Romantica Assignment 2

Cat sat on the old couch in her cheaply furnished apartment, and read over the pages again. Her fingers absently and nervously picked at a stray fiber from the green plaid sofa that had stains that were older than she. Cat watched from the corner of her eye as Brent settled in across from her with a glass of water. He looked comfortable enough in his t-shirt and jeans. She smiled at the braided choker necklace. The fresh smell of cologne was not lost on her, and she wondered if he was putting on airs for her benefit, or if this was how he dressed every day.

She took a deep breath, and flung the papers to the side with an angry look. Brent smiled, placing his glass down, and sitting up a little straighter in his chair.

Cat sounded calm, but there was a tension in her voice as she spoke. “So when do you think you’ll be ready to make a commitment. Haven’t we been seeing each other long enough?”

Brent nodded calmly. “You know how I feel about this sort of thing baby. If I’m with you; I’m with you. We don’t need any rings or marriage certificate to prove our love.”

“I’m not those other women. I’m not one of those bitches who’ve hurt you. Don’t you understand? Can’t you see that?” Cat moved from the couch and walked slowly toward Brent. She could detect a nervous look in his eyes, but he did not flinch as she lowered herself, sitting at his feet. Her hands rested on his thighs with the familiarity of a lover.

She could see that Brent’s pulse was racing, and she almost lost her train of thought for a moment. He turned his head away. “It just makes things more difficult later,” he said distantly. “Why bother signing the papers when everything ends anyway.”

Cat reached up and with the tips of her fingers; gently steered his face back toward her own. “Don’t you see,” she began feeling a passion stirring within her. “If you never really commit to anything or anyone you never really experience that thing.” She paused a moment, letting her words sink in. “Commit to me. Experience all that I am. I know you’re afraid; so am I.” Her fingers brushed his cheek again feeling the day old beard stubble on his broad handsome chin and cheeks.

“Give in to me. Give in to all that I am.” She spoke the words slowly as her fingers urged his face toward her own. She could feel the slight tremor in his jaw, and his eyes half closed as he fell into a languid state. Their lips inched closer and closer, and stopped as she turned her head to the side to avoid bumping noses.

Her reverie was interrupted by a small laugh from Brent, and it caused her to smile and laugh a little herself as she felt him move back. “That was great,” he said taking a deep breath. Cat stood, and made her way back to the couch with a grin. “Thank you. Sorry I was acting it out. I know we said were just going to read. I just wanted to make sure I had the nerve to kiss a stranger.”

“Am I a stranger,” he asked smiling. She could see his eyes searching her face. Cat let her teeth run across her lips. “Of course not, but I was imagining you were. It’s how I get by acting. You have to be that person. Your partner has to be the person in the scene.”

Cat watched as Brent nodded, and sipped his water. A comfortable silence settled in on them as she reached for and scanned the pages again.

Brent stood up. “We’ve been going at this for hours. How about some food?”

“Is anything still open this late,” she asked stacking the pages neatly on the coffee table.

Brent gave a lopsided grin. “This is Hollywood sweetheart. Everything is always open. I happen to know a place that is one of the best dining experiences in the lower forty eight.”

Cat smiled. “Okay. I’m game then, especially if you’re buying.” Brent shrugged as she opened the door for her. “Oh yes this place is definitely my treat.”

Soon they were driving down Le Brea into West Hollywood with the top down. Brent had an old classic car, he kept telling Cat what it was and how much work he put into it, but the make and model slipped her mind again and again. All that mattered was riding through the city of lights on a cool summer night with the wind blowing.

Cat smiled when she saw the old fashioned hot dog stand. There was a line out front, and all walks of Hollywood life were here on this bustling Saturday night. A Limousine was parked on the side, and Cat wondered if someone famous was there even now. Brent ordered their food to go, and drove away leaving her look out the back window to catch of glimpse of someone she had seen on the silver screen.


They came to the back lot of a movie studio, and Cat didn’t miss the nod of the security guard, and the surreptitious look between he and Brent. “What’s this,” she asked, letting her eyes rove over the old sets.

Brent smiled over at her. “This is the real Hollywood. This is where it wall happens. The wall between what they see, and what we do. It’s all right here.” Soon he was opening the door for her, and leading her through a series of doors to a set. As Cat walked in, she noticed the lights slowly dimming and then coming on fully. She recognized the set as her favorite crime scene detective series, and a cry of elation sounded from her throat. She was dimly aware of Brent’s satisfied look as he laid out the food they had gotten from the hot dog stand on the lab table the series used.

“Relax,” he said looking up. “They don’t do any real autopsies here.” She smiled at him, and happily retrieved one of the hot dogs. She smiled with the first bite. He had memorized what she liked on her hotdog from a conversation they had had a week earlier. She chewed slowly, and her eyebrows knitted. “So I take it I’m not the first girl you’ve brought back here?”


Brent almost laughed. “I could lie and say no, but yes, I’ve brought dates on sets before.”

“Hmmmph,” she said taking another bite. “When she was finished chewing she spoke again.” And were they as impressed as I am?”

“More,” he said with a grin. They both ate for awhile, until Cat suddenly stopped, and put her hotdog down. “Wait, is this a date?” Cat spoke almost playfully, but she had been searching for a sign from Brent for some time. She was unsure of trusting the first Hollywood boy she met off the bus, and yet her she was.

“Would it be so bad if it was?” Brent asked mildly.

Cat shook her head. “No, it wouldn’t

Brent shrugged in response. “Then let’s call it a date.”

She watched him smile playfully at her now, and she returned it. “Let’s try the scene again.”

One of his eyebrows arched. “The one from earlier?” He stepped out and away from the table, as Cat closed her eyes and prepared for the scene.

“Let’s go from my second line in the scene,” Brent said getting his mind into character.

“It just makes things more difficult later,” Brent spoke passionately, almost angrily “Why bother signing the papers when everything ends anyway.”
Cat walked around the table, and stood next to him now. She reached up once more and touched his face gently. “Don’t you see,? Don’t you see?” Her words now contained a fire of passion she hadn’t felt earlier when reciting the words. “If you never really commit to anything or anyone you never really experience that thing.” She paused now her breath was heavy, and she could tell so was Brent’s “Commit to me damnit. Experience all that I am. I know you’re afraid,” and then her voice became soft. “so am I.” Her fingers brushed his cheek again and she bit her lip, looking at his mouth longingly.


“Give in to me. Give in to all that I am.” And this time she did not wait, but closed the distance between them, and finding his lips with her own, kissed him hungrily, and passionately.


Brent looked shocked, but only for a moment. Through half closed eyes she watched him give in to the kiss as his character would in the script. Her lips searched his, as her hands came up to brush his cheeks once more. Her fingertips exerted no force at all, but Brent was powerless to draw away from the urgent lips, and delicate fingers touching his face. Cat had kissed a few men in her time, and she used those experiences to further fuel her passionate display. Her lips searched, and explored the foreign landscape she had watched for the last few weeks as they had worked together. She felt lost in her character for a moment, and she wondered if Brent too was caught up in the scene they had so hastily moved in to.

When they broke, she found herself blushing, and Brent too seemed taken aback by the scenario they had so vividly enacted.


Word Count 1587