The Making of…

Chapter 39

Being the Bigger Person

Several days after the incident at the stables, we moved on to filming the scenes of us riding across the Plains of Rohan. The extras were still around, as we continued to do touch-up shots wherever we had free time, so I was still forced to spend time in the company of Courtney. I couldn’t escape her, everywhere I went on set, she was there. Any time I tried to talk to Viggo, she swooped in and snatched him away. She wasn’t even being slightly subtle about the fact that she wanted him for herself; because she knew I couldn’t compete with her. My self-esteem plummeted when she was around, towering over me with her model-length legs, allowing her a better perspective so she could look down on me.

One day, after filming had finished and I’d taken off my makeup and costume, I went looking for Viggo. I knew he’d be hanging around the horseboxes, and as I approached them, I heard a high-pitched, fake laugh. How was she always a step ahead of me? I turned a corner and saw them.

“Viggo that’s hilarious!” She cried, running her manicured hand up his arm in a manner that was all too friendly for my liking. I couldn’t miss his startled expression though, as he very slightly backed away from her, but I’d already seen enough to make my stomach twist with some unknown emotion. Jealousy? Hell no. Why should I be jealous of her?

I turned on my heel and walked away. I couldn’t talk to Viggo when she was around anyway. As I stalked angrily back to my trailer, I passed Raven - she and Sean had been hanging around the set for the past few days.

“Hey Kira! Ki!” She called after me, but I didn’t listen. I was in no mood to talk to anyone. “Kira wait up!” She cried, running after me as I reached my trailer and yanked the door open. I felt bad for ignoring her, but right now I needed to go scream into a pillow. I slammed the door behind me and quickly walked over to my bed, kicked off my shoes, and proceeded to collapse face-down onto my duvet. Seconds later, Raven burst in though the door. “What’s gotten you so moody?” She grumbled as I grabbed a pillow and buried my face in it.

“Go ‘way.” I muttered into the pillow.

“No, what’s going on?” She asked.

“Nothing, I’m totally fine. Can’t you tell?” I replied sarcastically.

“Sarcasm won’t get you anywhere missy.” Raven scolded me in a stern tone.

“‘Missy’?” I grumbled, “Do you really have to know?”

“Yeah, I do. What’s gotten you so upset?”

“Oh nothing, just the fact that I’m fighting a battle that I’m losing.” I sighed, giving the pillow a punch and sitting up a little.

“You’re doing what-now?” She stared at me as if I was spouting gibberish. I flopped back down onto my pillow.

“Mrrrph…” I sighed.

“I can’t hear you when you’re mumbling into a pillow Ki.” I looked up and propped my face up on my arm.

“I’m losing Viggo to a blonde bimbo.” I groaned, burying my face in my hands.

“What? But things were going so well!” Raven cried, sitting cross-legged at the foot of my bed.

“That’s what I thought… But then she turned up.” I grumbled into my palms.

“Is this the extra that always seems to be hanging around him?”

“Yeah… Courtney.” I spat, her name leaving a bad taste in my mouth.

“Courtney? God, even her name sounds bitchy.” Raven sighed, “Why do you think you’re losing Viggo to her?” I stared at her as if she was stupid.

“Um, maybe because she’s already dug her polished talons into him and there is no way I can compete withthat.” I growled, biting my lip.

“What exactly does she have that you don’t?” Raven asked – once again she got the ‘Are you stupid?’ look.

“Well I’m clearly not a size-zero model with breasts that reach my chin and legs that go on forever… Which just happen to be the three things that a typical man will look for.” I sighed.

“Is Viggo a typical man to you?” She stared at me, already knowing my answer.

“No, he’s different.” I murmured, running a hand through my hair.

“Well there you go!” She grinned cheerfully, “Vig has a bit of sense, he’ll be able to see that you’re everything she isn’t, and then he’ll fall for you and you’ll be in love forever and–”

“Psh…” I cut her off abruptly, “I’d love to live in your head. Everything seems fine and dandy there.”

“Ah, so you do like Viggo that way then!” She squeaked happily.

“Haven’t we already been through this?” I glared at her. “Yes… I’ve completely fallen for him… And once again it seems like I’ve made a massive mistake.” I tousled my hair and sighed.

“Trust me Ki; he’s not going to fall for her any time soon. She has more boobs than brains. Don’t let her get to you.” She looked at me, knowing she was right.

“Yeah… But she might just kill me before she gives up on him.”

“Wait, she’s been trying to kill you?” Raven cried in alarm, sitting up straight.

“To put it dramatically… Yeah. And I’m too much of a chicken to do anything about it.” I groaned, once again hiding in my pillow. “I’d like to beat her stupid little platinum-blonde head in and throw her in the muck-heap… Where she belongs.”

“So why don’t you do that?”

“Because then I’d be sinking to her level.” I explained, “And I want to be the bigger person here.”

“Well then, we just need to find an intelligent way of getting back at her, which isn’t malicious, but still makes her feel stupid.” Raven eyed me sceptically and I nodded.

“Yeah basically… Any ideas?”

“No.”

“Thanks.” I exhaled heavily and sat up.

“At least you can always remember the fact that in the movie, she’ll be wearing a fake beard and everyone will think she’s a man.” She shrugged and I smirked a little.

“I wish I could superglue the beard to her face… That would be epic.” I grinned and Raven laughed – suddenly, I heard a knock on the door. My head jerked up and Raven sprang up to answer it.

“Hi Vig!” She cried, flinging open the door.

“Uh, hey… Is Kira here?” I heard him ask and I couldn’t help blushing a little.

