Lights, Cameras, Love

Chapter 7. | I'd Be The Man

Remember that off day I mentioned? Well that only lasted 1 pitiful day and it was not enough time for my physical state to be completely restored but as far as my hangover, I guess you could say it was gone now. Yesterday ended in phone calls with Amelia about an abrupt meeting that had been rumored to have something to do with the entire plot of the movie.

No one knows what they'll say but apparently, I have to defend myself or the movie I signed my name to on a piece of paper will be nothing that I legally signed up for. I could smell men being an issue here from a billion miles away, as the original author that made the book that we're adapting to a movie got tons of shit about the male in the book, being 'misunderstood' when he was being a complete dick head.

So here I am walking to that same room where eye contact determined my opinion on of course Apollo. I open the heavy door with my weak arm as I hold a bunch of different items such as files and my phone in my other arm as tightly as I can to make sure I don't drop them. I try to keep a confident face when I see the number of men overruling the females in the room. 2 to 6 I think to myself.

I walk to my seat and place myself gently into my seat, and in nearly seconds my eyes latch onto Apollo's holding them for a minute or so before turning my attention to my files. I lift each sheet of paper after the other catching only a glance of what is about to be told to the rest of the crew.

My eyes snap to the door when I hear the air being blown by the door. The co-director enters with a clean perfectly lint-rolled black suit, that is paired with some shoes I'm glad I'm not wearing. He has salt and pepper hair as well as a beard to go with it and suddenly I'm not so sure if this meeting is what I thought because surely a man in the wrong would be a bit less put together.

A few people clear their throats one after another as he plops down in the seat at the end of the table just to make us scared of him because he's in charge which you couldn't tell yet, didn't work on me. I shift in my seat to get comfortable for the chaos I'm about to cause this whole casting and crew in this room. The co-director finally speaks up "thank you all for attending today's unplanned meeting, I'm sure you all have things that concern you more than this" wow something true coming from a man, careful it's my first time.

"Let us make this quick" he says before continuing, is this what men think when they have sex? "The directing crew has concluded that we should change the amount of time the main male role will be getting, we believe the male character's script should be enhanced due to its deep and captivating storyline" I feel like we've gone several steps backward now.

I sigh loudly bringing attention to me now, I lean into the table now before speaking "Though your statement is beautifully approached I have to strongly disagree" everyone's eyes widen at me some with disgust and more with concern but the only other girl is looking at me in amazement like she could never see herself doing what I am, in other words risking a ton of fucking money.

"The male character is seen as very manipulative in multiple different scenes in the book as well as in the current script, not only does the plot was not written to revolve around a man but it shouldn't revolve around a man, especially after the whole story ends with a lesson for women."

My voice I strong, powerful, and confident in my decision. "Yes, the male character does struggle quite a bit but the story revolves around the victim more since there are more feelings there than some women might not know that they relate greatly to yet, so if you want to keep your best and most valued actor for this production you might want to keep the plot the same way every other female can find themselves in".

I grab my files and phone and jump up from my chair and walk away not looking behind at anyone or anything in that room because quite frankly it doesn't concern me today. I walk to my car and get in placing my phone in the cup holder and the files glove compartment, for now, I press start and take off. I desperately needed a break from all this filming and if we are thinking about changing the script that means we won't film for at least a week, the perfect amount of time to go on that vacation.

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I walk into the lobby and unintentionally walk to the bar to get a few drinks. Not enough to get wasted but just enough to fuzz up my mind which is perfect because I couldn't do much more thinking. I grab my phone and call up my mom to tell her the great news, the phone rings for a bit before I hear her speak "Honey, why are you calling so..." she tries to think of the word but I finish for her "Early, I know I'm usually busy right now but I don't have to work for a while which is actually why I'm calling".

I get straight to the point "I was wondering if we could take that trip together earlier?" I hear a disappointed sigh over the phone and my eyebrows furrow with confusion. "I would love to sweetheart but me and your father are both busy, I know that because we knew we wouldn't be available this week" her voice is low and a bit frantic which tells me she's working. "Oh" that's all I could manage to say back, I try to clear my thoughts before speaking.

"That's okay mom, I'll just go by myself and I'll bring some friends" I clear my throat "Okay honey, enjoy yourself" she speaks one last time and I hang up, the phone beeps for a while before I place on the table.
I check the ticking clock. It's only 2 pm, and I can't drive anywhere now so that means my big and overrated penthouse is all that's in store for me. I make my way to the elevator I nearly stumble but I take momentarily pause's to avoid the crushing humiliation of falling on my ass. I click the button and walk inside the elevator, but before the doors close someone runs inside. Apollo. What is he doing here?

The heavy doors shut on each other and now that means I'm in here until we get to the top of the building, and now the trip seems longer than it's ever felt before. I click the button leading up into the penthouse in no rush because I would love to know why he was standing in this elevator with me. I lean in the wall of the elevator, the cold metal touches my exposed thigh making me shiver just a bit. "Hey" Apollo's voice breaks the silence but I still don't spare him a glance.

"Hi" my voice is quiet and smaller than I was expecting but I continue anyway, trying not to break the character of this strong girl I've displayed. "What you did today was....." I finish for him "Ridiculous" I hear him scoff like nothing here was ridiculous but that answer. "No, I was gonna say cool as fuck" I finally turn my head to him, but he was already staring at me. "Thank you" that's all I can manage to say in his gaze, he parts his lips as if he was going to speak once more but the ding of the elevator cuts him off making his lips seal tightly together.

I walk out of the elevator and to my surprise, he follows me out. He catches up from the few feet that were once between us, coming so close by my side now he nearly hits my hip. I slow down taking each step less promptly than the other. He lets out a quiet sigh, so quiet I nearly didn't catch it "What's on your mind" I say still looking straight ahead.

"I think we should discuss my offer in somewhere that's not the middle of an open hallway where people could hear" I stop in my tracks and turn to him "Why is that?" my eyebrow raises. "Oh don't be so dirty minded this isn't fifty shades of grey" he shakes his head in disbelief that I would question him like that "Go to hell" I say continuing my walk to my door. "Considering the world's state, I would say we're already here" I roll my eyes even though he can't see it.

"Fine you can come inside, but no snooping or I'll come for you" I turn my head to glare at him "We good?". To my surprise, he smiles and nods, And by the time we finish going back and forth we're at my door. I just didn't think about what his offer would be until the last minute, and something tells me I'll regret this mistake.

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I honestly don't like writing this anymore but I wanna write it so I can fix it all later on in life.
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