Author's Note: Hey guys, I know I've away for quite some time and I promised chapter 8 would be up in a week and a half. Sure enough, I kept my promise and here it is a week and a half later. It's not as long as the previous chapters because this is the chapter before the premiere. I know the suspense and the climatic build is insufferable, but just bear with me for one more chapter. The next one is to DIE FOR.

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight; only the books.

Chapter 8

After paying for the dress, this man, who was later reveal as Edward Cullen, gave us a lift to our destination.

How were we suppose to know that Bella's irresponsibility would emerge at such an untimely moment?

I mean, what are the chances that someone could forget to get gas?

Seriously, what are the chances.

We didn't have any expendable time left, so calling for a taxi wasn't a likely alternative. Luckily, he insisted that he'd walk us to our car where he would eventually observe the two of us ludicrously try to figure out why the car wouldn't start.

Yea, Bella, why wouldn't the car start.

After a few minutes, he insisted that we should hitch a ride with him because he also had to go to an important event. Understanding that we were both under time constraints, Bella removed her dress from the trunk and transported it into Edward's vehicle – a white corvette. The vehicle was just another symbol, on top of his clothing, that was an expression of his own expensive personal taste; funded by his income. As for Bella, she would return to her car tomorrow, but for now, she didn't care as much.

At first, the primal incertitude was daunting since we couldn't wrap our minds around why a stranger would lend us a segment of his time and money, and in addition, a ride. He offered to take us to our event prior to his since it was relatively close to the location his event would be hosted at; we accepted. Every now and then I would glance at my phone and maintain my deduction of time. Occasionally I'd stare out the window to observe the scene as the surroundings melted and converged in a stretch of colors. Just how fast was he going?

I had my secret notions about him. About why he was so generous. Did he think we were just a pair of doltish women he could swoon like the many before us? No, that couldn't be possible. This was the same man that blush comparably to Bella as he caught her before her fall. So maybe he wasn't the narcissistic player I presupposed him to be, but something about his presentation screamed disingenuous.

Maybe I was over thinking the simplicity of this man, or maybe not.

Was he a rapist? No, he couldn't be a rapist. With that face, if he wished for intercourse from other women, sex would be dispensable.

Was he a stalker? Very plausible. How else would he have known Bella would be at Nordstrom with me and be there at just the perfect moment to catch her fall? He was also unusually attracted to her, but then again, Bella had her way with men. He couldn't be an ex because Bella would've recognized him at that moment and jolted like lightening out the store so fast that thunder couldn't follow.

Could he be a murderer? But what kind? A sadist? A serial killer? A damaged victim of domestic abuse, bullying, or of rape himself? Or worse, could he be a cannibal?

Geez I have serious trust issues.

Whenever there's a lack of conversation, I always tend to lose my grasp on reality and develop these odd conversations with my thoughts in the midst of almost any moment. If these thoughts ever went verbal, I don't think I'll ever have a humanly conversation again. In fact, I'll just make it easier and change my identity.

"Could you stop doing that?" Edward spoke interrupting my thought process.

"Doing what?" I replied mildly bewildered.

I looked over to see if Bella knew what I was doing but she just sat on her side of the seat with her dress in her lap. Bella didn't seem to notice anything at all since she was on her phone doing who knows what.

"You're looking at me with this glare in my rear-view mirror. It's kinda weird."

"Oh sorry, I didn't know."

Lying on reflex, you're horrible Camilla.

"Well, you keep looking at me with this look. It's like your suspicious at why I'm being so nice. Did you expect me to ask something of you two?" He questioned remarkably precision.

Damn he's good. Was I that readable? Or was his deductive reasoning abilities stronger than just the naked eye?

"Well yea, it's not everyday someone pays seven hundred and fifty dollars for a dress and offers two women, who you don't even know, a ride. I can't help but be a little skeptical." I ejected the grievances that had been building at the edge of my throat for the past couple of awkward minutes.

"I already said I didn't pay for it. The store took care of it so I'm fine. I told you, my father is one of the largest stock holders of Nordstrom so money is never an issue." He re-explained his defense to us again as if stating it half a dozen times at the counter wasn't enough.

