Lucas sat across the table from the producers and director-writer Stephen, a copy of the script between them.
Discussing the film's finer points, Lucas couldn't help but think back to his "Mind Workshop" where he had watched "The Perks of Being A Wallflower." The pacing problems and Emma Watson's performance as Sam in that movie stood out to him – instead of being seductive and feminine, she had seemed boyish, which didn't align with the reason Charlie fell for her in the novel. Patrick's portrayal also came to mind; he was too flamboyant, straying from the cool guy with nuanced sexuality from the source material.
Lucas shared his suggestions with Stephen, but it was clear that the director-writer's vision for the film was set in his own direction. As the meeting progressed, Lucas inquired, "Who's the cast? Specifically, who do you have in mind to play Sam and Patrick?"
John hesitated for a moment before responding, "Well, for Sam, we had considered Emma Watson, given her star power… but with you on board, we thought your star power alone would suffice." Lianne nudged John, obviously embarrassed by his bluntness, and Russell couldn't help but chuckle and shake his head.
Lucas, unfazed by the blunder, maintained his professional demeanor and smiled. "If it's not going to be Emma, then who do you have in mind for Sam?"
Uh, we're looking at Nina Dobrev for Sam," Russel answered, "she's around your age and… well, more importantly, she's more affordable than Emma."
Stephen chuckled, "Exactly! I don't know why they even considered Emma."
The three producers chuckled, but the reason for their amusement wasn't lost on Lucas.
They had wanted Emma on board for her star power, banking on her "Harry Potter" fame to garner attention for their film.
"Initially, we had Nina Dobrev in mind for Charlie's older sister, but after much thought, we felt she'd be perfect as Sam," John elaborated.
Lucas nodded in agreement, "I think Nina would do justice to the role. Sam should be seductive and feminine, after all."
Stephen seemed taken aback, "You've read the novel?"
Lucas smiled and nodded, "Yes, I have."
"No wonder you understand Charlie's character so well," Stephen chuckled.
The conversation shifted to the casting of Patrick, and Lucas was not surprise, they had Ezra Miller for the role.
---
Two days later, in a rented house in the South Hills of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where "The Perks of Being A Wallflower" was to be filmographed, the cast began to arrive. Dylan McDermott, Kate Walsh, Nicholas Braun, and Nina Dobrev all made their way to the location. Lucy Hale, who was to play Candace, Charlie's older sister, joined them.
Meanwhile, Lucas Knight was nowhere to be seen. He was catching up on sleep in his designated room, after the strenuous film discussions of the previous day. The cast, oblivious to the fact that they would be working with the rising young actor, went about their business, getting to know each other.
The rented house in the South Hills of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, doubled as the set for Charlie's family home in the film adaptation of "The Perks of Being a Wallflower."
Lucy Hale and Nina Dobrev found themselves in a corner, bonding over their similarities in age and experience in the industry.
Lucy listened intently, eyebrows furrowed, as Nina confessed her nerves about playing Sam. "I've been rehearsing my lines in front of the mirror, but I'd appreciate it if someone could give me some feedback on my acting."
Lucy's eyes widened in surprise, "You want me to assess your acting?"
Nina nodded shyly, her hands fidgeting with the hem of her shirt.
Lucy smiled, "Of course, I'd be happy to help!"
As the two actresses began to run through their lines together, Dylan McDermott, Nicholas Braun and Kate Walsh were engrossed in their scripts, occasionally exchanging glances or a few words.
The door swung open, and a young actor joined the mix. It was none other than Ezra Miller, who would be playing the role of Patrick. Eyes flickered up from the script for a moment before returning to their work, readying themselves for the intense shoot ahead.
Ezra Miller, who was to play the character of Patrick, sauntered in and plopped down on the plush sofa near Lucy and Nina. He seemed to size up the room, his gaze flitting from one actor to another as he nonchalantly unwrapped a stick of gum and popped it into his mouth, chewing loudly.
Nina and Lucy continued their rehearsal, oblivious to Ezra's presence. Nina ran through her lines with practiced ease. When she finished, she turned to Lucy with a nervous smile, "So, what do you think?"
Lucy's grin broadened, "I'd say you nailed it. If I were a boy, I'd be charmed for sure."
"Really?" Nina asked, blushing ever so slightly.
After a while, they both turned to steal a glance at Ezra, their curiosity piqued. "Do you think he's here to play Charlie?" Lucy whispered, inclining her head in Ezra's direction.
Nina shrugged, her eyes narrowing as she studied the gum chewing actor. "Hard to tell."
Before either of them could strike up a conversation with the new addition, they watched in disbelief as Ezra carelessly discarded the gum in the sofa's armrest, leaving a sticky, well-chewed mess behind.
"Ew," Lucy said, her nose wrinkling in disgust.
Nina's delicate features contorted into a grimace as she couldn't help but speak up, "Hey, that's disgusting!"
Ezra, engrossed in his phone, looked up, a quizzical frown etched on his face, "What's your problem?"
