Marnie stared at her, but Stevie focused on getting the banana in her face as fast as possible. She wanted to avoid talking about whatever it was Marnie was currently stewing about.
"What's up with you?" Marnie asked at last, taking the peel from Stevie and throwing it out.
"Nothing," Stevie answered as Marnie produced a wet wipe and started cleaning Stevie's hands like she was five years old.
"I don't believe you."
Stevie shrugged, how could she explain that for a second she thought she might be attracted to her co-star, but actually it was probably just low blood sugar? That explained the tension, the light headedness, and the desire to laugh when his eyes did the thing. She couldn't describe the thing, they twinkled but that was stupid. It was more like they egged her on, dared her to feel whatever was bubbling up in her.
Make up came over and touched up Stevie's lipstick, her mouth half open to allow the perfect berry blush colour to be swiped on. Eyes were on her, and Stevie tried to look in the direction she sensed the stare was coming from. When she was finally able to turn her head she realized it was Lionel Thelwell watching her. She looked away quickly, resisting the urge to scowl at him.
They returned to positions, Fast had set the camera up closer now and the pressure was on. She couldn't ignore it as well when it was dollying around her and followed her as she went to the door.
Still she tried to shove her nerves into the shape of Mae's nerves. Would he come? Would the night be magical? Was this a massive mistake?
Seeing Thelwell over and over on the other side of the door dampened the initial thrill she had seeing him in his royal attire, but didn't entirely quell it. That small burst of relief that he was there still caught her by surprise. Of course he was there, but it would be so easy for him to disappear. If he walked from the project there would be others for him. Stevie realized as they reset for different angles that she needed him to be opposite her.
They did it three times over, until Fast called the wrap.
He came over to them in the hallway, his light eyes burning into Stevie.
"Are you doing better, Astra?"
Stevie nodded.
"Okay, we are going to go out of order. We are jumping to the lobby where you-" he pointed to Stevie, "dump his ass." Fast pointed to Thelwell.
"Ok," Stevie agreed, maybe a little too eagerly.
"The pages haven't changed, so remember you've found out Eddie here is engaged to a Princess back home and he doesn't understand why you are upset."
"I don't understand that," Thelwell piped up. Fast raised his eyebrows at him.
"The infidelity part?" Fast clarified, his words laced with meaning. Thelwell blanched slightly.
"Why he hides it, what's his plan?"
Fast opened his mouth, but Stevie beat him to the punch. "You don't know what love is."
"Excuse me?" Thelwell brought his eyebrows together. "Isn't his archetype Prince Charming?"
Stevie rolled her eyes and sighed dramatically. "Edward doesn't understand love because he has never had to do without anything in his life. He has never had to stretch to make ends meet and sacrifice. Losing Mae, not being able to have her, is how he learns what love is."
"And its Christmas?" Thelwell asked, with a slight ironic twitch to his lips.
Fast clapped his hands together, bringing the leads attention back to him. "Okay dissertations in the golf carts, we have to be at the balcony by eight and we have two set ups in ahead before we get there."
Stevie climbed into Zeke's cart, she groaned as the seat sank under her and she realized how long it had been since she sat down. Zeke smiled a big toothy smile, his rail thin limbs had an uneven farmer's tan. His job was obviously only being in the golf cart. Stevie wondered how he didn't go insane.
"Are we set for launch, Miss Astra?"
"All systems go," Stevie answered. Zeke tore off from the curb. "Will you tell me what band you were listening to?"
"Not yet," he teased. He leaned over into her space, bumping their shoulders. "Did you like them?"
Stevie shoved him back good-naturedly, "it sounded like the inside of a tin can."
"A groovy tin can."
"Are you bringing back groovy?"
"Groovy never left, Miss Astra." He parked the cart next to another stage door, "this is your stop, dont forget this."
He plucked the pink-dotted script off the dash and handed it to her.
"Thanks, Zeke," she said with a smile. When she got out she saw Thelwell parked behind her. He was scowling, getting out of the cart with only a nod to his driver.
Stevie ignored him, but he caught up with her arriving in time to pull open the door on sound stage. Stevie looked over her shoulder at him, trying to locate the source of his sour mood.
"Thanks," she muttered instead, eager to get away from him. She could smell aftershave and mint gum, it was too intimate.
"Stevie," he said before she could walk away.
"Yes?"
