A/N: Hey everyone! So, I'm back with this next chapter! It's twice as long as the last chapter, so I hope that pleases some people. You should know that in this chapter, Sora gets lost within himself, and begins to refer to the people around him as the characters in the movie. I'm sure you will notice, but I just want you guys to realize this. I like this actually, it gives off the vibe of him actually becoming Aaron.
Disclaimer: Do not own Kingdom Hearts.
Reviews: (Yes I'm bringing this section back for this story.)
Eternal L wyrm: Yes, this fandom is slowly going away, but I believe when 3D does come out we will see it rise again. It's just too good to be true. Although, I must say though that Sora is NOT an aspiring Actor, he just got dragged there by Kairi, but he is actually wanting to be something else. But, I shall not say anything.
Shino159: I'm glad you are enjoying it! I like this chapter, because it's just correctly paced for just one scene.
YourOfficialEditor: I'm glad you like it, trust me, there shall be a lot of twists ;)
The Wierd Kid: First thing first…it's bugging me that your name is spelled wrong. "Weird"…not Wierd. Here's the next update btw :P
MarkPrinceRoxas: I'm glad you find this as being interesting, I just thought that actors and actresses lives must be incredibly interesting as they start out. They must have a hard time becoming someone else to portray in a film. I took your advice by the way.
Lillith987: I am glad you enjoy this, and thank you for the compliment. If you can see this chapter is twice as long. My prologue's in all my stories are usually a lot shorter than the real chapters. The same applies for this story. Sora and Roxas are not the same person, since Ventus is not the same as Roxas nor Sora. Just saying. In the new game Sora even tells Roxas that he should be his own person.
Roxas POV
A week passed and I showed up to the set where they were supposed to be shooting the first scene showing my counter-part, Aaron. Even though I wasn't required for these shootings, the least I could do was to show up and introduce myself to the cast and crew. It was at a tiny apartment building where they rented out a room. It wasn't a run-down area like some parts of L.A. but it definitely wasn't an apartment like mine.
The security around the perimeter made sure that there was no one coming in or out of the building while shooting was being done. The rest of the fourth floor of the apartment was rented out to the cast to work as dressing room and conference rooms as they were set to film in this location for quite a while, with the coffee shop they wanted to film at being right down the street.
The extras that were walking in just blatantly stared at me as I walked by. I couldn't do anything more than just put n a face, smiling at these nobodies as I walked inside. Cid already called ahead telling them that I would be going in to greet everyone, and even sent ahead to par for the breakfast spread laid out for the crew as a welcoming gift in my name.
"Welcome Mr. Strife." Mr. Doe greeted him as the elevator brought him to the fourth floor of the building. "I'm glad you could make it to our set today, it seems like everything is going smoothly as our 'Aaron' is being prepped right now." His meek frame, and drained expression really told him how draining it was on him as the director.
"I'm glad that I could even be here!" Smiling at him.
"Yes, we are just setting up, you can come watch with us as we set up the scene." He said gesturing t the corner room of the hallway. "I'll be in there in a second." He said as he went into one of the spare rooms. I just nodded as I walked down the wide hallway into the apartment suite they were using.
It wasn't anything special, just a normal sized apartment for maybe a four person family. It had a bathroom, three bedrooms, which one was turned to look like a cluttered workspace with small knickknacks on the different shelves. Even though it might seem like a normal apartment to the untrained eye, I could tell how carefully designed everything was. It was carefully laid out, where the small pictures would be laid out across the walls and what kind of person Aaron was with all of the clutter of books and clothing everywhere. The kitchen was a tad bit tidier, but I knew if I were to open the fridge there would be an assortment of items that a normal apartment would have, but placed sporadically to make it seem like Aaron was just a normal, everyday kind of person.
The camera was movable of course so that the camera man could follow Aaron as he travelled through the apartment, but in one corner sat a couple of chairs to observe the process as whoever Aaron was being acted by made his way through the apartment.
"You see, just do what you would normally do if you were to wake up in your own apartment. That was why we gave you that bed head look." I heard Mr. Doe say to one of the actor's.
