Author: Ilena and Teresa are both Hollywood movie stars and 28 years old. Title of the story named after Augustana's wonderful song.
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Claymore characters.
"And that's a wrap!" Yells the director. Ilena walks off the set and her assistant hands her a fresh towel and water bottle. Set hands congratulate Ilena as she heads toward her trailer.
Once in the trailer, Ilena turns on the flat screen television and flips through a couple of channels before pausing on an entertainment news station. Ilena forms a rare smile watching the reporter.
"Ah, Flora. She's their new anchor," Illena's assistant comments. "But…I get the impression she would be better suited doing something more serious than E-news."
"I agree," Ilena responds. "But she's talented enough to get to where she ultimately wants to go."
Her assistant raises an eye-brow. Ilena blushes lightly, realizing she let slip something personal about Flora. They were still in the early stages of their relationship although they had officially been together for 6 months, but between their hectic schedules, the two women had barely seen each other in the last two weeks. Aside from her assistant and a few close friends, very few people even suspected the two were in a relationship. This was mainly Ilena's call, she wanted to delay the media/paparazzi frenzy for as long as possible and Flora respected her wishes.
Flora, reporting on the screen, started to discuss a new romantic comedy scheduled to hit theaters that night. It starred none other than America's favorite sweetheart and the highest paid actress in town – Teresa Florence. With the footage showing a beautiful blond actress walking on a red carpet, Ilena couldn't control her frown and quickly turned the television off.
Her assistant looks at Ilena oddly, but ever the professional, decides to ignore it.
"Before you head out," Ilena's assistant says as she followed Ilena through the trailer. "You should know you were personally invited to the after party tonight for that movie premiere starring Teresa Florence."
"Sophia, you know I hate going to those things," Ilena says lowly, trying to control her temper.
"Yes, but this time you were personally invited by –"
"I don't care if Ms. Florence asked, I'm not going within a 5 miles radius of that woman!" Ilena couldn't help but yell and quickly blushed realizing how stunned and shocked Sophia looked at her outburst.
"Actually I was going to say you were personally invited by the director – Miria Fall," Sophia says. "That reminds me, aren't you two related?"
Ilena grimaces realizing she had just made a fool of herself. Even without being physically present, Teresa had a way of ruining her life. So she was being a little over dramatic, but when it came to a certain blonde and brown eyed woman, Ilena Winter always managed to lose her cool and control.
"Yes, Miria and I are cousins," Ilena responds cooly.
Sophia nods before replying. "But it looks like you're not up for it. Ms. Fall has been hounding me, but I guess I'll call her to cancel–"
"No, no…I'll go," Ilena interrupts, "If it's Miria asking then I should at least make a brief appearance."
Sophia gives her a gentle smile and a look of concern.
"Are you sure? I've never seen you react so sharply before," Sophia says. "Ms. Florence must've done something extraordinary."
"You can say that," Ilena responds lowly.
Ilena starts to gather her things and bids Sophia goodbye before stepping out of the trailer. Twilight. It was her favorite time of day. Ilena drops her bags into the blue convertible with the top down. After starting the ignition and pulling out of the studio lot, Ilena finally allows herself the chance to think about Teresa and their days in college.
Ilena with a pale complexion, paler than her usual porcelain tone, is slowly walking up the steps into a two-story apartment building. She eventually makes it into her bedroom but what she sees makes her drop her school bag. The resulting bump on the floor startles the two occupants on the bed. Teresa is wide-eyed while the other occupant has the decency to bring the covers up her naked torso. Teresa quickly scampers out of bed, naked as the day she was born and Ilena barely registers the words coming out of Teresa's mouth. They sound like apologies but it's as though she is hearing it from underwater. It isn't until Ilena feels Teresa touch her shoulder that the weight of it all comes crashing down. Ilena smacks the hand away and with remarkable speeds turns, walks away, bag in hand.
"Please, Ilena stop. It – it's not what you think, it didn't mean anything!"
Ilena does not pause. Even though she is fatigued to the bone, her headache feels like a spike is being driven into her skull, her stomach feels even queasier than before and now she has a sick heart to boot – Ilena Winters would rather eat tar before she let any of that show.
Teresa grabs a robe from the bathroom. But those precious seconds were all Ilena needed to get out of the apartment to hail a cab. Teresa rushes out just as Ilena slams the taxi door in her face and locks it.
