I knew you when – Chapter 8

I arrived at Henry’s place an hour later and there was beer and pizza waiting as I walked in.
“Pizza?” I said laughing.
“Heck yes. Just like old times.” He smiled.
He opened a bottle of beer and handed it to me. Taking a sip I sat down on the sofa.
“Bring the pizza over here, I am starving.”
Henry dropped the pizza box on the table in front of me and plopped down next to me.
Grabbing a slice of pizza I quickly devoured it.
“Holy you were not kidding about being hungry.” He laughed as he grabbed a slice.
“I feel like I have not eaten in a week!”
I didn’t mind pigging out around Henry, he was always impressed by a women who could not only hold her liquor but eat herself a good share of food.
I grabbed another slice and sipped my beer. They were both going down very well.
“I hated being on set today.” I said in between bites. “It was so frigging cold.”
“I know.” He said sipping his beer.
Turning sideways on the sofa Henry threw his legs over mine and leaned back.
“Comfortable?” I asked.
His smiled widened. “Of course.”
I ran my hands over his calf twirling his leg hair in my fingers.
“Chicken legs.” I laughed.
“Not funny.” He frowned.
“Yes funny.” I said with a chuckle.
“I have something I want to talk to you about.” He looked serious.
“Am I going to be happy about this talk?”
“Yes and no.”
“Ok what is it?”
“Before this role I auditioned for another movie. I got the part but was not allowed to talk about it as it was still in development. But then the director backed out of the project and I lost the roll.”
“What?” I said shocked. “Can they do that?”
“Yes sadly they can and I was devastated Nika. It was the ultimate role. The role that would have made my career.”
“What was it?”
“Superman.”
I spit beer across the table “WHAT???”
Still with his legs across mine he put his head down and I noticed he’d begun to tear up.
“I had it Nika. Now it’s gone.”
Pushing his legs off me I turned to look at him, his head still down a tear rolled down his cheek.
I didn’t know what to say to him. He’d always known I was a huge Superman fan and there was nothing more exciting than the thought of someone I loved so dearly playing the most iconic superhero in history.
I wiped the tear from his cheek, leaned in and kissed him.
“I don’t even know what to say Henry. I am so sorry.”
He kept his head down and took a sip of his beer.
“I just can’t believe I was that close.”
“If they get a new director can you be re cast?” I asked.
“That’s what’s awful. They already have one and he opted not to use me and chose another actor instead.”
“Who?”
“I don’t know yet.”
“How can they do that?” I asked my voice becoming angry.
“It’s the business Nika, they can do whatever they want.”
He chugged back his beer and stood up. “Going to grab another one you need one too?”
“Yes please.”
I suddenly felt sick. Not because of the food or beer but because of his sadness.
Feeling completely helpless was the worst feeling. Henry and I had both been working so hard and we’d earned a shot at making it and for him to get so close broke my heart.
“Don’t give up Henry.”
He sat back down next to me and handed me a beer.
“I won’t. Pass me another slice.” He smiled.

The rest of the night we  drank laughed and talked about everything from missing home to how he was enjoying playing Melot.
Looking at the clock I turned to Henry and said “Do you film tomorrow?”
Our scene together was to be filmed in two days and I had planned to take some time the next day to sight see around Prague.
“Yes.” He replied.
“What time?”
“I have to be on set for 9 am.”
“Uh Henry it’s past 3 in the morning we should head to bed.”
Henry jumped from the sofa. “Shit.”
Running past him I dove into the bed with such force I feel right off the other side.
I burst out laughing and could hear Henry was also in a full bout of loud laughter.
Through his laughing he asked “Are you ok?”
“Nailed it!” I squealed with laughter as tears rolled down my face.
“No really are you ok?”
“I am fine Henry. That was the most ridiculous thing that could have ever happened. How the heck did I actually manage to fly over the bed.” I could not stop laughing and felt like I might pee my pants.
“Shit, Help me up Henry I need to pee.”
He fell to the bed laughing even harder.
“Not funny!” I screamed
“Yes funny!” He laughed leaning his arm over the side of the bed to help me to my feet.
Getting up I quickly ran to the washroom to relieve my full bladder before it burst onto the floor.
When I returned to the room Henry was already under the covers his eyes droopy as he dosed.
I crawled under the covers with him and he immediately began to laugh.
“What?” I asked.
“I will never be able to un see that you know.”
I started laughing along with him. “I can’t believe that happened.”
“Flying Nika.”
“More like falling Nika.” I laughed. “That was an epic fail on my part.”
We laughed a bit longer and I could tell Henry was much more exhausted then myself.
I watched as he fell into slumber then cuddled up next to him in the hopes of joining him soon.

