Behind The Limelight 10: The Nobel Peace Prize Goes To…

“Oh please, pray tell, what exactly am I wrong about?” Ashton asked.

“Nothing,” Ryker said after a long pause. “Nevermind.”

“Seriously?” Ashton scoffed. “What did you say to me earlier? What was it? Cat got your tongue?”

“Just leave it, Ash,” Ryker muttered, his grip on the steering wheel tightened, as his gaze remained fixed on the road.

“For someone that always bugs me to talk to them, you never quite say what’s on your mind,” Ashton said with an eye roll. “It’s getting exhausting, you know? Either say what you want or leave me alone in peace.”

“Guess I’ll just leave you alone then,” Ryker retorted.

Ashton turned to face Ryker, raising a questioning brow but Ryker wasn’t looking at him. Ashton really was tired of the other man constantly telling him how wrong he was about stuff, but then not explaining any further. Ashton couldn’t help but wonder what he was misinterpreting, though no matter how much he tried, nothing came to mind.

To him, everything was crystal clear. He hated Ryker, and Ryker hated him. Sure, they used to be the best of friends years ago, but that was a long time back. They had both changed since then, and so did their circumstances. Now they were nothing more than rival actors that were forced to work together.

Absolutely nothing more.

The car ride after their little argument was painful, to say the least. Neither of them spoke a single word, all Ryker did was stare ahead at the road, and Ashton counted the passing cars until he grew bored. It was even more frustrating when they got stuck in traffic, there was nothing that Ashton could do to distract himself. Even his phone was at one percent.

At moments like these, it seemed like a blessing that Ashton had spent most of his childhood alone. He was comfortable with his own company, always lost in his head. But with Ryker right next to him…all of his thoughts kept drifting to the other man.

He kept thinking about what it was that he was wrong about. What was the misunderstanding that Ryker kept insisting on. Ashton was absolutely clueless. Could there possibly be any other reason for Ryker’s actions than him just wanting to be an asshole to Ashton? Was there something that Ashton was perhaps missing?

Ashton sighed audibly, his tiredness evident. He was stupid to accept Ryker’s offer, he could’ve just taken a power nap in his trailer instead.

“How much longer?” Ashton finally asked. He tried to look it up on his phone before speaking up, but his battery died on him as soon as opened the maps app.

Just his luck.

“Twenty minutes, give or take,” Ryker answered.

“Damnit,” Ashton groaned. Twenty more minutes of being stuck with Ryker? As if the twelve hour work day wasn’t enough already.

“Don’t worry, the torture will be over and you will be in your comfortable little bed with silk sheets soon,” Ryker said.

“Not soon enough,” Ashton muttered. Ryker said nothing, his expression blank, though there was a tinge of hurt there that Ashton did not seem to notice. “God, when will these fucking cars move?”

“It’s called a traffic jam,” Ryker spoke. “It’s when cars stop or move very slowly.”

“Oh wow, thank you so much dude,” Ashton retorted sarcastically. “I had no idea!”

“You don’t always have to respond with sass, you know?”

Ashton wanted to laugh at Ryker’s audacity to say that when he was the one that started it. All Ashton wanted to know was when he would get home.

“It’s hard not to when you keep saying dumb shit,” Ashton shrugged lightly.

“I’ll try to match your level of intelligence,” Ryker paused. “Might have to drop my IQ quite a bit for that, but I’ll give it my best shot, I swear.”

“Ha ha,” Ashton deadpanned. “You’re so funny. Abso-fucking-lutely hilarious. I’m crapping my pants with laughter, can’t you tell? Have you ever thought of leaving your acting career behind to become a stand up comedian instead?”

“I did, actually. But I don’t think the world is ready for my humor just yet,” Ryker replied. “Maybe in the future, who knows.”

“True, I totally get that,” Ashton nodded with a serious look on his face, one that was clearly fake. “I don’t think anybody can ever be ready for your type of humor. It’s too much for the general public. Maybe you should just keep it to yourself in this case.”

“How would I make you crap your pants with laughter then?”

“Ah, it’s okay. I’m ready to suffer for the good of others,” Ashton said.

“Wow, what an upstanding citizen. Fuck getting an Oscar, you should be nominated for the Nobel peace prize instead,” Ryker spoke with a tight lipped smile.

“I know, right?” Ashton hummed. “But that’s fine. I don’t need recognition for my good deeds.”

