... not in love with Kale Eddison (10 page)

Kale looked
shocked, “What? How can you even think that? A better question
would be which one of your
‘close, personal’
friends talked
and gave them some juicy ammunition which paints me as some
pathetic loser?” He was fuming that Izzie was pinning all the blame
on him.

Izzie couldn’t
help but be riled at his accusations, “Really Kale? That’s such a
low blow; you’re only really worried about how you are seen? What
about me? I’m made out to be some heartless, game-playing bitch!
You’re not the one being presented as a scheming and cold-hearted
cow, are you?” Izzie took deep breaths to try and calm herself down
as she looked around at the reporters taking pictures from outside
her car; no doubt they had both given them a follow-up story for
tomorrow’s newspaper. She could just see the headline now;
‘Kale
and Girlfriend in Lover’s Tiff!’

Kale noticed
her gaze, “Perhaps we should continue this little discussion
somewhere else where reporters won’t be able to cook up another
completely false story?”

Izzie had to
admit that he was talking sense so she nodded her head, “Ok, hang
on, I’ll try and get out of here.” She started the engine and
several of the reporters backed off; she put the car in reverse and
took them all by surprise when she shot backwards. Before they had
time to congregate around the car again, Izzie had put the car in
first gear and took off out into the main road.

Kale looked
over at her in disbelief, “I can’t believe you just did that! We’ll
not lose them for long though.”

Izzie nodded,
“I know, but it’s a start. So, where were we? Ah yes, I was
emphasising how I’m portrayed as the villain in this piece.
Anything you’d like to say?” She eyed him meaningfully.

“Ok, how many
times must I apologise? I’m sorry,” Kale let out an exasperated
sigh and then turned very serious, “really, I am sorry and I’m
sorry about you being made to look bad in this whole mess.”

“Yeah,” Izzie
agreed, “you should be! But for now let’s worry about how we’re
gonna get into school undetected. Do you’ve any ideas?”

Kale shrugged,
“Don’t think we’ll be going to school today. I know the media and
they’re gonna be chasing us for the rest of the day … trust
me!”

Izzie scoffed,
“Funny that, I did and look how
that
turned out! So what the
hell are we supposed to do then? I certainly don’t wanna be stuck
with you for the rest of today.”

“Do you really
detest me
that
much?” asked Kale incredulously as he gazed
at Izzie with a hurt look on his face.

“Right now …
yeah I do but ask me tomorrow and – no, the answer would still be
the same.” She frowned at him but couldn’t help but smile a little
too.

Kale smirked,
knowing she was half-serious, “Guess I can live with that, now what
you wanna do?”

Izzie glanced
at her rear-view mirror, “Well since there are still reporters
following us, I suggest we go somewhere where they can’t. You have
any ideas?”

Kale nodded,
“Ok, we’ll just have to shake them off first but I think we could
maybe head to a private spot near my house; it’s in the country so
it’ll take them a while to find us.”

Izzie was
hesitant; the last thing she wanted was to be alone with Kale but
she was out of options; she’d just have to grin and bear it no
matter how much he irritated her.

“Fine but you’d
better direct me – and fast – because I don’t want my picture to
end up in tomorrow’s newspaper.” She sighed at the five or six vans
and cars following them and followed Kale’s first instruction.

Half an hour
later and Izzie was reclining back in an armchair in Kale’s secret
hideout; they had managed to lose the reporters and ended up near
Kale’s house. He had then directed her to a little building that
was located near the field beside his house. There was a heavily
wooded area at one side of the field and this is where the building
was; it was hidden by the mass of trees which was perfect to hide
from anyone; the outside the building just looked like an old
storage area. Izzie had been unsure when she laid eyes on the
building as she didn’t imagine that it would be a comfortable place
to spend the rest of the day. She had been pleasantly surprised to
then discover that inside it was more of a den; there was a sofa
and armchairs, a fridge full of drinks and snacks and shelves lined
with books. Izzie had looked around her in amazement but she was
even more surprised to find that there weren’t any TV’s or games
consoles; she had expected Kale to be one of those guys who could
be glued to ‘Halo’ for hours on end. When she had voiced this
observation, Kale had simply told her, “I come here to read scripts
or to chill out and just relax … oh and FYI I can’t stand computer
games hence the books.”

Izzie had
laughed and was impressed to find some great classics among the
books. Now she was just lounging back in one of the comfy armchairs
while Kale raided the fridge.

