"Morning." She said in her native Australian drawl. " I thought you wouldn't mind."
Seren smiled and took one of the steaming mugs. "Not at all."
"India was a little worse for wear, we didn't want to send her home alone. Plus Tom didn't have a key for Rob's hotel room."
Seren laughed. "Sounds like you had a fun night. And...thanks."
Emilie winked and shook her head. "I had nothing planned. It's weird being in such a big place, hardly knowing anyone. It was a nice distraction."
"I know what you mean." Seren sighed, sipping the hot coffee. It tasted amazing, nothing like India made, or anything she herself could make. "You make a good coffee. You can stay anytime!"
Emilie smiled warmly and made her excuses to leave. It was already almost 7am.
She woke them all up reluctantly. India berated her for leaving them half heartedly in a hungover slurr before sloping off to bed. Tom seemed to come round much quicker, lighting up a cigarette and downing his coffee in one go. The last to rise was Rob, his arms stretching out to her from the bed as she brought him his coffee.
"Everybody stayed here last night, I'm surprised we didn't hear them come in."
Rob rolled his eyes. " I don't know about you, but I was exhausted."
She went to him and snuggled back into the covers knowing all too soon they would both have to rise. He left her with a parting kiss and promised to call her. India stayed in her room, insisting that Seren call work to say she was sick.
"She was spectacular." Tom said, eyeing the door to India's room.
"A spectacular drunk? Now there's something to be proud of." Seren joked, picking up India's shoes.
"She's a good girl. I'm glad you fucked off actually, she might have been on her best behaviour otherwise."
Seren watched him linger, like he knew he had to go but had no desire to.
"You have much to do today?" She asked.
"Audition later." He mumbled. "You?"
"I need to find a job if I'm going to live here. I just don't know where to start."
Tom raised an eyebrow. "I thought Rob was setting up a meeting with Stephanie?"
"He was...I mean, he is. It's just....I can't rely on him for any of that. If I can't find my own way then I probably don't deserve any of it."
But Tom seemed more simplistic. "Life doesn't need to be a struggle for you to deserve good things. Me and Rob decided to become actors together. And now he's leagues ahead of me. And it was nothing to do with hard work, let me tell you. I work just as hard as he does, he was just in the right place at the right time with the right people. He turned up to his Twilight audition and Kristen liked him better than the other dudes. If it wasn't for her, he'd probably be back in London playing his guitar in a pub."
Seren flinched inside. She couldn't help it. Somehow she felt she was in this girl's shadow. This girl she had never met, that the nation loved and wanted as Rob's girlfriend. And now she realised that Rob owed his success to her. He must hold her in such high regard. Suddenly she had a moment of insecurity and wished, for a split second, that he wasn't an actor. And then it was gone, like most of her insecurities, back into the obscurity of her subconscious.
"You're probably right." She said, and offered him another coffee.
"I'd best shoot off." Tom replied, "Thanks for letting us stay."
"Anytime." She smiled.
"You know, it's been a long time since I've seen him like this. I don't know what you did, but he's got it bad for you. He's usually Mr.Cautious with girls but with you it's like he ripped up his own rule book."
She wasn't sure if he was being complimentary or giving her a warning. He said it so friendly, but with a serious undertone.
"Is that a bad thing?" She asked.
He shrugged. "Usually I'd say yes. But I like you so....perhaps not."
" Well...I like you too." She replied awkwardly, the moment feeling entirely odd. "But you should know my rule book has been thrown out too."
Tom's phone began to vibrate in his pocket, leaving her without an answer. He made his excuses politely and said he should leave anyway. She waved him goodbye and watched him down the hallway so she could buzz him out. It bothered her that she'd had that conversation with him. It obviously mattered to Rob greatly what Tom thought. And Kristen for that matter. Which was fine, because it was usually her army of siblings who people had to get through first. But this time, it mattered to her more than she first thought what these people thought of her. For Rob's sake. She'd already got her answer from Tom. But there was something unnerving about Kristen. She wanted her to like her. And it was a mystery to her as to why.
Rob found himself in a high rise building, near the top floor in the gallantly decorated, yet unused office space they were using to film that day. He was meant to be having an argument with his on-screen Father but instead he found himself laughing between takes. It was a long day, with infuriating re-takes than became so monotonous it drew all the fun out of them. It was the first time he'd felt like that on a film set. When the job he loved so much became tiresome. If it weren't for the people around him, it would have been worse.
"You need do a couple of interviews tomorrow." Nick said, and Rob's heart sank.
On his way back to his hotel, Dean in the front seat, this was the last thing he wanted to hear. Not that he hated interviews, just that after his day all he wanted to do was forget about it.
