CHAPTER 13 - LESSONS ON SEDUCTION

"Huh?"

I had no clue a person's eyes could widen so much. It appeared as though his eyeballs were going to jump out, but in a charming way.

"As I already indicated, my initial approach to you had been rather blunt. I skipped a lot of phases. Don't worry, I will make it all right."

I am not exactly sure what made me so audacious, but my psycho part was in love with this new version of myself. And his flushed cheeks fuelled my drive. He was so embarrassed that he still had little to no sense of how to respond.

"I.... I am not..."

He swallowed, his Adam's apple protruding, either from gulping down the remarks he was going to deliver or because of the lack of it. In any case, I was enjoying his distress. All this time, filmmaking was simply a job for me, and I enjoyed it, but only from a professional point of view. However, right now, I am relishing it so thoroughly that it nearly feels unethical.

"End of break time."

One of the crew members shouted, and I got up from my seat, before throwing a wink at the breathing statue of Eugene.

.....

I awoke about one o'clock in the afternoon and stretched my body to its fullest, savoring a good night's sleep.

We will have late-night filming today; therefore, all of us were advised to get as much sleep as we could. Also, I slept carefree, compared to the last three nights of restlessness. Eugene's absence bothered me so much, particularly during the night, where I would just lie and overthink as I kept tossing and turning and screaming into my pillow. But after yesterday, I feel relieved.

Even though it was late afternoon, I prepared myself a mug of coffee and a full English breakfast. Because of my hectic schedule, I seldom spent a lot of time in the kitchen, but I cooked whenever I could. Cooking was yet another one of my favorite pastimes, and I genuinely liked it.

I burped in satisfaction upon finishing the last bite of my sausage and washing it down with a glass of orange juice.

"What a wonderful morning."

I said to myself before clearing the plates and connecting my Bluetooth to the speaker.

Unholy by Sam Smith blared from the amplifiers, and I let my body sway to the beat. I waltzed as I grabbed the broom and started tidying up. I had not really cleaned this place in days, and I didn't like how messy it was.

"Mommy don't know Daddy's getting hot, in the body shop, doing something Unholy."

I sang out loud, immersing myself in the rhythm. That song was so sick.

The house was sparkling after about an hour of cleaning and a series of my favorite tracks. Everything was in its right place, and I exhaled in contentment, scanning my surroundings for anything out of order. And, nope, everything was perfect. That's how I feel right now.

I then took a long, hot shower, and I felt reborn after stepping out of the bathroom. All clean and refreshed.

It was seven in the evening by then, and I had to be at work by 10 p.m. Good, I have plenty of time. So, I grabbed my laptop and searched for something I had been wanting to look up since yesterday.

'How do you seduce a man?'

I double-checked that I was using the Incognito browser since I didn't want Lorraine to come across my history and get a heart attack.

The first link explained what seduction is, so I left it untouched. What I need are tips. I surfed for some time, but nothing interested me. Either it was too much or way too little.

Then a blog caught my attention. '10 Ways to Seduce a Man by Bad Bitch Guide.'

Fascinating.

I tapped on the blue-colored text and was instantly redirected to the next webpage.

1. Wear flattering clothes.

I shook my head in dismay as I gazed down at myself in my bathrobe. If I were a male, I wouldn't ever sleep with me. The only clothes I wear are hoodies or shirts, and I don't even have a flattering dress with me right now. Perhaps I should borrow one from Carla. But won't that be too obvious? Nope. Nope. No flattering clothes.

2. Smile.

Smile? I do smile. But April often says that my smile is creepy. She calls me a psycho whenever I smile at her. Does Eugene think the same? But how does one seduce by smiling? It's possible in romantic novels, but when it comes to real life, smiling may just friend zone you.

3. Touch him often.

Now, that's something I fancy. But wouldn't it label me as a pervert if he doesn't think of me as one that is? Besides, our line of work doesn't involve physical touching, so for what reason would I touch him?

4. Show confidence.

Well, I invited him to sleep with me. Can I become any more confident? I am overly confident, if you ask me.

5. Don't throw yourself at him.

The damage is already done, so I am not going to go in depth and read the entire paragraph.

