Better Than Revenge 

Chapter 27

“Sex scenes are good for movies, Soph,” Christian stated impatiently. “You should know this already.” 

I glared at him. “Don’t treat me like I’m stupid, Christian! How on earth could you possibly expect me to believe that sex scenes are good for movies?” 

“They attract people, for one,” he said, counting the reasons off on his fingers. “They add passion to the movie. They’re not dirty, as you’re probably thinking, and don’t even lie! I know that’s what you’re thinking.” 

I closed my mouth in annoyance because that was what I was thinking. 

“If they’re done right, they’re classy,” he finished. 

“Thank you, Christian,” Nora said, smiling gratefully at him. “And I haven’t even said that we’re doing the scene yet, Sophia, so don’t look at me like that. I’m just informing you that it’s still a possibility.”

I literally bit down on my tongue to stop the remarks that threatened to erupt. 

“I’m fine with the scene, honestly,” Christian said with a shrug. 

“Of course. He’s better at sex than pretty much anyone.” 

Nora and Christian both gave me weird, surprised looks. 

“Now all he needs is a partner.” 

I seriously wondered how they still never realized there would always be some rude comment added at the end of those. 

“As I was saying, Nora,” Christian said, shooting me a dirty look, “whatever you decide, I’m cool with it.” 

“Of course you are,” I repeated crossly. 

“What does that mean?” he asked, seeming very offended. 

He really should learn to keep his mouth shut. The more questions he asked, the more insults I was given the chance to generate. 

“You know what it means,” I said, crossing my arms over my chest. 

Christian raised an eyebrow at me. “Do you really expect me to know what goes on in that twisted little brain of yours?”

I rolled my eyes. “It means you’re a hoe-bag, Chrissy.” 

“Quit calling me that. It’s so unmanly…” 

I loved how he just completely ignored the fact that I had just called him a hoe-bag just because his manliness was questioned. 

“Whatever, Chrissy.” I snickered. 

It suddenly dawned on Christian at this moment that I had called him a hoe-bag. “Wait, I’m not a hoe-bag!” 

I gave him a look. Was he serious? “Don’t even deny it. Seriously. Why don’t you just tie the mattress to your back already?” 

Nora was still standing there, just watching in amusement. She had learned to put up with our banter and she seemed to enjoy it most of the time… as long as it wasn’t interfering with her job, of course. 

He shot me an annoyed look. “Must you turn everything into an insult?” 

“Must you take every insult so offensively?”

“How can I not?” 

 I shrugged. “Easy. Quit being such a sissy.”  And with that, I walked away.

“Hey, wait!” Christian called out, following me. 

“Quit following me, you creeper,” I told him, not bothering to turn around. 

He ignored my request, instead falling into step with me. “Glad to see things are back to normal.” 

“Uh huh,” I said distractedly. He was walking too close to me. He was becoming delusional if he thought my forgiveness meant anything. He needed to back up a few steps. A few hundred steps, preferably. “Glad to see you’ve stopped acting like a lovesick puppy.” 

“I’m just internalizing most of that,” he admitted, shrugging nonchalantly. “I still like you.” He grinned over at me.

I looked over at him in annoyance. “Do you really have to tell me that a dozen times every single day?” 

“Of course,” he said with a smirk. 

“You’re annoying.” I sped up to try to lose him. 

He, of course, sped up and kept up with me. It probably took little to no effort considering his height. He probably had long legs. I had never bothered to pay attention. “You like my annoyingness.” 

I nearly burst out laughing. “You’re kidding, right? Have you missed every point I’ve made concerning your annoyingness? I don’t enjoy it!” 

“Sure you don’t.” 

I took a deep breath, trying to calm my anger. I had been looking forward to not having to deal with this kind of thing anymore. I figured since he was so into me or whatever that this would come to an end, but of course, with my luck, that didn’t happen. 

It was weird. It was like he was the old Christian and the new Christian combined. He was still the old Christian because he was still annoying and he still refused to take my shit—well, at least he convinced himself he wasn’t taking my shit. And he was the new Christian because he was, admittedly, a lot nicer and constantly reminded me that he liked me.

“You are so annoying,” I repeated angrily. “You know, I’d hit you, but I think that’d be animal abuse!”

“So clever.” He rolled his eyes.

“I thought so.” 

“Guys!” Nora screamed from behind us. We turned around and saw that she looked annoyed. 

“Yeah?” Christian asked. 

“I’ve been trying to get your attention for the past minute, but you were too engrossed in your argument to pay attention,” she said, shaking her head. 

I believed that. When Christian and I got started… boy, was it hard to get us to stop or to notice our surroundings. Hence the public scandals… 

“Sorry,” I apologized. 

She stopped when she was right in front of us. Shaking her head, she said, “I thought this would come to and end when Christian fell for you, Sophia. I see I was wrong.” 