"But this is how my hair always look." He could hear the other man laugh, as they entered the apartment. Mr. Doe smiled at me weakly as another man with unruly brunette hair came into the room. The other man's hair was going in all sorts of directions, even defying the laws of gravity, kind of like his own. "Oh! I recognize him now!" He turned to the director, his electric blue eyes shimmering in the morning sun. I felt something in my chest squeeze as he neared me, but just brushed it off. "The name is Sora Lionheart!" He said, extending his hand. He looked ridiculous in a pair of pajamas.
"Uhh…" I said, a little taken aback by how someone with practically no social status greeted him so fondly. "Roxas Strife." I took his hand and shook it firmly.
"It's a little embarrassing to say, but I've actually seen all of your movies." He had a small blush creep onto his cheeks. "You have been my favorite actor since I first saw you in one of your first films." I had to stop myself from rolling my eyes because he was probably going to say something like the movie 'Shot' or maybe one of my other action films like 'Midnight Rise' or something. "I think it was called 'Jane's Travels.'" He scratched the back of his head again embarrassed.
I looked at him surprised. That was the first movie I ever did, and it never made to the box office and eventually became what is now known today as an "Indie" film. It was about a girl named Jane who runs away with my character James. The two of them run into a hitchhiker who is trying to find his way back to his wife after a mishap at a bar separated their two hearts. Through this man, the young couple falls in love. It was actually Namine who played Jane. "Really? I remember that film." I gave him an actual smile, something that I rarely did. It was strange, only Namine ever seemed to coax a smile out of me.
"I'd expect so! It was a beautiful film." Sora smiled right back at him.
"All right people! Time to start filming!" Someone called out as the camera crew filed in. Three cameras were set up, one to follow Sora's movements, a second one to film him as he opened the fridge, catching him taking out the orange juice, and a machine that held the camera outside his window that allowed to follow him from the outside perspective.
"Gotta go! Hope we can talk more later." Sora smiled again before running to the beginning scene. It was odd, Sora's bubbly attitude actually made him…bearable compared to many of the fake people in his life.
Then he remembered that this person was someone he would have to kiss, and stay in bed with in a couple of scenes. So that just continued to loom over in my thoughts as I watched Sora crawl into bed, face down acting to be deep in sleep.
"Action!" Director Doe called out. The set got silent as the alarm clock next to Sora's head began to ring. Sora nonchalantly reached over and lazily pressed the snooze button, groaning in the process. We saw him open an eye to check the time, claiming it was nine in the morning. He brought his hand to rub the left side of his face before yawning and throwing the covers off of him throwing his weight so that his feet planted itself on the ground.
It was odd watching Sora playing this scene. As he did I was reading the actions he had to do. "Aaron walks to the bathroom sink, to wash his face, in deep contemplation about calling Nina today." By the small television screen set up to allow us to see what was happening in the restroom through the camera, I watched as Sora splashed water on his face as he let the drips of water fall from his face and into the sink, letting out a small sigh he turned off the sink and washed his face with the light blue towel sitting next to the sink. "Aaron then walks into his kitchen, still drying off his face, looking to find something to eat. After looking at an empty carton of milk, he tosses it into the recycling bin, and grabs a glass of orange juice instead." We watched as Sora crossed the apartment, towel still in hand, before he tossed the towel onto the kitchen table.
Sora peered into the fridge, following the script, "Of course there wouldn't be any milk." He sighed out, before grabbing the empty carton and tossing it into the Recycling Bin next to the trashcan. He took the orange juice and poured himself a glass, still it seemed like he was lost in some kind of thought, looking out the window, the sun highlighting his figure.
"The phone suddenly rings, and he answers it nervously, knowing full well who it should be." It was odd though, the script ended there. I touched Director Doe on the shoulder and pointed to the missing script, and he just smiled and pointed towards Sora, the phone in the bedroom suddenly ringing.