“So,” Izzie
began as Kale laid out some of the snacks and drinks from the
fridge onto the table, “how long do you reckon we’ll have to hide
out here?”

Kale shrugged
as he helped himself to an apple, “Dunno, guess we’ll have to keep
checking that we weren’t followed and then escape later.”

Izzie nodded
and picked up an apple also; it looked like it was going to be one
long day with Kale and there wasn’t exactly much to do in the
den.

Kale chewed on
his apple and watched Izzie look around; he’d really have to try
and make this bearable, after all it was his fault that they had to
resort to hiding out in his den. He sighed and then noticed that
Izzie had spied one of the scripts he had received earlier in the
week and had been reading over.

Izzie lifted
the script and scanned the first couple of pages; another romantic
comedy – surprise, surprise! She flicked through the rest of the
pages and scoffed at the predictable ending.

Kale watched
her with amusement, “I take it that you wouldn’t go see that movie
then?”

Izzie raised
her eyebrows at him, “No, I think I’d rather stick needles in my
eyes. Have you ever thought about doing something different or is
this what your agent recommends you to do?”

Kale sighed,
“What do you think? You think I like making these fluffy movies?
Don’t get me wrong; they’ve helped me build a name for myself but I
want more challenging roles now. I want to play someone who is
completely different; a character with flaws or maybe a villain.
But the way this business works is ‘stick with what works’ –
another way of telling me to do what I’m told and tough shit; I’ve
no choice in the matter.”

Izzie looked
shocked, “Seriously? That is such bullshit Kale, really. You
always
have a choice … seems to me you’re just too chicken
shit to take a stand.”

Kale laughed,
“Guess you’re right; harsh but it’s the truth. I guess I’ll just
have to wait until the right script comes along and then dig my
heels in.”

Izzie shook her
head in mock annoyance and reclined further back in the chair; she
looked rather bored now.

“So,” Kale
began hesitantly, “I’m sure you hate my guts for what’s going to be
one long and boring day.”

Izzie shrugged,
“Nah, at least I don’t have to put up with Maddie’s mood swings and
I could do with the break. Although, there isn’t really much to do
around here, is there?”

Kale smiled
apologetically, “Yeah, sorry about that – hey, I’ve an idea … you
wanna run lines together for the play? I think I’ve a copy of it
around here somewhere.” He got up and rifled through his bookcase
and extracted a copy of ‘Much Ado About Nothing.’

Izzie laughed,
“Sure, since there’s nothing better to do. Where do you wanna take
it from?”

Kale quickly
scanned the pages and turned to near the back; he smirked, “What
about Act 5 Scene 3?”

“Why do you
wanna do the scene that is like, near the end?” Izzie looked at him
curiously; he was up to something.

Kale managed to
keep his face straight, “No reason but all the drama’s going on in
that scene … you know the whole reveal of ‘Hero’ and whatnot.”

“Ok,” Izzie
said slowly; she was still suspicious of him but she agreed
regardless.

Kale flicked to
the appropriate page, “You wanna just do our characters or the
others as well?”

“Nah,” Izzie
shook her head, “just ours, now give me the book, I don’t know my
lines yet.” She snatched the book from his hands and smirked at his
shocked expression.

“Hey!” Kale
protested, “Let’s just test how well you know the story, give me
the book back and see if you know your lines … you might surprise
yourself.”

Izzie rolled
her eyes, “Fine, here you go. You are so touchy.” She handed him
the book back and he laughed.

“Ok, start from
‘I answer to that name. What is your will?’ and see if you remember
the rest.” Kale nodded to Izzie and she found herself automatically
recalling her lines with ease; this really surprised her as she
hadn’t even had time to learn them yet.

She paused for
a moment and looked at Kale curiously, “How’d you know I’d remember
my lines even though I haven’t learned them yet?”

Kale shrugged,
“Just a feeling, if you’ve read it enough times, it just sticks
without you knowing it - now come on, keep going.”

“Fine, where
was I?” Izzie thought for a minute and remembered, “I would not
deny you,” she continued on.

Kale nodded
when she had finished that particular part of the dialogue
perfectly and smiled to himself when he knew what was coming next,
however, by the look on Izzie’s face, she didn’t.

Kale looked
into Izzie’s eyes and continued on, “Peace! I will stop your
mouth.” And before Izzie even realised what was happening Kale had
leaned forward and kissed her firmly on the mouth. Izzie was angry
and yet pleasantly surprised at the same time.

