Burning Bridges, Building Love

The two slowed at the honking horn and turned. They weren’t the only two on the street but the black Mercedes rolling up along side them slowly gave them the impression that they wanted to talk to them.

The car parked in the closest parking lot after flagging down their attention. Both frowning at the sight of the car. She had no idea who owned the car or who could even possibly be in the car. It was none of her poor, dead beat friends.

“Jake!” Two men got out wandering over to them. She glanced up at the well known actor supporting her weight. She kept her weight on her good hip as much as possible with out completely leaning on him. “There you are! You’ve been gone for nearly three hours! We’ve been driving up and down the beach stopping to talk to people who have potentially spotted you.” The tall man in the suit huffed at him playfully. “You can’t do that. I was getting worried.”

Rayne glanced around looking for the hotel. She spotted the small, quit little place a few blocks away. Smiling at the sight of one of her friends standing out in the parking lot drinking coffee and eyeing the nearly empty lot before him.

Stumbling a few feet she placed her thumb and middle finger between tight lips and blew air through the small gape forcefully. The sound echoed over the busy street grabbing almost everyone’s attention.

“Yo!” he yelled flailing an arm in the air. She lifted both arms in the air victoriously. “Where the hell you been Tiny Tim?” He bellowed at her with a deep laugh.

“Beach.” She called hobbling along. Only stopping as a pair of hands grabbed her sides gently. Glancing over her shoulder she frowned at the man in tan cargo short, a Hawaiian shirt and flip flops exposing his poorly cared for feet. “May I help you good sir?”

“You’re… perfect.” He whispered eyeing her up and down. Frowning, she gently pushed him away.

“Five foot perimeter at all times buddy.” Rayne grumbled as she turned back to her friend watching her confused. “Come get me you ass! You gonna make me hobble my whole way there?” She laughed taking a few steps with a little huff.

“Depends, What’d you do?” He called sticking the green straw of his drink into his mouth.

“Some prosta-tot stepped on my hip with the force of Bigfoot!” She laughed leaning on the small potting bench next to her. She felt her hip wobble as she leaned her weight on her arm and tried not to fall on the ground.

“Outta place?”

“It was.” She beamed happily at the fact she’d fixed it her self. Usually she needed two people to help her and pull from either end till it snapped into place.

“You’re supposed to go to the hospital if that happens.” He yelled in annoyance while turning he seemed to mumbled something. “Bigfoot’s comin’.” He beamed walking away, towards their hotel room.

“Pussy ass little punk!” She hollered at him annoyed. Frustration bubbled in her stomach as she gripped the potting bench. “Fucking dick.” Huffing she hobbled along.

Jake stood there stunned at what had just come out of her mouth. He’d never heard a woman talk like that before. Hell he hardly heard men use such foul language before. Glancing over at his manager he slowly closed the man’s mouth before touching his lip to mate sure they were closed.

“I don’t think this is a smart idea.” Jake Gyllenhaal had an odd sense of nurturing instincts for total strangers she decided as he rushing in front of her, hands against her shoulders. “You’re hurt.” He was also Captain Obvious with a voice that even if reading the phone book would keep most people enticed with who could potentially come next.

“Really?” She gasped sarcastically. Reeling back a hand slapped over her mouth. “No way!” She yelled in faux surprise. Just because he couldn’t feel the burning, stinging sensation and the spider-like creeping sensation of pulsing pain down her leg and up her side didn’t mean she couldn’t. If she walked on it long enough or didn’t put it place right her whole right side from her hip down would eventually go numb.

His thin lips pursed at her and her tone.

“Don’t tell me I’m not a nice person again. We already covered that, plus I’m in pain so I will kill someone. Step aside or be run down.” Rayne pointed at simply. Jake licked his lips slowly debating his options.

“Then run me down.” He stated simply. She glared at him and sucked in a deep breath. “You already hurt one person over your hip, what’s one more?”

“I hurt her because she’s the one that popped it out of place, which by the way for a hip that takes a lot of force. She practically jumped on it once she realized I was under her. You’ve been kind enough to help me. I thank you for that.” She hissed in searing pain as more weight than she would’ve liked was placed on her injured side. “Now don’t make me slit your throat.” She whispered glancing up at him. He frowned at the past conversation they’d had about him being to nice and someone slitting his throat.

“Miss.” Rayne growled spinning around to face the man.