Waking the next morning I looked to see that Henry had already left.
My head was pounding. Beer hangover. Not fun.
I dragged myself out of bed and shuffled out to the kitchen. Coffee was already made and there was a note from Henry.
“Didn’t want to wake you flying Nika, Text me when you’re up. xxx Hen”
Smiling I shook my head and knew I was never going to live down last night’s unfortunate bed incident.
Pouring myself some coffee I suddenly realized I had no key to lock up when I was to leave I was trapped in his apartment.
Grabbing my phone I messaged Henry “Babe I got no key to lock the door now I can’t get back to my hotel to change and go sightseeing.”
An hour later I had still not heard back from Henry. I was growing bored with each passing minute.
I’d found his aspirin in the bathroom and was finally ridding my throbbing head of my beer hangover.
“Ding” I heard my phone go off.
“Sorry sweetheart I completely forgot. Sending someone with the key now.”
I looked over to the clock and noticed it was going on 2pm my day almost completely wasted.
Have to see what I can get in still. I said to myself.
Within a few moments I heard a knock at the door.
A young fellow standing there will a smile on face greeted me as I opened the door.
“Hi Nika, I am Henry’s assistant Mark. Here’s the key. He said he will message you when he’s done filming and you both can meet up so he can get them back.”
“Thanks Mark.” I said smiling.
“No problem. Have fun sightseeing. Might I recommend the Klementinum, it’s a fantastic and beautiful sight.”
“Wow thanks Mark.”
“No problem. Have a great time.”
I closed the door and grabbed my phone to message Henry.
“Got the keys, talk to you later xxx”
I grabbed my purse and headed out the door back to my hotel.
On route I googled The Klementinum which to be far and honest I could not even pronounce.
But Mark was right it looked amazing so I was making sure I made my way there today.

Sitting in a cafe watching the people of Prague walk past I realized how lucky I was.
Lucky in a sense that I had a job that I loved, that I was following my dreams and to have people in my life that made me a better women. I was blessed and my heart was happy.
“Ding” my phone went off. It was Henry.
“Hey sweets, I’m finished. Been a long day. Where are you?”
I messaged him back letting him know the cafe I was at and that I had just ordered something to eat so I would be there for awhile longer.
“I’ll see you in a bit then. I am not far from the cafe. Order me a beer.”
As the waitress passed I stopped her to ask for Henry’s beer she smiled and nodded.
A few moments later I watched as Henry walked up the walkway to the cafe and entered.
Searching the room for me I couldn’t help but chuckle as he looked a little lost.
Spotting me he walked over to the table and slumped down into the chair with a sigh.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing, Just had a long day.”
“You’re a horrible liar Henry. So stop it.”
“Working with him is a pain in the ass.” He said sternly.
“With who? Fanco?”
“Yes.”
“Don’t give him another thought.” I suggested.
“Kind of hard Nika, I am in almost every scene with him.”
“Good point.” I said nodding.
“It’s just.” He paused “He walks around acting like he is better than everyone else. Like he’s the big star and we should all be honored to be working with him.”
“I’m not even going to touch that one.”
“I tried talking with him. Told him about the Superman gig and he basically blew me off. As if I had no right to have such a role.”
“Henry.” I said placing my hand over his. “Take a sip of beer and listen to me ok.”
Henry arched his eyebrow up and took a sip from his Corona “ok”
“You are a terrific actor and I just know one day the whole world is going to know that. Just as I see you now they too will all get to know and love you.”
He smiled bashfully. “Thank you lovely. You always say the loveliest of things to me.”
“It’s true Henry. You just wait. One day I will be able to say ha ha I knew him when!”
Henry began to laugh. “Yeah right.”
“My only concern is you getting a big head.”
“Me? Big head? Never.”
“Best not or I will seriously kick your ass.”
“I know you would.” He laughed.
“Oh and having to beat all the women off with sticks is going to be a real hassle. It however will be great cardio and I should have an excellent looking body.”
Henry almost spit out his beer with laughter. “You already have a nice body.”
“Well guess what? Beating all the hoards of women off of you will make it even better. You watch.” I laughed.

