Please, Love Me Again

Chapter 44: What A Thick-face Woman

Those people in the set, either artist, crew, or an assistant, curved their lips downward. They found the behaviour of Alyssa Curtis ridiculous and annoying at the same time. In their minds, she was a burden and incompetent in their work but she could still act or smile as if nothing happened.

What a thick-face woman.

They couldn't help but speak out their opinions about her.

"How showy!"

"Thick-face and arrogant. When I look at her face, I suddenly have an urge to beat her up."

"Let her smile as she wishes. When she makes mistakes again later, let's see if she can still smile like she does right now."

The director cleared his throat, and then clapped, attracting everyone's attention. And of course, his main goal was to break the tension in the air. Although he could not blame them for hating Alyssa Curtis even himself also found her so hateful to the point a thought to replace her crossed his mind, he could not allow anyone to continue attacking the female lead.

She was not arguing or fighting back. That's her great attitude but it did not mean they could just say or do what they wanted even if it was still because of herself that everyone was upset about her.

Her performance was indeed annoying, especially as she was known as the Golden Orchid Awards Best Actress of the year.

"Alright. Enough talking. Let's resume our work." The director said. "Miss Curtis, Mister Raval, you go to the center and prepare the scene on top of the mountain. Remember, this is a confession scene. Be focused and aware of your emotions. Be mindful of what you are about to say, especially you, Miss Curtis. Remember, you are going to confess to someone you love. There should be a mixture of excitement, anticipation and nervousness in your tone and expression. Oh yeah, you did have them. Only saying your lines are the problem. Did you memorize your script?"

Alyssa Curtis smiled. "Don't worry, Director Bronze. I'm ready. I will try my best to do it perfectly."

"I don't need your words." The director said. "What I need is your actions. I want to see a great outcome. Miss Curtis, don't disappoint me again and again."

"Yes director." The woman slightly bowed as a sign of respect. "I will keep your words in mind. Those mistakes won't ever happen this time."

"Good. Great. Okay, let's start."

"As if she can really do it." Someone spoke again using a sarcastic tone. She pouted, "What? Can she change the outcome just like that? She is unable to say the lines perfectly this morning and just this afternoon everything is fine. What is she? A superwoman? How absurd!"

Xindy Apostol glared as she threw the speaker a dagger-like gaze. "Enough insulting my Sister Alyssa and close your mouth. If her performance is considered great later, let's see if you can still ridicule her like this now."

The person laughed. "Are you kidding me? Her? Don't hope. She will be forever a waste of time for everyone. If she can pass this scene, I will slap my mouth five times."

Xindy Apostol smiled. "Very well. Then get prepared to make your mouth swollen."

Using a microphone, the director clapped, "Okay, everyone get ready. The shoot is going to start. Alyssa Curtis and Joseph Raval get into action. I will count one to three. Right after the countdown is done, you have to start the act. Understand."

"Yes, director." Alyssa Curtis and Joseph Raval replied simultaneously. They only threw a cold and quick glimpse to each other and then positioned themselves, putting themselves into the right emotions of their character.

"Now get ready. Three, two, one, action." The director shouted into the microphone.

And the confession scene started to shoot once more.

On top of the tall mountain, two people were standing side by side, watching the lake at the foot of the said mountain under the splendid view of the sunset.

Of the two, one was a slender and beautiful woman who owned a goddess-like beauty. She was pretty and amazing beyond words. The robe she wore with a combination of black and white color made her look so wild and untamed but enlightened how cool and charismatic she was as a woman.

The other person was a man wearing plainly black. He was tall and so good-looking. Many said that his look was ethereal. He was every woman's dream.

The man calmly stood with his hand on his back. But the woman was obviously looking nervous or uneasy. She occasionally clutched the clothes on her sides and somewhat had something to say but was hesitant.

The woman mustered her courage to confess. At the moment she found the right time to convey her love for the man, a strong wind suddenly blew her ponytail and some stuck on her mouth.

The woman almost choked. She spit her and spit her hair until it was gone.

Coincidentally, the wind stopped blowing. The man named Brother Luke, who was known as the King of Ghost Town, cast her a sideways glance, voice cold and deep. Face was also extraordinarily stoneface. "What did you just say?"