Sora put down the glass and ran to the bedroom, picking up the phone while sitting in bed. "H-hello?" He said rather quickly. Everyone knew that the scene was supposed to go with the two setting up a date to meet at a coffee shop down the street in the afternoon where Nina tells him that she is seeing someone knew, and discusses about dropping off his things later that week. "Nina! Hey!" Sora paused, "How are you? I'm glad you called." He paused nodding happily at an empty conversation. He smiled and laughed at something, but it felt hollow. "Yeah, yeah that does sound great. I was just think-" but he stopped mid-sentence, looking down and placing his head in his hand. "Yeah, you're right." He closed his eyes now, "Sure, we'll meet at Twilight Café." Sora nodded to no one in particular, "Nina, I'm glad I'll be able to see you." But as soon as he said that, his face turned to pain as he placed the phone back on its holster.
It was strange, because my heart ached alongside him. Watching Sora acting to be in so much pain because of a fake girlfriend, even knowing that there was no one on the other side of that line, It was like I could hear the conversation in his head. That pain in his eyes weren't something an actor just does, he was feeling the pain.
But, from the original script, Aaron was supposed to be hyped for the meeting with his ex-girlfriend Nina. He was supposed to whistle and begin to clean his apartment hoping Nina would come back with him. Although that was the original script, it seemed like this was the real part of Aaron. By how his personality is portrayed, he wouldn't think that Nina was forgiving him, but instead condoning an ultimatum. Sora was delving into his character to create the scene around him, not moving through the scenes by what the script told him to do. I felt a sense of awe, yet jealousy flare inside of me.
Sora progressed through the scene of cleaning his apartment, but with that sullen look on his face, just contemplating what happened and what he was going to face. "Cut!" The Director said. The whole crew gave him a small clapping ovation. He drew in the members of the crew to watch him perform. He just laughed and blushed as the director came up to congratulate him for such a great performance on his first scene.
"You never truly see actors improve scenes like that." Cid said, I didn't even notice him come into the room.
"Yeah, I guess." The mask put back over my features as I scanned the room.
"That is the reason why we chose him though." Cid said through his toothpick resting between his lips. "That he was a new actor who believed in who he was becoming not just acting like the person."
I gave him a scowl, "Are you trying to imply something Cid."
"Nothing at all boss." He shrugged, before walking over to greet the director.
I gave a sigh as Sora was praised for his performance. What Cid said was getting to him though. There was a reason why Roxas had never been chosen to play in such dramatic roles, it was because he just never showed the right kind of emotion for it. He was able to play James with Namine because he was acting with Namine! It was the one dramatic role he could pull off where it had that intensity that this movie required. The critics from his other movies praised him for his nonchalant attitude, and the way he could portray a master of gunmanship, weaponry, fighting, and the raw emotional rage and anguish, but when it came to the softer scenes that usually happen in action movies, it was his only weak point.
Yet, this new actor was able to pull these emotions from the crew without even trying. Why the hell was he able to do that, yet I, who has been acting for years, still can't pull that off? I clenched my fist a little frustrated. "Hey, what did you think?" Roxas looked up, realizing Sora was asking him.
"Uhh…" He snapped out of it. "Your movements weren't as fluid as they should have been, and it seemed like you were robotic." I lashed out at him. I watched as his face went from happiness to confusion. "Sorry…you did great, since it was your first time." Feeling a little bad for doing that, I couldn't help but try to apologize.
I walked out f the room frustrated with myself from letting something so mundane get to me. I wasn't going to let a new face outshine me in this movie where I'm the star.
Sora's POV
I still couldn't believe Roxas just left like that saying that I sucked as an actor. I gave a little sigh as Director Doe came up to me. "It'll be okay Sora, you did great. Everyone here can vouch for that, just relax." He explained. He then proceeded to tell me we would have to re-do the scenes a couple more times before we broke for lunch to get as many different angles as we could. It was just consistency on my point that'll make the scene easier.
The morning session flew by. We got most of the scenes done for the required scenes that needed to be done in the apartment while it was daylight before the Director let us go for lunch. We had about an hour to an hour and thirty minutes before we had to meet at the coffee shop.
I had made a sandwich for lunch today, because I was still saving up some money. Depending on how much money this movie makes, I might actually be able to move out of my rundown apartment over on the other side of town. So, I took my sandwich and decided to eat outside on the roof to watch the city move.
I was surprised when Cid sat down next to me. A box of takeout food from some kind of famous restaurant was resting in his lap. "I can't believe you are eating a normal sandwich." He gave a small chuckle. "Not something an actor would ever eat."
