Find your faith

Chapter 76: Not just trailer filming

Crystal's POV
"3, 2, 1!" The cameraman announced and I ran in the open like there was no tomorrow. I had to run in  broad daylight, feigning sorrow in the process when they said they'd be editing it to show its nighttime filming. I ran as fast as I could like I hated my family with a passion. "Ok, cut!" The cameramen screamed and I heaved a sigh of relief.

"Now, we're going to the hotel with the actress for Keira," the cameramen announced. I nodded as we headed into the minibus to our next destination. Yes, I knew we were going to have a whole day of filming and that was just 1/3 of the whole trailer—a 90 second trailer.
School bus
"What is the enzyme that breaks down proteins into amino acids?" I asked my junior.

"Protease!" She replied. I flipped over the flash card and revealed that to be the correct answer. We have agreed to test each other for our upcoming WAs so that we didn't fail them, so she had agreed to test me on Nazi Germany despite having yet to cover that. Yet something told me she was just being humble about her science abilities with the musical in her responsibility list. She was nailing the whole stack of flash cards, I must admit.
Mrs Nur's POV
Crystal was sitting right behind me, and I could tell that she was socialising in her own way. However, when I listened closer, I realised she wasn't socialising with her cast members, but they were studying together. I'm not discouraging her from studying with her friends, but on a bus to filming? That wasn't the most characteristic of her.

I was starting to worry if she was able to cope. She was working with a few other friends on a non profit organisation to encourage healthy studying among teenagers in more academically rigorous settings. We know too well she's company leader and literature is her 8th subject, not 7th. Maybe I should ask her about it? There is still time for her to drop her role and find someone of a similar figure to replace her.
Shangri-La hotel
Buffet restaurant
"This is where we're having our lunch break, before we go back to that apartment to film the reconciliation scene," the director announced. All the actors gasped in awe as they all scurried around the place to find a place to settle down. I decided to stroll around and get food...but where Crystal was finding food. Since I sat my things near her seat, I decided to sit next to her just to make sure everything was ok. We managed to get some fried noodles from the Asian section of the buffet and sat down.
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Mrs Nur: so how's school?

Crystal: alright. Just trying to get an A in for history.

Mrs Nur: I heard. And how have you been coping? Taking any steps to reduce the stress?

Crystal: I'm stepping down from Starlight Centre until October. My friends that've been backup support and random members on the Discord server are helping out for now. As for my social media, I'm only posting when I have the time.

Mrs Nur: I guess during times like this that's the least you can do for yourself, huh? Let me know if you ever need anything, yea? Don't forget to take breaks in other ways too.

Crystal: Alright!
Crystal's POV
Ambiguous concert hall in Singapore
Posing, we held our poses for 15 seconds before the cameraman gave us the thumbs up sign. All of us relaxed our muscles, heaving a sigh of relief as we left the stage, asking ourselves why we had just spent an entire day filming what seemed more like a movie trailer for a musical. Was this click bait for those interested in the musical? I decided to ask the director.

"This is a tactic we used to prepare our musical fans for what's going to happen," the director explained to me. "By stimulating it movie style we prepare them emotionally for the scenes that'll play out in front of them."

Showbiz is really clever, huh? They really know how to promote content to a bigger audience. I thought the trailers would set the fans up for disappointment, but I guess I was wrong all along. But that didn't shake off the feeling that's been lingering since I finished dancing. I just felt...defeated for the first time ever. Yes, I might have it all together because I had such a high leadership position and I was the lead for the centennial musical but I've been trying to make sure nothing crumbles thanks to that. Physically, I was fine. Emotionally, I was suffocated. Would I be able to do well in all my subjects while finishing my term as company leader and the musical well?