When he was done, he rushed out, hoping his destination would be cooler. Indeed, the main station where the other actors and extras were preparing was situated beneath the trees and equipped with several fans, making it much more bearable.
He loved the privacy his trailer offered. Stepping out of its door always made him feel exposed. It wasn't that he wasn't used to being watched—he just preferred to be out of sight whenever possible.
Another thing that annoyed him was that Lexi was usually hanging around that area. And today, she wasn't alone. That mysterious girl was haunting him. What if she noticed Camilla's behavior? She would have even more material to sell.
When he got there, Lexi was unpacking her stuff and talking with some of the production crew. The intern stood next to her, looking like a fish out of water, smiling nervously and watching everything carefully—probably gathering material for whatever she was preparing. He had to give her that; she looked quite innocent. As if she were innocent...
Lexi noticed him and fixed her gaze on him. He really liked her. She was funny and sweet, never fearing to speak her mind. That had led to a million fights, but they were good fights. It was their thing, like bickering with a sibling—not that he could be sure, since he'd never had one. Noah was always so reasonable, Chloe was commanding and Abby protective.
Out of all his inner circle, only Lexi treated him as a sort of peer. And he loved that. But today, she would have to put up with his bad manners. He would explode if he kept everything in. He wouldn't regret it, either. Wasn't she the one who had brought the intern all along? She hadn't even bothered to warn him.
Luca, as he reached the makeup station, looked at her annoyed and mumbled a silent 'what?' to Lexi. She just kept looking. He saw with the corner of his eyes that the intern turned to take a look at him, but she swiftly turned away.
Correct. You should be afraid of me.
"You can sit here, we kept the spot for you," Charlotte said when he saw him, showing a chair that was facing the direction of Lexi and the intern.
"Oh... Isn't the light a bit harsh here? How will you be able to work with so much of it?" he said, trying to find a reason to change seats.
"No need to worry. The lighting is perfect everywhere. I selected it because there is a fan close and will help you chill," Charlotte said.
Deadend! He smiled and sat down. He tried to sink in his chair but it wasn't that easy. The mirror in front of him was too short; he could still see the fixed-on-him eyes of Lexi.
The wig was to be placed first. His hair was carefully brushed and covered with a wig cap. He hated wigs; they ruined his hair and made his scalp burn. But it was part of the job, so he would endure it patiently.
While the girl—maybe it was Jenny, but it could also be Penny —was working with the wig, he could sense Lexi's gaze. He held off, refusing to meet her stare, but that didn't last long. His eyes met hers.
Yes, she was observing him. He had all the pretenses to start a fight, to channel his vexation directly at her. When the wig was all set, he raised his hand and beckoned her over. Lexi rolled her eyes and slowly approached.
"Did you summon me, sir?" she said mockingly.
"Yes, I did. Since you're so clearly free of chores, let's find something productive for you to do," Luca said.
"I know exactly what to do, thank you!"and
"Someone could easily gaze at me for hours—I understand, I'm perfect—but Chloe isn't paying you for just that," he taunted.
"Mr. Perfect, I am not a fan. No matter how much someone pays me, I wouldn't waste a minute looking at your pretentious face," Lexi shot back.
"Yes, you told me before, I'm not your type. But cut the crap. What are you doing here today?" Luca asked, his attitude shifting to something more serious.
"Do you have amnesia, like that guy you played two years ago who forgot everything for half the movie? I've been coming to the set twice a week. For the past five months, ever since you got back from Canada," Lexi replied. "The question is, what are you doing here, out of your trailer?"
"Good observation. The air conditioning broke down. It's hell in there. So, can you be of any use with that?"
"Sorry, pal. That's a production issue. Not my department," Lexi replied, not sounding sorry at all.
"I wish I didn't have to deal with you right now. I am not in my best mood today. I have a difficult scene. Why can't I get some... privacy?" Luca cried out.
"Privacy? You've got like fifty people around you all the time!"