"Speaking of your dad, you never told us his name." I wondered trying extend the conversation before it reverts back to the awkward silence.

"Peter Nordstrom, he's one of the three current leaders at the national franchise."

"Why don't you guys have the same last name?"

This time I asked with genuine interest.

"He got a divorced and re-married my mother when I was a kid. He said we didn't have to change our last names if we didn't want to and my mom agreed that it was the best option. Their logic was: what's the use of changing your last name if no one's going to call you by it?"

I laughed. " I guess that makes sense."

"Are you going to inherit the family business?" I continued.

"Probably not. He wants me to, but I don't feel like that's what I want to do."

"Why not?"

"It just doesn't interest me to be running a multinational corporation for the rest of my life. He said if I go to college and study to get my masters in business management then afterward if I still don't wanna do it, I could go pursue my dream."

"Did you?"

"Yea. It was a drawn-out and challenging process, but I finished a few years ago."

"Geez, he really wanted you to take over the company huh?"

He laughed.

"Yea, but at least now I can follow my dream."

"What is your dream?"

"To be an actor."

That statement took me by surprise. I didn't expect him to be an actor, more like an aspiring businessman or an artist. Then again, you could consider an actor to be an artist since performing arts is a form of art. I turned to Bella to see her reaction to such astonishing news, but to my expectation her ignorance to the conversation made her indifferent. She was still on her phone as she tucked herself away in the corner of the car.

"What a funny coincidence, Bella here is also an actor." I added to his previous statement. Looking back over to Bella, she abruptly jumped; detaching herself from her phone.

It worked.

What?

Who?

When?

Where?

Why?

All the questions fantastically revolving in a cluster of confusion in Bella's mind. She looked up and darted her eyes around like a stranded squirrel. After realism finally registered, she corrected the couple strands of hair that fell from the collection she tucked behind her ear.

"Uh yea, I'm an actor." She replied.

"Oh cool, um, maybe we should be casted in a movie together." He joked nervously. The sudden emergence of Bella's intervention into the conversation had broken his sentences that were once fluent, short, and direct. Edward started laughing at the absent humor in his joke.

Bella followed in response.

When Bella dates, she's always nervous when she meets someone attractive for the first time, but it faded over a period of time. However, with Edward, it seemed like this nervousness is inherently embedded into his personality. If they ever got together, we'd know who would be wearing the pants in the relationship.

"Maybe Camilla could direct the movie." Bella joked responsively looking over to throw a slight nudge in my direction.

"Camilla? You write screen plays?" Edward asked inquisitively surprised.

"I wrote quite a few but only a small hand full was ever performed at my college. I came to California hoping that would change and I would finally get to create some movies."

"Well you came to the right place." He remarked much more confidently to me than to Bella. Was she that intimidating? Or was he flustered by her presence?

Bella laughed and continued to inherit my role in the conversation as I looked out the open to window take hold of the surroundings once more. The sun had run closer to the edge of the horizon as it's warm glow followed it's reseeding footsteps. The dark forces of the night began to overshadow the light with the moon leading the legion on the other horizon. Almost having a micro panic attack, I pulled my phone out from my clutch once more to keep track of time.

Relief.

The time was disproportionate to the scenery in California. Even after changing my time settings, I hadn't fully conformed to the environment here. I thought I was going to have to yell in Edward's ear to "Hit the gas!", but instead I can just relax. Relax, and look at the sun's retreat. This was my first time absorbing the California Sunset. In so many movies I've seen with Hollywood as the setting, I felt as if they over exaggerated the extravagance of this sunset – especially at such a low altitude. Maybe I don't understand, or maybe it's truly just a conventional sunset, but I might not be seeing something the other citizens of this state were seeing. What was so special about this sunset?

I knew my thoughts were wandering but I didn't care. I didn't want to reintroduce myself into the conversation that possessed no stimulating substance or topic. They were both nervously flirting with each other, and to interject between that would be so discomforting. For a while, my attention was fixated on the props outside my window on this theater of life. How people became the actors and actress in the main roles of their movie; watching the script play out. It wasn't until something or someone more interesting came along that I became distracted from the channels on this natural television.

