In a single blink, Leo's face towers over Mitch; there is a silent conversation going on, and heaven knows I am in the middle of it.
"Look who decided to finally show up." Mitch straightens his posture and flexes his arms across his chest. "You're going to have to wait your turn, Nardo, because I'm not leaving."
"I wasn't asking." The edge of his curved mouth deepens with the delivery of his words, as though he were about to growl.
"This is between Stephanie and me," Mitch defiantly asserts, inching closer to Leo to get to me.
"Take another step, and you'll need more than a nose job by the end of the night." Leo shoves him with one arm, causing Mitch to stumble slightly and hit his back against the wall.
God damn.
Mitch stands up and chuckles, throwing his head back. "Oh, so now you want to be high and mighty? At least I'm not the one who's going to be kissing another girl tomorrow. Heck, if she were to dump you by then, I'd make sure that wouldn't happen when she's with me."
"I beg your pardon," I say as Leo grabs him by the collar of his button-up shirt and lifts his body inches above the ground, already preparing to choke Mitch out.
"Leo put him down."
"Go on, hit me. I'm sure the headlines would love to hear about how you got blacklisted."
"Leo, it's not worth it," I tell him, trying to get his attention away from Mitch. "Not that I think he could actually do that, but because I am tired and refuse to stay up an extra hour cleaning up a dead body."
"As if I'm letting this dick go," Leo says, tightening his grip, and slams Mitch like a rag doll. "I am just getting started."
"Leonardo," I warn him. "Now."
"Yeah, Nardo." Mitch rolls his eyes with a sickening, amused smile that I was tempted to wipe off.
"Leo, don't let him antagonize you." I then dart my focus on Mitch. "And you lost your chance to talk to me, so if I were you, I'd shut up."
The edge of Mitch's mouth falls as a hint of realization hits him. He truly has lost me completely.
Never meet your heroes, kids.
Once Leo notices that he has stopped fighting back, he obediently releases him, causing Mitch to fall from the air and onto his hands and knees.
"You're lucky she doesn't let me kill you."
"You're lucky she hasn't left you yet." Mitch rises to Leo's level.
"ENOUGH!" I yell, shoving them apart as they were close enough to lock lips, which I would've preferred if they weren't actually angry with each other. "Both of you."
"Now, Mitch, if you do not leave after I have repeatedly told you to, I will personally have you blacklisted, which I am more than positive Leonardo can help me do," I say, turning to Leo behind me, whose stare remained on Mitch like a Doberman. "Unlike your connections, I am sure the Leo's will actually make it happen."
"And take your new script with you." Leonardo kicks a crumpled-up packet that was on the floor, which I didn't see at first. I thought about being nice and handing it to Mitch, but I didn't want to give him any hope that would then cause me to break up another fight.
"New script?" Mitch baffles. "Nobody said anything about a new script."
"That's because I just updated it with director Jimenez. Tomorrow you'll be kissing Georgia." A devilish grin I knew all too well from the debates in our early days of mock trial made an appearance. "Don't forget to check your emails on the way back to your room."
I admit, this is the one time I liked seeing it.
Okay, I really do need sleep.
Mitch doesn't bother to flip through the pages as he knows Leonardo was indeed not bluffing. Instead, he flickers a gaze in my direction, to which Leo notices and protectively places himself in front of the view.
Mitch lowly stops his right foot like a demented toddler and heads down the hall. We wait until we hear the sounds of the elevator doors closing in the distance and double-check that he actually left.
When the coast is clear, I received a message from Delaware letting me know that she was done with her shower and was going to bed.
"Is Mitch texting you? I'll go break his phone." Leonardo huffs.
I immediately grab his arm and lightly pull him before he starts to break down Mitch's door impulsively.
"It's Delaware, Tortuga. Calm yourself." I say replying to Delaware.
That's fine. In case you fall asleep. I hope you have a good night. Feel free to turn off the lights. I'll be coming in soon. - Stephanie
I reply and see at the edge of the phone screen Leonardo trying to take a peek. I waited for her to reply, but was met with silence, indicating that she indeed had fallen asleep, which I dearly wished for.
"If you don't have time tonight, Estrella, I completely understand," Leo says, sighing, throwing his head down, and resting his hand on the back of his neck. "I just wanted to tell you-"
"Stop right there," I hold my finger in the air, as his expression was falling deeper and deeper into an emotion I knew all too well, shame and embarrassment. It wasn't a common emotion I've seen Leonardo have, so I knew what he had to say was going to either have to wait until tomorrow or would require a discussion that would need us to stay awake all night.
I would've chosen the latter if it weren't for my undying curiosity and genuine concern for the guy.
"You have already kept me awake this long." I massage the temple of my head with my thumb to ease my impending headache. "If we are going to talk, I am going to need us to be anywhere but this hallway, respectfully, a place with a blanket. I am cold and tired."
"We could go to my room." He hesitantly recommends, though I am not sure why.
"Wouldn't Omar be asleep?"
"No."
"No? What do you mean, no? Does he ever rest?"
"He does," Tortuga responds.
"Oh, he's also a night owl?"
"No, Estrella, He's asleep but not in my room….I ended up getting my own…"
"Oh," I say at first. Then it sank in. "Ohhhhhh."
"Yeah…I couldn't last another night with his snores, and he wanted his own room anyway, so I paid for both of us to get separate rooms." He avoids making eye contact. "There are plenty of blankets, I can order us food, and also, if you need to sleep over so as not to wake up Delaware, you can. I would take the couch, of course."
"Your room has a couch?"
"My room is essentially a small apartment."
My jaw drops open.
"You're kidding."
"Nope," he shakes his head and shows me pictures of his room on his phone.
I admit, I was vaguely jealous of the luxury.
"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's not waste any more time." I say, and the two of us head inside the elevator.
I turn the screen on my phone once more and text Delaware:
Hey, I'll be sleeping over Leonardo's (Not in that way). I'll see you in the morning. Let me know if you need anything. - Stephanie
I don't expect her to reply, but to my surprise, she does.
Will do. Hope you have a good night. She first sent, though I kept my eye on my screen as I watched the three loading dots appear and disappear. It made me curious about what she was trying to type.
As the elevator doors open, the phone lights up, and lo and behold was her final message. A warning, if you will.
And don't forget, try not to let Hollywood get into your head. Be careful. -Delaware
Another reminder to not let myself in too deep.
Though I am starting to think that perhaps it is too late for me.