Chapter 141 - Eyes That Saw Too Much

All Dominik felt was a surprise so great that he had no way of reacting.

What's happening? What…?

Scarlett moved away from him a few centimeters. Resigned. Disappointed. Sadly smiling. Only her hand rested against his chest, exactly where his heart pounded furiously.

"Too bad," she smiled wider and kissed him lightly on the lips. She took his arm again. "Are we going?"

He was too surprised to even speak. He picked up the umbrella and dusted it off. It wasn't filled with water, the rain had almost stopped, but for some reason holding it made him feel a little more confident. He did not understand what had just happened. Scarlett kissed him, it was true, but why did she do it? For what?

He glanced at her surreptitiously. She stared ahead silently. She was smiling, but it was the smile of the actress playing the role.

"Scarlett ..."

"I've wanted to do this since I met you," she confessed in a low, light tone. "It bothered me. I wondered what it would be like and couldn't wait any longer. I was hoping for something otherworldly, but you… don't get me wrong, you just… I don't attract you, do I?"

"Sorry."

"No, no," she laughed a little nervously, though she tried to seem natural.  "I should have expected, you and Andrzej ... But now I know for sure. You're not angry with me, are you?"

Now he smiled, pale and hesitant.

"Of course not. You just surprised me."

"At least I know now that I have nothing to hope for an affair. And we can treat this kiss as a dress rehearsal before filming. If I remember correctly, we have two pretty romantic scenes there."

"Yes, two," he admitted automatically.

The actress spoke, pretending that nothing had happened and holding his arm, Dominik felt stranger and stranger.

He knew women didn't act on him. It is true that he was not afraid of them as he used to (he used to be afraid of almost everyone, not only women), but he still could not feel anything more than sympathy for them. They just didn't get any stronger reactions from him. He couldn't quite explain why this was happening. They didn't turn him on and that's it. They, however, seemed to be very interested in him. Just like Scarlett. The actress had certain expectations, certain hopes for him, and he turned out to be a disappointment. She pretended everything was fine, but it wasn't. He could feel it. He hurt her, just like he did to Maciej Werner.

"I'm sorry, really," he said sadly.

"No, Dominik, you didn't do anything wrong. After all, I knew who you were dating. Do not worry about it. It will pass in a moment, and actually ... Actually, I want to tease you" she laughed, sincerely now. "My God, you are so cute! You blushed!" She squeaked delightedly.

"Not at all," Dominik said, feeling his cheeks burn.

"Of course!"

"If anything, it is from the cold."

"Dominik Slyvinsky blushes on a walk with a woman!"

"It's from the rain!" he said. He was blushing even more, he knew it, but his companion's slight laughter made him relax. She teased him, it was obvious, but he too felt like teasing her. "You're making me wander around town in such a slush," he said gently reproachfully. "I'll catch a cold and there will be nothing from the movie."

"Oooooh…" She put her mouth into a chunk. "Such a big boy, and he will have a runny nose. Poor thing."

"You will be the poor thing if I infect you with this cold. You will run out of salary for tissues."

"How are you going to infect me, huh?"

"Believe me, we Poles are an inventive nation. For sure something will come up..."

It's strange, but it was enjoyable to talk to. It was the first time Dominik had talked to a woman in this way. Slightly. Merrily. Without fear that he would reveal his secret to her, or that she would want something from him. Scarlett Yang knew he was gay and that he had a partner. She also knew that for that very reason she would not get him, and it looked as though she had accepted her fate. The fact that she kissed him now and nothing sparked between them turned out to be good because she didn't have to wonder if she could seduce him and he would start trying as his other screen partners did. He will no longer have to watch over her so as not to give her false hopes. Everything was cleared up at the beginning, so there were no more understatements and they could really become friends.

Dominik smiled at the mere thought. Eventually his world began to expand. He was no longer limited to just one man holding him in a golden cage.

It's all thanks to Andrzej. It was he who made Dominik open to others. It's amazing how one person can change the whole world.

