Thou Shalt Not

I didn't get the best sleep last night and this morning I could feel it. I was able to pull myself out of bed but I wasn't going to be able to function without a cup of coffee first. I shuffled into the kitchen where the smell of bacon wafted through the air. Rounding the corner, I saw my roommates busying themselves with different tasks in preparing breakfast. "Good morning, sunshine." Justin's bright smile lit up the room. I smiled, unable to speak. He nodded and pointed to the coffee pot that was ready for consumption.

I grabbed a mug and poured me a cup, grabbing the creamer that was already sitting out and poured it into the black liquid. "What time do you have to be on set?" Justin asked after I had took a sip of my coffee. "Six," I said, quickly taking another drink. "Me, too. We'll ride together. I've got to finish getting ready. See you in a bit." Justin smiled before setting his mug and plate into the sink and disappearing around the corner. "You guys have a good day." I said politely to my roommates and took my mug with me back to my bedroom.

I quickly applied my makeup. I went for a nude look. It was quick, easy and still looked classy. I threw on a pair of black leggings, a leopard printed sweater and finished with a pair of black and flat knee-high boots. I threw my hair into a ponytail and threw everything I'd need into my large tote bag.

I met Justin at the front door and we stepped outside after bundling up. "It's too fucking cold for this shit." Justin scoffed as we hurried carefully down the sidewalk to where Justin's SUV was parked, already heating up. "Yes, it is." I agreed as we climbed in. The cold was something I'd never get used to. I was used to living in Los Angeles, not so much Canada.

"See you for lunch?" Justin asked as we walked through the slew of trailers on the back of the set. "Yes, text me when you're ready to go." I smiled and he blew me a kiss before taking off towards his trailer. I stepped into my trailer and began immediately laying out everything I'd need to transform Robert into Rumpelstiltskin.

I was scrolling through Facebook to kill time when the trailer door opened it and in came Robert. "Good morning, my beautiful girl." Robert smiled as he shed his coat. "Did you get coffee this morning?" I asked as I poured myself a cup from the pot by the mini fridge. "Yes, I did. Thank you though." He smiled and sat down in the makeup chair.

We got to work right away. I had just finished with the gold foil on his skin when he grabbed my arm. "What?" I asked with a chuckle. "Something is different about you, doll. What'd you do last night?" He asked with a wink. I pulled away from his grip and rolled my eyes. "Not that if that's what you're referring to. I just went and had a drink instead of having a drink in my bedroom." I laughed, realizing how pathetic I sounded. "With anyone special?" He hummed.

I didn't know how to answer him. I technically hadn't went out with Colin but he was there and we chatted before he paid for my drink. Maybe I could ask Robert what he thought about it. No, no. I couldn't do that. He knew about Gunner. He knew a lot about Gunner. Robert and I had become somewhat confidants and I didn't mind telling him things that were happening in my life and vice versa.

"It wasn't Gunner." I blurted out. His eyebrows shot up and I could tell he wanted to ask who but he didn't. "I mean, it wasn't Gunner because, well, Gunner isn't here. I went alone and had a glass of wine before I went home. I guess I'm in a good mood because my best friend is coming to see me and it's been awhile since I've seen her." I shrugged. Robert smiled and nodded his head. He didn't believe me but he didn't say anything about it.

"Crystal, right?" Robert asked as I touched up a few places on his hand that I thought needed a little more gold. "Yep, that's her." I smiled. "The party girl, well, you two will have some fun this weekend, yes?" He chuckled. "I'm on my best behavior here, Rob." I laughed and laid down the paintbrush I was using. "It's the weekend," Rob said with a shrug and I chuckled before the trailer door swung open and Kasey from styling appeared. "Hi, you ready for costume?" She asked, her bubbly personality spilling through the door.

"I think so. Are we, Lace?" Robert asked. I nodded my head as I started to clean up. "Break a leg, or, break someone's leg." I called and Robert laughed before I was left standing in an empty trailer.

~*~

Justin and I were finishing our lunch of burgers at a joint close by the set when a rambunctious crew walked in. We looked up and saw it was a group of the actors on the show. Justin rolled his eyes and looked back to me. "Shall we move so they can all sit together?" Justin asked sarcastically as we had been the only ones sitting in the small section. "Justin," I started. "They're not that bad." I said and dipped a fry into the ketchup I had squirted on the wrapper of my cheeseburger. "O-kay," Justin scoffed and finished off his hamburger.

"Are you ready?" I asked as I gathered all of our trash and put it onto the tray. "Yes, meet you by the front? I've got to freshen up." Justin said and stood up, making his way to the restrooms. I chuckled and stood up to take the trash over to the trash can. As I was putting the tray back into the return area and absentmindedly sucking the Coke out of my straw, something caught my eye.

