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eighteen

. . .

That moment she shared with Maximus, alone in complete comfort, was the last of the calm moments.

They’d shared in company and conversations on set and between scenes, but it was either always surrounded by their castmates or someone from the crew.

Every so often, she found herself annoyed with having to share.

The moment the feeling rose, she quieted it with the truth.

Maximus wasn’t hers to possess. He was just someone along the path of her experience, and once these days of filming wrapped, there wouldn’t be anything to hold on to for real.

For three days, they were shooting scenes back-to-back between Midnight and the apartments nearby. Morning calls were early, and shooting went on well into the night.

The final scene was minutes from being shot. She was standing in the small apartment kitchen watching all the moving parts before that magnetic presence pulled her in again.

“I got this bag in my trailer with all that frilly shit, that was from you?” Maximus questioned in a tone only she could hear.

“Frilly shit?” Eden questioned with a laugh.

“Yeah, body butters and shit, what you trying to say?” he asked his laugh soft, making the hairs on the back of her neck stand up.

“Moisturizing is important,” Eden stated nonchalantly.

Maximus grunted, leaving his thoughts, his thoughts. “And a platinum record. It’s some dope shit.”

Eden looked up briefly before focusing back on the various crews moving about the small space.

“Well, all those vinyls I asked for earlier in the week were for everyone here because I felt like it needed to be appreciated in its rawness. And as for you, it went platinum in my house, so you know, like a thanks for being a cool coworker. You didn’t make any of this awkward for me. It’s appreciated.”

“Heard you, but it really should’ve been you getting the gifts. I was apprehensive as fuck coming into this. It’s one thing to sit in the booth and spit bars. It’s another to have to feed off of someone else’s energy and have all these cameras everywhere all the time.”

“That’s the part you should get used to since you’re about to take off.”

Maximus’s gaze lingered on her as he leaned his body slightly on the counter. Eden’s eyes drew to his. “You think so?”

“Know so. You’re talented. You got good energy that’s going to open the doors for you. Speaking of which, you haven’t accepted that JoyCash. It keeps getting kicked back.”

Maximus rumbled in amusement. “I’m not taking your money.”

“But it costs money. At the least I can pay for it. I don’t want anything for free, so you should figure this out before I have Staysha give Keon the cash.”

“I’m not taking your money. Ain’t shit to figure out either, E. That mixtape is doing numbers after all these years. You did that, you ain’t paying me for it. I should really be sliding you some bread.”

“I wouldn’t take it.”

“And yet you goin’ back and forth with me when you’re on the same time. That’s crazy.”

Eden rolled her eyes and waved him off. Playfully, she huffed. “You get on my nerves.”

Maximus chose to keep his thoughts to himself. Funny how when they were in the same space, in close proximity, they did the same thing, not knowing that the other was tuned in to hear whatever it was.

The director clapped her hands and put her sights on the two who had stolen the attention of the writers and producers. “Let’s take our places.”

“Ready?” Maximus questioned.

Eden had been cool up until this moment.

The on-screen kiss and the chemistry that needed to be filmed just right.

Her mind recalled the coaching from the intimacy coordinator and director on how he should touch her, what angle to tilt her chin, and what they wanted to capture on camera.

All of which Maximus did with the utmost respect for her comfort.

She offered him a nod. “You?”

“Yeah,” he told half the truth.

“Alright, let’s do this.” Eden stepped away and moved to her spot on the other side of the apartment door. One final touch of makeup and hair before the producer shouted.

“Action!”

Morgan enters the apartment after three days. DJ Two Tymes’ bags are packed by the door. Morgan drops her keys in a bowl by the door, expecting him to be long gone. They are still at an impasse. She enters the apartment deeper, finding DJ Two Tymes in the small kitchen looking at a photo of them.

DJ Two Tymes: You remember this?

DJ Two Tymes holds up the Polaroid from their first date so she can see it.

Morgan nods.

Morgan: I thought you’d be halfway to LO by now

DJ Two Tymes places the photo on the table and shakes his head.

DJ Two Tymes: I got to the airport and didn’t feel right about leaving

Morgan: You got to live out your dream, Elias. Like, forget about me, forget about Trae Way, and do your thing.

DJ Two Tymes raises an eyebrow and studies her.

DJ Two Tymes: That’s what you want?

Morgan: I want you to be great. I watched your last spin. You're so much bigger than this. I can’t hold you back. My fear of us falling apart can’t keep you here. And I’m not going to block you from being who you are.

