Behind the Time - Herophine

8

JOSEPHINE

I couldn't stop laughing! I finally got to talk to Hero since he arrived in Africa, three days without contact, seeing my Brit was the best thing I could ask for on Halloween. 

Yes! While I was waiting for my friends to get ready to go to a little Halloween party in L.A, to have a little fun before the new things happens in my life, Hero video calls me.

He was handsome, with a little beard and mustache showing on his face, he was stronger, and his expression was one of fear, and then, as soon as he sees me, he points the camera at a big spider that was on his wall, he was yelling with a friend who was just as scared as he was. I couldn't stop laughing at all these things.

"Hero what is this?!"

And he couldn't stop laughing.

"I'll talk to you Jô! Just let me decide what we're going to do!"

Since he arrived in Africa, the only information I had of him came from fans, who followed the entire cast of the movie on social media. They tagged me in posts, and I always knew when they posted something new about Hero.

It was usually photos and videos of the different animals they found in Africa. It was funny to see how normal it is to wake up and find a little deer walking around.

The video call was crashing a lot, but it was good to see him again, even if in such a short time, and in such a desperate way. He turned the camera on him and caught a smile. The call hangs up.A notification appears on my phone screen:

"You look beautiful, my little vampire!"

He must have run out of signal. I thought.

"I'm not a vampire! I'm a bloodthirsty witch! But thank you! You are handsome, I wanted to see you more... Without fear of a spider!"

"Did you see how big that thing was? It was huge!"

"I saw!"

"How I missed you!"

"And I miss you! Are you going to the gym?"

"Josephine Langford, are you trying to have phone sex with me dressed as a vampire?"

"haha no, you silly! I miss you sooooooo much!"

"I'm missing you so much!"

I remembered our last Halloween together in Bulgaria, when the cast of After dressed up in costumes available from our production. I made a lot of suspense for everyone, and no one expected me to show up in a big pink pig costume. Not even Hero expected that, he was handsome as a British mobster. Our fans even made montages of us as the farmer and the pig... Chance, one of the actors in the movie and our friend, showed us all the montages with our faces.

Today I'm in Los Angeles, with my friends, away from the guy I love and I know I have very strong feelings for him, but he's even further away than usual, shooting with one of the actresses that I would love to act with, and I couldn't be happier for him. Hero had stopped answering me... Maybe he lost the signal again. My friends finally appear in the room, snapping me out of all the thoughts running through my mind.

"Are you ready Jô?"

"For sure!"

NOVEMBER

Hero was enjoying his first day of shooting in Africa, with none other than Viola Davis. We didn't speak after Halloween night, I know he must be in a hurry with rehearsals and training for the movie, I don't want to be boring. In the meantime, I practice my lines for the Great Gatsby project, which I'm going to be a part of, with other great actors.

My agent sends me a message with good news! A new movie, with a new cast, and I was already looking forward to what would happen to me!

It's amazing how things happens, everything has its time, everything seems written to happen in a certain way. Hero's birthday has arrived, and once again he will spend his day shooting. I knew he wouldn't be able to answer me once I texted him.

The fans made videos for my Brit on his special day. Our friends, producers... I just wanted to spend this day with him... Like the last year... And like the year before that...

It was almost dusk when my phone rang and it was him calling me, I answer it quickly.

"Hey beautiful!"

"Hey gorgeous! Happy birthday!"

"Thanks! I loved your message!"

I had sent him a birthday message like all the others, just showing a little more how much I miss him, how I wanted to be with him, but that I wanted him to be happy and to enjoy the most the experience he was living.

"I spoke to my parents, my brothers, the M-Boys..."

Hero had told me everything he had done on his special day. It was Saturday, the cast was off filming, so the production took them to an amazing home. Hero would show me the living room, the pool table, the outdoor area that overlooked a surreal view, the ping pong table.

"They sang happy birthday to me, we stayed together all day talking about this place! Jô, you have no idea how beautiful  is here!" Hero shows me the landscape once more. "The people here are very lively, very united and happy, nothing shakes anyone, I couldn't ask for anything better, Jô!"