“I thought so, too,” Christian and I chorused. 

We glanced at each other in annoyed surprise. Well, annoyed in my case. I hated it when that happened. 

“Well, hopefully this’ll help when we do the big scene today,” Nora continued. 

My eyes widened and I asked, “Wait, today?” 

“Yes,” she answered simply. 

“Why didn’t you tell us that was today?” 

“I just wanted to be sure you wouldn’t catch a sudden cold,” Nora said with a smile. 

Damn, she knew me too well. That was what happened when you were stuck with a person for a couple months on set. 

“Why are you complaining?” Christian asked. He looked like he was a mix of annoyed and upset. “I thought we were cool.” 

“Hey, I said I forgive you, not that I want to shove my tongue down your throat.” 

He rolled his eyes, his lips twitching upward. “It doesn’t matter if you want to. You have to do it anyway.” 

I sighed dramatically. “I know. Ugh. I’ll be in my trailer meanwhile.” I stomped away to my trailer, ignoring everything Christian said after I announced my departure. 

Shaking my head, I entered my trailer and picked Garfield up off of the floor. “I would rather make out with you,” I grumbled to him. “Ugh. Why couldn’t she have given me a day’s warning?” 

Garfield obviously didn’t say anything. He just looked at me. 

“Okay, so yeah, I probably would have faked an illness, but I still think this isn’t fair.” 

I continued to complain to Garfield, complaining to Tori at the same time. I soon regretted texting her, though, when she failed to see the downside in my situation. I should have known better than to tell her. She convinced her boss to let her off early for the day so she could come over to the set and watch the big scene. 

It wasn’t much of a surprise, honestly. It was just such a Tori thing to do. She said her reason for wanting to see it was that the big kiss scene was her favorite part of the book. I suspected her reason was a little deeper than that. She wanted to see what was going to happen when Christian and I had to kiss passionately. 

The big question for me was where the hell I was going to find enough passion to pull this off. Maybe I could turn my anger into passion. It was still passion… just a different kind. 

Actually, that could probably work. If I just channeled all the anger I felt for him into that kiss, I’d have enough passion in me to bring Nora to tears. 

“You’re so lucky,” Tori groaned, shoving her face in a couch cushion. She had been here for about five minutes and would not stop talking about the scene. “You’re getting paid to kiss Christian Ryder. Ugh. Life isn’t fair! Trade me places?”

“Gladly,” I muttered irritably. “I don’t want to do this.” 

“But you’ve forgiven him,” Tori cried. “And have you seen the kiss scenes in his movies? They’re hot! This is going to be hot!” 

I never told Tori the story. I told her a bit of the outline of it, but that was it. I just didn’t want to talk about it or think about it. I was putting it in the past.

I gave her a look. “I don’t care!”

She shook her head sadly. “You’re so crazy. Do you know how many girls would kill to be in your place right now?! I know I’ve said this before, but I mean it now, especially! You get to kiss him. Do you know how many times I’ve dreamed about this? You. Are. So. Lucky!” She looked like she was about to cry. I wanted to laugh so badly, but I figured I’d be a good friend and support her in her time of sadness. 

I just shook my head at her. 

There was a knock at my door and Tori jumped off of the couch, running to the door immediately. “I’ve got it!”

“Of course you do,” I said with a snicker. 

She was disappointed when she opened the door and it was just an intern coming to tell me that we were starting in five minutes. I almost laughed out loud at the look of disappointment that crossed her face. 

“Don’t laugh,” she said with a pout as she walked back to the couch. 

“I wasn’t,” I exclaimed in my defense, fighting a smile. 

“You were laughing on the inside,” she grumbled. 

I snickered because it was true. “Sorry. You’ll cheer up once we get over there, though.”

Her eyes lit up and she exclaimed, “You’re right! Let’s go!” She jumped up and grabbed me by the arm, literally dragging me all the way to the set. I grumbled my protests but she didn’t care or listen to them. 

“You had to be dragged here, I see,” Nora commented as she walked by me. “I can’t say I’m surprised,” she added with a chuckle. 

I was sort of offended by this. I wasn’t that unreliable! I was already here. I would have gone by myself! “She was dragging me here for different reasons,” I said in my defense. 

Nora laughed. “I’m sure she was.” 

I was about to say something when someone grabbed onto my arm. “Oh, Sophia,” my makeup artist, Cel, complained. “You smudged your liner! Come here.” I was dragged over to the nearest trailer to fix my eye liner. 

Everything that happened after this was kind of a blur. I was so distracted; I barely paid attention to anything. I was honestly freaking out. This was the last thing I wanted to do when avoiding every feeling I had that was Christian related. 

I didn’t know why I was freaking out so badly, though. It was only a kiss, after all. Sure, it was with someone I couldn’t stand, but still. It wasn’t like it was my first kiss. Why was I making such a big deal out of it? 

