The football training camp had commenced. Martin, holding a tactical board and sporting a whistle around his neck, stood resolutely before the goalposts, directing the female players through their rigorous training.
As the whistle blew, the hustle and bustle began.
Six female players formed a circle, and a tall Latina seized the initiative to grab the ball.
Martin shouted, "Kick the ball without hesitation; it's the foundation for quick passes! Just like that, pick up the pace!" Alexis, one of the tall players, managed to poke the ball away, sending it rolling rapidly towards Martin.
Aisha had played football with Martin on the beach before, and a gust of wind suddenly blew, causing the ball to collide with Martin with a thud.
Despite being knocked around, Martin managed to stay on his feet and supported Alexis.
Director Kwapis calmly called out, "Let's try it again."
Martin extended a hand to help Alexis to her feet and offered a gentle reminder, "Take it easy, no need to rush."
Though Alexis had her back to the director, she winked at him and flirted, "Feeling a bit soft, huh? How about we take a sunset walk on the beach tonight?"
These young Mexican actors dedicated themselves to practicing English in the hopes of securing more opportunities.
Martin, not particularly interested in such endeavors, responded calmly, "Let's get ready quickly; filming is about to resume."
Alexis interjected, "I know quite a bit."
Martin, being a serious individual, couldn't grasp her intentions. He replied, "I'm sorry?"
Alexis insisted, "Give me a chance."
Martin raised his hand and called out, "Makeup artist, I need a touch-up."
Alexis pursed her lips and returned to the circle.
As filming resumed, Martin once again directed the lap race.
This time, everything went smoothly.
Martin stood in front of the penalty area, guiding the female players in practicing their shots.
His own shots were stylish and handsome, with no need for complex character development or intense emotional conflict.
However, the most retakes occurred when Martin personally demonstrated shooting.
The penalty area line appeared closer to the goal than it actually was. It wasn't easy to angle the ball perfectly into the net. Martin's first shot had too much power, sending the ball soaring into the sky.
The subsequent two shots remained within the goal range but rolled slowly toward the goalkeeper.
Kwapis decided not to waste more time and allowed Martin to shoot in the standard posture, regardless of where the ball ended up.
Later, they would have a local football coach step in for the shooting, and any additional shots could be handled through editing.
During the break in filming, Martin took shelter beneath a sun umbrella. Like clockwork, Blake joined him.
"Are sports not your strong suit?" Blake inquired, her gaze tracing Martin's nearly flawless physique. "I find that hard to believe."
Martin simply stated, "I played soccer a few times many years ago, but I haven't played since. It's not a sport I excel at."
Curious to learn more, Blake probed, "What are you good at, then?"
Martin replied, "Horseback riding, marksmanship, and hand-to-hand combat."
Blake playfully raised an eyebrow, asking deliberately, "Is that what I think it is?"
Martin knocked the armrest of the chair, asserting, "I'm a serious person; don't engage in any inappropriate talk with me."
Blake ceased her questioning and observed Martin intently, admiring his every move.
Suddenly, she remembered something and relayed it to Martin, "My brother Eric, whom you met at WMA, came to visit."
Martin didn't fully grasp the meaning behind her words.
Blake scanned the surroundings but didn't spot her brother. She pointed to her head, explaining, "He's a bit goofy and tends to do silly things."
Martin assured her, "I won't pay him much mind."
As the makeup artist approached to touch up his appearance, filming resumed as scheduled.
Blake picked up the script and suggested, "After work, how about we film a scene on the beach?"
Martin agreed, "Sure." He stood up and headed to the set.
The most pivotal scenes for their characters were set to unfold on the beach.
Not far away, Aisha uncapped a bottle of water and observed the resting area.
Blake, with her blond hair tied back in a ponytail, was the princess of the set. She had a tendency to call directors and producers "uncle," and no one dared to challenge her.
The other three female leads in the same group had no choice but to yield to her.
Alexis spat water onto the ground and muttered, "Bitch!" Then, she glanced at Martin, recalling their earlier interaction. "Terrible man!"
She had invested heavily to join this crew, dreaming of gaining a ticket to Los Angeles.
Her acting school teacher had once warned her not to trust middle-aged and older men, who tended to leave after getting what they wanted.
Younger people were more unpredictable.
In the team Alexis had initially chosen, she was only cast in a supporting role. However, in another crew with similar funding, she played the indisputable lead.
Nearby, one of the heroines, Amber Tamblyn, overheard Alexis comments and observed Martin and Blake.
Amber recalled which team Alexis belonged to, found Erica, with whom she had a good rapport, and headed to the dressing room together.
After concluding today's scene, Elsa returned to the dressing room to shower and change.
While in the shower, she overheard two girls talking across the row of lockers.
"Blake seems really close to that Martin Davis. Do you think something's going on between them?"
"It's possible."
"Definitely. Yesterday, someone saw them secretly meeting on the hotel beach, and then they returned to Blake's room. They stayed in there for quite a while."
"Yes, I heard from the makeup artist that they arranged to meet on the beach again today."
