Collided Fate

"If there is a next life, remember not to ever try crossing my path. There's only one ending for anyone who does; death! I always get what I want!"

The malicious words coming from the mouth of the gorgeous-looking face that hovered above Lisa's generated shivers down her spine, even in the freezing water. Those piercing blue eyes were watching Lisa drown at this moment, joyfully too, and this utterly crushed her heart. This was someone Lisa had thought to be her best friend for the past couple of years.

Lisa wanted to challenge Ruby, to ask her why she was doing this. She wished she had the strength to fight off the paralyzing effect of the drug, to leap out of the water and look Ruby straight in the face. To shake her best friend-or was it her 'best enemy' now- vigorously to confirm if she was under a spell. But she couldn't. Helplessly, Lisa struggled furtively to stay afloat, but her body felt like it weighed a thousand pounds. Her figure slowly submerged in the water.

Lisa gasped for air but ended up gulping salty water instead. SHE COULDN'T BREATHE! Her legs kicked furtively in the pool, trying to propel her body back to the surface. But alas, Lisa had no strength left. As water rushed into her nostrils, Lisa could hear a demonic cackle ringing in her ears.

...

Luna's eyes fluttered open as she abruptly awakened from the nightmare, breathing heavily. It took a couple of seconds before she could regain her bearing, after which she heaved a sigh of relief. She relaxed her hands which were balled into fists as they gripped the bedsheets. They were soaking wet with sweat.

Luna gingerly got out of bed, slipped into her fluffy-bunny slippers and turned on the bedside lamp, feeling a sense of security as the orange glow lit the room.

A glance at the clock revealed that it was 3AM. The silence in the room was stifling, and Luna's wandering thoughts did not make her feel any better. She made to leave the room, stopping halfway through the door as she caught a reflection of herself in the mirror on the wall.

Even now, Luna was still awed by her beauty. The cute panda pajamas she wore that added a cheesy aesthetic to her appearance did not hamper her angelic features at all. Luna took in the view; her long, chestnut-coloured hair that reached up to her waist, her pale delicate skin, her rosy lips, and those pointy ears that resembled the elves depicted in cartoons. But it was Luna's eyes that caught her attention, those beautiful green eyes that were clouded with unknown worry. She looked troubled. And Luna was, indeed.

Luna turned away from the mirror, leaving the room. She didn't want to think anymore. It made her head hurt.

******

Tyler took in Luna's appearance as she entered the kitchen.

Luna did not notice Tyler, her attention captured instead by the plate of omelettes, brown bread, and tea-all on a tray that sat atop the kitchen table. The steam from the tea and eggs suggested that they were prepared not long ago. For a moment, Tyler observed Luna as she cocked her head, her lips set in a pout. Luna seemed to be questioning why there would be fresh food on the kitchen table by this time of the morning. It was too early for the cooks to have made breakfast.

Involuntarily, Luna took a whiff and realized she was hungry. Her stomach rumbled audibly, and she heard a snicker. Luna turned to see Tyler smirking as their eyes met. She blushed.

A part of Tyler's heart warmed at the childlike innocence of Luna's embarrassment.

"Why're you up so late, and cooking too?" Luna asked.

"I only made enough for one person, but I could conjure another. "Would you like some?" Tyler offered, eyeing her surreptitiously. Luna looked like she would refuse, but eventually nodded.

Tyler shooed Luna to a chair and got to work. In less than fifteen minutes, he placed another plate of food in front of her.

"I look extra charming when I cook, uhn?" Tyler teased, flashing his signature smirk.

Luna scuffed, "Extra delusional is more like it. Was that what the extra smirks were for, the ones you threw at me while you were flipping the pan? To showcase your charm?"

Tyler studied Luna for a moment, saying nothing. She raised a questioning brow.

"Something is on your mind. Do you wanna talk about it?"

Luna forgot how perceptive Tyler could be, "It's nothing."

