With the sun setting on the horizon, the golden light dyed the scene with a magical atmosphere, perfect for the moment Roberto wanted to capture.
He shouted behind the cameras:
"More feelings! Come on, make the effort of the whole day worthwhile!"
Emily and Artur stopped acting instantly. Artur ruffled his hair in frustration and went to his assistant, mumbling something about the scene. Emily sighed, waving to Roberto and asking for time to adjust.
"Water, please," she said to a production assistant, taking the bottle and walking towards the director.
Roberto, focused on the recordings, sighed as he watched the last take. He muttered softly
"It's still not good..."
Emily laughed lightly when she heard him.
"Mr. Director, we've been recording since early. It's natural for mistakes to be made."
Roberto turned to her, his eyes critical.
"The scene has room for improvement. Let's not end the day with something mediocre, okay?"
Emily leaned over to quickly look at the recording and suggested,
"Maybe we could add some improvised lines. Artur has a talent for creating these moments."
Roberto scratched his chin, considering. After a few seconds, he shouted,
"Artur! Come here, boy!"
Artur, who was further away, let out an audible sigh and slowly approached.
"What now?"
Roberto pointed to the recording and asked,
"Do you think that if you add your own lines, you can elevate the scene?"
Artur arched an eyebrow, a smug smile appearing on his face.
"Of course, I'm a master at this."
Roberto stared at him for a few moments, assessing his confidence, and then turned to the crew.
"Come on, guys! Last scene of the day!"
The crew let out a sigh of relief before rushing to adjust the set and equipment. The movement was frantic, but there was a certain excitement in knowing that the end of the day was near.
Emily took a deep breath as she positioned herself on the set, channeling her character. Her eyes shone with quiet determination, and she let Ana take charge of her expressions.
Artur watched her for a moment before getting ready as well. He adjusted his costume, took a deep breath, and waved to Roberto, indicating that he was ready.
Roberto looked at the monitors and signaled to his assistant, who announced:
"Attention, everyone! Silence on the set! Recording!"
The sound of the environment dissipated, and the silence was filled only by the soft click of the cameras moving.
Ana paced back and forth in the apartment, biting her nails and lost in thought. The silence was broken by the sound of knocking on the door, bringing her back to reality.
Sighing, she walked to the door and opened it. On the other side, Leo was standing, a hesitant smile on his face.
"Can I come in?" he asked, his voice low.
Ana stared at him for a moment, her eyes assessing him, before sighing again. Without saying anything, she made room for him to enter and returned to the living room.
Leo entered, closing the door behind him, but hesitated. His eyes scanned the room before he tried to speak, but was interrupted by Ana's firm voice:
"So, what are you doing here? I thought you would be packing for the trip."
Leo looked away at her, taking a deep breath before answering:
"I put it off until the weekend. I still have things to take care of here."
Ana raised her eyebrows, crossing her arms.
"And what would that be?"
Leo walked to the couch, sat down and looked at her with a heavy expression.
"You know, Ana."
Ana glared at him, full of hurt, before stepping away, standing up.
"If that's it, you can go. We've already talked about this, Leo."
He sighed, running his hands through his hair.
"We're not done talking yet, Ana."
She fixed a strand of hair, visibly frustrated.
"You're going after your dream, Leo. But it seems like you forgot that I'm still part of your life. You're being selfish."
Leo stood up, taking a few steps towards her.
"It'll only be two years, Ana. We can keep in touch daily, through video calls, messages..."
Ana stepped back, her voice getting louder, filled with emotion.
"You're only thinking about yourself, as always! I stepped away from the company project so I wouldn't have to go live in Spain, Leo. I did it for us! And now you don't even consider giving up for a second?"
Leo tried to get closer again, but she raised her hand, asking for distance.
"It's not that simple, Ana. This exhibition is important, not only for my career, but for the future I want to build..."
"What future, Leo?" Ana interrupted, her voice trembling. "Because the way things are, I can't see a future for the two of us."