***

Andrzej sneezed.

"Bless you," his assistant called to him. The girl worked in the company longer than him, but only this week she was assigned to him. She graduated with honors from the Academy of Fine Arts and had a real artistic sense. Nowicki, who saw her works, decided that she could exhibit them in galleries. He wondered why someone so talented ended up assistant to someone like him.

"Thank you," he said, and sneezed again.

"Cold?" She asked. "This is the third time today."

"I hope not," he replied. He didn't usually catch colds, but the bland weather seemed to reveal all the nests of bacteria. On top of that, he was dressed a little too lightly, and he felt it blowing through him. Well, but he did not expect that today the boss will send him to look for locations for the next photo campaign.

It was gray, rainy and ugly, but the client asked for a model in the pre-Christmas scenery of Warsaw. The fever and joy of pre-holiday shopping. The contract came suddenly and its execution was urgent, so the agency had no time to waste. Andrzej just shook his head, grabbed his jacket and his new assistant, and ran with her to a nearby tram stop.

They had been driving this way for an hour, changing only the trams. Nowicki looked out the window and when he noticed an interesting place, he ordered Sylwia to write it down, or he would jump out with her at the next stop to take a closer look at it. Since the whole action was created very spontaneously, they did not have an umbrella with them or time to buy it. And jumping out of a warm tram into the cold rain did not help their organisms.

"Aren't you cold?" He asked his assistant.

"No. I have a good hooded jacket."

"And the legs? Don't you hurt in these shoes?"

"No. Thanks for asking. They may not look, but they are very comfortable."

"Good, because we still have to see a few places."

Andrzej did not want to photograph in very recognizable places. He was looking for something less known, but endowed with a specific atmosphere. Something that will tell you what the Warsaw of the people living here really is. Ordinary, everyday, and yet very special in this pre-Christmas period.

"Wow, is that Scarlett Yang?"

"What?" Andrzej turned in the direction in which Sylvia was looking.

"There, on the sidewalk ..."

The tram was slowing down at the traffic lights. Andrzej couldn't see the woman's face, but her silhouette was very familiar. So did the silhouette of a man with whom she had just been bonded by a long kiss.

Nowicki felt ice in his heart.

He couldn't see their faces, but he knew. That hazelnut hair, that slim figure, he would recognize anywhere. Dominik was kissing Scarlett Yang on the sidewalk.

The kiss was over. The tram sped up. Andrzej saw the actress put her arm around Dominik and move on. Like a bad old melodrama from across the Atlantic.

Sylwia was silent looking at her notebook. Nowicki noticed how embarrassed she was. Why? Did she know about him and Dominik? Or was it just gossip?

"Just two more places," Andrzej said in a calm voice. "I think we already have some good ones, but I wouldn't forgive myself if I didn't check the others. They're next to each other so it won't be long."

"All right," she confirmed quietly.

No, it's not all right. She couldn't look at him and he ... He wanted to get off the tram and scream. Just scream like that. And howl.

"Tomorrow we will try to make some session plan. Find out which models we will be able to use this week. And check the weather forecasts. Maybe it will start to snow eventually."

"I heard the frosts are coming tomorrow," she looked up at him.

"Shit. This is what I still miss, the girls to start breaking their legs on the sidewalks. Have you heard about snow?

"Until the end of the week - nothing. Then it is very fleeting and it is supposed to warm up again."

"Tomorrow we will determine whether it should be festive or realistic."

"It's nicer with snow."

"But if the weather is like this until Christmas, photos with artificial snow will look fake."

"You're right," she smiled.

"Of course I am," he muttered. He turned his face towards the window.

He realized that he was hot. He unbuttoned his jacket.

The tram jerked along the tracks. It was that old, rickety, noisy model. Warsaw was eluding him, more intersections, more streets. Andrzej did not see the buildings, cars and street lamps he passed. There was only one thing in his mind: Dominik kissing Scarlett.

End of Volume 4

Volume 5 starts at the same time tomorrow.