The director was shouting to be heard as he told the cinematographer to adjust the lighting on the set. Despite my disappointment that I’d have to distance myself from Amelia, I couldn't help catching the excitement of the first shoot. The set was a domestic scene. My character, Tabby, was supposed to be having dinner with her mother after coming back to her hometown to take over the family farm in the aftermath of her father’s death.
It took about an hour of telling camera and sound men where to stand and how to move before we were actually ready to do the scene that would only run about five minutes. It was crazy how much preparation had to go into every second of filming. Once everyone was finally in place, it took another three hours before the director felt he’d gotten the shots he needed.
I took a quick walk around the large room, stretching and searching for Amelia. I hadn’t seen her all morning. I guess she figured that since she wasn’t in the first scene, she didn’t have to be there first thing. But still, it made me uneasy.
“Jessica!” The director called me back to the set where I went through the next scene. Anxiety built inside me the whole time. What if Amelia was sick? What if something had happened to her? What if she—
> “Jess, I need you in this scene with me.” The director frowned as he called me out for being absent-minded.
“Sorry,” I said to him and everyone whose time I was wasting by not giving my best performance. My day had sure started with a lot of apologizing.
Eventually, we got through the scene. By now, I’d been on set for almost six hours and we only had two scenes done. But the first days were always rough as the camera crew got a feel for the director and the team learned to work together.
Finally, it was almost time for our first scene together, and I sent Amelia a text.
>Jessica: Where are you?
>Amelia: I’m right behind you.
I spun around, finally seeing her way in the back of the room, pretty much hidden by the swarm of extras. Had she been here all day? I looked down at what she was wearing. Maybe I’d missed her because she was in costume and looked so unlike herself.
There was something about the way Amelia dressed and presented herself that was unusually stiff for her age. Cardigans and suits. But now she wore a casual t-shirt and jeans, her normally gelled hair hanging loosely around her face. It made me smile, but then I heard Oliver’s voice in my head telling me not to fall for her. Geez, couldn’t I just smile at the girl?
She stepped forward to join me on the set and the crew swarmed around us. This scene was supposed to be the front of Jordan’s house. Cool blue lights shed a twilight glow over the veranda as I took my seat on the steps. My character, Tabby, had come to investigate the loner who’d moved into town during her absence.
“We’re rolling!” the director called out.
I sat, chin resting on my hand as I stared up at the make-believe stars. The screen door burst open behind me, actually jolting me even though I’d expected it.
“What’re you doing on my property?” she called out angrily.
“So this whole fancy place belongs to you?” I kept my gaze towards the sky.
“Yes. And you’re trespassing.”
“I’m not trespassing if you invited me in.” I stood and turned to her.
“Are you crazy?” She backed away from me. “I never invited you in.”
“Because I’ve been so rudely talking and haven’t given you the chance.” I pushed in past her and she seemed to jump out of my way like she was afraid of accidentally touching me.
As we went through the scene, I sensed something strange. There’s a chemistry when two people act together, and ours was off. Even though Amelia’s character was supposed to be angry in this scene, I felt something real underneath it. Something burning to come out of her. Was she mad at me for standing her up last night?
I tried to pull myself back into the scene. This was exactly why co-stars didn’t date. We couldn’t allow ourselves this kind of distraction. I closed off all my emotions towards Amelia as we redid the scene. Again. And again. The shoot was the longest of the day and by time we were finished, I was exhausted.
The filming wasn’t fun like rehearsals had been. The magic between me and Amelia had fizzled out. By the time we finished, I was sure she was mad at me. She didn’t say anything as she walked off the set.
The producer was watching the shots back on one of the cameras, a slight frown on his face. I was ruining this movie, I knew it. I couldn’t afford to mess up something so important.
I ran after Amelia. I wasn’t sure what I’d done, but I had to make it right.
I called after her as I watched her walking to her bus stop. I could tell by the way her shoulders tensed that she’d heard me, but she didn’t turn.
“Amelia!” I called out again.
She finally turned to me with a fiery glow in her eyes. “What do you want?”
I stopped in my tracks. “I, umm, just wanted to say I’m sorry for canceling on you last night.”