Lucy, her brows furrowing in disbelief, chimed in, "Your gum! Why did you stick it on the chair?"
Ezra's response was a nonchalant snort, "Why do you care?" before nonchalantly unwrapping another stick of gum and popping it into his mouth, discarding the previous one's wrapper on the floor.
The frowns on Lucy and Nina's faces deepened, and the other actors, who had been watching silently, now openly stared at Ezra with disgust etched on their faces.
Lucy and Nina exchanged exasperated glances, but their attempts to reprimand Ezra fell on deaf ears. He continued to chew his gum, nonchalantly scrolling through his phone as if nothing had happened. It was only when Natalie, the production coordinator, noticed the commotion that things began to change.
Natalie's frown deepened as they explained the situation. "Ezra, we expect professionalism on set. Please put your gum in the trash can next time," she said, her voice firm but polite.
Ezra sighed dramatically, but reluctantly retrieved the used gum from the armrest and, after some prompting, placed it in the trash can that a crew member had brought over.
Lucy couldn't help but mutter under her breath, "Unbelievable."
Nina nodded in agreement, "If he's the one playing Charlie, I don't know if I can stand it."
Lucy placed a soothing hand on her arm, "You'll be fine. Just remember, this is your job. Act professionally with him on set, and treat him like air when the cameras stop rolling."
Nina sighed, knowing Lucy was right. They couldn't let one person's bad behavior ruin the entire experience.
Nicholas Braun, who would be portraying Derek, piped up, "Who said he's playing Charlie?"
Nina and Lucy turned to him in unison, Nina asking, "He isn't?"
Nicholas, his eyes momentarily lingering on Nina's chest before quickly averting them, shook his head, "Well, the director said we'll start filming when the actor playing Charlie arrives. Since the cameras aren't rolling yet, I'm guessing that rules out gum-face over there," he said, jerking his head in Ezra's direction.
***
Lucas Knight stretched and yawned, having finally woken up at 9:00 AM. The sunlight streaming through the window of Charlie's room, where he was staying, had the intended effect of waking him up. He opened the door, yawning and rubbing his eyes, only to be greeted by the hustle and bustle of the crew downstairs.
"Well, well, look who finally decided to join us," one crew member teased, eliciting soft chuckles from the others.
"I can hear the rooster crowing," another added, nudging their coworker playfully.
"We hope we didn't wake the princess," a third crew member joked, and the laughter intensified.
Lucas couldn't help but grin, "I'm sorry for oversleeping, but I got carried away in discussions with Stephen last night."
The laughter died down, replaced with understanding nods, "We know, we know. You're good, kid. We're just messing with you."
In the days leading up to the shoot, Lucas had made an effort to bond with the crew.
"The cast's already here. You can find them in the living room," a helpful crew member informed Lucas.
"Thanks, I'll be right there," he said with a smile, as he made his way to the designated area.
Entering the room, he spotted the cast deep in conversation or immersed in their scripts, except for one young actor who was glued to his phone, oblivious to the world around him. He chewed on something, uncaring about the world around him.
Lucas quietly took a seat next to Nina and Lucy, his dyed hair, a transformation from his natural blond to black for the role, worked as an effective disguise.
It was only when Lucy Hale glanced at him for the second time that recognition dawned on her face, "Wait, Lucas Knight?"
Nina turned to Lucas, recognition dawning on her features, "Lucas?"
He grinned, "Looks like I've made it if two pretty actresses recognize me."
Lucy chuckled, "Well, you are the Twitter Prince, after all."
Lucas's eyebrows shot up, "Twitter Prince?"
Nina and Lucy exchanged amused glances before Nina filled him in, "You haven't heard? Twitter users have given you several nicknames: 'White Actor', 'Knight in Shining Armor', but 'Twitter Prince' seems to be the fan favorite."
Lucas's expression morphed from surprise to delight, "Really now?"
Lucy laughed, "Seriously, you need to check your phone more often."
"Been a bit preoccupied," Lucas shrugged, "I'll take a look when I have the time."
"Trust us, you'll want to see this," Nina said, highly amused.
Lucas took his phone from his pocket and glanced at the screen, his fingers flying over the keys as he unlocked it. Nina and Lucy, curious about his Twitter activity, unconsciously leaned in to catch a glimpse.
"Hey, privacy, guys," Lucas said, amusement in his voice as he caught them peeking.
"What? Are you hiding something?" Lucy asked cheekily, unperturbed by his words.
"Um, I'm sorry." Nina nudged her friend's arm and whispered, "We're being too invasive."
Lucas chuckled, "It's alright."
Encouraged by his response, Lucy remained glued to Lucas's phone screen. Nina, shaking her head at Lucy's forwardness, couldn't help but lean in too.
Lucas unlocked his phone and opened his Twitter app. His eyes widened as he saw that his follower count had skyrocketed, now in 9 million, only a few thousand shy of ten million. His account had surpassed Justin Bieber's and trailed just behind Lady Gaga's, who had the most followers on the platform.
"No wonder I'm nicknamed 'Twitter Prince,'" he thought with a hushed chuckle.