Colin was walking into the restaurant, his eyes already on me by time he had joined up with the rest of the group. He smiled and waved. I smiled back, not bothering to take the straw out of my mouth. I didn't hang around and made my way to the front door. I felt like someone was sitting on my chest. Why did he make me feel this way? Well, he was gorgeous and any girl would have to fan herself if he smiled at them but this was more than that. I needed Crystal to get here. I needed to talk to someone I could trust about this.

"Ready?" Justin said and snapped me out of my daze. "Uh, yeah, let's go." I said and threw my coat around me. "He was looking at you." Justin said once we were on our way back to the set. "Who?" I asked as I texted with Crystal back-and-forth about when she'd be arriving. "Mr. Hottie." Justin said sternly. "Can you be a little more specific, Just?" I laughed. "Colin, I think? The guy who plays Hook?" Justin asked and my heart picked up speed. "I think you're mistaken." I said, hoping to drop the subject. I didn't think I was ready to confess anything to Justin just yet. He had a great big mouth.

"I have seen lots of looks and, honey, he was looking at you." Justin said with an unnecessary snap of his fingers. "Well he did say hello, I mean, we've seen each other around. He was being friendly. I told you they weren't that bad." I shrugged. "Is there something you're not telling me?" Justin asked. "What? No. I have a boyfriend, Justin." I said somewhat defensively. I had been reminding myself more and more recently that I was indeed already in a relationship.

"That doesn't mean shit." Justin said bluntly. "It should. Don't you think?" I asked. "Honey, I don't know much about your boyfriend but the things I do know is nothing worth bragging about. I don't understand why you're even with him." Justin scoffed. "Justin-" I started to protest. "I know, I know. It's complicated." Justin said, repeating what I had told him several times before. "He won't live without me, Justin." I said, confessing to the dark, cold truth. Justin pulled into a parking spot back at the set. He looked at me once he put the SUV into park.

"We could, you know, have him taken care of..." Justin bit his lip. I smiled at Justin's dramatic touch. "It won't be too long now and he'll take care of himself." I shrugged. If Gunner didn't stop now, he'd end up dead. The pills and alcohol had consumed him and it was no longer up to me to help him. I had done everything and went above and beyond for Gunner when I first noticed his addiction. He simply doesn't want the help. He doesn't want to stop. He wants to be like a rock star, feel like one...

"So, nothing is up with you and Hottie? You never did answer me." Justin said as we reached the trailers. I rolled my eyes. "You didn't ask me that. You asked if there was something I wasn't telling you." I reminded him. "C'mon, sweets," Justin pleaded. I stopped and looked at him dead in the eyes. "No. There is nothing going on between us." I said sternly. "You'd tell me, right?" Justin asked, his facial expression falling a little down his face. I smiled at him. I probably would and then have to beg and plead to him to keep it to himself. He blew me a kiss and we parted ways, heading back to finish the rest of our work day.

~*~

I had just finished getting ready for my first Friday night out when there was knock on the door. "I'll get it!" Justin called and bounced over to the door. Justin and I were the only ones in the house since the other artists had already left with their own plans. I straightened up the pillows on the couch and lit a few candles that decorated the entertainment stand. "You got the money?" I asked as I shuffled around the living room trying to make the rental look somewhat homey.

"Yep," Justin said and swung the door open. "Oooh, just in time." I heard Justin say. I watched them trade pizza for money. "And it smells sooo good." Justin said as he wafted the smell of the pizza up his nose. I laughed and shook my head. "Be careful, honey!" Justin called to the pizza delivery guy. "Justin, my gosh," I said and took the pizza out of his hands and took it into the kitchen. "Oh, hey! I'm Justin! Welcome, welcome!" Justin cheered and I knew Crystal and Tom must have arrived.

I watched Crystal and Justin air kiss and then Justin went in for Tom but Tom stuck out his hand instead. "That's okay, I'd take a handshake from you." Justin smiled and shook Tom's hand. "Hi," I greeted Crystal with a hug and then Tom. "Nice place," Tom said as he took in the living room. "Ah, it does what it's supposed to." I smiled. "How was your flight?" I asked as I led them into the kitchen. "It was okay. The flight attendant was a little bit of a bitch but don't think I didn't match her." Crystal shrugged and I looked over at Tom. "I pretended to be asleep when this all went down." Tom said and I laughed. Tom was ever the gentleman. He hated any type of confrontation even if it didn't involve him.

"Well I didn't need back up. I did just fine on my own." Crystal said as she stuck her tongue out at Tom. "That you did, babe." Tom said with a wink and a nod. "So, uh, does Gunner know you're here?" I asked, glad he didn't come along with him. I didn't want him here - not with the drugs and the drama. "No, he doesn't know. He's been, well, passed out for days." Crystal said quietly, unsure if Justin knew about Gunner. I shook my head. "It's okay. He knows." I smiled. "He's alive though, right? You checked?" I asked. "Yes, I've checked and I told the help to keep an eye on him while we're away but I'm sure he's bound to get up and leave to go get high somewhere else." Crystal said with disapproval.