"Who for?" He inquired.
"Some radio station, and a phone interview with some british magazine, I'll get the name for you later."
Nick sat beside him in the car flicking through a folder, his eyes scanning each page.
"You'll have to be available after lunch, and then back on set for the evening shoots."
Rob sighed and waited for Dean to open the door as they pulled into the hotel.
"Yeah ok, see you tomorrow..."
Nick put a hand on his arm. "Get some sleep tonight, ok?"
It was funny because this man he had once disliked. Now he listened to him in all things to do with his career.
Seren had annoyed herself by managing to do absolutely nothing all day. She was afraid to venture out into the city on her own, but she knew it's what she needed to do to make some progress otherwise she'd have no choice to go back to the commune. It wasn't that she wouldn't go back, but it just seemed that now there was even more reason to stay. She knew there would come a time when Rob would be finished filming and be gone, but she tried to think about something else. Anything else. India finally came out of her room as it began to grow dark outside.
"Do not ever let me go out with famous people again." She croaked. "It makes me want to party hard."
Seren couldn't stifle her laughter. "Don't worry, you didn't do anything illegal. Nobody got a tattoo either, so you're good."
"Good would be anything but this. I need food, or coffee. Or a guillotine."
Seren handed her the percolator and checked her phone for the hundredth time.
"Hasn't he called you today?"
Seren bit her lip. "He'll call."
"Of course he'll call. Nobody goes to that much trouble to get someone on their own and then doesn't call. I just can't believe the person who does it for you is Robert Pattinson!"
"You've gotta stop saying that like he's some sort of....Icon or something."
"He kind of is to some, you must know that."
But Seren shook off her comments and decided to ignore them.
"Starting tomorrow I'm on the job trail, not everything is about Rob, you know?"
And she knew she was kidding herself even as she said it. She'd had no time to think of anything for over a week and it was starting to feel strange that she'd put her life on the back burner. She was used to working, used to having something to do.
"You don't have to do this just for other people." India told her. "If you like the guy, and he likes you and you can't bear to be apart...and I know you can't bear to be apart...there's nothing wrong with that. I can tell you're starting to put your barriers up."
Seren was startled. Not just because she was right, but because she'd been able to tell without Seren saying a word.
"I'm trying not to. It's just that....they think he's with that Kristen girl. The whole world does! How can we ever get any peace while everyone watches? And then I feel stupid for thinking it and try to focus on what I should be doing then I get distracted because I just can't stop thinking about him..."
India thought about it for a moment, struck by her cousin's honesty.
"That's the old you talking. You're not like that anymore. And he's not Zack."
"I know he's not Zack!" She quickly retorted. "It was never like this with Zack."
"Sounds like you could use some distance. Think about what you're doing. Why don't you tell him you're busy when he calls?"
But Seren shook her head. "I can't do that. I've missed him all day. I'd feel worse if I didn't see him."
India tutted. "You're in trouble, girl."
And there was nothing Seren could say otherwise.
It was tiredness which made him cranky. He knew it has he laid down on the hotel bed and by sheer force willed himself into the shower. The heat of the water only made him more tired though, and as he stepped out and wrapped the soft hotel towel around his waist he felt his eyes grow heavy.
"Dude, wake up." Tom yelled, passing Rob a shot of espresso.
"Stop fucking shouting!" Rob yelled back, necking back the espresso and handing back his little cup for another. "I can hear you."
"Could have fooled me I've been talking to you for the past twenty minutes and you've not said a word."
Rob took his second espresso. "I can't actually hear through walls dude."
"I said you should probably give it a miss with Seren tonight, don't want her thinking you're too keen and all that."
His advice was well meant, but Rob was too tired to hear it. "I probably shouldn't do half the stuff I do."
"Yeah but, no harm in chilling for a bit."
"Are you trying to tell me to cool it?"
Tom shrugged. But it was obvious. He would normally not have needed telling.
"I don't know what the fuck is up with me."
"Mate, she's got you hooked." Tom laughed.
"She was the first person in a long time to see me for who I am. It's getting harder and harder to meet people like that."
"I know mate. But soon you'll be going to Vancouver. What's she gonna do then?" Tom said soberly.
"I'll cross that bridge when I get to it." Rob replied, putting his hand out to signal that the conversation was over.
He left for L.A that night. Rob remembered vividly the audition trail. Tom was always hot on the tracks of the next big role, but hadn't quite found his Edward Cullen. As Tom's car pulled away he pulled out his cell phone and dialled Seren's number. It was the first time he'd disregarded his friend's words in favour of his own conscience. And as Seren saw his name flash up on her screen, she knew she would never be able to deny him anything. And she knew she was either blessed or doomed.
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