Red Carpet Romance

Kissing with an Audience

 Chapter 12: Kissing with an Audience

"Today, we'll be doing everyone's favorite scenes!" Benedict announced, settling down into his director's chair. "I thought we'd do a kissing scene today."

Melissa cringed. Oh great...

Benedict flipped through the script. "I need Cypress, Marina and Derek on set. This is at night when Marina and Derek have a heart to heart and then kiss. Cypress sees them in the background."

The crew began setting up and Melissa, Vivian and Ryan went to get into costume. Vivian and Ryan were in their Rider outfits and Melissa was in her spring costume that was the raspberry color.

"Hold still," Erin said. "I need to make sure the circlet is straight."

Melissa tried to hold still as Katie dabbed on lipstick simultaneously.

"Here's your wrap," Katie added.

"I have your script," Krysti added. "Do you want to look over your lines again?"

Melissa shook her head. "I have them memorized."

"Good."

Melissa stepped out of her trailer.

"Peppermint?"

"Gah!" Melissa exclaimed jumping back. "Can you not do that...?"

Ryan just grinned. "Peppermint?" he offered again. He was sucking on one.

"No thank you," Melissa said, avoiding eye contact with him.

They both awkwardly walked back to set- well Ryan was completely chill. Melissa felt awkward. She didn't feel this way with Alec but with Ryan, she felt really nervous. Her palms started getting sweaty.

"Uh oh," Benedict said, pushing his Ray Bands to the top of his head. "We have some awkward bubbles to pop. Do what you have to," he said, sipping his coffee. "If you want duck into a trailer first and practice-"

"No, we're fine," Melissa interrupted, blushing. "Let's get going with the shoot."

"If you say so," Benedict said.

The scene took place at night except they were shooting in broad day light. Here's how it worked, the cameras all had a tinted lens attached to the front. That tinted lens then darkened everything it filmed. It was broad day light but with the lens, all footage would look darker. Since the scene was at an evening time, the lens wasn't as dark to allow more light to be captured.

The crew, on the other hand, was building a small fire in this iron pot thing on a wooden stand. It was like makeshift street lights...except not as tall.

Ryan's makeup artist dabbed concealer under his eyes and then hurried away.

"Ready! Action!" Benedict yelled.

"Princess?" Ryan said as he took the reins off his horse.

The scene started out with Marina walking over to the horse stables. Derek was there unsaddling his horse.

"You know better to call me that," Melissa said, leaning against a post. "I'll always just be Marina Cleo."

"You don't like your title?" Ryan asked, walking over and hanging up the reins.

"I'm so use to being just Marina Cleo. Princess Anastasia Odette Eowen of Tristal is a big name to live up to."

"It's big alright," Ryan teased.