"A nightmare?" Tyler guessed. "You couldn't sleep well? What is it, Luna? C'mon, hit me."

Luna looked at Tyler straight in the face, "I'm fine, Tyler. I guess I'm just a bit stressed out about tomorrow's-today's shoot."

The look Tyler gave Luna conveyed plainly that he did not believe a word she said. But he did not pursue it.

"Well, you have nothing to worry about. The cast and the crew are going to love you. YOU ARE PERFECT," the final words were spoken very firmly.

Luna chuckled fondly. Tyler was such a nice guy.

"I got to use the loo," Tyler got up and left the kitchen, leaving Luna alone with her thoughts.

Events from that fated night, the one from five years ago that marked her death as Lisa-and resurrection as Luna-streamed into her mind.

Luna remembered how desperate she had felt while drowning, knowing that Damian was right inside the villa and would come out to meet her bloated corpse.

She couldn't use Tyler, no. She had thought she'd be able to, to be the heartless person she had resolved to be. But, these six months, Luna had gotten to know Tyler-His charm, empathy, and healthy narcissism. Tyler was not his sister. She couldn't hurt him. But his sister-that bitch who so happily watched her die- Luna wanted to hurt her. But even more, Luna wanted to cross Ruby's path and let her know how it felt like to be second best. That would hurt Ruby the most. And this shoot that would start in a few hours, this would mark the very beginning of Luna's plan.

Her plan to doom Ruby to hell.

The reporters pranced into action when the major movie star, Damian Stone, left his house and came into view.

Their cameras at the ready, they clicked on the shutter buttons repeatedly, skillfully taking as many shots as possible.

Damian frowned as the sight of them. They were always present, lurking at every corner of the public to take his pictures like he was an exotic specie. It felt predatory. He felt like a prey; he was probably akin to dessert to be served in the magazine columns by tomorrow at most.

For a second, Damian considered going back inside the house. These pests dared not encroach, or he would serve them legal charges of private property invasion. But Damian was already late for the shoot, and it wasn't worth it to cower just because of these people.

Damian quickly manoeuvered his way to his black limousine and entered, gearing the engine into action. One of the photo journalists caught Damian's attention-blond, tanned, his face now stubbled, some gray in the mix. Damian recognized him from years back, when he had looked way younger. It was this same man that took THAT shot. The one that made the front pages of all the major headlines the next day after...well. Not that Damian had an aversion to being in the limelight or something, being used to it as one of the quirks of stardom, but this one was particularly painful. It was a shot of himself when he had been most vulnerable, grieving after that unfortunate incident-the death of his girlfriend, Lisa.

Damian drove on, allowing himself think of Lisa, just this time. He had tried so hard to forget her when the pain had been too much, almost unbearable back then. And although it took time, Damian did. He hadn't thought of Lisa in three years. He had picked himself up, finding solace in work, and in his new girlfriend- now fiancée, Ruby.

Just as Damian was thinking, the phone rang, the caller ID displaying that it was Ruby.

"Hey, babe. Are you home?" Ruby's voice wafted through the soundpiece. Ever since they had grown to their present relationship, hearing her voice always uplifted Damian's mood. Just like Lisa's had, once upon a time.

"Hey," Damian answered. "I'm on my way to the movie shoot."

"Oh my God, it's today?" Ruby exclaimed. "I was going to be there, for you."

"I think I'd do just fine. You don't have to come as moral support every time, you know."

"I know, but I've always come to set with you since....." Ruby didn't finish the sentence. Damian knew that talking about Lisa made Ruby close to tears, so he hurriedly changed the topic.

"Well, you know the crew and the cast would miss you if you left your own movie set. You are afterall the star. My shining star."

That obviously brightened Ruby's mood as she laughed, a soft tinkering sound that sounded like jingle bells.

"You are so sweet, babe." There were sounds of production in the background.

"I have to hang up now. Maybe if I finish fast enough, I'll drop by your set to watch you act."

"Maybe you will. And certainly, we must go out tonight."