I was very happy for him, felt his excitement.

"But if I could ask for one thing... One tiny little thing... I..."

"Here it comes! Hero Fiennes Tiffin is trying to have phone sex with me!"

"Josephine Langford, what a dirty mind! I was just saying I wish you were here with me!"

I can't control the smile, he's so cute, he's with a perfect cast, in a surreal place, but he still says these things...

"How do I get through this screen?" He smiles at what I had just said.

"Why did I think you'd say something like that?"

"Jo's stuff!"

"Jo's stuff! Love you!"

"I love you! Now go! Enjoy the rest of your day! Have fun with your friends... I'm so happy for you Hero. Happy and proud!"

We looked at each other smiling, we didn't even blink, seconds and more seconds passed and we stayed there... Until we ended the call.

Days passed, during the time they were in the big house, Hero had signal to talk more, and we spent days exchanging photos and videos, telling each other everything we were doing.

Hero was getting stronger. He sent me training videos he did with Jordan, one of the actors in the movie, they were very close, he told me he felt Jordan was one of his friends from London. And I thought funny because the two were so close, even the way they dressed, they looked like the same person. Hero has this facility to feel close to people, especially if match them ideals.

"Hey!"

"Hey Hero!"

"We finally got to communicate! After days, right!"

"Truth! "

"I tried to keep track of some things from your project, did everything go well?"

"Yes, it was amazing! I never imagined being part of the Great Gatsby, I was very happy to live that. But what about you? Have you already left the super house?"

"Yes... I shooted with your idol these days... We have no signal, we almost don't pick up our cell phone... It's even been good to spend this time away from electronics, and get further away from this virtual madness.

I was reflecting on what Hero was saying. He was different, I felt a little distant, which is funny since he's on another continent, but at the same time... He was different.... I didn't know why.

"But I didn't want to be away from you..."

I give him a small smile, and look at him, how I miss him.

"We celebrated Jordan's birthday! Jordan! Come here and meet my..."

I looked at Hero with wide eyes and he immediately understood what I meant!

"My FRIEND, Jô!"

"Friend..." Jordan appears making the expression that we're both tired of receiving... "Hey Jô!"

"Hey Jordan!!! Nice to meet you! How are you?"

"Enjoying sooooooo much with your FRIEND, here!" Jordan hugs Hero and they keep looking at me. I am even happier to know that Hero is not alone, and that he made such a good friend for him...

"Baby and..."

We widen our eyes, Hero just made it crystal clear what we have, and soon the famous smirk appears on Jordan's face again.

"Jô... My FRIEND..."

"I know..." Now beyond the smile, Jordan squinted at me and Hero, understanding what we'd tried to hide in a few seconds of conversation.

"Say, FRIEND Hero, what are you want to know..."

"Tell me your news! How are things there?"

I wanted to say that I'm already on a new project, a movie with very good actors... But I didn't want to waste time talking about me, I wanted to know more about them and everything that happened there.

"Normal, nothing new, just photos and some conversations with my agent... As soon as I find out something, I'll let you know..." Liar.


More days passed, several photos of Hero with fans were released, I smiled at each one that appeared to me. We were out of communication again, Hero had warned me that he was going to spend a few days away from any kind of civilization.

My official Instagram exists just to promote some of my work, or to get in touch with some producers... I have another account on this app, an anonymous one, with lots of pictures of cats, who follow my closest friends and some pages about us. On this Instagram I get to know what really happens to everyone in the cast of After and the other movies I've done. I see comments about casting and production, things that we often have no idea that happen, but the fans do.

The day of the Great Gatsby Project finally arrives, and in addition to it, I and other actors and models did an amazing shoot for Dolce Gabbana, also with the Great Gatsby theme. It couldn't be more wonderful, the cast, the rehearsals, everything, we helped each other out a lot, and that made it all the more special! I enjoyed every second in front of the cameras again. And I couldn't wait for the next jobs to come...