"Well, let's eat before the pizza gets cold." I said and pulled the plates out from the cupboard. "Beer?" I asked Tom as I opened the fridge. "You know me so well." Tom smiled and I handed him a green bottle. "Wine?" I pointed to Crystal. "With pizza?" She asked. "What kind of question is that? Wine goes with anything!" I laughed. I grabbed the red wine out of the fridge and filled us each a glass to the brim. Justin moved behind me and made his own concoction of Four Loko and Red Bull. "You're heart is going to explode." I said as I watched him down half of his glass.

"Not a heart this strong, baby." Justin smiled and pulled out his phone and typed away furiously on the screen. "Okay, I'm out." Justin said as he grabbed his coat off one of the kitchen chairs and threw the remaining Four Lokos and Red Bull into a plastic grocery bag. "You're really not going to go with us?" I asked as I served everyone a piece of pizza onto a plate. "I'm really not going with you. I told you, Numbers is the place for me on Fridays. Have fun tonight, sweetie, and if you get tired of the boring breeders, Numbers is on Davie Street, you can't miss it." Justin winked and grabbed a piece of pizza and his bag of alcohol before walking out. Numbers was a gay nightclub and Justin never missed a weekend there.

Tom quickly devoured his piece of pizza and then asked where the bathroom was. "Use the one in my room. Go to the end of the hallway and turn right." I smiled. I waited until I heard my bedroom door open and shut before I slid in front of Crystal at the kitchen table. "I've got to talk to you about something." I said quietly. "What?" Crystal asked as she took a sip of her wine, eyes wide. "You know how you told me to go out and have a glass of wine somewhere other than my bedroom?" I asked quickly. "Y-es..." Crystal said, egging me on with her hand.

"Well I did and someone bought me a drink." I said even quieter. "Who?" Crystal asked as her eyebrows shot up on her head. "One of the guys on the show." I said and rubbed the stem of the wineglass between my fingers. "Really?" Crystal asked, sitting up straight in her chair. "Which one?" She asked with a playful smile. "The one that plays Hook." I smiled. "Damn," Crystal chuckled. "And well, okay, it's not a big deal someone paying for your drink but I just felt, I don't know... I felt something inside me and when he touched my-" Crystal cut me off. "He touched you?" She asked, looking like she had just caught wind of some scandalous gossip.

"My hand, Crystal. He touched my hand and it felt like, shit, I don't know how to explain it. What the fuck is wrong with me? I have a boyfriend!" I said a little louder than I wanted to. Crystal frowned before taking a sip of her wine. "He's not the best boyfriend, Lacie. Maybe that has something to do with it..." Crystal trailed off. "Attention from a male, you know?" Crystal said with a shrug. "I don't think it was just that." I sighed. How could I explain something to someone when I couldn't even explain it to myself?

"Okay - say it was more than a nice guy buying you a drink. You've had a shitty start at love, Lace, but that isn't a reason to count out on why a super hot guy would want to give you attention." Crystal said. "Again," I chuckled. "I have a boyfriend. This shouldn't matter." I said. Crystal rolled her eyes. "Yeah, you do have a boyfriend - a shitty, awful one. If I was dating someone like Gunner and Tom came along one day and all those stupid cheesy fireworks went off, I'd leave. We have one life and we need to make the best of it. Follow your gut on this one, Lace. See what it is. Could be nothing, could be something." Crystal shrugged with a smile before taking a gulp of her wine.

I let out a sigh. "What if I do and I get my heart broken? And not to mention it could ruin my career and I've got a good thing going on here. What if it's just sex?" I shook my head. I couldn't imagine developing feelings for someone and them only look at me as a plaything. "GOOD! You need some sex in your life. You've told me about Gunner falling asleep during foreplay... And Colin is fucking hot so you know it's bound to be good. Sex can lead to more if the guy is right. If not, at least the sex was good." Crystal smiled and finished off her wine.

"We're getting really ahead of ourselves here with the sex talk. Geez, we don't even know each other." I said, trying to not think of how sex with Colin would be. "Then get to know him, silly." Crystal chuckled. "Oh, he was the one who invited us out tonight." I said with a coy smile. "Are you ladies finished with your dinner yet?" Tom asked as he came back into the kitchen. "Yes, are you?" I asked Crystal as I stood up to throw the plates into the sink. "Yes, babe, I am." She said as she stood up. "Let's go," Tom smiled and kissed Crystal on her temple. "Let me grab my coat." I said and quickly made my way to my bedroom, pulling on my black lace coat and pulling a pair of black flats out of my closet.