“The hero nobody knows they need,” Ryker added. “Your parents would be so proud.”

“Yeah, right,” Ashton scoffed. “You know that’s never happening.”

“They still the same?” Ryker asked, the conversation turning serious all of a sudden.

“Never changed. I doubt they ever will,” Ashton answered. “You know how they are.”

“I do,” Ryker muttered. “I ran into your mom a while back.”

“You did?” Ashton wasn’t aware of that. “When? Where?”

“Some charity event a couple months back,” Ryker recalled.

“What did she say?”

“Nothing much. We barely spoke for like ten minutes,” Ryker replied. “She asked why I took time off acting. And what my plans are for the future and all that bullshit.”

“Why did you?” Ashton questioned. Ryker glanced at him briefly, conveying his confusion with his expression, making Ashton clarify further. “Take time off, I mean. From acting.”

“Oh,” Ryker paused for a moment to think before continuing. “I just needed a break. The industry can be overwhelming.”

“Tell me about it,” Ashton mumbled. “I’d kill for a break.”

“You can always take one,” Ryker said.

“Not really,” Ashton sighed. “You’re lucky you left on a high note. Everything was in place for you when you got back. If I take a break now… considering how my career is already going, everyone’s gonna forget about me. I can’t afford not being in the limelight.”

“I see,” Ryker frowned slightly. “Well, breaks are overrated anyway. Trust me, I missed being on set and working so much. There were times I wanted to just come back and act like I never left in the first place.”

“You’re just saying that to make me feel better,” Ashton grunted, before realizing what he had said. Why the hell would Ryker say anything to make him feel better? It’s not like the other man gave a single shit about how Ashton felt.

He was probably just pitying Ashton. From the way he spoke about his stories from India earlier, it was clear that he enjoyed his break thoroughly. Who wouldn’t?

“I’m not,” Ryker replied.

“Uh huh,” Ashton didn’t want to talk about it any longer. He didn’t want Ryker’s fake pity. “How are your parents? I haven’t seen them in… Jesus, I can’t even recall how long.”

“They’re good, still living in the same house,” Ryker said. “My sister’s engaged.”

“She is?” Ashton rose his brows in surprise. “That’s great! Who’s the guy? When’s the wedding? Damn, I miss Abi. Remember how she used to sneak in snacks for us at night when we were kids? And that time she covered for us when we got super drunk at your aunt’s barbeque?”

“I remember,” Ryker smiled. “She met her fiancé at work a couple years back. He’s a decent guy. The wedding is next June.”

“Good for her,” Ashton nodded. “I hope he treats her right. Actually, he better treat her right. She still working in finance?”

“Yep,” Ryker continued. “If he doesn’t then he knows I’ll skin him alive.”

“I’ll join,” Ashton encouraged. “She deserves nothing but the best.”

“She does.”

The conversation died after that as the traffic jam started clearly and Ryker resumed driving. Time didn’t feel as slow anymore, and before Ashton knew it, Ryker was pulling into the gate of his mansion.

As Ryker stopped the car, Ashton began to grow nervous. He didn’t know what to say. Of course, he should’ve thanked the other man for the ride and for helping him out, he would’ve done that had it been anyone else in the entire world. But his ego quite wouldn’t allow him to say those words to Ryker.

“Uh-“

“I’ll see you tomorrow,” Ryker interrupted before Ashton could even say a word. “Have a good night.”

“Yeah,” Ashton nodded. “Goodnight.”

Ashton got out of the car after that, rushing towards his front door and not even turning back once to look at his fellow actor. He couldn’t. Their conversation was playing in his head, and it was hard for him to contemplate that he managed to talk to the other man without either of them snapping at one another or being passive aggressive.

They actually had a proper, decent conversation. Like two adults that did not despise each other’s guts. Not only that, Ashton sort of opened up to him too. Ashton cringed internally as his housekeeper opened the door, letting him in. He made his way to his room, all the while thinking about Ryker.

It was past midnight and he desperately needed sleep to recharge himself for the next day. He had work, for fuck’s sake. And he was exhausted, both physically and mentally. But even in bed and despite his tiredness, it seemed like his mind just wouldn’t stop revolving around a particular dark haired man.

He wasn’t just thinking of their time together in the car, but also of other things that Ryker had said.

‘I’m a sucker for blue eyes.’

***

if you’ve read my other books, you know i absolutely love writing banter

would love to hear what you think of the book so far! about the plot, characters etc.