Keith loved playing the drums; it's his passion. He told his mother, Krolia, that he wanted to study abroad in New York for six months to understand a possible future. By doing so, he comes across a celebrity known as Lance, who resides in the same...
As I prepared to shoot one of my scenes, the director abruptly yelled, "Cut!" before we even began. I couldn't help but wonder if I was doing something wrong or if my co-star Allura had made a mistake. With a stern expression, the director gestured for me to approach him, his irritation evident. I obeyed, making my way over to him while he signaled for the rest of the crew to take a five-minute break. Standing before him, our eyes met, and he sighed, his fingers pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration.
"Are you distracted or something? Your line deliveries are god-awfultoday! Is everything alright?" The director's barrage of questions hit me like a wave. His tone was concerned and frustrated, and his hands punctuated each word with urgency.
I realized he had a point as I contemplated the director's words. A nagging feeling of distraction gnawed at me, all because of my scene partner, Allura. Despite her being my character's love interest, we lacked chemistry. In this crucial scene where we were supposed to confess our feelings, I couldn't muster up the emotion or focus needed to deliver my lines convincingly.
Allura and I have known each other since the beginning of our acting careers. We've been through everything together, including Pidge, who was primarily there for me during my time in New York City. Allura and I supported each other through thick and thin; at one point, we even pretended to date for publicity. It started as a ploy to boost the success of one of our movies, but over time, our fake relationship turned into something tangible. However, everything crashed when Allura met someone new and ended things with me.
Returning to reality, I watched as the director walked away, his face buried in his palms, retreating to the breakroom. I let out a heavy sigh. Being the main character in a movie can be incredibly stressful, especially when every scene I'm in feels like a struggle, and I have no idea why. I should probably rehearse my line delivery a bit more. It's the only way to ensure I nail it in the next take.
I reach for one of the water bottles when I feel a familiar hand on my shoulder. I look up and smile at Allura, who seems slightly worried after witnessing the scene.
"Tell me he's not giving you a hard time again. I'll kick his ass if you say so," she says with a hint of determination in her voice.
"Heh, thanks, Allura, but I'm good. I'm going to my room to practice some more," I reply, tapping on her hand so she releases my shoulder. She smiles and nods before returning to the scene and the other cast members.
As I walked toward my room, my head buried in the script, a familiar voice calling out brought my gaze upward. My face lit up when I saw Keith standing by the doorway, leaning against the doorframe with a slight smile. I wondered what he was doing here as I walked closer to him.
"So you've concluded that I'm the best tour guide?" I quipped, a smirk playing on my lips. This elicited a playful eye-roll from him before he straightened up. He glanced down at my script, reading my lines beside me.
"Don't flatter yourself too much, or you'll never get down from your high," Keith replied with a chuckle, his eyes scanning over the lines.
I grinned, enjoying the banter. "Guess I'll just have to rely on you to bring me back down to earth, huh?"
When Keith looked into my eyes, it felt like his defenses melted away, revealing a vulnerability I hadn't seen before. It was as if he was trying to communicate something to me through our silent exchange, delving into the depths of our shared gaze. But the moment passed quickly, and Keith stepped back, offering a smile instead.
"Got a minute to talk?" Keith inquired. Glancing over my shoulder to check for any signs from the director, I found none. Turning back to Keith, I motioned for him to follow me into my private room.
Once inside my room, I shut the door behind us and allowed Keith to settle in. He opted for the loveseat while I claimed the chair with my name on the back. "So, what's on your mind?" I inquired, leaning forward slightly.
"I can't recall anything from last night except for playing the drums in front of the crowd..." Keith began, his gaze shifting nervously away from mine. I imagined he was grappling with the same questions I had about how he made it home. Perhaps he didn't even remember shedding tears while watching a couple on the sidewalk expressing his desire for someone to love him.
"Do you prefer the short version or the long version?" I asked, reclining in my chair, crossing my legs, and resting one arm on the armrest. I glanced at my desk, momentarily abandoning the script.
"I'd rather hear the version where you explain how the hell I ended up in my room wearing pajamas!" he exclaimed, a hint of frustration as he grew impatient for an answer. I sighed before responding.
"Short version it is!" I replied with a hint of sass. "I carried you most of the way back home, then called Pidge to give me a hand. As for the pajamas, your guess is as good as mine," I added, chuckling as I noticed Keith's expression relaxing.
"Pidge must have got me into my pajamas," Keith muttered, his voice audible enough for me to catch.
"But, according to Pidge, you were unable to function. They came in to check on you, only to find you completely naked," I burst into laughter after sharing this tidbit, watching as Keith's face turned a deep shade of red with embarrassment.
Just as Keith seemed about to retort, a knock interrupted us. I chuckled, moving to the door and pulling it open to reveal Allura standing there. We exchanged smiles before she spoke. "Lance-y, are you ready? The director is looking for you..." Allura trailed off as she noticed Keith standing behind me.
"Ready as I'll ever be, I suppose..." I replied, backing up to grab my script. I met Keith's gaze and smiled. "If you wait for me, I'll give you another tour," I teased before returning to Allura.
As I followed Allura back to the set, I couldn't help but pause in my tracks. With one hand on the door, I glanced back and met Keith's gaze again. My heart ached as I saw his walls melt away again; his eyes seemed to pierce into my soul. It was as if he silently pleaded with me not to leave, but duty called. I had to return to work and finish the scene so I could spend the rest of my afternoon with Keith.
As the shooting began, I couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Keith leaving the set. Sighing, I lowered my gaze to the ground and raised my hand to signal the director to stop the scene. I felt exhausted; I couldn't get the perfect mindset or the moment right, and I knew I was wasting everyone's time.
Acknowledging my struggle, the director decided to call it a day. Allura glanced at me concernedly, but I reassured her with a tight grip on her hand, telling her I was okay but needed time to gather myself. I swiftly discarded my costume, dashed out of the room, and hurried towards the exit, hoping to catch Keith before he departed.
As I approached, Keith glanced up from his watch, a faint smile crossing his lips as he noticed me. We fell into step together, his bike between us, but it was no obstacle to our easy conversation as we made our way home.
"I was thinking we could kick things off at Central Park and go from there," I suggested.
"Sounds like a plan," Keith said with a nod, adjusting his grip on his bike's handlebars.
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