"What's Blake's brother's name? Oh, right, Eric. He visited the set. It would be great if he found out."
"The tall blond guy? He seems so charming. Just my type."
"Stop being so arrogant; Eric doesn't have any interest in you. His father is a powerful Hollywood producer..."
Aisha silently donned her clothes and exited the dressing room.
Two girls emerged from behind the closets, watching Elsa's departure.
Alexis inquired, "Is she going to do it?"
April replied, "It doesn't matter whether she does or not. Let's say a few words, and if she decides to join, fine. If not, that's okay too. I hope she joins, though. Blake's friend is flaunting her influence, and I won't make it easy for her!"
She adopted a serious tone, "I am clearly the lead, but she demanded a larger role and took away the top spot. Who does she think she is? We're not just a bunch of extras, revolving around her like she's the star?"
The attention-seeking behavior was truly irksome.
Erica chimed in, "Well, she does come from a well-off family."
Aibo scoffed, "I'm more famous than her, with more seniority. I've been acting since I was ten."
"I have other things to attend to; I'll leave first," Erica declared, departing the locker room at a gradually slowing pace.
Let's think this through; what advantages would she gain if she started a fight? Erica was just an ordinary girl who dropped out of middle school. She wasn't very ambitious and envied the hangers-on of celebrities the most.
Who was more likely to achieve popularity, April or Blake?
...
The crew wrapped up for the day. The hotel was conveniently located next door, and most people opted to walk back.
Alexis slung her bag over her shoulder, glanced around, and engaged her fellow Mexicans in conversation. Eventually, she spotted her target by the hotel's basketball court.
Eric checked the time, getting ready to head back to the hotel. He noticed a Latina girl with a striking figure standing by the roadside, staring at him intently, clearly attracted.
Eric playfully tousled his blond hair, and the Latina girl across from him confidently approached.
Latin girls were known for their fiery passion, and Eric, being self-assured in his looks, found it quite normal.
"Hello, I'm..." Alexis initially intended to use a pseudonym when approaching Eric but had a sudden change of heart. Wasn't this an opportune target? She enthused, "My name's Aelxis Bledel, handsome. What's your name? Can I get your contact info?"
Attracting the girl to approach and request his contact information pleased Eric immensely. He took out his phone and said, "I'm Eric Lively. Tell me your phone number."
Aisha provided her phone number first and then asked, "Lively?" She scrutinized Eric closely. "You bear a resemblance to Blake."
Eric, with a smile, inquired, "You know my sister, Blake Lively?"
"Yes, I do," Elsa nodded, hesitating, "I've heard some things about her..."
Regardless of how dense Eric might appear, he could tell that Elsa had something to share. "What's the matter? I'm Blake's brother, and I have the right to know." Alexis hesitated but, encouraged by Eric's persistence, she spoke up, "There's someone on the crew, a real smooth talker. I asked her to meet me at the beach yesterday, and I heard he even went into Blake's room... I'm sorry, I didn't mean anything by it. I was just concerned because Blake is young and could be easily fooled." Eric, being a responsible brother, responded, "Who would dare to do such a thing?"
"It seems to be someone named Martin Davis," Alexis revealed.
"Thank you; you're a good person," Eric said, shaking his phone. "Wait for my call."
"Of course," Alexis replied happily, recognizing that the information she'd provided was valued.
Eric returned to the hotel and made inquiries. Martin had stood out on the set and was seen heading to the hotel's beach.
Once he had the details, Eric hastened to the beach. He scanned the area and spotted a familiar figure near a reef.
The two had met a few times at WMA and recognized each other.
Eric quickened his pace and approached Martin.
Martin held the script, seated alone on a rock, waiting for Blake to arrive.
Bruce consciously sat at a distance. The actors were uninteresting in their roles and weren't as captivating as the beach beauties.
Martin also noticed Eric. When he saw Eric approaching hurriedly, he stood up and greeted, "Eric..."
Suddenly, Eric picked up speed and shouted, "Martin Davis!"
He raised his fist, charging like a bull.
Martin released his grip on the script, which fell to the ground.
Eric appeared strong, but he paled in comparison to the frequent training and sparring sessions Martin had undertaken.
Martin sidestepped Eric's charge, grabbed his wrist with his right hand, and yelled, "Why are you acting so crazy?"
"I'm going to knock your brains out!" Eric struggled to break free.
Martin skillfully maneuvered, hooking and tripping Eric with his feet while simultaneously pushing with his right hand. Eric tumbled onto the sandy beach.
Bruce noticed the commotion and hurried over.
Eric scrambled back to his feet, lowered his head, and charged again like a defensive lineman in football.
Martin effortlessly evaded Eric's advance and nudged him on the backside. Eric tumbled to the ground.
As he attempted to rise, his arms were seized and forced behind his back, with a heavy knee pressing into his back.
"Martin Davis, you scoundrel, let me go! I'm going to beat you to a pulp!" Eric shouted, struggling beneath the weight.
Martin had no intention of letting him go. He maintained his hold, pinning Eric to the damp sand.