Everyone held their breaths because of the thought that the female lead was about to say her lines. Yes, they hated her to the bones because of the endless inconvenience she brought during their morning work. However, as a team who wanted to wrap up the work as soon as possible to lessen the length of time of their shooting, they couldn't help but pray that she could do it and perform well. So far, the female was on the right track or with the right emotions.

Eyes set intently on them, everyone stayed silent, but anticipation to end that annoying confession scene filled their eyes. Perhaps, if Alyssa Curtis would ruin the shoot with such perfect atmosphere and beautiful set-up, these onlookers would probably be going to pull her hair off until she became bald.

The woman smiled beautifully, like the fabulous sunset in the exquisite blue sky, eyes filled with love, like the clear spring in the desert mountain— pure and innocent.

"I have not said anything yet." The woman said, face glowing with affection.

Brother Luke's eyes slightly narrowed. "Have you not? Perhaps I heard it wrong. Forget it. Perhaps it was just a whisper of the wind."

The woman's smile widened even more. Her expression became those flowers in the blooming season. Full of a sense of warmth, vitality, life, love, and freedom.

"I indeed have not said anything yet, but I do have something to tell you. Before that, I should have to thank the wind because it made you initiate a conversation with me. Brother Luke, I have been hiding this in my heart. I thought I won't have this chance to tell you my feelings." The woman kept that wonderful smile on her lips but only herself and God knew how nervous she was at the moment. On her side, her hands seized her clothes sternly like she was trying to tear them off her body. On the contrary, she was determined to let the man know how she felt. "Brother Luke, I like you. No! I just don't like you. I love you. I love you very much! Can you give me the honor to call you as my man?"

The man's expression stiffened. Eyes narrowed sharply. Hands balled into fists so tight until the cracking sounds of his bones were heard.

The man remained silent. Not because he refused to reply but because he was lost for words to say.

The gentle smile of the woman named Alice Truce slowly disappeared when she failed to get his response. Because of impulsiveness and frustration as well anxiety, she abruptly held the man's shoulders and boldly claimed his seductive lips.

The man's eyes widened in shock. And that expression was the first time that appeared on his handsome face again since fifteen years ago.

"This woman is so bold, huh." The man clenched his fists tightly as his brows knitted together. He has a thought to push her away and beat her up but his body protested against him. He could not bring himself to do so and so she let her rudely kiss him.

"Alright cut!" The director yelled, clapping and smiling widely as he walked towards the leads with excitement. "Perfect! Perfect! You really did as you promised Miss Alyssa Curtis. You did an excellent performance this time. Amazing. Amazing. I almost can't contain my excitement. If you continue your performance like this, then I can now tell our drama will become a box office hit."

"Director Bronze, I'll be heading to the dressing room first." Joseph Raval interjected to attract the director's attention. He smiled. "Director Bronze, I didn't mean to interrupt your enthusiastic conversation but I still have a scene to shoot later. I have to prepare. I'm going first."

The director tapped the man's shoulder. Eyes remained on the female lead, he said, "Fine. Go ahead. Congratulations for your performance too."

"Thank you." Joseph Raval said seriously and then left them alone without any further words. When the moment that the man turned away, he wiped his lips obsessively as if something disgusting just touched his precious lips.

Such action didn't miss the sharp eyes of the woman who accidentally landed on him. She didn't say a thing out loud. Only a victorious smirk appeared on her lips as she said to herself, "A clean freak huh? Disgusted with me? Well, good for you. Do you think I will get mad because you are disgusted with me? Well sorry. I have to disappoint you this time. I'm in a good mood right now and nothing or no one can ruin it. Let's see who will die in madness because of me."

The director noticed that the woman suddenly spaced out. He snapped his fingers in front of her and called out her name loudly. "Miss Curtis, are you alright?"

Alyssa Curtis shook her head. "Well, Thanks for your praise, Director Bronze." Alyssa Curtis replied with a smile. "I'm glad I passed this time. I really don't know how to solve this problem of mine if I still fail."

The director tapped her shoulder. "It's alright Miss Curtis. Everyone experiences such a thing. At least you have done your best now and it has an incredible result. It's worth it."

Alyssa Curtis shook her head and then sighed. "I'm sorry, director. I wasted everyone's time this morning."