"Well, good thing I'm not a great actor." I said sarcastically. I took a bite out of my normal turkey and cheese sandwich with mayo, lettuce, and a tomato. "Taste great to me."
Cid just looked at me curiously. "Don't let the kid get to you." He said taking a bite out of some kind of fish, I'm going to say Salmon. "He's just upset that you actually have talent." He chewed the fish, and the scent of the food was wafting towards me.
"Why would he be upset of me? I'm just kind of winging all of this." I laughed.
"That's why, you are a born natural." Cid said as we looked around at the neighborhood. We could see people curiously looking over at the building trying to see what was being filmed here, but soon they lost interest. "You can tap into the characters emotion and portray them so accurately. I just got done viewing the tape we got of you in the couple of scenes we had you do. Playing as Aaron, you really made us forget who you were." He took out a toothpick and threw it off the roof. "Though, we really don't know you."
"Thanks Cid." I told him after a pungent silence. He just gave a grunt in response.
"Want it? I'm done." He said getting up, leaving his salmon, mashed potatoes, and corn laying on the table. He just walked away, pulling out another toothpick before heading downstairs.
Of course, I immediately abandoned my sandwich.
The lunch break ended and shooting started back up at the coffee shop down the street. The odd thing was, that it was the coffee shop that I actually worked at. "Sora." My boss greeted me as I walked through the door, the camera crew setting up a small tent behind the store.
"Afternoon Lulu," I greeted her as I made my way to the counter where she was standing.
"I can't believe you brought so many of these…people, with you." She said, giving a sigh.
"Sorry, it was Kairi's fault. She is the one that offered this establishment as the place to shoot." I shrugged as she rolled her eyes.
I always found it odd how Lulu dressed. She loved to wear black, and even today she wore black jeans with a black top, which just highlighted her purple lipstick she loved to wear with her pale skin. She was an independent woman who inherited the coffee shop from her father when he passed away, she was twenty two, and on her own.
"Well, they told me that unless I changed how I dressed I wasn't allowed to be seen." She just gave a small laugh, "To think, I'm being bossed around in my own store."
"Sorry Lu." I said, comfortingly.
"If you weren't in the movie, I'd say the hell to them." She said as she walked away. "By the way you owe me two weeks of your service when the shooting is over." She called as she shut the door to her office. I couldn't help but laugh.
"Sora!" I heard a girl squeal as I was attacked. "I can't believe you and Kairi got us a role in the film!" Selphie said, dressed up in her uniform for the place.
"It was all Kairi, I'm shocked she got a role in this film too. Even if it's just as the receptionist at the hotel, apparently she is a pretty big character in the story." I humbly said. It was true Kairi got both Zell and Selphie a part in the film after Director Doe picked Kairi to play a minor character.
Kairi's stubborn and very…aggressive personality was the thing that got Director Doe to choose this coffee shop where Zell, Selphie, Wakka, Kairi, and I work. Since Kairi and I are in the movie we couldn't be employees here, and Wakka was out of town now to visit a friend on the Islands that it was up to Zell and Selphie to play the working class in the film.
"Babe, relax. We are just serving food and taking people's orders. As always, it's not that big a deal." Zell said as he walked over to me. "Right Sora?" He said, ruffling my hair. I was still one of the youngest in our group of friends.
"You are lucky I haven't had to get my hair done for the movie." I rolled my eyes at Zell.
"Yeah, cause that's not something a straight man would say." He smirked as I glared at him.
"But still! We are going to be able to see ourselves on the big screen!" Selphie was so excited about this. "I didn't even want to be an actress, but just this thrill is so intoxicating!"
"Will you relax Selph?" I tried to calm her down. "It's just a film, nothing that big."
"What are you talking about? You are one of the main characters! You get to act with THE Roxas Strife! A teen heart-throb! I heard that he is one of the most likeable guys in the industry! Always being quick with a joke, and then you have to admit his body is rockin' underneath that dirty blonde hair." Selphie praised Roxas like he was this almighty god.
"Gee babe, just make me feel like less of a man." Zell said, a little hurt.
"Oh, you know I love you. If not, I'd be trying to find that gorgeous boy right now." She kissed Zell's cheek. He just gave a small chuckle and kissed her back.