“Yeah, come in!” Raven grinned, ushering him inside. He turned to me and smiled, whilst Raven winked at me behind his back, “I’ll leave you two to it.” She smirked, slipping out the door and closing it behind her.

“Hi Viggo.” I smiled weakly and he frowned at me.

“Are you ok?” He asked, walking over to the bed and taking Raven’s place in front of me. I must have looked a mess – my hair was everywhere, my jeans and hoodie were grubby from being around the horses all day, and I was clutching a pillow like a mental patient.

“Yeah, I’m great.” I smiled a little more enthusiastically and that seemed to satisfy him.

“Oh… Well, I just came around because I was going to talk to you earlier, but you walked off before I got the chance.” He looked at me and smiled a little. I hadn’t realised that he had seen me earlier.

“Sorry… I just had a lot on my mind.” I shrugged, avoiding the ‘C’ word.

“Is this about Courtney?” He asked, making my avoidance if her name irrelevant.

“Am I really that easy to read?” I mumbled sheepishly.

“I know when something’s bothering you Ki.” He murmured, “You never smile when she’s around, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing… We just don’t get on.” I replied vaguely, avoiding the details whilst my head was screaming, ‘Don’t get on? Understatement of the century!’ He moved a little closer to me on the bed, bringing up his legs and crossing them as I frowned. “Get your mucky shoes off my bed.” I scolded him with a smile as he kicked them off and resumed his position.

“So you’re ok then?” He asked, concern etched across his face as I nodded.

“Yeah, I’m fine… We all have down-days, right?” I smiled a little and his anxious gaze softened.

“Of course we do… I just miss seeing you smile.” He shrugged slightly, and suddenly, something clicked in my head. It was like a really cheesy eureka moment, and I half expected a little light bulb to ‘ping’ on above my head. Why hadn’t I thought of it before? I slapped my forehead with the palm of my hand.

“That’s it!” I cried, “Gah, I’m such an idiot!”

“Kira?” Viggo looked at me as if I’d suddenly lost my mind, “What’s going on?”

“Nothing, everything’s brilliant! Vig, you’re a genius!” I grabbed his face and pulled him forward, kissing his forehead before springing up off the bed as he stared at me in confusion – unaware that he’d guided me to the solution to my problem.

“Ki?” I turned back to him, grinning like an idiot, “Clue me in please, because I have no idea what you’re talking about.” I reached forward and grabbed his hands, pulling him to his feet.

“It’s ok, it’s not important.” I assured him, “Come on, lets take Indy and Uraeus out, they haven’t been ridden all day.” I pulled him towards the door but he hesitated.

“Are you sure everything’s ok?” He asked uncertainly.

“It is Vig.” I smiled reassuringly, releasing one of his hands but squeezing the one I still held. “Trust me.”

“Alright…” He sighed reluctantly linking his fingers through mine, “Let’s go then.” I smiled as we left the trailer and walked to where the horseboxes were kept. A combination of Raven and Viggo’s words were flying through my mind; ‘Don’t let her get to you’…‘You never smile when she’s around’…‘I just miss seeing you smile’. As we reached the horseboxes, we passed Courtney and she very deliberately (and flirtatiously) waved at Viggo – ignoring me.

“Hi Courtney.” I greeted her cheerfully, firing her a bright smile. She looked at me in confusion, then caught sight of my hand entwined with Viggo’s, and her face proceeded to go very white, and then very red, veryquickly. She span on her heel and stormed off, whilst I smirked to myself, although I tried to not revel in my victory too much. Raven and Viggo were right, I shouldn’t let her get me down, and I should just be myself – that seemed to infuriate her enough. Maybe she’d leave me alone if she realised that she wasn’t getting to me anymore. Even if she didn’t, I could still keep smiling.

“Hey guys!” I spotted Karl waving at us as he leant over the half-door of his horsebox. “You two going for a ride?”

“Yeah,” Viggo smiled, “What about you?”

“I’m just tacking up now.” He replied, “See you in a moment!” He ducked back down behind the door as we walked over to our shared horsebox which was parked beside Karl’s. Viggo released my hand and I helped him lower the ramp, and we both walked into the trailer. I patted Indy’s flank and slipped past him so I could slip his headcollar on and back him out.

Once Viggo had taken Uraeus out, we tacked up the horses and I lead Indy around to Karl’s trailer, where he had already mounted his horse.

“Ready to go?” I asked, hearing Viggo approach behind me. I turned to see that he had already put his cowboy hat on, and was adjusting his stirrups. Karl was also wearing his wild-west headgear.

“Aren’t you going to give Kira your present, Vig?” Karl asked and I looked from Viggo to him in confusion. Viggo smirked and handed me Uraeus’s reins, before walking back to the trailer.

“What’s going on?” I cried in confusion as Indy playfully butted my shoulder.

“You’ll see.” Karl smirked and I heard Viggo walk up behind me.

“Close your eyes.” He murmured in my ear before I could turn. I obliged without question and felt him set something on my head; he then took back Uraeus's reins. “Ok, now you can open them.” My eyes fluttered open and I reached up, lifting down what he’d set on my head. I laughed as I saw the pale beige cowboy hat and rolled my eyes.

“Thanks Vig.” I grinned as I ran my fingers along the beaded trimming – which made it slightly more feminine than the boy’s hats. I proudly set it on my head and smirked. “So now I’m officially a member of the Cowboy-Club?”

“You’re our honorary British Cowgirl.” Karl smirked as I vaulted into Indy’s saddle.

“Now I feel all warm and fuzzy inside.” I joked as we turned the horses and rode out onto the grassy plain that stretched ahead of us.