Chapter 23 - CONTRADICTING

This was not him, Alvan was never afraid to voice out his concern or emotion. No matter what the other person's opinion may be. But with her, it seems like it became complicated. He doesn't want her to hate him, for a matter of fact, he was angrier because some part of him was screaming to bow down and say sorry to her. But his ego was getting in the way. He never apologized to anyone even if he was at fault --- but --- if she kept on snubbing him…

'It's so frustrating! He's mad right now because of her. Why can't she feel the same?' Confused by his brewing emotion, he keeps on glaring at her, she seems to notice that someone was peering at her that's why she turned her head in his direction and smiled.

Damn.

Alvan was startled when their eyes locked, he unconsciously gulped, blinking a few times, he was starstruck as his heart raced and beat loudly. He immediately looked away as his cheeks felt burning.

Why is she playing with him like this? It's not fair. The darkened thoughts, the negative emotion just fades away.

"Is there really something between the two?" Alvan heard from a staff not-so-far-away from him murmuring. He knew that they were gossiping about him and Yanarym.

"Action!"

"No, I asked Miss Rym earlier, I was doing her hair. And she was so humble, I'm her fan now."

"What? What did you ask?"

"Well, It was a slip of the tongue. You know, about the scandal going around that she became Sir Alvan's --- ahm, new girlfriend?"

"You asked her that?! How brave of you."

"Stupid, I didn't ask her like that."

"Then?"

"I asked her if she and Sir Alvan had a secret relationship."

"You're not close to each other, what made you think that she would answer you honestly?"

"I don't know but I believe in her."

"What was her answer?"

"There's nothing between them. It's a professional relationship."

"You believed that?"

"Well, she was convincing."

"Hey you, you should shut it." The other staff saw Alvan looking into their location with an ominous glare.

"And look, Calvin and her look good together, don't they?" But the other staff seemed not to notice him and added fuel to the fire. The staff quickly covered the mouth of her co-worker and pulled her to the corner and they vanished to his eyesight.

Alvan felt like he was riding a roller coaster. His mood was constantly changing. She was denying him from everyone and flirting with another man. Although, the fact was Yanarym was only doing her scene. Alvan redirected his eyes on her and saw that she was harmonic with the second male lead of the movie as they were acting together. He felt the sour emotion he never knew existed within him. It was jealousy.

"Can't she even get that right?" He mumbled on his breath, the director who was sitting right beside him, heard his agony. The director has been in this industry long enough, and his career blossomed right after releasing movies that Alvan was the main lead. He's not stupid not to notice the issue between Alvan and Yanarym. And the cause of Alvan's grouchiness was obviously Yanarym herself.

"CUT!" Director screamed and everyone paused. He stood up and rolled the script in his hand then walked in Yanarym's direction "What are you doing right now? Is this how you act?!" He pointed the sheet of paper to the actors, "This is a big project! A BIG PROJECT! AND YANARYM! YOU'VE HAS BEEN IN THE INDUSTRY FOR MORE THAN FIVE YEARS AND YOU STILL ACT LIKE AN AMATEUR?! WHERE ARE THE SKILLS?! NO WONDER YOU'RE SO UNPOPULAR FOR THE LAST FIVE YEARS!" His voice thundered on the set. Yanarym bit her lips inward and bowed her head to silently receive the criticism. Alvan, who was watching, smirked as she had her doomed.

"I'm sorry, Director…. "

'That's right, without his favor, she's nothing. She must know that she should not make him angry next time. This should be a lesson for her.'

"If you are sorry, you should do it right, okay? Stop making it hard for everyone, alright?" The rolled sheet of papers that the director was holding slowly hits Yanarym cheeks. It was not a hard smack rather it was just a tapping, yet, Alvan who was having fun earlier lost the smile on his face. Clearly, he was not happy seeing her punished physically by anyone. And that side of her cheek was the one that was slapped earlier by the bitches.

"Sorry, Director. I'll do it right next time."

"Stop saying sorry, JUST DO IT RIGHT! OR ELSE---"

"ENOUGH!" Alvan stood up and rushed to her. "Does it hurt? Why are you letting him slap you with that filthy paper?! Your face is still bruised, didn't you apply some cream already? Or did this old man slap you too hard?" He held her chin and inspected every corner of her face. Which was still swollen, he glared at the director who got startled with him.

"Mister Alvan, why are you interfering? The director is teaching me how to act properly." Hearing her, his jaw gaped open.

Alvan couldn't believe she was being so cold to him at this moment, "Interfering? Can't you see I'm saving you right now? Why can't you just be thankful for what I'm doing?!"

"I don't need you to save me. It's part of our job to get scolded when we do wrong."

"You'd rather get scolded than listen to me?! Why are you so stupid?! Stop making me mad!"

"I don't get it mister Alvan. Why are you mad? He's a director, I'm an actress, he knows better what to do. He saw something was wrong with me, so he was trying to correct me. What's the problem about what he did?" She said with a soft tone.

Why is this girl so stupid? Why does she deliberately make him so angry? Why?!