"La Creme?" She asked. They made the best hot buns and creamed coffee.

"Late night coffee?" Damian laughed. "Your caffeine addiction's going to kill you some day, babe."

"I know, I just can't help it," Ruby chuckled, then abruptly changed the topic. "By the way, it's a romance movie, right?"

"Yeah, it is."

"And who's the female lead? Someone I know?"

Damien could smell the possessiveness in Ruby's voice through the phone, "A newbie. Some girl with talent, apparently. What, you jealous?" He teased.

Ruby coughed, "I trust you enough, darling. I just don't know if I trust those ladies. Who knows, they might try to snag you up. You're the ideal catch."

Damian knew Ruby was like this. In fact, for the past two years they'd been dating, she always found a way to be on set with him, serving as a deterrent to her 'would-be competitors.' Damian did not find it upsetting. If anything, it was rather cute.

"I don't think you have to worry about this one. It was your brother-Tyler-that brought her in."

"Tyler?" Ruby's brother was the Director of the movie set Damian was acting in.

"Yeah. He found her on one of his exotic trips and found a way to push for a role of her as the female lead. And from the way he was persistent about it, I suspect he has a thing for her. Probably smitten."

"Oh, classic Tyler," Ruby groaned. "Poor girl."

Damian tsked, "I know what you're insinuating, but we don't know about that. This lady did pass all the screen tests, so she must be good." He had already arrived and could see the production crew setting up the location. "Gotta go now."

"Alright, love you."

"And you." The call ended with a click sound.

"Mr. Damian, sir," Even before Damian could get out of the car, there was already someone hovering about him, fawning subserviently. Irritated, he locked the door and ignored the person just as Tyler Flint came into view.

Damian did not like Tyler at all. Something about him rubbed him off the wrong way.

Maybe it was that lazy charm Tyler exuded that screamed he did not bloody care what anyone thought about him. Or the arrogant smirk that seemed to be screaming, 'Worship me. Love me." Regardless, Damian only wanted a professional relationship with the fella, nothing more.

"Damian," Tyler smirked when he saw Damian and gestured for him to come forward. "You are three minutes late, how characteristic of you."

Damian scuffed. He had had the unfortunate misfortune of working with this snub multiple times now, and it was always this same irritating attitude.

"I had no idea timekeeping was part of your job? Do you get paid for that as well?"

"Well, I don't. But it is my business when the star of my production is late."

"Well, I'm here now. Better late than sorry. And it was just three damn minutes. Shall we start?"

Behind Tyler, someone opened the door of the makeshift cabin. Involuntarily, Damian's gaze shifted to the petite girl at the entrance, and time froze.

The atmosphere seemed to have come to a standstill.

Luna thought she had already mentally prepared herself enough for this moment, but seeing Damian again brought back feelings she couldn't control.

Good Lord, Damian thought. What was it with the intense grief in her eyes? Indeed, the script had an element of sadness to it, but wasn't this girl too much in character already?

"Method actor?" Damian asked. That was the only plausible explanation he could think of.

Tyler chuckled as he saw Luna.

"This is Luna. Actually, she wrote the script and is the executive producer of this movie."

Damian took a double take. He had been under the impression all along that Luna was just an actress that had managed to coax the Director into giving her a lead in this movie. It hadn't occurred to him that she was actually the one behind the movie in the first place, pumping in all the cash and all. But Luna honestly looked too young to have the money for this kind of production.

"Ehm ehm," Damian coughed. "Nice to meet you, Miss. I'm Damian."

"Oh please, just call me Luna. I'm a big fan of yours," Luna smiled.

She seems to have dropped the method acting, Damian thought.

Tyler cut in, "Actually, she is. Luna specifically insisted that she wanted you to play the part of Cory in the movie, despite the high quality actors that would be more suitable for the role. Beats me," he gave a wry smirk.

Damian ignored the asshole, looking instead at the young lady.