"You love is making me nauseous." I said, faking throwing up.
"Shut up." Zell said, punching my arm, making us all laugh.
"I met Roxas today. He came by to see how shooting was going." I said, as if this was just a normal occurance. Which it was, since the guy was my "partner" in the movie.
"Oh. My. God!" It seemed like Selphie was just explode. "You have to tell me about that! Like now!" She said. I complied and just told her what happened this morning with him coming in, how he lashed out at me, and then telling them how his manager explained the situation to me. By the end they were both silent. "I'm excited to see you act now." She just gave a knowing smile.
"What?" I was surprised that was what they got out of the story.
"You made a big time actor jealous Sora, that's quite an accomplishment. Gotta say, I'm looking forward to seeing you perform." Zell even said.
"Whatever." I said, again rolling my eyes. "I gotta get ready now. So if you'll excuse me I must prepare." I said heading for the third floor where they were using the empty apartments as dressing rooms.
"Break a leg! I can't wait to see that scene where you and Roxas make sweet sweet love." Selphie teased as I walked away.
I blushed as I walked up the stairs. They all knew that I would be acting with a guy as my romantic partner. It was just, embarrassing having to do so since I didn't like men.
I went into the dressing room and they immediately began to work on my make-up. Last week they made me completely perfect for the camera as they put it. They waxed my body and made me so that I didn't have any hair on my body except where it should be. I felt naked for a bit when they waxed my body hair off, even though it wasn't a lot. They told me that Aaron was a very clean kind of guy.
I had to put blush on, and some kind of cream to help with my skin tone. I just sat there, as the make-up artists did whatever they wanted to me. As they did so I looked over my lines with Nina. It was basically just a break-up scene. Nina and Aaron were going to have an awkward talk with each other before Nina breaks up with Aaron for good. Eventually she comes back at the end of the movie where she confesses her mistakes, and tries to win him back, but to no avail.
After getting camera ready I headed downstairs. The cameras were set up all around the street, as my entrance was supposed to be walking down the street. Seeing her in the window, and having mixed feelings about this he goes in there and they talk. "Oh hello Olette!" I greeted the other actress in this scene as she was already sitting in her spot next to the window.
"Hello Sora, I'm glad we can get this scene finally underway." She said, very calmly. I met her four days ago when we had a conference with most of the other cast, besides a select few who had to deal with other engagements. We read the script to prepare ourselves for the scenes and the director and producer gave us tips about how to work around the scene.
"Me too, it seems like this could take awhile." I laughed. She just smiled at me. Olette was a rising actress alongside Kairi, although they usually played opposite roles. Olette's bright green eyes, brown hair, and innocent face made her the perfect girl next door. Playing the sweet and pure girl who shied away from drugs and alcohol, she appeared in some films, and played alongside Kairi in a television drama.
She was basically the complete opposite of Kairi when it came to their characters. While Kairi always seemed to portray a strong-minded, independent, somewhat aggressive woman, Olette was the calm one who was always the voice of reason in their shows. Olette and Kairi in real life were friends too.
They directed me down the street where I would be walking. Many of the extras on set were just idly talking about their usual lives. People with briefcases, small families, couples, and so many other different people were just lazily going about. The director came to brief me about the scene, to just walk down the street antsy about the situation. The sun was shining with only a few clouds in the sky, and I could see the cameras following my every move.
"Action!" I heard the Director call out. I turned the corner and began to walk down the street, people passing by me as I fiddled with things in my pocket, messed with my hair, and checked my watch. Unfortunately, my habit of being a nervous klutz interfered, and I tripped all over myself on the sidewalk. "Cut!" The director said.
"Ow…" I said, as I got back up. I assessed myself, and sighed when nothing was damage. "That was a close one." I laughed. As an actor, we aren't allowed to really damage our bodies, if they are exposed. If it's on the thigh or something, then it's fine, but if it's on the arm, usually it has tobe covered up by something.
"You okay Sora?" The director called from his seat, his weak voice, surprisingly carried with the help of the megaphone.
