breath as she begins to speak.

“Did it not mean anything to you, that I was the one that’s been there for you through all of your bullshit?” She says calmly.

“Sarah, what are you talking about?” I ask.

“I don’t feel the same spark around you that I felt before.”

“What spark was that?”

“Oscar night.” Sarah says defeated from our miss understanding.” When I came over Ben. I wanted you so bad, I threw myself at you. You walked me home and didn’t even see how bad I wanted to stay. Instead two days later I come over and you’ve got a hickey on your neck and I knew you had someone sleep over with you.”

“Sarah, listen.”

“No you listen Ben. I love you. I don’t know what’s going on with you, but I love you alright?”

“Sarah look. You’re my best friend and even more than that you’re my Co-star right now. I don’t want to sabotage this movie, or let anything come between us. Can we please talk about this after business is handled?” I ask.

“No. We can’t, Ben. I’m going back to California. I’ll see you next week. I need to clear my mind.

“Sarah.” I say, as she hangs up the phone.

I sit my phone down next to me and I stand up and pace the floor. As I walk toward the bathroom someone knocks at my door. I open it without looking and I see Bridget standing in the doorway with a laptop.

“What’s up?” I ask.

“I was bored. No one’s going to come in here, everyone left for the weekend.” She says.

Bridget walks into my room and sits on the bed.

“Make yourself at home.” I say to her.

As I climb in bed next to her, I see that Bridget is scrolling on her laptop looking at multiple hotels and resorts.

“Florida, huh?” I ask.

“Yeah, I think after the movie is done, I want to go to the Ritz.” She says.

I reach over and take her laptop from her. I sit it down next to me as she pouts.

“Can I have that back?” She asks.

“I want to talk.” I say to her.

“What’s on your mind?” She asks.

“You are.” I say as I pull at my finger nails. “How do you feel about me?” I ask.

“I think you’re alright.” She says in a nonchalant tone.

“Why’d you say it like that?” I ask.

“Because you’ve been in your head a lot lately.” She says.

“Maybe your right.” I say to her.

I reach over I grab her laptop and look at the rooms of the hotels she wants to stay. Then I pull up another tab for flights to Florida, as she watches.

“What are you doing?” She asks.

I book a flight for six in the morning and she tries to take her laptop. I snatch it away and go to the tab for the hotel.

“Go grab your bags. You’re going to stay in my room tonight.” I say to her.

I book the hotel room for tomorrow and I close her laptop.

“What did you just do?” She asks.

“I booked our weekend get away. Now go. Go get your things and hurry back so I can kiss on you.” I say to her.

Bridget leaves the room in a hurry and goes to grab her bags. I place her laptop on the counter and start the shower for us to enjoy together.

****

I wake up next to Bridget at 4 in the morning to the sound of my alarm. As she sleeps through the noise I roll over and wake her up with kisses. I kiss her soft lips while she sleeps she smiles making her teeth connect with my lips.

“Stop baby.” She says, as she laughs.

“I don’t want to.” I say to her.

“Today’s the day!” She says, still half asleep.

“It is, let’s get up.” I say. As I kiss on her neck, she pulls me on top of her.

She reaches down into the covers she grips me, as we kiss. We prepare for a quick round. The moment I turn her around my alarm goes off again.

“Shit. I got you when we get there, I promise.” I say with regret.

“You’re gonna pass this up?” She says playfully, as I slap her ass.

“Trust me, I don’t want to.” I say, as she rolls out of bed.

We put on our traveling clothes and prepare to take our packed suitcases to the car.

* * * *

We walk through check-in, we sit down and wait for the plane to board. Bridget looks over at me. She leans over to kiss my cheek. But I pull away with us being in public. Bridget sighs for a moment and lies her head onto her self made, coat pillow.

“I’m sorry.” I whisper.

Bridget nods at me, letting me know that she understands.

“Flight Three-three-zero now boarding.” We both stand and. Prepare to board the plane.

We sit first class on the nearly empty flight.

“I want to tell you something.” She says.

I look down into her eyes. Every cell in my body wants to touch her.

“What’s up?” I ask.

“Your breath smells.” She says.

We both laugh for a moment and our loud laughter turns to snickering like little kids on a playground. The flight attendants begin to give their presentation and we watch until they finish.

As the plane begins to move Bridget grips my hand and the flight attendants finish. The lights turn off and she leans against me and falls asleep before we get into the air. As we soar into the sky I lay my seat back a little and rest my eyes until we reach our destination. Bridget continues to sleep on my shoulder and we enjoy the flight to ‘The Sunshine State.’