Thou Shalt Not

"You're staring again." My good friend and co-star for the last three years, Josh, pointed out. I tore my eyes away from her and looked back down at the script I had rolled up in my hand. I chuckled nervously, hoping to disinterest my friend. "I don't know why you just don't go over there and ask her out. You've been looking at her an awful lot lately." Josh smiled as he zipped up his jacket and stuffed his hands inside the pockets. A chill ran up my spine as I pulled my jacket tighter across my chest. As long as we had been filming here in Vancouver, I still wasn't, and never would, be used to standing outside in freezing temperatures all day only with small breaks here-and-there to warm up between takes.

"You've noticed whom I've been looking at, Josh? I think you need to pick up another hobby." I chuckled and started to read over the lines on the script. "It's too obvious not to notice, my friend." Josh said and slapped his hand on my back. "It's not that obvious." I argued. "So, you're admitting to staring at her?" Josh laughed, trying to force me to answer his question. I shook my head, unable to put together an answer. "See? I know what I see. I have been there once myself, you remember, don't you?" Josh smiled and took his hand off my back. He was referring to when him and another of our co-stars, Ginnifer, first got together. They were a bit sickening to watch.

"I remember what that was like and this is not that. I'm not staring at her. Staring makes it weird." I said and scratched the back of my head. "Whatever you say but you aren't getting anywhere standing over here talking to me. Go talk to her." Josh pretended to frown. "I have talked to her before." I huffed. And I loved the way her voice sounded. Somewhat a mix of raspy, deep and sweet - I knew I could never completely place or name it. "Then what's the big deal?" Josh asked. I loved how he made it seem so easy. I had just separated from my wife that I had been with since high school. Fifteen years together and now we were just...done. Pursuing someone else, well, it was new and felt completely foreign to me now. Josh played Prince fucking Charmer for a living - his role shadowed into his life even though he'd deny it and he had. Of course it had been easy for him to just go and talk to Ginnifer.

Shaking my head, I looked back down to my lines. I reread the same line twice and then twice more. I slammed the paper down to my side and let out a frustrated breath. I was glad Josh had walked away because he would have known he was getting inside my head. This was ridiculous.

And she was still standing over there...

I shook my head and stepped over the many powercords strung over the pavement. I'd just ask her how her day was going and then the rest would just come naturally, right? Crossing the midway of the pavement, I could hear her. She jabbered on animatedly with a couple of the production crew. Her laughter traveled with the chilly breeze, greeting me before she got the chance to. The soft sound relaxed my nerves and made them jump at the same time.

A crunchy spot in the pavement announced I was coming towards her. She and both production members looked up, momentaringly pausing their conversation. "Colin!" Ginnifer's voice called from back across the pavement. My gaze looked from the crew members to her before turning back towards my name. Ginnifer waved me in. "Our call time was changed. We're up!" She called, still waving me towards her. I didn't even bother looking back. I made my way back across the cords and pavement until I was walking beside Ginnifer down to the boat docks.

"I'm sorry." Ginnifer said sympathetically. "For what?" I asked, though I had a good idea of what. "You were going to finally ask her, weren't you?" She spoke so cheerfully. I rolled my eyes. "Josh and his big, fat gob-" I would have continued on but Ginnifer put her hand on my arm, silently quieting me. "Josh didn't say anything, Colin. I mean, we've, Josh and I, have talked about it, of course, as your friends, and I've seen it - you know, the looks and things... I just kind of put two and two together." Ginnifer shrugged before going right into what she had to say next.

"And Colin," Ginnifer started with a warnful voice. "I know this probably isn't my place but, you know what, nevermind, it is my place to say it. I'm your friend, we want you to be happy and we want to look out for you. I know I don't need to remind you that your relationship of fifteen years just recently ended and I hate to bring it up like that but you need to be careful. You're vulnerable - you're feelings, you're emotions-" She was going to go on but I had to stop her. Things were getting way too sentimental and I hadn't even done anything yet.

"Ginnifer," I started, politely cutting her off. She was my friend and I respected what she had to say afterall. "You don't have to worry about me. I'm fine and I'll be fine with what comes next - whatever that might be." I said with a reassuring smile. Ginnifer smiled and nodded her head. "You're right. You're a grown man, you can and will make your own choices. And as your friend, I will support them." Ginnifer said with a nod her head. I wrapped my arm around her neck and bumped my body into hers. "That's a girl. Now, let's get on with this, shall we?" I chuckled as we stepped onto the scene and automatically fell into our characters.