“What?” She snapped bitterly. “I’m hurt and Bigfoot is taking forever.” She gasped trying to justify her rudeness.

“Bigfoot?” All three men questioned gently.

“Yo.” Rayne turned to the massive giant. “Come on Tiny Tim. Let’s go get your crutches.” He stated bending his tall six-foot-nine and thickly built and muscled form down to her. She placed her arms gently around his neck and let him lift her.

“I didn’t bring them.”

The giant stopped and turned his dark brown gaze upon her his jaw tightening at her hushed words. Shifting her up higher he licked his lips slowly.

“You had surgery a month ago.” He stated with a large exhale to calm himself. “Why wouldn’t you bring them?”

“I brought my cane.” She clarified with a snotty tone and a role of her eyes. Grunting he shook his head.

“You’re an idiot.” He snapped bitterly.

“I never said I was smart.” She teased. Groaning his head fell back at the statement. “Take me back to the hotel.” She pointed. Turning she waved at Jake thankfully as he and the two other men, who’d been looking for him, stared up at Bigfoot with wide wondering, amazed dinner plate sized eyes.

“I’m taking you to the hospital your hip popped out of placed.” He gasped. “A month after surgery, that calls for a hospital visit.” Bigfoot pointed his freehand at her.

“Some bitch jumped on it!” Rayne defended her self as he turned to the hotel with a sigh. “I swear, ask him!” She pointed Jake never taking her eyes off Bigfoot’s profile.

Humming Bigfoot turned back to the group and stared down at Jake. Laughing nervously Jake waved up at the large man as he tucked a woman almost his size into his chest with ease. He was Shaq sized, only white and covered in coarse thick brown hair like some kind of wild animal. His nickname fit him better than a bride crammed into her wedding dress.

“Did a girl jump on her hip of did she jump off something.” He put his nose against her glaring. Rayne’s eyes widened at the proximity of his face and the dark glare set on his features. “Which you’re not suppose to do.” He pointed out.

“I didn’t jump!” She gasped.

“She got jumped on.” Jake muttered slowly. Rayne pointed proudly that she wasn’t lying. “But if she just had surgery a month ago I don’t think running was a good idea.”

“Way to rat me out!” She yelled down at him horrified of what he’d just done. Slowly Jake shrugged at her still startled by Bigfoot’s looming form.

“I’m kicking the shit out of you kid. No questions asked.” Groaning and whining Rayne slammed her head against Bigfoot’s chest with a pout.

“Wait! Before you go I have a job offer for you in a couple months.” Turning back to the man with the flip flops Rayne raised a delicate brow at his words. “I’m a director on an upcoming film, Jake is my main lead and we were having trouble finding a female for it. You’re the perfect fit, head to two. And I need a strong actress to play along side him that’s a little goofy so it wouldn’t be like your acting at all.” He smiled holding out a card for her to take.

Delicately Rayne took the tiny starch white glossy card and rolled it towards her seeing the thick bold simple black print that drew in the eye for what he did. Her lips pursed at the idea of acting in a movie. Sure she could goof of, make weird voices, a lie her way out of a ticket or potentially bad situation in most cases but she wasn’t an actress. She raced dirt bikes for a living. She spent all her time playing in the dirt on her dirt bike, quad, mountain board, and mountain bike. Or she was playing on the cement jungle of the world with a light weight BMX bike and skateboard of some kind, on a few occasions she played with water in both liquid and solid forms surfing and snowboarding. She was a modern day hippie she made her money on doing demos and competitions living out of a van towing a massive trailer with a bunch of friends.

She couldn’t even begin to fathom how to act let alone what went into the process of a making a movie. To her whirl wind mind movies were something that just happened like television shows. She never sat still long enough to actually watch shows or movies. Physically she couldn’t sit around and do nothing. It went against her every nature, even if she was in a wheel chair she’d sooner push herself in circles listening to it than actually watching it.

“I’m no actor.” She stated truthfully holding the glossy card back out to him.

“But you’re perfect.” He breathed up at her weakly. His need and desire for her to play this part was evident in his eyes. She would complete his duo – or how ever many parts he had to combine – of a vision.

“I do extreme sports and can’t sit still for more than a few minutes. This is a miracle right here and now.” She bluntly pointed out while waving a hand at her still form. “And it’s only cause he’s twice my size and I’m scared of him eating my soul.” Bigfoot nodded at the idea. “So I’m being a good girl so he doesn’t. When he’s not looking I’ll sneak off again.”