I only snapped back into reality when Nora called out, “Places, everyone!” 

I was basically pushed into place. We were shooting this scene in the middle of a deserted road. Rain was pouring down, which was good for the crew members because that meant they didn’t have to waste time making it rain artificially.  

“This better be waterproof makeup,” I said, mostly to myself. 

Since Christian was the only one around, however, he assumed I was talking to him. “If not, you’ll look like a raccoon.”

I shot him an annoyed look. “Gee. Thanks.” 

“A cute raccoon, I mean?” 

“Save it.” I rolled my eyes. 

“Ready, guys?” Nora called out from her director’s seat. 

“I guess,” I called out, just as Christian yelled ‘yeah’. 

“3, 2, 1… Action!” 

We had already done everything leading up to this scene, except the actual kiss. All that was left was the few lines in front of the kiss and the few lines after the kiss. 

“I’m sorry,” I said, slipping into character. “I didn’t mean to hurt you. I just wanted my freedom. But I promise you that everything I said was true. Deep down, I meant it.” 

Christian as Liam took a step closer to me. “You’re not just bullshitting me?” 

I shook my head. “Of course not. I promise, Liam. I meant every word.” 

He looked down at me, grabbing my waist and pressing my body against his. “Then prove it to me.” 

“How?” I asked, not feigning breathlessness. 

“Show me you mean it,” Liam said simply. 

He didn’t give me a chance to even consider replying. He pulled me even closer, if that was possible, and leaned down, pressing his lips to mine in a flash. 

The kiss started off slow and sensual. He lightly bit my lip, teasing me in a way. It didn’t take long for the kiss to escalate as our mouths both opened, the kiss quickly becoming hot and heavy. 

I knew that at that moment I was supposed to be Emma and he was supposed to be Liam, but that wasn’t how it was. The reason for that, I told myself, was that I needed to be Sophia to channel all the anger I felt for him. Every emotion I had ever felt for him was channeled into that kiss. When his lips pressed to mine, I forgot about where we were, what we were doing, who was there, everything. All I knew was that we were kissing and that I was angry. Oh, was I angry. 

He kissed me back just as passionately. I doubted his was angry passion, but it didn’t matter. I was sure it made for a good show. 

His hands were placed at my lower waist. My left arm was draped around his neck and my right hand was entangled in his hair. Our lips moved in perfect synchronization. It was like we had planned this, like we had practiced it, but we hadn’t. We had attempted it, sure. But we had never reached this level of passion. It had never been like this. 

I didn’t know how long we stood there kissing. I distinctly remembered Nora telling us that as long as we lasted fifteen seconds, we were good, but I knew we had exceeded that greatly. I just couldn’t stop. I didn’t even know why. It was like I was under a spell or something.

Finally, after God knows how long, I snapped out of it, slowly pulling away from Christian. I didn’t move my hands; I just stood there, staring into his eyes. I was left breathless and shocked, while Christian was clearly left star-struck and, by his body actions, I could tell he wanted more. 

We didn’t look away for a while. I couldn’t believe what had just happened. I had gone through with the kiss, and we had exceeded Nora’s expectations. 

What does this mean? Does it… ahaha of course not. No, it just means I’m better at this job than I thought. I was acting. The entire time.  

“Yes!” Nora cried, standing up and clapping hysterically. It sounded like she was crying. “Yes! That was… that was beautiful! That was absolutely amazing! No words can describe how amazing that was, guys! That was exactly what I wanted! You managed to get the exact kind of passion I wanted and had visualized for this scene! Yes! Oh, I’m just… I’m just at a loss! I knew it! I knew I had made a good choice choosing the two of you for this! I knew you guys could do it! I knew it!” 

Tori's reaction was similar. Well, no, it wasn't. It was worse. I didn't know why she was being so loud. She was usually relatively quiet on set because she knew she could be kicked off. "Ohmygod, Soph! Christian! That was... that was freaking hot! Geez! Somebody turn down the temperature in here! Ouch!"

Christian and I glanced back at each other. And then, he did something that surprised me. it completely caught me off guard. I knew the kiss had been passionate and everything, but I still hadn’t expected this.

He leaned back down and kissed me again. 

And you know what? I was just so shocked and caught off guard… I kissed him back. Again...

***

The kiss part was kind of hard to write. xD I didn't want it to be too cheesy or too graphic.... in my opinion, no one needs to know what went on with their tongues. I'm sure you all agree with me, eh?

ANYWHOO.

I was originally going to post this tomorrow, but I figured since I kind of tricked all of you with the Cast poll thingy, you guys deserved the update today. xD

And if you haven't commented on the Cast Change-Up thingy, please go do that now! I need help. :D

Not that kind of help, either.

Although I do need that, too.

Anyways, I hope you guys liked it!

I'm sure you all have lots to say for this one, as well.