I gave him a thumb up as we all reset ourselves. Again I heard the director call action as I turned the corner. Taking on the normal, nervous ticks, like fiddling with a coin in my pocket, fixing my hair, and looking at my watch alongside other things. The thing about acting is being consistent with every take. You have to try to keep every take the same unless something screws up, that you have to re-do.
I walked by the window of the coffee shop and froze as I saw Olette's character Nina. She looked over at me right on cue, as she sipped a cup of tea. Nina smiled at me as her eyes glistened in the afternoon sun. I just smiled back, as I quickly entered the shop, it was bustling with extras saying whatever they wanted at the time. I took my seat across from Nina and was about to say my next line before the director called "Cut!"
"Just when you get in the moment they call cut." I smiled at Olette.
"They tend to do that a lot." She said, making me chuckle. "Don't worry, you are doing great as an amateur actor. Most newbies don't make it at their first audition.
"Then again, a lot of people don't really jump at the idea of playing a gay lead role." I couldn't help but add. She just laughed.
"True, but you can't always choose your role." She said, "I've played a few rles where I had to kiss a girl. It was just acting, nothing more from it."
"I guess. Still, it'll be weird."
"Of course." She said. While the crew got ready to shoot the next scene from within the shop, Olette and I talked. Even though she was a rising actress, she was still just a teenager at heart. Just like all of us. She loved to shop at the malls, and went to clubs where her friend Pence mixed tracks at. She wasn't this high class individual we see on television, who wears these expensive clothing, and mingling with other famous actors, artists, or actresses. She even told me she hated going to those things because she always had to be "perfect".
"All right Sora, we need you to walk into the shop again." One of the crewman said, bringing me from my seat and guiding me to the front of the shop. The extras all got back into position as the director sat down, and the set was hushed.
"Action!" Director Doe called out, once more, and I walked over to Nina, a little flustered, both because of the heat outside, and because that was how my character should have been. "Hey Nina, it's been a long time huh?" I said, with a sort of longing inflection in my voice.
"Yeah it has." She said a nervous sort of tone in her voice. An awkward pause was placed here, as we both fiddled with something of ours. "So…" She said.
"So…" I mimicked her. The two of us becoming completely awkward around each other, in a situation like this, it seems like Aaron would just wait patiently for her to say something. Aaron was somewhat opposite of Issac. While Issac was an ambitious man, wh strived to climb t the very top, always doing more and more, initiating conversations, and even going out to parties and clubs.
Aaron on the other hand was a very, nurturing kind of person. Always trying to blend with the background, writing and observing from afar, waiting for others, Aaron was a loner though. He never liked getting close to people, and only had a few friends he could count on in any situation. Although he was a loner, he still ended up falling for those he dated, even if it was fated to end.
"It's great seeing you again Aaron, how are you doing?" Nina asked me. I was taken back by surprise actually.
"You feel like, this is great? That we are seeing each other again?" I couldn't help but chuckle. "Don't, use that cliché Nina, please. We both know how…common that is." I chose the word carefully in my head. Thinking about how Aaron would respond to that. Nina's face was slightly hurt. I sighed, "Sorry...Let me start again. I'm fine Nina, how are you?"
She gave a sigh in return. "Cut!" The Director said again. "Olette," The director came over to give Olette a small pep talk about the next scene. "Remember, in the next scene you are a girl about to break Aaron's heart again. But, you are trying to do it as gently as you can." He said. We all got back to our positions after Olette said she understood. "Restart from Aaron's line 'You feel like this is great?' everyone!" Everyone shuffled around. "Action!" He called out as the set was silent.
"You feel like this is great? That we are seeing each other again?" Using the same inflection as before, I continues with the scene. "Don't use that cliché Nina. Please. We both know how…common that is." Her face once again was hurt, "Sorry…Let me start again. I'm fine Nina, how are you?" I ended, as she opened her mouth, and closed again, in deep thought. I knew it was an act, but she seemed like she was really transforming into Nina.
"Look Aaron," She reached for my hand on the table, as I was leaning forward. I saw this, and pulled away not wanting to touch the girl I once loved. She was taken aback, "I just wanted to make sure you were ok. I know how you get when you are writing. How lost within the story you become, and how you need to be pulled back from the fantasy and back into reality. Just because…" I knew she was searching for the right word, "It seemed like our story was just a fantasy in your head, doesn't mean I didn't love you. I still care for you." She looked up, hoping that something would remind her of the young man who she fell in love with when they were just teenagers drifting through life.
