𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 (Walker Scobell)

Paper Rings

One week had passed, and things had gone back to normal. I had gone back to shooting. I shot my goodbye scene with Cailey, and tears flowed throughout it all. The director said that the shots were incredible and that he didn't know how we could cry on command like that. We ended up laughing it off after we finished shooting. We all went over to Walker's for a movie night. Not a lot of movies were watched, and all we did was play board games. Cailey left that Saturday. She told me to call her whenever and wherever. She would always pick up.

Before she left, she told me to call my dad. I had texted him that I was okay and that I needed a small amount of space. I told her I would try. So on the way back, in Chandler's car with the other two teens surrounding me, I called my dad. He told me that he changed my number, and to use my old phone number if I ever needed to register for anything. Precautions.

I walked over to Mo's trailer, gravel crunching underneath me. It was a nice, breezy October day. I took a deep breath, taking in the outside air. I haven't been outside much recently. Maybe I should go for a hike. I liked seeing the mountains from my trailer, but they seemed fun to hike up. Maybe me and Mo could go.

"Hey, girl!" Mo said, opening her door before I even knocked. "Come in, I'm just setting up." I climbed the step into her trailer. Her LED lights were set up to green and there were at least fifty strips of paper, and it seemed like she was still cutting pieces out. "We're gonna do origami stuff! Paper stars, paper rings, claws, you name it. I have enough paper to make like 70 things." She sat down on the floor and I followed suit.

"You know how to make paper stars?" I asked, picking up a strip of paper. I tried visualizing how to make it into a paper star, but it didn't seem like it could happen.

"No... but we could ask YouTube!" She pulled out her phone, typing in How to make paper stars. A bunch of tutorials popped up. We opened one and followed the tutorials. After 2 or 3 walkthroughs, I remembered the steps, So I went ahead. We made like 40 paper stars before Momona came up with something. "What if we make paper rings for the others? Like the cast and the crew?"

"Oh my God, yeah! We should make a list of people though," I suggested, opening my notes app. I put in the remaining cast (everyone except Cailey and Miss Alycia, who had finished her scenes two days after the theme park and left with Cailey), as well as Amybeth, Alma, and Katie. Mo added her stylists as well.

"Alright. Here we go," I said, copying a new tutorial. It took 5 times this time to get used to them and make them faster. It took us 30 minutes to finish. "Alright. 30 rings down. I think we can take a break," I say, cracking my knuckles. Mo follows suit, grabbing her phone, chuckling, and typing out a reply. "Oh?"

"No. Nothing like that. I just get funny memes in a group chat I'm in. It's with almost every teen star right now."

"Oh," I say, a little hurt, but understanding why I wasn't there yet. I opened my phone and saw a text from my dad.

~~

Pedro Pan
Hey sweetie
Checking in
I love you
💗

~~

I sighed, setting down my phone. Mo looked up, raising an eyebrow. "Your dad?" I nodded. "You know you're going to have to text him back eventually," she said, grabbing my phone from where it was and unlocking it. She knew my passcode since it was my birthday.

"Mo, don't," I started, but the all too familiar sound of a Facetime call filled the room. Mo set up the camera against the table leg, and it rang 3 times before my dad picked it up.

"J! Mija, Dios mio, hace rato que no te veía... How have you been, sweetie?" I could tell he was in his trailer. Probably a day off.

"I'm good," I say slowly, pulling Mo's arm down as she tries to escape. "How's your scenes?" I ask, trying to lighten the mood.

"They're okay. Ryan says hi to Walker," and with that, I let out a gasp.

"Ryan Reynolds?" I asked, and Momona came into frame, mouth open as well.

"Oh, crap. Don't tell him that- Never mind. Just don't tell people about the show." I chuckle. My dad was never good at hiding secrets from me. "Hi Momona. How's she doing?"

"She's doing good! We're making paper rings," she says, and I lift up an example. He smiles for the first time this entire call. It just hits me how much it must have worried him.

"Papi, I'll call you after dinner," I say, and Momona turns and raises her eyebrow at me. I nod, trying to tell her that this time, I meant it."

"Okay. I'll be waiting," he said, a smile lowering a small amount, but still visible. "I love you J."

"Love you too," I replied, smiling as I hung up. I slugged Mo in the arm gently, but still visibly frustrated. "Why would you do that?"

"If I didn't, would you have called your dad at all?" I hesitated. "Exactly."

"'Whatever. Let's figure out which one of these is going to happen."

Time passed and it reached late afternoon. We had decorated our rings and put them in a tupperware to hand out when a knock filled the trailer. I thought it was Walker, but when I opened it, a familiar face was there. "Mr. Shemar! Hey!"

"Hey, honey," he said, waving to Momona inside. "Cast dinner today. We expect you two to be there." I nodded. "Hey, you seen Walkman?" I chuckled. Everyone was so creative with the nicknames.

"No. He might be in his trailer," I tell him. With that he left. I grabbed my rings and made my way to my trailer. I changed into something better than sweats and an oversized t-shirt. I grabbed a blouse and pants, put on lip gloss and grabbed my rings before walking out the door. I sighed, making my way to the little conference room where we first introduced ourselves.