"Can I ask why you're making this movie and playing the female lead, Ruby, at the same time? Are you trying to venture into acting, and you wish to use this production as a springboard to launch you into the limelight?"

Luna breezed past Tyler, handing him a cup of cappuccino as she sat. With the fake flowers by the side, she looked fresh, like summer breeze.

"Well, you wouldn't believe me if I told you the real reason."

"Well, try me."

Luna studied him before speaking, "To me, this script.....is more than just an regular play to be adapted into an amazing movie, drawing in a huge chunk of profit.

No, to me, it's way more personal. And that's why I feel only I can play the part of the heroine-Ruby."

"It's her story, and only you-the writer-can play it best?" Damian summarized.

"Luna's too much of an empath. Always connecting too deeply to things. Even her own script, ha ha," Tyler joked.

That explains the method acting then, Damian thought. He had met many 'freaks' in his acting journey, so this wasn't new.

"Have you ever acted before?" Damian asked the question on his mind, giving in to the curious urge. It was unlike him; usually, he wouldn't bother asking no matter how curious he was. But there just was something about this lady that made him want to know why she was so....... convincing in her act just now. The emotions Luna displayed felt too real, it could only be befitting of a top actress in the acting industry.

Luna smiled and said nothing. A crew member whispered something to Tyler's ears and he got up from his seat abruptly.

"Buckle up, fellas. It's show time."

****

Lights.

Camera.

Action.

****

Ruby's sitting on a chair, away from the set. She looks lost, staring blankly at the distance. Enters Cory.

Cory pulls a seat right beside her, jolting Ruby from her trance. She looks startled. She turns to look at Cory, and he catches the melancholy in her eyes.

"Hey, can I ask you a question?" Cory asks softly.

Ruby looks like she doesn't want to talk, but nods anyways, "Sure, why not?"

"Why do you sometimes have that look on your face?"

"I don't understand. What look?"

"How should I put this....sometimes, you look as though you have a story."

Ruby heaves a sigh, "Everybody has a story, Cory. That's just how life works."

"I know. But not that, Ruby. There's just something about your story. It's right there in your eyes. The pain that can't be hidden, the sorrow that can't be faked."

Ruby looks away, "Do you think I need help?"

Cory reaches to take Ruby's hand, "I think you should try to talk to someone about it. A friend maybe. You could even talk to me."

Ruby looks back at Cory. He seems so concerned, genuinely. She debates within herself whether to go for the big reveal option right there. But Ruby involuntarily sees the diamond ring on Cory's finger and regains her composure. Married to that bitch! But Cory looks so happy. And his happiness is hers, in a sense.

"Ruby," Cory calls. Ruby doesn't reply. She has to be cold. She has to push him away. She cannot afford for him to get closer.

"I need to go get some coffee," Ruby jumps down from her seat. Cory does the same.

"You could just wait here, Ruby. I could bring back a cup for you."

Ruby's trying to get away from him, but Cory's just not getting the hint. He drives Ruby nuts, and he doesn't know it. Ruby tries to be as direct as possible.

"I need some me time, Cory. It's bad enough that we're stuck together on set, and now, you want to hover around me here?"

Cory is hurt. Ruby can tell by the instant hardening of his face. Her heart trembles; she wants nothing more than to grab him and tell him the whole truth. But she cannot. Will not. She watches Cory walk away.

Ruby is alone, there for a minute. She decides she wants that cup of coffee after all. She exits the scene.

****

"CUT."

The crew was clapping. The actress was just too dazzling. They could tell a star when they saw one, and this lady was one.

Damian was grinning happily when the camera stopped recording. He felt good; that euphoric pleasure that came from working with pure talent.

A crew member ran forward to give him a note. He opened it.

It was from Ruby.

"COULDN'T MAKE IT, BUT SENT SOMEONE TO BRING YOU THIS NOTE. SHOULD COUNT AS ME BEING PRESENT, RIGHT? ANYWAYS, DINNER. LA CREME. 7:30"