You and Me.

Chapter 6: Budding.

After running through the script of the scene in her head ten times over, Shailene found herself to already have arrived at the entrance of the studio. She laid her script down and got out of the car. This is the very first time filming had made her so nervous. The anticipation of seeing Theo again is overwhelming her. Despite the past few days of desperately trying to get Theo James out of her head, she continued to find herself thinking of him.

"Morning Shai!" Miles greeted as she walked into the studio. The stage set out in front of her seemed awkward and unfamiliar.

"Aren't we filming today?" Shailene asked, noticing a group of people training by the punching bags.

"Filming?" Miles asked scrunching up his face, "My dear Shai, you forgot the daily training we are going to have for the next two weeks before filming officially start."

Shailene silently cursed herself. She had totally forgotten about the training weeks prior to filming. She had been absent minded lately and was pretty sure her manager did remind her, but judging from the way she had been daydreaming about Theo, there is no way the words of the manager had entered her brain.

"Yes Miles," Shailene lied, "I didn't forget." She gave a nervous laughter. "Where do we start?"

"Abrams will be training you Shai," Neil spoke up from behind "You'll be training together with Theo."

Shailene turned around and stared at Neil. There was no way she could do any proper training around Theo. His absence alone was enough to distract her, let alone his presence. Before Shailene could protest, Abrams walked up and introduced himself. Shailene was passed a set of training suit and whooped away by Abrams for the preparations and warm ups.

Shailene looked around for signs of Theo around the studio but he was nowhere to be seen. She wondered if she should be feeling relieved or disappointed at that.

"Come on," Abrams hurried her along. They walked past a series of punching bag. "There will be punching, loads of punching and running and fighting, but light, light fighting."

The way Abrams speaks amused Shailene a little, taking her attention away from looking from Theo. They took a turn and Shailene found herself in the grand hall. The biggest hall in the studio. She was surprised Neil managed to book it for the training. There was sound of punching emanating from the rows of punching bags. Shailene looked up only to be greeted by a fierce eyed Theo.

Perspiration was trickling down his brow as he focused his entire attention on the punching bag. The perspiration drenched singlet clung onto Theo, outlining the features of a muscular body and revealing biceps of the right size.

Shailene had to remind herself to breathe. Fierce eyes Theo is as equally charming as twinkling eyes Theo.

"Hi Shailene," Theo greeted and the smile Shailene so badly missed came up onto his face, and all the way up to his eyes. This sincere sincere smile that she had been longing to see.

"Hi." Shailene greeted, trying her very best to stop herself from gushing. She wondered if it was only her or did Theo had this effect on every girl he meets.

"Carry on." Abrams interrupted the atmosphere and Theo went back to the punching bags, the look of concentration taking over.

This man is so hot, Shailene thought to herself. He can be so fierce and focused when the time calls for it yet so warm and fuzzy at the next moment.

Abrams pulled Shailene to the punching bag next to Theo and started showing her the different ways of punching. After half an hour of coaching, Abrams instructed her to do the same for the next hour. He had to run down to the other hall to train the other actors.

Shailene found herself panting at the fifteen minute mark but she told herself that if this was what was demanded of her character as Triss, she would put herself up to it. Shailene was so focused on punching for the next 45 minutes that she had forgotten the fact that Theo was training right next to her.

At the hour mark, she got a little shock when Theo came over and tapped her on the shoulder.

"Hour's up," he commented "Go have a break." He passed her a bottle of iced water.

"Thank you," Shailene said "But I only drink from my own bottle when I can help it."

Theo gave her a look of confusion and nodded without asking further. He proceeded to down the bottle of iced water by himself. Shailene wondered if he felt offended by what she had just said. She wanted to explain herself but decided against it. What if Theo finds her weird when she tells him the reason why she only drinks from her bottle?

They remained in an awkward silence before Abrams walked in.

"Break's over," he exclaimed. "Theo, Shai, squats, back to back with arms interlaced. 30 sets."

Shailene looked up at Theo uncomfortably. She was drenched in so much sweat from top to bottom. Not mentioning the fact that she may just have offended Theo. Now Abrams wants them to interlaced and do squats together?

"Come on," Theo says encouragingly, turning his back to her. Shailene was left with no choice. This was going to be the first contact they have and it would be her sweaty body against his. She turned around, her back against Theo and they interlaced their arms.

"One down, two up." Abrams instructed, "ready go, one, two, one, two..."

There they go, Shailene and Theo, interlaced as a pair, going up and down into the squats. Theo kept a fairly steady rhythm and Shailene tried to catch up. At the 15th squat, Shailene felt her knees protesting. They weaken and she find herself falling over backwards as Theo lowered himself into a squat.

Luckily enough for Shailene, Theo was quick in his movement. He let go of her arms and went straight for her waist, pulling her back right up. Shailene found herself having to remind her heart to start beating again as she caught his brown eyes filled with concern.

"T-thanks," she stuttered, trying to regain her balance.

"Be careful there." Theo said, letting go of her waist.

Shailene felt her face burning and the sensation of Theo's hands on her waist continued to course through her long after It left.

"You weak, train harder!" Abrams commanded at Shailene.

And the rest of the day flew by, with Abrams pushing Shailene and Theo, getting them to repeat doing squats till they can get 30 perfect and consecutive ones without stopping.

At 7 in the evening when everyone had already left, Shailene and Theo were both released by Abrams from training and went to the shower room.

Shailene reflected her day in the shower, aware that her physical fitness might not be up to the standard of That is requiring of Triss. She was worried that she might never be ready for it.

Shailene stepped out of the shower room to find Theo waiting outside.

"You're waiting for me?" Shailene asked, pleasantly surprised.

"Yeah," Theo nodded, flashing her a smile.

Shailene was puzzled but did not quiz further. Why would Theo James, the guy she barely knows wait for her after a long day of training?

"I think if we want to work well together in this movie, we need to start to get to know each other." Theo explained, quelling Shailene of any thoughts of suspected feelings he might have for her.

"Oh..." Shailene replied "yeah that's important" she managed to add.

"Alright then," Theo nodded "it's agreed. We'll meet for breakfast every day before training, starting tomorrow."

The butterflies in Shailene's stomach started flying at the suggestion.

"Sure." She replied, trying to conceal her excitement.

"Great," Theo replied. "See you here tomorrow at eight. I'll bring it in."

With that, Theo waved and headed over to his car. Shailene silently screamed on the inside as she headed to her own. Theo James is bringing breakfast tomorrow.