The conversation in the car grew to halt as the engine was disengaged by the simple maneuver of a key. I tore my eyes away from the world I saw on the other side of the looking glass to see what was profound enough to hinder Bella's flirtatious mingling. Sure enough, the answer came into the shotgun seat directly in front of us. A woman. So gorgeous that beautiful was a inappropriate unit of comparison for her looks. She was a brunette with rebellious strands of blond that curled in her glamorous brown hair. Her make up – if she wore any – was either so skillfully applied that it made her look naturally unblemished, or entirely devoid.

Her strapless dress is a white slim and silk crepe dress with a large gold belt with other gold accessories decorating her canvas of clothing.

"Hello Edward! Aren't you looking swell?"

Hold up. She's British?

She spoke entering the car with a lively spirit. Neither of us spoke a word besides the driver. I was speechless as her presence besieged the compacted confines of the car.

"Hey, you don't look too bad yourself." He said.

"And who are these lovely ladies?" The unestablished feminine figure wondered.

"Oh, that's Bella. And that's, um, Camilla." He introduced Bella while hesitating to remember my name.

"Hi, I'm Leanne. Oh those are such beautiful dresses! You darlings are going to make me look bad." She said closing the passenger door and turning to shake our hands individually. Leanne was obviously a social butterfly letting her wings happily expand in the face of strangers. To be such a nice person and have the mental capability to survive in this judgmental industry, I must commend you Leanne.

"Girl, what you talkin' about? You are freaking gorgeous! If anyone is going to look bad, it's going to be us, because you are remarkably stunning!" Bella complimented gleefully while using both palms to greet her extended welcome. Leanne's warmth was infectious. It was as if I was watching the reunion of the long lost sisters.

Leanne giggled at Bella's colloquial slang.

Leanne. Where have I heard that name before? There's no way I could forget such a memorable name. I tried to recover fragments from the most recent events in my life. I scanned her name through the matching mechanism my mind assembled, but it didn't qualify with anything at the moment.

Could I have met her earlier in my years? Perhaps she was someone who contributed to a powerful part in my life. Fitting her name into all the significant parts in my life, I couldn't recall a segment where I encountered a Leanne. Maybe I read it somewhere? But where?

I jumped off the train of thoughts back to Leanne's hand as I reached my palm out to meet hers. If I had paused any longer, the silence would've been falsely construed as rude and unmannerly. I smiled and jealously admired the soft grip of her fingers.

God she's so perfect.

"Hey, Leanne. Have we met before?" I asked her still unable to reconfigure her features into any memory stored away in my brain.

"Um, I don't think so. But then again, I do meet a lot of people so I'm sorry if I don't remember you." Apologizing for something that hasn't even happen. She let go of my hand and turned back to her seat just as Edward ignited the monster that fueled the mechanics of this mobile contraption.

"So where are you gorgeous women headed?" She asked.

"Oh, um were going to Universal Studios for a special event." Bella raced to answer the question before I could lower my jaw to make a noise.

"You didn't say anything about the event, I thought I was just going to drop you off at Universal Studios. So you guys are coming with us?" Edward asked purely puzzled but delivered the last questions with a hint of excitement.

"What a coincidence! Are you guys going to join us?" Leanne followed his question with her own.

"Sorry we can't, we're almost late for our event and it's going to last till nine." Bella apologized and quickly glanced over to me and mouthed "Are they going to the premiere?". She knew what this meant. There are two possible outcome of this situation, if it progressed any further, either we get caught and thrown out my security or - if we play our cards right - we can get in with Leanne and Edward.

"That's odd. I thought James reserved the entire place for the premiere until nine." Leanne asked staring at Edward now.

"That is odd." He said mimicking Leanne.

A pause. Quick, Camilla, say something.

"Wait so you guys are going to the premiere too?" I spouted instinctively before the seed of doubt plagued their thoughts.

Leanne turned back to us and laughed.

"You girls are silly! What event did you think we were talking about? There's only one event that's going to be held at Universal Studios today."

"Sorry for that miscommunication." I jokingly apologized and replicated her smile to the best of my ability.

"It's fine darling, now we all get to go the premiere together." Leanne announced turning back to find a comfortable position on the seat.