Silence fell over the room, heavy and uncomfortable. Leo seemed about to say something, but he stopped himself, his hands clenching into fists at his sides. Ana looked away, fighting back the tears that threatened to fall.
"I think you should go, Leo," she murmured, her voice weak but determined.
He stood still for a moment, his eyes fixed on her. Finally, he sighed, grabbed his jacket from the back of the couch and walked to the door. Before leaving, he turned around, looking at Ana one last time.
"I never wanted to hurt you, Ana."
She didn't answer, keeping her arms crossed and her eyes fixed on the floor. When he closed the door behind him, Ana let out a long sigh and let the weight of the conversation fall upon her.
Sitting down on the couch, she finally allowed the tears to flow, as the light of the setting sun streamed through the windows, painting the apartment in warm, melancholic tones.
Roberto shouted "Cut!" Looking at the scene on the recording, he gave a satisfied smile before announcing loudly, "We're done for today, guys!"
The crew burst into celebration, exchanging handshakes and smiles of relief after a long day of work.
Emily broke out of character with tears still fresh in her eyes. Walking over to Artur, she nudged him lightly on the shoulder.
"Hey, I thought you were going to improvise something during the scene."
Artur laughed, shrugging his shoulders.
"I tried, but nothing came to mind at the time."
Before Emily could respond, Roberto stood up from his chair and, with an almost paternal tone, said
"That scene was perfect! You finally managed to synchronize your feelings, kid."
Arthur frowned, confused.
"Me? I'm always perfect."
Emily laughed discreetly, waving goodbye and walking towards the dressing room. Meanwhile, Roberto gave Arthur a critical look.
"If you had 100% of the dedication that little girl Emily has, we would already be back in Aurora."
Arthur snorted, his shoulders slumping in discouragement. He muttered something like
"You only praise Emily..."
Roberto snorted impatiently and walked towards the assistant, leaving Arthur behind with his indignation.
A While Later. Ready to leave, Emily walked to her car, waving to some crew members along the way. She got in, put on her headphones, and dialed Gabriela.
After two rings, Gabriela answered.
"Has the day of filming finished yet?"
Emily, stopped at a red light, answered.
"Yes, it's been a busy day. I'm coming to you."
"I'm not at the apartment," Gabriela said. "I'm already at the place that Revista Flor scheduled for the photoshoot."
Emily sighed, exhausted.
"Then send me the address."
"It's on Rua xxx," Gabriela answered quickly. "I've already arranged everything with the magazine. They want a more private place for the photos. Afterwards, there will be an interview. I'll give you the script when I get there."
"Okay. I'm on my way. I'll hang up, I'm driving."
An hour later, Emily parked in front of a store with the elegant name Regine. She took in the place, adjusted her coat and went inside.
A receptionist greeted her with a professional smile.
"Hello, how can I help you?"
"I'm here for a photo shoot for Flor Magazine," Emily said, returning the smile.
"This way, miss," the receptionist replied, leading her down a hallway decorated with artistic photos of models and luxurious settings.
When they reached a large door, the receptionist gestured that this was the location of the photo shoot.
"Here it is."
Emily thanked her, opened the door, and found a vibrant and meticulously set up environment. There was a backdrop that evoked a tropical climate, with artificial leaves, colorful fabrics, and some strategically placed green screens for later digital adjustments.
Gabriela called to her from across the room:
"Emily, you're here!"
Emily walked over to Gabriela, who was talking to a photographer. As soon as she approached, she greeted the man with a smile.
"Hello, nice to meet you."
The photographer, looking her up and down with a professional gaze, smiled back.
"You're perfect, Miss Emily."
Emily blushed slightly and replied, embarrassed,
"Thank you."
Gabriela intervened, pulling Emily aside.
"So, here's the plan. Your photos will be tropical themed. They've already chosen the outfits and set up the scene. Afterwards, there will be an interview. Here's the script with the questions," she said, handing her a paper.
Emily picked up the script, glanced at it quickly, and sighed.
"Let's go."