The next day both Henry and I were on set for our scene. I had gotten to come in later then Henry as he had an additional scene he had filmed throughout the day.
It was already dark when I arrived and headed to makeup and wardrobe before joining the cast on set.
The scene was a simple party scene and I was really only required to sit on Henry’s lap, kiss him and talk to him as though he were the most appealing person in the room.
James and Henry were sat next to one another at the table as I walked up to take my spot.
James gave me a once over and smirked. In that moment I wanted to smack the smirk off his face.
Henry placed his arm around me and opened his legs so I could sit on one leg with my legs in between his.
I took one last look over to James and shot him a dirty look which seemed to amuse him.
Sitting on Henry’s lap the director asked me to place my arm around his neck.
I was to have conversations in his ear while loud music blared within the room and the chatter exploded between all the butch men.
During our “conversation” Henry was to kiss me. This was nothing new to either of us and we’d be able to pull it off easily.
Take after taken Henry and I continued to make out as I joked in his ear about wondering if the director actually knew about us.
Between each takes Henry and I would walk the grounds of the set and chat with other members of the cast. It seemed Henry got along with everyone but James Franco. James mostly kept to himself in his trailer or would go off speaking to the director about his performance.

Once done filming I headed to the “extras” trailer and got changed. Henry was waiting for me outside still all dirty but in his plain clothes.
“Want to come back to my place?” He asked.
“Yep.” I said smiling. “Got beer?”
“Yes but I am not sure you should be drinking any more beer, you like to take flying leaps across beds when you’ve had too many.” He laughed.
“Fuck you.” I said slapping his arm.
He placed his arm around my neck and we walked off to fetch the car.
“I’m starving.” I said.
“No more pizza either, maybe that’s what did it.” He laughed.
“Your cruising for a bruising Henry!” I slapped out at him again but he managed to duck away.
He began to jog ahead of me and started to laugh.
“Why are you laughing?”
“Just thinking of you falling on your ass. It’s hysterical. Hence why I am running” He continued to laugh.
“HENRY!” I began to run after him. “I’m going to beat you!”
“Catch me if you can.” He yelled.
“What are we 5?” I yelled back to him.
Just then he stopped dead in his tracks placed his thumbs to his cheeks and stuck out his tongue.
“Na na na na” he said wiggling his fingers.
“You ass.” I laughed as I caught up to him and punched him in the arm.
“Come on love you have to admit just thinking about it makes you want to pee your pants laughing.”
I glared up to him trying not to laugh.
“Pun intended love.” He winked.
We got in the car and headed back to his place where we ordered pizza. Extra large with ham, bacon and double cheese.
“This is heaven.” I said as I sipped a beer and ate my slice.
“Pizza and beer is heaven is it?”
“No, Pizza, Beer and Henry. In no particular order either.”
“See there you go again with the sweetheart stuff. How am I ever to compete with that?”
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“Just saying.” He smiled.
“Buy me flowers.” I suggested.
“Flowers?” He laughed “Want a big teddy bear and a box of chocolates with that?”
“Actually now that you mention it.” I began to laugh along with him.
“When do you leave?” he asked.
“In 2 days. So I am going to do some more sightseeing tomorrow.”
“Wish I could join you but I am working for the next 6 days.”
“It’s ok we can meet up after.”
He hugged me. “Glad your here.”
“Thanks Hen, It’s been fun working with you again. We have to do this more often.”
“Yes. We work well together.”
“That we do.”
We both grabbed another slice of pizza and sat back on the sofa and listened to tunes occasionally breaking out in song.
“You should do a musical Nika, your voice is fantastic.”
“Maybe one day. Nothing seems to have come across like that.”
“What about hitting a recording studio and making an album?”
“Oh heck no. The music industry is so sad these days. They take people and transform them burn them up then drop them when they fail and so many musicians fade into obscurity.”
“I think you’d be able to make it.”
“Thanks, but I really don’t think it’s something I would be interested in.” I laughed “However you know this acting thing isn’t going as planned so maybe I should consider it as a back up.”
“I think you should.”
“Your one to talk Henry, You can sing as well and yet you never do.”
“Hey I humm’d in Hellraiser.” He laughed.
“That does not count.”
“That’s all they are getting.”
“Why?”
“Cause it’s not my thing. It’s yours.”
“Whatever.” I laughed.
Snuggling close we ate our pizza and drank a few more beers before heading to bed.
This time I was glad I got into the bed in one piece and managed to stay there instead of landing on the floor again.