Teresa shouts for Ilena to stop, bangs on the window a good two times before the cab zips off into the night.
Whenever Ilena's feelings were all a jumble, she'd drive to a little known hill that overlooked Hollywood. A sea of endless fireflies – that was how she saw the skyline. Ilena puffs one final time on the cigarette and drops it on the dirt, grinding it out with her boot. It was always depressing when she had to rely on one of those little suckers, Ilena considered it a personal failure. Luckily she rarely needed to rely on them unless her emotions were so out of whack, like tonight, with thoughts of Teresa swirling.
It didn't help that she had to attend an afterparty where the odds were really good they would bump into each other. Given all the colleagues, producers, directors and big wigs in the movie industry congregating at the party – Ilena really had no choice but to be civil with Teresa. She would need to call upon all her acting skills. Then again people loved to discuss how ice runs in her veins, so maybe she should give them something to talk about.
Teresa and Ilena had been typecast into personalities that were as different as light and day. Moviegoers expect to see Ilena play a femme fatale or deadly action star, whereas Teresa was everyone's favorite girl next door with a certain spunk and sultriness.
It's no secret people in the industry respect Teresa's talent, but they also agree she is one of the most difficult actresses to work with. On the other hand, people who learn they are going to work with Ilena expect the she-devil, but come out of the experience pleasantly surprised at how even-keel and reasonable she is. It was all very ironic.
Ilena looks at her Cartier watch. 12:35. "It wouldn't do any good to delay the inevitable," Ilena murmurs to herself. Ilena slides into her convertible. Takes the turns a little too fast down the hill, bracing herself for what lies ahead that night.
"Flora is here?" Ilena wonders as she enters the club pumping a top 40 beat and notices the strawberry blond among the sea of beautiful people. It quickly becomes clear Flora is on assignment with a cameraman in tow.
Ilena tries to push down the unpleasant feeling in her gut that something terrible is just around the corner.
"Lennie!" Shouts a woman with light brown hair with spikes like a pinecone. "Didn't think you'd show up, but I'm glad to see you!"
"Miri! It's good to see you too." Ilena gives her cousin a tight hug. The two were practically sisters, having grown up as only children and living just blocks apart from each other.
"It's been too long," Miria says and proceeds to chide Ilena, "You cancelled on me for both Thanksgiving and Christmas."
"I'm sorry," Ilena genuinely apologizes, "We were still shooting in Thailand and I couldn't make it back to the states."
"Yes, so you say but Sophia let slip that you were actually back here for Christmas and New Years," Miria retorts and scrutinizes Ilena. "Now is there something you want to tell me or do I have to drag it out of you?"
"Well..." Ilena starts and has a most uncomfortable expression on her face; she was never a good liar and it was especially hopeless in front of Miria. "There is someone I'm seeing…"
"REALLY?" Miria yells. "Congratulations, who is she?"
Ilena is just about to tell Miria when they both feel a presence near them. Ilena turns around and comes face to face with a pair of molten brown eyes that still haunts her at night.
"Teresa!" Miria yells over the din in the club and walks toward the tall blond actress in a tight red dress that is classically cut, stopping just below her knees. "Our star! Come meet my cousin Ilena. Ilena this is–"
"We know each other," Teresa interjects.
"Oh?" Miria questions and looks between her cousin and Teresa who are both silently scrutinizing each other. "Really, how? Wait…is she the one you're seeing?" Miria asks Ilena.
"NO!" Ilena instinctively responds. It was louder than Ilena intended and caused people around them to look over.
"Ouch," Teresa coyly responds, "Well, that wasn't the first word I was hoping to hear from you after 7 years."
"7 years?" Miria repeats, getting interested and notices the charged aura between the two. Ilena is obviously tense and Miria has never seen Teresa with that expression on her face, sure she seemed her casual flirty self. But there is such a mix of emotions in those brown eyes.
Ilena is doing all in her power not to grit her teeth, but Teresa always knew how to push her buttons. By now they were gathering the attention of a couple of people and Ilena needed to diffuse the situation before – shit! Flora seemed to have noticed the half circle of people surrounding this growing catastrophe.
"Teresa, we are not talking about this here," Ilena nearly growls.