"Why didn't I see you guys on set when we were filming?" Edward asked breaking the safety of the silence once more. We were back in the danger zone as the cross examination grew in difficulty.

Shit, what do I say? I haven't even watched the movie nor do I know the title of it.

"Oh we were on set occasionally when James needed us, but we stayed at the studio most of the time. I work the afternoon shifts with the interns and you guys filmed mostly during the morning hours so I guess that's why. Also, Camilla here works the same hours, but spends most of her time in editing so she doesn't get to see the sun very often. Besides, when James had the film the rest of the movie in London, the budget for the film was the main priority so he didn't fly the people he felt were more efficient at the studio than at the set. You know how James is, always knows what's best."

Edward and Leanne paused and looked at each other.

"That's him alright!" Edward loudly remarked and suddenly they constricting car became occupied by their laughter.

They all kept laughing and agreeing as Bella smiled deceitfully in my general area.

Did she just? How the hell did she know that? Was she bullshitting them? If she is, they ate that bullshit without even thinking twice.

Bella laughed and winked at me.

"How did you know that?" I mouthed inconspicuously.

"Did you forget I was vice president of the Sugar Plums? I know everything there is to know about Chris." She whispered back deceptively. Her whisper coated with the laughter and the anecdotes Leanne and Edward were submerging themselves in. For the first time, I wasn't extensively disturbed by her study of Chris, rather I also felt a rush of gratitude for her dedication to Chris. I smiled back at Bella and pushed her lightly away.

Bella understood my strange sense of endearment and continued.

"See? This is why people think you and I are together. You're always so generous and fun with every girl you meet every where you go that it's hard not to fall madly in love with that handsome face." Leanne praised after having a humorous miniature conversation with Edward.

Edward chuckled.

"Awe, that's sweet." I reinforced her compliment.

"Thank you." Leanne replied.

"Don't encourage those rumors. Leanne's already in the relationship with Chris." Edward quickly defended.

Now I remember. I haven't met her before, rather I heard her name in an article – the article. The article that caused a storm wave of rumors about me and Chris. The same article that made me go on this rambunctious trip to save my reputation at this cost of this hefty price. Leanne Swan, the girl who has been dating Chris for the past couple of months, is the same woman I am seeing now. I am in the same car with a woman who Chris is dating and this woman doesn't even suspect a clue about who I am. I grew suddenly mute at the suddenly realization of this recovered information.

I looked over at Bella; she is wasn't phased at all.

Had she already known it was Leanne Swan when she arrived? Of course. Bella was the one who showed me the article, on top of that she's been following the life of Chris Plum for the past couple of years. How could she not know? Like she said, she practically knows everything there is to know about Chris – everything.

"Speaking of those spiteful rumors, did you hear about the recent one? About Chris and this girl at the Oaks Gourmet Cafe?" Leanne asked Edward.

Edward laughed. "Yea."

"It seemed like the writer wasn't even trying. How could they mistaken a homeless girl for a potential lover? When Chris sent it to me, I laughed hysterically."

"However, I do feel bad for her. That poor girl is innocently being tangled in a vicious web of lies. Even after Chris confirmed that she's not in anyway in a relationship with him, his fan base is still hunting her down." Leanne voice lowered to a heart breaking sympathy.

"Poor girl." Edward commented.

"Wait, I thought that I – um. I mean, the Vice President resolved this on the fan site." Bella spoke hesitantly almost revealing her identity.

"She must have not done a very good job then. The President of the site already found out who the girl in the picture is and they're apparently planning something. That's what Chris' manager told me earlier." Leanne replied delivering a statement of upsetting news.

My grip around my phone tighten as my fingers began to tangle and clench the metallic frame of my phone so tightly that the case struggle to stay on the phone. How could they uncover my identity at such an expedient pace? I didn't have any social networking, barely any form of contact, and I only just arrived in California. The possibilities of this outcome suddenly became to real to bear. I didn't want to be in this car anymore even if it meant I had to role down the window to jump out.

"Did they say who it was?" Bella asked as her throat gulped to the degree that it sounded like a heart beat had emitted from the inside of her esophagus. Bella didn't look at me nor did I look at her; both of our eyes were fixated on Leanne.

Leanne paused to think.

The atmosphere of the car grew silent.

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