"Okay, we're ready!" Lauren shouted from where she was painting Ally's clothes.
"Let's see it!" Dinah shouted back.
Just then, Ally walked out from behind a tree. Her onesie was covered in random shapes of different sizes and colors ranging from baby blue to a fiery red. She looked like a walking stained glass window.
"Holy shit, Lauren. It's only been an hour and you did all this?" Normani's jaw dropped.
"Well yeah but don't touch it," she paused. "It's not dry yet."
"It's just how I pictured it," Camila said in awe. A proud smile appeared on Lauren's face.
"Alright," Dinah clapped her hands together. "Let's get filming now, shall we?"
The others nodded and they went to work.
__
It was now hitting around 4:30pm and they had two more scenes left to film. Lauren wanted to stick around, but she knew she couldn't be late for her job interview.
"Alright, I've gotta go!" Lauren yelled to her friends, who were out in the baseball field filming. "Bye!"
"Good luck in your interview! You got dis, homeslice!" Camila yelled. Everyone wished Lauren luck and waved goodbye as she got in her car and drove off.
"Okay this next scene is the one where Ally and Troy's characters first fall in love," Camila started. "So what I want is for you two to just gaze into each other's eyes, lean in, and kiss."
"Got it," Ally quickly nodded, trying to hide her excitement.
"So uh..." Troy took Ally's hands in his nervously. "Like-- like this?" He looked over at Camila, who nodded.
Ally stood there staring up into Troy's eyes lovingly, causing the taller boy to loosen up a bit. He then leaned in and attached his lips to the girl's in a light, yet sweet kiss. It only lasted for a second but there was an obvious spark there.
"Guys," Normani snapped them out of their trace. "We haven't started filming yet," she raised an eyebrow suggestively. Ally just giggled and leaned in the plant another kiss on Troy's lips.
After a few moments, Troy pulled away.
"I have to tell you something," he started. "I really like y-" Ally cut him off with yet another kiss.
"I really like you too," she smiled.
"I hate to ruin the moment buuut..." Dinah pointed to the script, "we've kinda got a movie to film."
"No, it's perfect," Camila said, pressing the button on the camera. Dinah shot her a confused look. "I got what I needed," Camila smiled.
"You were recording?" Dinah asked, Camila nodded.
"It's better than I wrote it, too," Camila looked at the two fondly. "I'm a sucker for real life love stories."
__
Lauren arrived at the movie theater with a good ten minutes to spare before her interview.
She sat on one of the chairs outside of the theater's arcade, nervously bouncing her knee while scrolling through her phone.
"Are you on some kind of caffeine rush or something?" a male voice made Lauren jump. She looked up only to be greeted by the tall boy with a charming smile.
"Oh-- uh, no I'm just a little nervous," Lauren composed herself. "I'm here for a job interview."
"Ah," the boy nodded slowly and took a seat next to Lauren.
"You're...Shawn, right?" she asked, he nodded. "I'm L-"
"Lauren, I know," he interrupted her. Lauren furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. "We've been in the same homeroom since freshman year, Lauren," he laughed.
"Oh...sorry," she bit her lip in embarrassment. Shawn waved it off coolly.
"So you're interviewing here...why?" he chuckled.
"Need to start saving money," Lauren shrugged. "So I really hope I can get this job. It pays the best out of all the jobs I've found online."
Shawn curled his bottom lip and nodded.
"I think I can help you get it, wait here," and with that, he stood up and walked into the room which Lauren assumed was where the staff hung out.
She raised an eyebrow and stood up to go look through the window of the door to see what Shawn was up to. Scanning the room through the window, Lauren spotted Shawn talking to an older gentleman animatedly. They were laughing and seemed very comfortable.
In less than a minute, Shawn rejoined Lauren in the theater lobby wearing a smug grin.
"What did you just do?" Lauren narrowed her eyes.
"Don't worry about the interview. I've got a feeling you'll get it..." he smirked and walked back over to the ticket booth to start collecting people's tickets.
Lauren laughed, shaking her head in disbelief. Just then, the gentleman that Shawn was talking to exited the room.
"Lauren Jauregui?" he walked over to Lauren holding out his hand.
"Yeah, hi," she smiled and shook his hand.
"I'm Mr. Harrison but you can call me Buddy," his face formed a toothy grin. Lauren nodded politely.
"I uh- I brought my resume," she began digging through her bag but Buddy stopped her.
"Do you know how to count cash and hand people tickets?" he asked simply. Lauren nodded once again. "Alright then, welcome aboard, Jauregui," he smiled and shook her hand. "You start Monday." Lauren's eyes widened in disbelief but it was quickly replaced with a face-eating grin.
"I- uh, wow. Thank you, sir-" she caught herself, "I mean Buddy."
The man smiled, pat her on the back and walked back into the staff room. Once he was gone, Lauren whisper shouted a 'YES!' and clapped for herself.
In the midst of her mini celebration, Lauren didn't notice Shawn walk back up to her.
"Told ya," he laughed.
"I don't know what you said to him but thank you so much!" Lauren immediately pulled the boy in for a hug.
"I just put in a good word for a friend, no big deal," he shrugged nonchalantly. Looking back over at the ticket booth, he saw that a line was starting. "Damn, I have to get back to the booth. But I'll see ya Monday, yeah?" Lauren nodded and with that, Shawn was gone.
Lauren smiled to herself. She just got a job that pays well and her only co-worker is Shawn, who she doesn't hate. She actually thinks it'll be kind of fun working with him. Something was finally going right in her life.
__
A/N:
there's a small time jump coming up in a few chapters...just a warning.
hope you're enjoying the story!
i love youuuu MUAH!
