Nightwing: Heartache

Part 16: Workday

July 19th, 3:46pm
New York City

Willa smiled and shook the reporter's hand. She was a nice woman with freckles and glasses, and she let Willa and Evan play a game for the interview instead of asking the same familiar questions. Willa didn't mind the questions either though, it was a nice comfort, letting muscle memory take over rather than trying to think of a quirky or fun answer to weird questions. It did, however make it harder to remember all the journalists individually. Right now they all blurred together in her mind.

Evan checked his phone beside her. They had a twenty minute break until the next interview. They had been at this since 9am. Five hours so far. Six to go. Then dinner with the cast. Willa gestured for Lilah to hand her the iPad the Shadowblaster script was on. Lilah was the only one allowed to hold it outside of Willa, orders from the studio. It was a high profile picture, the first major motion picture trying to capitalize on the Justice League fame. Everything was top secret.

While Willa flipped to the scene she had been working on this morning, Evan gave a dramatic groan, casting an arm over his eyes. Willa didn't look up from the screen, jotting down a note with the iPad pen. Evan sighed, even louder. "Yes?" Willa finally asked.

"I'm bored," he grumbled, "what are you doing?"

"Working."

"You're always working."

Willa shot him a look, "I like working." It was true, she did work a lot, but it was also true she liked her work. It was surreal that she got to call what she did work. Making movies could be hard, and the Hollywood networking and toxicity was hard sometimes, as was public scrutiny, but she didn't confuse the small prices for laborious drags. She wasn't conducting research, or building a house, or attending school for the next 3-10 years to get a degree. She got to create. It was the dream of a lifetime. So, yes, on her breaks from Prodigy interviews she worked on the Shadowblaster script, nailing down her character. She might not have been happy about starring in the film, but she was damn sure she would give a great performance. It was a chance to prove herself as a box office draw.

Usually Willa liked preparing for a part alone, late at night when she couldn't sleep, when the characters let her escape her own thoughts and delve into theirs. But this one she preferred working on during the day, around people. It was so close to home it didn't help her escape her thoughts, it led her to the most painful ones.

She grimaced at a particularly cheesy line, trying to workout a believable way to say it, or a small rewrite, looking up to think. A flash of blonde caught her eye. Nothing out of the normal, just a quick turn of heel, a swish of hair. Hm, Willa thought.

"Willa?" A voice called before she could get a closer look. It was one of the producers on Prodigy, a balding man that usually worked in the action movie sphere. After he had her attention, he beckoned a hand.

Willa shut the iPad off and set it on her chair, walking over to a more secluded part of the room the producer, Ian, she thought, was standing. She chafed against being called over like a dog, holding her head high and crossing her arms, making it clear she was doing him a favor by giving him all her attention. When he tried to take her hand gently, she shifted to shake his hand firmly. He didn't hide his shock well, but that was how Willa liked it.

"How are you, Ms. Opal?" He asked, putting his hand back in his pocket. The other held his phone.

"Good. Excited about the premiere."

He nodded, "good, good. Us too. Everyone at the studio, really. You did great work. We're so lucky to have you."

The familiar feeling of priming hit Willa. He wanted something. She didn't say anything, just waited for whatever it was he had to tell her at the behest of the studio.

"Look," he rubbed the back of his neck, "it's small, but your answer a few days ago at Good Morning America-"

"Which one?" She asked innocently.

"The one about Lex Luthor. Corporate would like everyone at Warner Bros to have a bit of a unified front when it comes to Mr. Luthor."

She was sure 'everyone at corporate' meant Lex himself. She didn't know the precise number of shares he held, but it must be a lot, or he must have made huge promises, to warrant this kind of support. "Ian, I'm not a politician, I'm an actor."

He nodded again, "yes, yes, and a great one. A popular one. That's why it wouldn't hurt for you to say some positive things, let people know you trust him." She most definitely did not. "We're telling all our big faces. Don't worry, he really is a great guy, so no need to feel like a Congressman." He laughed at his own joke. "Alright, get back out there champ," he patted Willa's shoulder then put his nose back in his phone, already moved on to the next matter.

"You alright, love?" Evan asked when she took her seat again. She smiled and nodded as the next reporter came in. They all shook hands and exchanged pleasantries.

"So," the journalist started, "Willa, I know June makes a pretty big decision at the end of Legend, but what would you have done?"

Willa laughed, "wow, big question. Um, I think it's hard, because this is a dystopian reality," she paused to give herself time to think, "but the thing I love about June is how active she is in her own story. She's smart and she knows it. Powerful and she knows it, she's the one that really drives the plot of the first movie, but at the same time, she's a girl that has met a boy and fell in such a complete and pure way. That, even without the government politics and action is complicated!" They all chuckled as Willa continued, "and I think when there are those heightened situations, dangerous ones, life altering ones, it heightens feelings, and to June, whose whole world has collapsed around her, here's this boy who still loves her after everything, and she clings to that. Day is her anchor, you know? Sorry, that was a long answer."

The journalist smiled, "totally fine! I love hearing you talk about your work. It seems like you love the characters you play."

"All in different ways, but yes, I love each of them."

"Any dangerous love affairs?" The reporter raised an eyebrow. It was an innocent question, silly, just some clickbait title, but Willa had to actively focus on keeping her smile light.

"I mean, this one did hit me in the face," Willa finally answered, jerking a thumb towards Evan.

"Hey!" Evan raised his hands, "you didn't have to come for me like that!"

The reporter laughed.

"We were practicing a fight sequence," Evan started to explain, "and Willa was supposed to duck, and I was a little too close, and I kicked her wrist. Not the face though! I want to be very clear about that." They all laughed. But Willa had a lump in her throat. Willa hadn't forgotten the choreography, she had seen someone from costume walk on the soundstage wearing an eye patch and it made Willa freeze.

"Well I'm glad they haven't gotten more dangerous than that," the journalist joked. Willa laughed her agreement.

"Evan, I saw in a previous interview that you have a parking ticket on your record," the journalist started, "what do you think the chances of getting that erased are?"

"Look, when Lex Luthor becomes UN Secretary General, I'm just hoping he let's me stay here and make films."

Willa didn't say anything, just offered a small smile. She scanned around the room, looking for that flash of blonde again. She couldn't be sure but she had the distinct feeling of being watched.