Lydia hadn't expected the call.
It came early the next morning, just as she was pulling on her jeans, still groggy from the restless night before.The assistant director's voice was clear and to the point. "Lydia, we're calling you back for a more regular background role. Party guest and any other background role that might come up. You'll be in several scenes. Can you be here by nine?"
Lydia said yes before her brain could fully catch up.
By the time she arrived on set, the mood was different. The extras had grown more comfortable, the energy more relaxed, but still had the usual undercurrent of gossip. Lydia barely had time to grab a coffee before Kendra found her.
"Guess who's back?" Kendra grinned, looping her arm through Lydia's. "Our mystery girl from yesterday. You made an impression."
Lydia rolled her eyes. "Hardly. They probably just need more bodies in the scene."
Kendra wasn't buying it. "Please. Most of the guys couldn't take their eyes off you. Even George Rowe couldn't stop staring."
Lydia flushed but didn't reply. She knew better than to read into it. No one on set knew about her past with George, and she preferred to keep it that way.
They were setting up for another party scene in the same glass walled penthouse. Lydia took her spot among the background crowd, but her eyes kept drifting to George.
He was the same as yesterday. Calm and quiet. After every scene, while the crew and cast mingled or reviewed footage, George would slip away.
It was like he had an invisible wall around him.
The other extras had noticed too. No one dared approach him.
"Scarlet has a thing for him," one of the makeup artists whispered as they fixed Lydia's hair. "You can tell. She keeps trying to get close."
"I heard George is gay," another said, leaning in. "Never seen him with a woman. Maybe Scarlet's barking up the wrong tree."
Lydia was shocked, but didn't jump to defend him.
The truth was, she didn't know.
Back home, George never dated anyone. He spent most of his time with her brother Chris. The two of them were inseparable. But Chris had Mandy, and they were the most envied couple. Lydia also knew George wasn't gay. At least, she thought she knew. But the whispers made her wonder. Speaking of Chris, did the two still talk? She doubted it. While her brother had his life back in Illinois, now married with a kid on the way, George had become this silent, polished version of himself.
During one of the breaks, Lydia watched as Scarlet walked over to George's chair, carrying two bottles of water and a small plate of snacks. She offered them to him with a dazzling smile.
George took them politely, murmured a thank you, but his face stayed neutral. Still, Scarlet sat down next to him, chatting casually. Their next scene was coming up, and Lydia could see Scarlet leaning in, trying to make the conversation light.
George listened, nodded occasionally, but his answers were short. To anyone else, it might have looked like a friendly costar chat. But Lydia could see the difference. George had walls. Thick ones. Scarlet was knocking, but he wasn't opening up.
When the assistant director called for action, George and Scarlet stepped into place.
The scene was tense. Clara, Scarlet's character, had just discovered Evan's ,George's character, hidden past. The dialogue crackled, sharp and fast. And in one perfect take, they nailed it.
"Cut! That's it! Moving on!" the director beamed, clearly pleased.
The rest of the day moved quickly. Lydia found herself blending into scenes, playing the quiet observer as the story unfolded around her. George, as always, retreated between takes, avoiding the chatter all around the set.
As the sun dipped, filming wrapped for the day.
Lydia and her new friend Kendra were gathering their things when she noticed someone approaching.
Leo..the second lead.
He was charismatic, with a grin that seemed permanently in place, and had casual charm that made him instantly likable. He strolled over to where Lydia and Kendra were standing, his hands in his pockets.
"Hey," Leo said, his eyes flickering briefly to Kendra before settling on Lydia. "Saw you two on set today. You're doing great work blending in. That's not easy."
Kendra practically glowed. "Thanks! It's been fun."
Lydia offered a polite smile. "Thanks."
Leo lingered, his attention more focused on Lydia now. "First time on a big set?"
Lydia nodded. "Yeah. Still figuring it out."
Leo's smile softened. "You're doing fine. If you need any tips, I'm around."
Kendra elbowed Lydia playfully as Leo walked away. "Oh my God. Leo just talked to us. No, scratch that. He talked to you. I think someone likes you." She teased.
Lydia shrugged, trying to seem indifferent. "I'm not looking for anything, Kendra."
Kendra groaned. "Lydia, you do realize Leo's like, Hollywood's sweetheart, right? And you didn't even blink."
Lydia forced a small smile. But her heart wasn't in it. Since Jack, she had sworn off men. Love, dating, even flirting, it all felt exhausting. She wasn't ready.
Besides, her mind wasn't on Leo.