Starting Over / Shourtney

Chapter Eleven: Tick-Tock

Friday, November 16th, 2018

<Courtney's POV>

It felt different, there was no denying that. But it was a nice sort of different.

I sat cross legged on Ian's couch next to Olivia as we waited for our camera crew to show. It was a weird change to be waiting on them instead of the other way around but I was just grateful that they even agreed to help us shoot videos. We weren't employed after all so the crew was doing this almost pro-bono.

To be honest, I was just glad to be back to work and surrounded by my friends. I knew that I was a people person, but I didn't really realize how much being home alone for a week would affect me.

Shooting the Mandella Effect Video yesterday had felt so good. I got to goof around with my friends and do what I loved. I also got to hang out with Shayne in a setting I was used to, and we were able to fall back into our regular routine of joking around and giving each other a hard time. It felt natural. Well, I guess except for the sparks I felt when I touched him or the warmth I felt in my chest when he looked at me...

But I could push those feelings aside for now. There was a little more weight to what we were shooting today, or at least it felt that way to me. Today's video sort of hit home because we were shooting the sketch that Ian had been writing the day of the Defy shutdown. It was honestly a great video idea and I was excited to film it. So, while waiting for the crew, we were sitting on Ian's couches discussing some blocking for the shoot.

"This is very old-smosh style Ian," Olivia commented, flipping through her script. "I sort of like it."

"Yeah," Agreed Noah, "Just a bunch of friends shooting a sketch in their living room."

Ian smiled slightly. "Very true. We're sort of taking it back a few years, back to the start with no fancy company backing us."

We all nodded and Shayne added "I know I've said this before, but I really feel like this is the avengers in avengers two. We're doing it on our own. Making our own rules. Trying to do what we can to do the right thing."

"Does that make defy Ultron?" Ian asked with a grin.

"I mean, I would say I wasn't implying that but I definitely was." Shayne replied cheekily. His eyes darted over in my direction and I laughed instinctually, rolling my eyes at him. The good thing about Shayne was that he could always make me laugh, make me feel comfortable, even with all the unsaid things between us, I couldn't help but feel my mood brighten slightly.

I looked back over at him to find his eyes still on me before looking away quickly. I felt a tingle run through my body and felt myself blush slightly. "So," I coughed, "Shall we get back into it?"

My friends nodded and we ran through the script again. The crew showed up a few minutes later and we started filming for real. It was hard to keep a straight face as I stood between Shayne and Ian, watching Keith get offended by our tic-toc addiction intervention in a plaid mini skirt and crop top.

"Oh, so you're with them now," he said dramatically, and I bit my tongue to keep a straight face. "ok then, well check this out." He jerked his head away from camera.

"Cut!" called Ryan so that Keith could put on the lip-gloss for the next shot. And it was not a moment too soon.

I looked over at Shayne who had a barely concealed grin, and Olivia who was physically holding a hand up to her mouth, and we all burst out laughing.

"Dudeeee," Shayne heaved, tears glistening in his eyes. "You're voice just turns into like a growl at that last part."

"I know," Keith grinned, "I'm doing it on purpose. Is it too much?"