"You still care for me Nina?" I closed my eyes, Aaron wouldn't want to be looking at her face. He would be imagining all of the moments the two of them shared long ago. "Nina, everything I did was for you. I understand that I wasn't the easiest person to put up with, but still, every day I took the effort to go out with you every Saturday night."
"Aaron, those times we went out, you were still cooped up in your fantasy world!" She snapped at me, making me look up. Her long brown hair had a tint of red in the sunlight, as it matched her orange dress. "Every time we went out, you would talk about each of your characters. We would discuss everything about your world in your head!" I could see her struggling with what she had to say. Again, I had to admire the way she really portrayed Nina.
"The world in my head?" My voice was rising, and was on border of interrupting the whole coffee shop. "What do you mean the world in my head? Nina, the character of my novel is based off of you! My best-selling novel, the thing that supported us in these past three years of living together after high school was because of you! You became my inspiration!" I ran my hand through my hair.
"Yes I know about Nina the great archer, Nina the great thief, Nina the savior. This fantasy character who comes in as a heroine who refuses to ever give up. Going through three books that took her from the dungeons of castles to the tops of the mountain." She said, acid hissing in her voice. "You became infatuated with that Nina! Not me! You forgot about me!" Nina had her voice raised as well. "I became the fantasy, while she became your reality. After three years Aaron, I was nothing more than the reality that you didn't want to face. The real Nina wasn't the Nina of your dreams." She scoffed. "You never talked to me about anything." She said, giving a little huff as she leaned back in her chair.
"So, you go and screw my editor, my best friend?" I gave a mocking laugh. It was hollow and dark, something that I imagined Aaron would be very good at doing. "That got my attention."
"Because he paid attention to me, he actually worried about me, he called me to make sure I was ok Aaron! He was who you were three years ago!" Nina was about to cry, and I could see it in her eyes. The feelings were rolling over me now too. The feelings of sorrow and regret.
"Nina…" I said reaching over to her. I tried to touch her but she just pulled away. "Look, I'm sorry." I said, and I could feel the tears welling up in my own eyes. Nina's emotions flowing into me. "I-I didn't mean to hurt you. I didn't want to hurt you. I wanted to…to show you what you meant to me." I said, my fists clenching up on the table. "I saw you as Nina in my stories. You were all of it. Please, I don't…I don't want to lose you."
"Lose me Aaron?" She looked at me like I was hopeless. "I was lost long ago Aaron. I was lost when you became lost with reality. I was lost," She just looked at me like I was crazy. "I was lost when you couldn't even have the courage to tell me that you loved me anymore."
"But I do love you! I have always loved you!" I retorted back quickly, those tears still being held back. I wasn't sure if it was because I was connecting with Aaron, Nina, or my real self. I was lost within the scene. "I haven't stopped loving you! When you said it that time, I wasn't me!"
"I'm sorry Aaron…" She just looked away from me. Far away into some other universe where the two of us would have worked out. "I don't love you." She said, and those words reverberated deep inside me. I felt like my heart was breaking. "I just wanted to give you back these…" She pulled out a set of keys, a picture of the two of us on the beach smiling, and finally the very first draft of my novel, where Nina wasn't some fantasy in a kingdom long forgotten, but a girl just living in the city as some kind of super hero. A concept I thought of in High School when I first met Nina.
I looked at the pages, worn out, as the ink was blotched and there was a couple of stains on them. "Goodbye." She said, running out of the coffee shop as tears rolled down my cheeks and splashed against the paper. I looked outside as people strolled through the window, and watched Nina walked down the street, away from my life.
A girl came up to my table and asked, "Sir would you like something?" I looked up to see Selphie looking at me, cheerful as always. I finally snapped back into reality and realized that 'I' did not refer to Aaron, but it was supposed to refer to me, Sora Lionheart.
"Just a coffee." I said, as I looked back out the windows, realizing the people walking down the street weren't normal people but just hired extras.