"Irrelevant. Chloe is always saying stuff about resources and now I can see that she is wasting not one, but two of them," Luca said. Maybe he shouldn't have mentioned the intern, but he got an idea. It would be good to show everyone that he was cool with her.
"You've noticed her!" Lexi said with pretended excitement.
"Am I blind?" he asked.
"Yes, in many cases," Lexi replied.
"Enough with you two. I can't believe you're always fighting like cat and dog," Charlotte said, smiling as she stepped between them. She greeted Lexi with a light hug. "Alright, it's time for makeup."
"Charlotte, be careful. He is in a bad mood today," Lexi told her.
"Bad mood? He is never in a bad mood!"
"I'm in a bad mood only with you," Luca complained toward Lexi. She didn't bother to reply, but just gave him an annoyed grimace.
"Lexi, who is your friend?" Charlotte asked, nodding in the direction of the intern.
"Oh, Noelle. She is a new girl at the office. I brought her along to see how things work around here," Lexi replied.
"Intern" Luca corrected Lexi.
"Yes… Intern…" Lexi agreed.
"Why don't you call her over?" Charlotte suggested.
Lexi froze, looking around as she tried to figure out what to say. At least she had the sense not to bring the girl too close to him. But her suggestion was the perfect opening for his plan.
"Call her," Luca reassured her. Everyone on the set would see that he was cool with her. They would all report that back to Chloe. Step by step, he would ruin her.
Indeed, Lexi looked both surprised and pleased. She would definitely report this. She rushed over to where their staff was stationed, and Luca watched her talk to the intern. The girl seemed startled—even shocked—by what she was hearing, shaking her head as to state a desperate no. But Lexi insisted.
"Please look a little to your right," Charlotte asked Luca.
As he turned his head, he lost sight of Lexi and the intern. By the time Charlotte had finished, the intern was following Lexi in his direction. This would be fun…
"Charlotte, this is Noelle," Lexi announced.
"Nice to meet you," the intern said, her voice quite timid. She wasn't relaxed yet, probably still stressed from what had happened. Exactly as she should be.
"Nice to meet you, too!" Charlotte said, extending her hand for a handshake. "I can hear a slight foreign accent! Where are you from?"
Yeah, yeah, ask her questions, try to get to know her better. How unnecessary. She'll be gone soon!
"I'm from France," she replied. He watched her take a step back, like seeking cover behind Lexi.
"Oh la la!" Charlotte exclaimed. "I know a little French. Like 'bonjour' and 'je t'aime'!"
"Charlotte, everyone knows those. Are you sure you know French?" Lexi said mockingly.
"Bien sûr! My own name is French! How could I not! I tried learning it in school because I was thinking about working in Paris. For obvious reasons. But it was too difficult," Charlotte said, applying powder to his face.
"It is a bit..." the intern agreed quietly.
"Oh! I remember now! That's why your name sounded familiar! Joyeux Noël!" Charlotte said, excited. Luca was trying his best to remain neutral and indifferent to the conversation around him.
"What does that mean?" Lexi asked.
"Merry Christmas!" Charlotte announced. "In French. Am I right?"
"Yes, that's right..." the intern murmured, apparently not too pleased.
"Your name means Christmas?" Lexi asked.
Hm… Natale in Italian… Noël in French.
"Kind of... It's derived from Christmas. It's just spelled differently," the intern tried to explain, but it was too late. He couldn't help himself.
"Why... why did your parents name you Christmas?" Luca asked her.
He was finally looking directly at her, weighing her reactions. Her fists were clenched, and she was obviously gritting her teeth.
"Why? Why does it matter if they had named me Christmas, Easter, or Spring Break?" she asked, her voice thick with annoyance.
He had just asked a question, an innocent question. Why was she getting so angry? Hehehe... he laughed inwardly.
"Well, there has to be a connection," he said coolly.
"Luca, let Charlotte finish her work," Lexi interjected, trying to change the subject.
"I'm just curious... that's all," he said and retreated. He felt he had won this first battle.
"Charlotte, we'll catch up later," Lexi said as she walked away, taking with her... Christmas, who had turned a vivid shade of red.
Bullseye.