“Meaning when I got to the bathroom you’re going to escape like a prisoner.” Bigfoot grumbled at the idea as she nodded vigorously. “Awesome. Someone’s getting handcuffed to something heavy.”

“No fair!” She gasped annoyed. “That’s cheating!” Scolding him with a pointed finger he rolled his eyes. “Besides, I don’t even know where I’d start with acting or filming. It’s not my thing.” She shrugged gently. “Throw me a hundred and twenty foot jump and tell me to dead body off it I’m down. Tell me to me to rip up a half pipe I’m down. Tell me I’m racing a thirty plus two and I’m more than capable. But, I’m only good with something physical. I have way too many problems up here.” Tapping the side of her head she shrugged. “And I usually move like I’m twice my age.”

“All you have to do is exactly as I say.” Bigfoot snorted as Rayne hid her face in his chest at the idea of her taking orders. “What?” He whispered confused as the others.

“Her?” Bigfoot choked out as he tried to suppress his laughter. Jake frowning at him was something he didn’t really like, he liked the man as an actor. “Her take orders other than gun it and hope for the best?”

“I love that order!” Rayne chirped happily. “It’s the only one I can follow!” Licking her lips she faced the group smiling at them sweetly. “I can’t follow any kind of direction or rules of any kind. I mean if I could I’d probably be farther in my career and wouldn’t have speeding tickets.” Bigfoot snorted that the one, his paw like hand slapping over his mouth to hide his smile. “Trust me I could fill a small apartment with all the speeding tickets I’ve had to pay. I don’t listen well.”

“Please just try it. If you suck I’ll leave you be.” He begged with his hand extended up at her. “I’m Eli Wellston.” He stated simply. Sticking her hand simply she shook his hand slowly.

“Nice to meet you. Rayne Knightly.”

“Like Keira Knightley?” The man in the suit questioned gently.

Narrowing her brows in confusion she turned to Bigfoot for clarification. The large man shrugged and she turned to Jake for answers.

“She’s an actress.” Jake laughed, smiling up at her and the realization not hitting her. She ‘o’ed’ gently with a slow nod of her head at him.

“Have no clue who she is.”

“Pirates of the Caribbean.” Jake tried. Rayne blinked at him still lost.

“I don’t watch movies or television. I can’t sit still long enough.” She pointed out. “So where do you want me Hawaii?” She asked the Eli gently. He laughed at her and smoothed out his Hawaiian shirt self conscious of it suddenly.

“Oh.” He quickly pulled out his phone. “What’s your number I’ll text it to you.” Rayne quickly gave out her number smiling at him. “Thank you.” He gave her a genuinely relieved smile.

“No problem.” She giggled at him. “Alright, human taxi.” She patted Bigfoot on the head. “That way.” Pointing at the hotel Bigfoot sighed.

“Don’t make me drop you.” He grumbled walking off carefully.

“Wait!” He spun around just in time to watch Eli trip falling face first into the cement with a sickening crack of skin against the unforgiving grey solid rock. Bigfoot and Rayne choked back their laughter as Jake and the man in the suit rushed to his aid helping him off the ground. “Sorry.” He whispered.

“Oh.” Rayne pushed a single tear of suppressed laughter. “You fit right in with our group.” She breathed at him. “So well.” She snorted as both her and Bigfoot began laughing at Eli’s moment and past moments involving painful greetings and meetings with unforgiving cement and other materials.

“You shouldn’t be laughing.” Jake sighed gently at the idea of their lack of empathy towards his fall.

“I have a fake hip from falling one too many times. I’m entitled to laugh.” Rayne pointed out.

“And enough metal in you to set off a metal detector.” Bigfoot snorted. “I’m sorry man, you okay?” Eli nodded slowly eyeing his hand. “You tried to stop us, why?”

“I wanted to know if she’d be healed in two months.” Eli whispered.

“Hawaii,” Rayne pointed. “I’m never healed, but my hip’ll be better. What I fuck up next is a mystery to you and me!” She giggled loudly at the idea. “Pro-extreme action athlete. We’re always fucked up in one way other another.” She mused gently.

“I fear for your safety.” Jake whispered up at her. Rayne simply waved a hand at the idea as Bigfoot snorted walking away with her still in his grasp.