The director heaved a hopeless sigh. "Miss Curtis, don't take their words to heart. Sometimes, actually, we have to experience or hear someone's insult or belittling actions and words in order to improve ourselves. Just remember, there's no one who is perfect in this world and mistakes are a common and natural thing. Most importantly, you did your best. So there's no need to linger on such hurtful thoughts. Okay, go to rest."

"Thank you director." Alyssa Curtis bowed again once more as a sign of respect and the director nodded in acknowledgement. When the woman turned around to leave and was about to call Xindy Apostol over, she found her little assistant provoking an extra. "What are they doing over there?"

The director followed Alyssa Curtis's line of sight and his eyes narrowed right away to see a bunch of people circling around while two people were facing each other. "What is the problem over there? Who is creating trouble?"

Alyssa Curtis and the director came over.

"What now? My Sister Alyssa passed the scene." Xindy Apostol said with a pout, making her look cute and innocent young lady. "You said you're going to slap your mouth five times when my Sister Alyssa did an awesome performance. Now it's concluded and she really did, I want you to honor your words. Slap your rotten mouth five times. The harder the better."

The woman's countenance changed and became ugly sour. "You want me to humiliate myself? Are you kidding me?"

Xindy Apostol braced her hands on her waists arrogantly and fearlessly. "Hmmp, it's not me who said such a thing. It's yourself. Everyone heard you a while ago. Now it's time for punishment and you refuse to do so? Hey Miss extra, don't tell me you're breaking your words? If you are like this, everyone will think you're such a liar. Who will still include you in their film to act?"

The extra lady glared, murderous intent overtook the emotions in her eyes. Eventually she nodded, giving up. "Alright. Alright. Very well. I will do it. I will do it right now. You better watch me carefully."

Under the disdainful watch of the several number of onlookers and their scary whispers against the woman, the woman immediately moved and slapped her very own treasured mouth hard for five times until it bled.

When she was done, blood dripping from the edges of her lips, she glared as she swept her sight around with hatred in her eyes. Then she set her eyes at Xindy Apostol who was neither having a sign to laugh nor satisfied. Instead she was pouting for only God knows what it meant. "I did it. I already did it. Are you satisfied now?"

"No. But it's enough." Xindy Apostol said. "I counted them and it's exactly five times. I can't be greedy to ask more. Five times is five times. Now debt is clear."

Someone suddenly spoke up for the extra, pointing at her bleeding mouth but there's no sign of sympathy or pity. "Look, she is bleeding. Send her to the hospital."

Xindy Apostol's eyes widened in terror upon hearing the word hospital. She mumbled repeatedly, "Hospital?"

"What are you guys doing here?" The director's voice thundered behind them. Upon hearing it, everyone flinched and hurriedly stepped aside, heads hung low in shame, especially Xindy Apostol and that extra woman.

The director swept his dagger eyes around and then set on Xindy Apostol and the other woman. "You guys are fighting here? Why are you fighting? Have you ever thought you are on the set and not in the market? How bold are you two to create trouble here?"

"I'm sorry, Director. It's my fault. I asked her to do what she promised earlier and so this commotion happened. I won't do this again, Director." Xindy Apostol continuously, voice and expressions were apologetic.

Alyssa Curtis knocked her forehead and then faced the director. "Director Bronze, I'm sorry for what my assistant did. She is my artist. Her mistakes are my mistakes. I didn't teach her very well. I'm sorry. This won't happen again in the future."

Alyssa Curtis bowed. Seeing that and hearing her words, Xindy Apostol teared up as she blamed herself inwardly. "What have I've done? I am really stupid. Because of me, I put Sister Song into a hard position. Why didn't I think of that before this? I'm so unlucky and useless."

Xindy Apostol hurriedly held the woman's arm and shook it. "Sister Alyssa, this is not your fault. If someone has to apologise, it's me. Not you."

"Little Xin, enough." Alyssa Curtis said in a warning tone.

Xindy Apostol looked down in shame and guilt.

The director eyed Alyssa Curtis up and down with a frown. After a while, he sighed, shaking his head as he waved his fingers. "This is enough. You go and rest. In fifteen minutes, we will film another scene." He threw everyone a serious look. "Alright, all of you. Go back to your respective areas and do your work. And as for you Miss Jose, you better go to the hospital and get treatment for your mouth."

With that said, the director left the scene.

Alyssa Curtis also glanced at Xindy Apostol and then left without saying anything.