"Oh?" Teresa innocently replies. "Well, as the belle of the ball and you being a guest, I'd say I'm in a pretty fine position to say whatever I want." Ilena didn't like the glint in Teresa's eye; it usually involved Teresa losing her infamous temper.
"I apologize for overhearing but it sounds like Lena you have a new girl in your life?" Teresa prods.
Flora makes eye contact with Ilena. Ilena starts to feel the beginning pricks of nervousness and damn it! Teresa just followed her eye contact to Flora. Time seems to slow. Ilena can read all the pieces moving in Teresa's head. Ilena was once immensely grateful she found someone who could read her so well and she too for the other person. But as with most things Ilena cherished in life, they hurt you and then leave you.
"Please Teresa," Ilena says lowly, catching Teresa's attention. "If I meant anything to you– if we meant anything, you'll drop this conversation," Ilena takes a step closer to Teresa. Ilena hates to beg and Teresa knows, which probably explains why Teresa's eyes softened.
"Lena?" Flora's gentle and clear voice precedes her as she makes it through the throng of people.
All it took was that one word to set Teresa off.
"Lena? What's going on?" Flora asks as she reaches Ilena and touches her elbow, not realizing the slip up. Ilena only let her lover use that nickname. Ilena knows the situation is hopeless but clings onto the hope that Teresa can show a little self-control and keep her mouth shut.
"Why, Flora hello," Teresa interjects with a Cheshire smile.
"Teresa, it's good to see you again after so long," Flora earnestly replies.
"My, aren't you charming," Teresa drags out the line. "And you do have impeccable taste."
"Impeccable taste?" Flora asks.
"Yes, you two love birds are absolutely radiant," Teresa responds loudly enough for people around them to hear. "Looks like you snagged the prince charming that you've been pining for since our college days." This causes quite a stir in the people around them.
"Teresa, stop this," Ilena strides closer to Teresa. "What has gotten into you?"
"I'll tell you what's gotten into me and Flora should hear it too," Teresa meets Ilena head on without backing down. "Yes, your prince charming has quite the dark side. Completely falls off the face of the earth for years not giving a damn how worried that makes people. But it all makes sense now." Teresa pauses as the room waits with baited breath. "Tell me were you two fucking behind my back the entire time we were together?"
Splash
The room collectively gasps. Teresa's hair is drenched and her dress is ruined. Perfectly good champagne wasted. Irene hands the empty glass to a shocked waitress.
"You've completely embarrassed yourself," Ilena coolly tells Teresa. "Don't ever come near me."
"Flora, come on I'll take you home." Irene gently takes Flora's hand and the crowd parts for them.
"Oh my god what have I done…Ilena! Please wait!" Coming back to her senses and ignoring the stares, Teresa takes off after Ilena, feeling a sense of déjà vu.
Flora is sliding into the passenger seat and Ilena is about to enter the driver's seat when Teresa grabs her arm, half spinning Ilena around with surprising strength.
"Don't you dare touch me!" Ilena snarls. Teresa looks physically struck.
"I...I'm sorry," Teresa starts. "I was shocked about Flora. I lost it and I wasn't thinking–"
"That's right you weren't thinking" Ilena counters. "God you haven't changed at all! Why don't you go back to your party and play the victim all you want, I'm sure you've even convinced yourself that I was the one that made you cheat and sleep with another girl!"
"No, I can fix this please. Ilena don't shut me out," Teresa begs. "We can start over, I've missed you so much and –"
"Teresa," Ilena interrupts. "I've had an exhausting day and even more exhausting night. Right now I can't stand to look at your face and if you have any sense you'll be quiet because whatever you say right now won't help your cause."
Teresa looks utterly defeated. But even with her hair and blouse dripping wet, she manages to make it look good. Ilena curses internally, she hated seeing Teresa look so forlorn but she had to put her foot down. Ilena smoothly gets into the car, only glancing once at Teresa's defeated form in the rear view mirror.
It was silent for several minutes before Flora spoke. "I think you should give her a chance."
Ilena nearly swerves the car. If it were anyone else with less impeccable control they would have hit the car next to them.
"What are you saying Flora?" Ilena asks, shocked and confused.
"I'm just thinking if I was Teresa and had the sort of history you two had, I wouldn't be able to let you go so easily either." Flora answers with eyes that spoke volumes.
Author: Please review and let me know your thoughts.