She stopped just inside the door, forcing him to pursue her into the sound stage. They had arrived before the others, only a skeleton crew was opening the set up and adjusting the light rigs.
"I would like to find some harmony between our methods."
"Harmony?" she repeated.
"Yes. Scenes like this can be taxing."
Stevie blinked at him, trying to root through his layered meaning. Did he think she wouldn't be able to pull off the scene? Did he think she would embarrass him?
She opened her mouth to respond when a PA came running up to them with a brown bag and a tray.
"Fast said I have to make sure you eat," the PA panted. She smiled at both of them, sweat beading along her hairline, and her freckles standing out against her flushing cheeks.
"Thank you," Stevie stuttered, collecting the bag against her chest, her other hand holding the script. Thelwell took the tray, and the girl blushed a little as their hands brushed. He was a magnet, Stevie thought, everyone was drawn to him.
She could see why, he had a square jaw and high cheek bones. His face was fascinatingly angular. There was something boyish about his smile, but his aura was intensely masculine. How could normal people resist?
He was kinder to them than he was to her, she thought ruefully. She wondered what it was about her that made him push her away.
The PA rushed off as the static in her radio crackled. Thelwell stared at Stevie over the tray with its two styrofoam cups. It looked like they were going to be having lunch together.
They found an abandoned corner with a stack of chairs and crates. Thelwell unstuck two chairs for them as Stevie rustled in the bag. Two sandwiches in wax paper sleeves were nestled together in the bottom. She offered him one and for a moment they were sitting together in peace.
It didn't last longer than the sandwiches.
She crumpled up the wrapper and tossed it on the crate, Thelwell picked it up and popped it into the bag. She narrowed her eyes at him as she took the lid off her black coffee. There was cream and sugar in the tray, she took half disappointed there were so few.
"You can take them all," he pushed them toward her. "I drink it black."
Stevie wanted to scoff, of course he did, but instead she consoled herself by pouring everything into her cup.
She relished the first sip, the sugar hitting her bloodstream. She could almost forget her call started nine hours earlier and they easily had another nine to go.
"You wanted to talk?" she prompted.
"Yes."
"About methods?" she poked further.
"I don't know much about you," he started. "Usually there is more time to -" he paused as if searching for the right word "fraternize."
"And how does one 'fraternize'?" Stevie knew she was being prickly but she couldn't help it. He always seemed on the verge of saying this wasn't a 'real movie' and she wasn't a 'real actor'. She wondered again why he was there.
"Rehearsing, talking, the usual. You were in a band, it wouldn't be that different."
Stevie froze as he mentioned Pegasus, the past tense he used. She knew he knew about Beijing, but it made her blood run cold to hear him mention her band at all He couldn't know how alone she felt without them, or the scale of the loss, and yet she couldn't forgive the easy way any piece of her past fell from her lips.
"I don't know what you want," she said in hard icy words. There certainly wasn't time to rehearse now.
"I was hoping we could read together."
It was a reasonable request, Stevie only balked because she wanted to avoid exposing herself for a few minutes longer. She reached for her script instead, Thelwell produced his from inside his jacket.
Interior Ambassador Hotel Lobby
Mae Bright is running from the ballroom, guests part to let her through. It is empty in the lobby, every now and again people pass through on the way to the Gala. Mae is planning to take the elevator bank-
"Wait," Stevie flipped back, "Fast said there was a Limo scene. Why do we need a Limo if the Gala is at the Ambassador Hotel?"
There was a single pink page after the hotel room scene but before they arrived in the lobby. It stuck out like a stain in the block of white.
"Apparently there is an art auction at a museum."
"I only have the Limo scene, why is your script different?" Without thinking Stevie leaned over his book, flipping the pages. She didn't realize how close they were until he adjusted and his arm brushed against her entire side. She paused, glancing down through her eyelashes at him.
They had a kiss later that day, on the balcony, and that fact was suddenly becoming very real to Stevie. Thelwell coughed uncomfortably, and Stevie sat back hard in her chair.
"I don't know, it seems a mess." He handed her his script so she could read.
"There isn't a museum set," Stevie said in mild horror.
"What?"
"I spent days wandering this lot, I would have noticed a museum set. There is town hall, the suburbs, the hotel, but no museum. Are they gonna move us to a location?"
Shooting on location meant spectators, fans and worst of all paparazzi. It was Thelwell's turn to blanche.