She pushed Kale
away roughly, “Oi, what the hell Kale?” she spat angrily despite
the butterflies she was feeling in her stomach and the sudden
weakness in her legs.

Kale tried to
look innocent, “It’s in the script, see?” he waved the book in
front of her face and she reddened slightly.

“Oh, sorry I
forgot about that bit. I – um – let’s finish the scene.” She
finished off awkwardly; she was totally embarrassed by her
over-reaction.

Kale smirked,
“Let’s leave it for today, and I’m sorry if I took you by surprise
but that’s the way it has to be portrayed.”

Izzie nodded
slowly, afraid to meet his gaze; she felt incredibly stupid at how
she had acted and she also felt something else but she couldn’t
quite explain. She cleared her throat nervously and sat down on the
armchair again while Kale took the one opposite her. It was plain
to see that their kiss had affected her but Kale wondered was it
the same reaction he’d had? As soon as he had kissed her, he felt
something spark off in his stomach; like a jolt of an electric
shock. Kale wasn’t quite sure how to explain it but one thing was
for sure; it felt good and he wanted very much to do it again.
However, it was a case of whether Izzie would agree to it or did
she still hate his guts and now even more so? It was very hard to
tell by her expression but Kale figured it would be better left
alone for now; he decided to change the subject.

“So,” Kale
began awkwardly, “is there anything else you want to do?”

Izzie didn’t
answer straight away; she was too preoccupied thinking about their
kiss. She shook herself mentally and forced herself to meet Kale’s
eyes, “Well, there’s not really much else is there? Although, I am
getting kinda hungry … what are we gonna do about lunch?”

Kale smiled, “I
could check if the coast is clear and if it is; what do you say we
make a run for it and go somewhere, what you think?”

Izzie raised
her eyebrows, “After this morning’s newspaper article … have you
gone totally mad?”

Kale’s grin
slipped a little, “Oh yeah, well I’ll check it out anyway and then
we can go up to the house. There’s more food up there and nobody
will be able to see us besides the cook and maids.”

Izzie
reluctantly agreed and waited while Kale went outside to have a
look around. He came back about ten minutes later and declared -
much to Izzie’s relief - that all was clear and they could escape
to the house.

After a lunch
that consisted of salad sandwiches and some coffee, Izzie felt much
better. She actually found that Kale seemed to be just like any
ordinary guy; she actually felt like she could begin to tolerate
him – at least a little bit anyway.

“So,” Izzie
began after she’d drained the last of her second cup of coffee,
“what now? I know we’re a lot more comfy now but we still have the
issue of the photographers following us; we still can’t go
anywhere.”

Kale sighed, “I
know, welcome to my world. I dunno, you wanna watch a movie or
something?”

Izzie shrugged,
“Sure but please don’t make me suffer through one of yours!”

Kale laughed,
“I promise, come on; the cinema room’s downstairs.

Izzie followed
him down to the lower level and found herself in a very large room
that resembled a film theatre; there were reclining red chairs
lined in a row, a popcorn machine and other sweets and drinks.
Izzie couldn’t help but be impressed; the large screen and even the
décor of film posters made the whole room feel like the real
thing.

“Wow,” Izzie
exclaimed, “what films you got?”

Kale rhymed off
a couple of titles and Izzie settled on a Hilary Turner one; she
was her favourite actress and it was her favourite film of all time
– the classic story of boy meets girl - ‘A Time to Love’.

Kale looked
impressed and loaded up the reel while Izzie helped herself to some
popcorn and some nachos. Kale dimmed the lights and took the seat
beside Izzie, grateful that she didn’t tell him to move away. The
credits began to roll and Izzie found herself absorbed in the film
while Kale found himself absorbed in looking at Izzie. He really
did like her but he highly doubted that she felt the same and he
couldn’t blame her – to date, her picture had been splashed all
over the papers and her name tarnished. He knew he was to blame but
he struggled to think of something that would make it up to her; he
knew being involved in his life wasn’t easy and it was unfair of
him to be so selfish and want Izzie to be around him constantly. He
sighed to himself and turned his attention back to the screen and
regretted it; it was the scene where Hilary’s character told her
husband – a superb Dean Jameson - she was dying. That scene was
always one that pulled at Kale’s heart; the acting was so realistic
and believable – something he felt he had yet to achieve. That was
acting at its best and he was just a poor man’s Dean Jameson. Kale
turned away from the screen, ashamed of the lump in his throat; he
coughed in an attempt to clear it and saw Izzie glance at him out
of the corner of his eye – her look was one of curiosity.