Lucas stepped onto the bright "Modern Family" set, his cap and sunglasses in place as he took in the changes since his last visit two years ago. The younger cast members, Ariel Winter and Nolan Gould, towered over him now — a stark contrast to their previous meeting when they were just 11 or 12-year-old kids. Time had flown by.
As for Sarah Hyland, there was no sign of her on set yet, which either meant she was absent or running a bit late.
The moment the crew spotted Lucas, they tried to contain their excitement, but it was futile. They swarmed him, cameras and pens in hand, eager for autographs and selfies with the returning star.
The buzzing chatter and the clinking of cutlery from the crew's meal-time discussions was abruptly interrupted by a commotion emanating from the other side of the set.
"What's all the commotion over there?" asked one of the crew members, pausing with a forkful of salad halfway to their mouth.
"It's Lucas Knight, you know, the one playing Dylan on the show? He's finally here!" their co-worker replied, wiping their mouth with a napkin before discarding it.
The crew members immediately put down their utensils and followed the commotion, curious to catch a glimpse of the newcomer. Indeed, there he was, surrounded by the overly excited crowd, a sea of smartphones and pens vying for his attention. Lucas Knight, the rising star with his successful music videos on YouTube and on-screen presence, was now a commodity in high demand.
Ty Burrell and Julie Bowen, who were in the middle of a conversation on set, turned their heads towards the commotion. At first, they were curious to see what all the fuss was about, but as the crowd dispersed, they recognized their co-star, Lucas.
"Well, well, looks like someone's a superstar now," Ty chuckled, hugging Lucas in greeting.
Lucas smiled, unable to deny the truth in Ty's words. In a way, he had indeed become a superstar since his last appearance on the show, but he knew that staying relevant over time was the real challenge. After all, he was still only 22 years old, and his career's future remained uncertain.
"Wow, you've really become quite the star... I'm jealous," Julie said, her tone playful but with a hint of genuine amazement.
Lucas grinned as he hugged her in greeting, "Don't be. Now that I'm so famous, I can't even go out without these two." He gestured to Jack and Simon, his ever-present bodyguards.
Julie nodded at the guards, her smile tinged with a touch of wistfulness.
While Ty and Julie were happy to see Lucas, their hugs were tinged with a hint of alienation. Over the years, as they'd worked consistently on "Modern Family," Lucas's character, Dylan, had only appeared in a few episodes before disappearing again. It was understandable, given his minor role, but it meant that he'd been away more than he'd been present.
As they watched Lucas chat with the newcomers, the veteran actors couldn't help but wonder if he still considered them his true co-stars or if he had been swept away by the bright lights of his fame.
The main cast had forged a bond through their time together on set, while Lucas's sporadic appearances had left them feeling like the prodigal son returning home for a short visit, only to leave again just as quickly.
Lucas could feel the undercurrent of reservation from Ty and Julie, an unspoken distance that hadn't been there before. It was true that since his character Dylan's disappearance from seasons 3, things had been... different. Now that he was back for season 4, it seemed as though the dynamic had shifted.
Lucas tried to engage them in lighter conversation, hoping to rekindle the friendship of the early seasons.
A short while later, Ariel and Nolan approached them. Lucas couldn't help but smile as he ruffled both their heads. "Hey there, you two! My, my, look how much you've both grown!"
Ariel rolled her eyes and playfully swatted his hand away, "I'm not a child anymore, Lucas."
Nolan joined in, grinning, "Yeah, she's practically an adult now!"
A playful shove ensued between the two.
Lucas chuckled, "Well, I can see that. You're both taller than the last time I saw you." His eyes twinkled with warmth.
"I'm taller than Nolan, you know," Ariel said smugly, glancing at her on-screen brother.
Nolan shot her a good-natured glare, "It's only natural for girls to mature faster than boys. Just you wait, one day I'll be taller than you!"
Ariel just laughed, "Yeah, right, nerd. I don't think it'll happen."
Lucas couldn't help but notice the easy chemistry between Ariel and Nolan. "It seems you two have gotten much closer since I was last here," he remarked with a playful grin.
Ariel shrugged, her arms crossed. "Well, when you're stuck on set together for weeks on end, it's bound to happen, right?"
Lucas chuckled, teasing them further. "I see, I see. So, any romantic sparks flying between the two of you?"
Ariel blushed and quickly interjected, "What? No!"
Nolan, trying to diffuse the situation, piped up, "Haha, who would even dare to make a move on her? Especially with her mother..." He trailed off, realizing he had said too much.
Lucas's eyebrows shot up, intrigued. "Her mother? What about her mother, Nolan?"
Nolan panicked and grabbed a script, pretending to be absorbed in it. "It's nothing... really, just forget I said anything."
The tension in the air was palpable, yet no one dared to break the silence.
Lucas was understandably perplexed by Nolan's sudden change in demeanor, but before he could dig any further, Ariel shifted the conversation. "Don't worry about it, Lucas. Speak of the devil, speaking of romance... do you have any special girls in your life right now?"
Nolan and the other cast and crew members discreetly perked up their ears, secretly eavesdropping on the juicy gossip.
Lucas, catching on to the attention he was receiving, smirked. "Well..." The anticipation was palpable as everyone leaned in, waiting for the juicy details. "That would be a secret," he teased, a mischievous glint in his eye.
