I gasp, running my fingers over the flat side of the blade. Only one thing I’m feeling right now is the reaction I should have. I’m both unsettled and intrigued. I lift the blade closer to my face and my shining eyes are looking back at me.
The knife feels so heavy and so right. I tighten my grip around it and touch the cool metal to my cheek. A knock at the door has me nearly dropping it to the floor.
“Yeah?” I say, shoving the knife back into the box and covering it with the tissue.
“They’re almost ready for you, Mr. Maxwell,” a deep voice says.
“I’ll be right out,” I say, not recognizing my own voice.
I tuck the box into my closet behind all my hanging outfits I set on the rack for the week. I quickly close the door and take a deep breath. The gift should scare me. At the least it should have me wanting to alert the guards, but I don’t. I pretend everything’s normal and put on a fake smile. Except, for once it’s not fake. It’s real, and I have to touch it to make sure it’s actually there.
The person who’s been switching out my fake props for real ones sent me a gift, and all I can think as I step in front of the cameras is what will they gift me next, and will they be here to watch me holding it with a smile on my face when they do?
We got everything on the first take, and it was an easy scene. Boring but easy. Halfway through, we moved outside to a wooded area, and I had to thrust a shovel into a hole that wasdug up ahead of time. The heat’s getting to me now, causing my jacket to stick to my skin.
They made me wear a stupid blazer in the middle of summer, and I take it off before we start walking back. Hayden catches up to me, his camera hanging from a strap on his shoulder.
“You did good out there. Almost believable even,” he says in a chipper tone, and I laugh.
I planned to avoid him the rest of the time I was here, but he makes it impossible. I hate that I like that he does.
“Thanks, I guess.” I look at the ground, my eyes struggling to stay there. I can’t look into his eyes because if he asks me to go somewhere with him, it’ll make it harder for me to say no, and I need to take the knife to my trailer where no one can accidentally stumble upon it. How will I be able to explain my need to keep it? How those words in the letter about it being mine were true? It felt like it was mine the first time I picked it up, and even more so after being told it was purchased with me in mind.
“I hear it’s going to be lettuce wraps for lunch. What do you say we get out of here and go get some real food.”
My eyes can’t help but search out his this time.
“That is unless you’re unable to leave the premises.”
“I can leave,” I say a little too quickly, as if I have something to prove.
“Then how about I take you to my house and I make you your favorite meal? It can be anything too.”
“What makes you think you’ll have everything on hand to make it?” I clip.
“If I don’t, the store’s only minutes away. Don’t worry, I’ll bring you back before it gets dark.”
And if I don’t want him to? Will he still bring me back before then? “Okay, sure,” I say, sounding listless. Acting like it’s whatever and not a big deal while I’m freaking out on the inside. I’m going to his house where it’ll be only the two of us.Or I assume it will be. I was supposed to prevent that from happening again, but I keep saying yes at the drop of a hat.
“Okay, cool. My car’s on the far-right side of the building. It’s a short walk from where we already are.”
“Wait.” I stop moving. “You meant right this second?”
“Yeah.” He smiles, his feet also coming to a halt and only inches away from mine. “Why not?”
“I don’t know. You don’t have to drop that off first?”
He looks to where my eyes are pointing and his brows dip. “Oh, I guess I do.” Laughing, he pats his bag and shakes his head. “I’m so damn hungry I’m letting my stomach do all the thinking.”
“You go deal with that and I’ll go change into something less appropriate for some winter formal.”
He huffs out a laugh. “Sounds like a plan. Meet me at the back door when you’re ready.”
“Okay.” We continue walking, both moving quietly together until we reach my trailer.
“Don’t keep me waiting too long,” he says, giving a light slap to my shoulder.
“Is your hungry stomach doing all the talking now?”