DJ Two Tymes: I’m supposed to be cool with that? Huh? Cool with moving on without you?

Morgan: You should, it might be better that way.

DJ Two Tymes: Mo, do you understand that my fuckin’ heart beats for you?

Morgan: Elias, please, don’t.

DJ Two Tymes quickens to her and grabs her face in his hands.

Morgan breathlessly speaks

Morgan: Elias.

DJ Two Tymes: I was wrong. I handled all this shit wrong. It’s not just me or you. It’s us.

Morgan swallows a lump and attempts to look away. DJ Two Tymes holds her face steady.

Morgan: I wasn’t going to hold you back.

DJ Two Tymes: You weren’t going to be a single mother either.

Morgan cries softly.

Morgan: I thought you would’ve been better off.

DJ Two Tymes: Never, Mo. Never. I’ll never be better off without you. I wouldn’t be myself without you. I need both of you out there with me? Say yes.

Their faces are so close the tip of his nose presses against her face.

Morgan doesn’t answer.

DJ Two Tymes lifts her chin.

DJ Two Tymes: Tell me yes.

Morgan tearfully answers.

Morgan: Yes.

The couple kisses passionately.

SCENE

“I think we got it!” the producer clapped, but neither Eden nor Maximus heard her. “Cut!”

It wasn’t until the third CUT that they pulled apart, and Eden immediately tucked her lips in embarrassment.

“We got it,” the producer announced once more. “That’s a wrap on Trae Way MB and Eden.”

Eden returned to her professional stance and looked around at the crew who’d so graciously navigated her through the last three days. “Thank you, it’s been a great experience.”

After all the hugs and well wishes were given, she quickened to her trailer. She couldn’t even focus on packing her things up before she found her phone and called Staysha in a panic.

“How was it?” Staysha giddily questioned, looking into the camera.

“Well, that onscreen kiss was very real and I’m fuckin’ embarrassed.”

“Why?” Staysha quizzed. “Everyone is talking about the chemistry between y’all. Like it’s jumping off of you two. They’re even considering doing the music video and having you as the leading lady.”

Eden rolled her eyes in agony and dropped into a nearby chair. “I think distance is the best bet. I don’t want to get in my head about this and-”

Staysha finished her sentence. “And put your heart on display. Doesn't it suck being a lover girl?”

Eden rolled her eyes as a knock sounded against the door. “I’m not a lover girl. And I’m not going to be one. There’s too much to do before I can even consider being one.”

Eden pushed herself from the chair and went to open the trailer door, haphazardly thinking it was a member of the crew here to collect something. What she found was Maximus, his hands in his pockets, looking up at her from the bottom of the stairs.

“You like Big Rod’s?” he asked, shooting a shot.

“She loves Big Rod’s!” Staysha shouted from her place on the phone. Eden fidgeted and fumbled as she attempted to hang up and smoothly recover. No use. Maximus was chuckling, and she was still frazzled. Cheeks hot from the embarrassment, while being the constant subject of his ogling and musing.

“I like it. I mean...it’s late, you don’t have security. Maybe-”

“You hungry?”

Eden bit her lip and nodded. Although food was readily available, the nerves of all of this kept her from eating. “Yeah, I could eat.”

“Then it ain’t too late. Plus, I may or may not have some heat on me.”

Eden cut him a look. “I don’t know nothing.”

“How long you need?”

“Um,” she started as she nipped her lip again and looked around. “A few minutes.”

Maximus rumbled. “Aight, heard you. I’ll be out here.”

Relief fell over her for a millisecond before realizing she just agreed to be in his space for however long. Coils free of the bun, the uniform provided by the costume designer folded and placed neatly on the counter, Eden appeared minutes later with her bag thrown over her shoulder.

As Eden approached, Maximus’s eyes blanketed over her. The mere gesture had made heat a constant flood through her. Before Maximus could get too carried away in his staring, he asked, “You drove?”

“You know, out of all the things I bought for myself, a car hasn’t been one. I JoyRide everywhere now. Before, when I had brand deals, the rides were sponsored. But now I should probably look into it.”

Maximus removed the bookbag from her shoulder and started in stride to his awaiting vehicle.

Like him, the jacked-up pick-up truck was simple but powerful.

Five percent tint. White paint, black shoes.

It was sexy and a true Waynesville type of ride.

Eden liked how she knew he was a gangsta, but he didn’t feel the need to state the obvious.

“You can get in or you need help?” he questioned, opening the passenger side door.

Eden waved him off. “I’m five seven, I can get in here.”