The air deflated as the disappointment was palpable. Crew members visibly deflated, some even pouting as they took a bit of their cupcakes in annoyance.
Lucas decided to change the subject. "Hey, Ariel, have you seen Sarah around? I didn't spot her on set."
Ariel shrugged. "Oh, she's absent today. I think she had some personal matters to attend to."
Just then, a woman with a steely glare approached Ariel, and with a single look, Ariel excused herself from Lucas and scurried over to her mother.
Ding! The lightbulb went off in Lucas's head as he put two and two together. "Oh, right... Of course, how could I forget?" he mumbled to himself with a chuckle.
Given his busy schedule over the years, it had slipped his mind just how protective and controlling Ariel's mother could be. No wonder Nolan was so on edge earlier.
Nolan leaned in and whispered to Lucas, "See that? Her mother's got an eagle eye on Ariel. She doesn't let her out of her sight for long."
Lucas nodded, "Yeah... I totally forgotten her."
Nolan chuckled, "Well, can't blame you for forgetting about her... You've been pretty caught up in your own world these past few years."
He then abruptly changed the subject, "Hey, I really dig some of your new songs. Especially the one you sang on 'Ellen', 'I didn't know' it's... special."
Lucas couldn't help but chuckle at the sudden compliment. "Oh, really? You still a fan of my stuff?"
"Of course, man. I've got good taste in music," Nolan said, feigning a confident air.
"Speaking of which, I remember you saying you were curious about recording your own song. Any progress on that front?"
Nolan's confident demeanor deflated slightly. "Uh... well... I haven't... started yet."
Lucas looked at him with a reassuring smile. "Well, there's no rush. Just remember, as long as you're having fun and love what you're doing, that's all that matters. And hey, if you ever need someone to bounce ideas off of, I'm here for you, alright?"
Nolan's face lit up with a grateful smile. "Thanks, man. I appreciate it."
Lucas found himself effortlessly mingling with the cast and crew, much to their pleasant surprise. They had initially assumed that his newfound fame might have gone to his head, but he was the same down-to-earth Lucas they knew and even more talkative than before.
Meanwhile, Ariel's mom, Crystal, managed to corner her daughter. "So, tell me, how close are you with Lucas?" she asked, arching a perfectly manicured eyebrow.
Ariel blinked, taken aback by the sudden question. "Just a friend," she replied, a hint of confusion in her voice.
"Just a friend?" Crystal echoed, her voice dripping with skepticism.
"Yes, just a friend," Ariel reiterated, more firmly this time.
"Sigh, what would you do without me?" Crystal sighed dramatically. "You should really consider getting his number and, you know, cultivating a closer relationship with him."
Ariel frowned, not quite following her mother's line of thought. "Why on earth would I do that?"
"Why? Because he's Lucas Knight, that's why!" Crystal practically shouted, attracting a few discreet glances from the nearby crew. Lowering her voice, she leaned in conspiratorially. "He's single, Ariel. Single! It's an opportunity you can't afford to miss. Think of the exposure, the doors it could open for you."
Ariel's jaw practically hit the floor as understanding dawned on her. "Mom, I'm 14," she spluttered, her cheeks flaring red.
"Mom, I'm 14, mmh... and?" Crystal mimicked, as if her daughter's age was a mere technicality. "You'll not be 14 forever. I'm just saying, start early, and by the time you're of age, you two would have already built a solid foundation."
Ariel's face burned with a mix of anger and embarrassment. "Mom, I'm happy with my career as it is," she retorted, her voice shaky.
"Happy?" Crystal scoffed, a derisive snort escaping her perfectly rouged lips. "Do you think that show of yours will last forever?"
Ariel faltered, unsure of how to respond.
"Exactly," Crystal pressed, sensing her daughter's hesitation. "Once it's over, what then? You'll be back to square one, competing against thousands of other hopefuls, most of them younger and more beautiful than you. With Lucas, you'll have an edge. You'll have a safety net."
Ariel looked down at her lap, her lower lip quivering.
Crystal peered at her with a critical gaze, as if she could see every flaw in her daughter's appearance. "That's why you need to create a special connection," she corrected. "And Lucas Knight is your ticket."
Doubt clouded Ariel's features, but she didn't voice her concerns out loud.
Crystal's critical gaze swept over her daughter's less-than-polished appearance, and she tsked. "And what were you thinking, approaching him looking like that? You're embarrassing me!"
Ariel hung her head, her gaze darting to her sneakers, suddenly self-conscious.
"Get in here, and let's fix this mess," Crystal sighed, grabbing her reluctant daughter by the arm and dragging her toward the fitting room.
***
Lucas mingled with the cast and crew, including the affable showrunner, Christopher. As the shooting commenced, he noticed a tense undercurrent whenever Ariel's mother, Crystal, was around. She seemed to think she was the director, especially during Ariel's scenes.
As the director, Gail, and the crew watched a take on the monitor, Crystal's nasally voice pierced the silence. "No, no, that's not it. We need to do it again. Ariel doesn't look right in this scene."
Director Gail, who was reviewing the take with the crew on the monitor, clenched her jaw. The entire cast and crew had been tolerating Crystal's meddling, but their patience was wearing thin.