The Switch / Shourtney

Chapter Ten: So Now You Know

October 24th, 2017

It was weeks like these that I was so grateful I worked at Smosh and not Starbucks. It was such a crazy twist of fate that I ended up here and not there... or anywhere else really. The chance to act and express myself creatively while funding my education, having instant chemistry with the cast and crew, and supportive friends which I now consider my family; it all started from a phone call from Noah. He got me an interview and the rest is history. I didn't have to work at some mindless retail or service job to pay for college, I got to do what I'm passionate about with people that I cared about. Yes, although it was busy, stressful at times, and downright crazy always, I wouldn't trade it for the world, and this week was crazier than most.

With Halloween coming up soon, we were thrown into a busy work week to finish filming all of our October themed content. Today we were shooting 'Kids on Bikes'. It was a sketch I myself had written one weekend after realizing that every single 80s movie and stranger things has the trope where whenever 12 year olds get on their bikes, paranormal shit happens.

"Like why would they even get on bikes in the 80s," I questioned the BTS camera as Damien nodded his head next to me. "You're just going to end up in another dimension or something."

"The draw was even, 'You guys want to see a dead body??' like no!" Damien added and I laughed.

We were wrapping up the shoot, we just had a couple more takes to do and the crew was resetting. It was nice to have Damien in this skit with us. Of course, I loved the squad, but it was great to be able to shoot this with my best friend, especially because although Damien really liked his job on Smosh Games, I knew that acting and comedy are really what he's in it for. So, I was pretty much psyched that he was able to be in this sketch.

As the crew continued to put last minute things together, I stood around with Damien and Courtney, while Olivia Noah and Keith sat on the grass nearby, waiting to start our next scene. Partially from boredom and partially from my usual unpredictable urge to be ridiculous, I was messing around with the ET puppet.

As I voiced him to sound like a 60-year-old smoker, Courtney asked "Hey, weren't you Yoda?" with a playful smirk on her face.

"Very funny toots, I'll fight you, I have one good slap in hand and I'll use it." I replied, still in character, turning the ET puppet to look at her.

Courtney holds her composure for a good second before letting out a belly laugh and falling into my shoulder. I break character and grin into her side.

I heard a small noise to my right and looked over to see Damien giving me a strange half smile.

"What?" I asked as Courtney pulled away.

"Oh nothing," he shrugged at me. I could tell he wasn't saying something though, and I started walking up to him.

"Come on Dame-" I started, but he cut me off, shooting a look at Courtney who had gone to sit down next to Olivia, Noah, and Keith on the grassy lawn.

"We'll talk after the shoot," he replied, the silly grin still on his face. "Looks like they're about ready for us anyways."

"Ok fine," I grumbled, "but you're being weird."

I heard him chuckle as I sat down on the grass next to the rest of the squad. Noah was readjusting the tape on his prop glasses.

"The funny part is I'm playing a character with glasses but I forgot my contacts so I literally cannot see."

"Ok, let's not make a spectacle of this Noah," I put in, and everyone groaned at my bad pun.

"I swear, you're getting worse." Noah told me to nods from the rest of the squad.