6. Show him your erotic side.

As if I have one. Duh.

7. Flirt, but subtly.

Right, maybe I should search for how to flirt next. Or I could ask April. She is a pro-temptress.

8. Make him chase after you.

Too late, I guess. I am already the Tom here.

9. Give him enough space.

I am giving him considerable space. I wanted to call him the first thing in the morning, but I didn't. That qualifies me as a very thoughtful person.

10. Love yourself.

What an impressive and unique conclusion! And I do love myself.

I shut down the laptop and peered at the clock, which displayed 7.30 PM. I have successfully wasted the last half hour. I learned absolutely nothing about how to lure him, but instead discovered that I was the polar opposite of everything they advised me. It's not a shock that he ghosted me. Shit, I would have ghosted myself as well.

I decided to spend the remaining hours of my day watching TV and snacking on three packs of Doritos. I was not at all hungry after that, so I missed dinner and hurried to get dressed.

I donned my customary sweatshirt and slacks since I didn't have any other alternatives. So rather than my usual haystack, I opted for a French plate for some change, pulling several stray strands from the knot and letting them fall down my face.

I thought of applying makeup at first but decided against it. It was late at night, and we had a lot of work pending today. The climate, too, was not favorable, and I was positive that after three hours of shooting, I would be sweating like a pig. Why on earth should I waste such expensive cosmetics?

I took my phone off the charging station and slipped it in my jeans' pocket. I picked up the handbag, which held all my essentials, and sprayed some perfume before giving myself a full check in the mirror and heading out.

Everyone had left their houses, and the road was bustling with people and their conversations. I was more productive at night than during the day, which must be why I felt like I would be able to contribute my maximum today.

The night's shoot was held within the forest, and we were required to drive for fifteen minutes from our current location. This time, I was with Nathaniel since we had to discuss more about the photoshoot for tomorrow, and Clara went with Kim and Aiden.

We could have ridden separately if we wanted; however, unlike my former workplace, everyone got along well with each other here, and we preferred to carpool instead of traveling individually. It was less time-consuming and cost effective.

The trip was filled with briefings, and on numerous occasions Nathaniel commented on my unusual energy. He asked if something good had happened to me; however, I smiled smugly and reassured him that I was just in a good mood. And I wasn't exaggerating.

Everything was already set up by the time we arrived in the woods, and the spotlights made the darkness disappear. Since it was not a thick forest, there was no threat of dangerous animals, and everybody seemed to be in better spirits.

As we were finishing the last inspection, a familiar figure walked towards me, and I grinned broadly. Here comes the reason for my good mood.

I don't think I have ever been more eager to come to a shoot. My adrenaline was over the moon, and I was enjoying it so much that he didn't make much eye contact when he handed me the continuity report.

"You look great today, Eugene."

I said this while shuffling through the pages, and he stammered before murmuring a thank you. I smirked at him as I gave him the file back, and he literally scurried out of my vicinity, causing me to giggle.

After that, the majority of the session passed without incident, and honestly, I didn't really get enough time to think about him. We were to finish half of the schedule before the break of the day, but the strong wind was making things challenging.

We were drained and done by four o'clock in the morning. This was one of the few remaining days of production before we moved, and we had a lot to cover up. The next destination was in the city, which I was hardly looking forward to. The village appealed to me more.

"Break."

Keller, one of my assistants, shouted, and we were glad to hear his booming voice. It would take at least two hours for the next shoot, as the sun had to come up, and I don't think I could sleep for such a short time and not wake up groggily. It was either no sleep with coffee or sleep till the hour hand made a full circle around the digits.

I was fidgeting with my ear buds when I heard someone approaching and recognized one of the helper boys clutching a folder. Eugene had delivered me a similar file earlier, so I accepted it right away after thanking him.

Nothing stood out at first sight, and I had already signed this report, but as I simply leafed through the sheets, I noticed a green-colored paper between the pages. I knew he wouldn't send me the exact file without any reason.

In the middle was a note, which evoked mixed emotions in me. Fear, happiness, and excitement.

"We need to talk. Meet me at the costume tent now."

....