"Cut!" The Director called out as the scene played out by itself. Again, the crew was still slightly enthralled by the performance.
"Wow Sora! You did great!" Olette came up to me and congratulated me. "I heard about your performance this morning at the apartment. I'm impressed you haven't done acting before." She just smiled at me, encouragingly. "I feel like I was lost within your words."
"Me?" I said shocked, scratching the back of my head as I laughed nervously. "That was you Olette! I felt like I was really Aaron, and I was fighting with Nina! When you began crying, I couldn't help but forget who I was."
"No Sora, you brought me into the scene. We just played off of each other." She smiled again as the Director came over to us.
"That is what makes great actors." Director Doe said. "When the two can work together to draw an audience into the scene, and into the moment, and the actors lose themselves in their character." He gave a sigh of relief. "This is going to be a great movie. I can feel it." He just chuckled slightly.
"Wah! Sora! You did so great!" Selphie came over to give me a big hug. "I can't believe that was you! I had to make sure I was seeing you, not Aaron. I was so lost, they had to push me to walk over to you!"
"Ya man, I had to make sure that I wasn't constantly looking at you as the scene went on. Man, you kept me from taking fake orders." Zell said ruffling my hair.
The three of us laughed as Olette stood next to the Director. I heard her say to him, "You are going to direct an amazing Movie Director Doe."
"Yes I think so too." The Director just smiled.
Roxas POV
It was a long day after greeting the cast and seeing Sora act. It was all I could think about through the day. I even messed up a few lines when I was filming for the season finale of the sitcom. The way he fluidly got up from the bed, to walking across the room, his muscles seemed to glow in the morning light. His smile as he prepared to film, and then the way his eyes glowed when he shook my hand. He was just a small actor, yet it seemed like he was so familiar with all of it. It just rubbed me the wrong way.
I plopped down onto the couch, my head resting on Namine's lap. She played with my hair teasingly after cooking us dinner, the television playing in the background as we talked about our day. "Ugh, I can't believe I might be outshined by a newbie!" I said, as I bit at a pillow.
My flat was in downtown L.A. where the lights of the city still twinkled to life even this late at night. It was a magnificent view of the skyline way up high, with my white walls lined with famous paintings, black furniture lay about with a giant flatscreen television, and a wall dedicated to just movies. It had three bedrooms, and three restrooms, with a kitchen and den area.
"You will be fine. Remember? The director made this part for you, and you will be a giant hit." Namine comforted me. I couldn't help but melt under her warm gaze, and warm hands. "Just relax, and fine that groove you always have with me."
"How can I have a groove with a guy? It's not like he looks anything like you!" I gave a giant sigh again. I was just frustrated with actors now a days.
"You will do great. Please, can we talk about something else?" She just giggled as I leaned up and gave her a kiss.
"Sure." I said. "What do you wanna talk about."
"Well, how about we talk about the fact that I will be appearing in the film with you?" I leapt up from the couch.
"Really?" I said, excited for the first time today.
"Yeah. I made a few calls, and Aaron's friend he meets on the island will be played by me." She said, and I couldn't help but just lean in and kiss her right then. "Roxas, stop, that's s embarrassing."
"But, that's great! Then, maybe I can actually enjoy myself over there." I smiled up at her. I just loved Namine when she looked at me, with those eyes of hers. Her misty blue eyes were beautiful. That was when a flash of deep blue flashed through my head with a brilliant smile, and brunette spikes, stared at me. I shook my head and scowled. That couldn't have been Sora could it?
My cellphone rang, on the counter, and I got up to get it. I saw it was Cid and picked up the call. "Cid." I said, as a greeting.
"Roxas, I just wanted to let you know that they are expecting you to be coming to the last scene that they are shooting at the beach. So keep the end of your month schedule free." Cid reported.
"All right." I said, marking it on my calendar. "Anything else?"
"I thought you might want to know how the rookie is doing." My heart seemed to accelerate at the news. Of course I was interested in knowing how Sora was doing on his first day. He was going to be another Actor I had to compete against right? "I must say, he is a natural born Actor. His scene in the coffee shop, was something that had the Director in awe. Olette and Sora managed to play the scene together beautifully with only one take being needed. It seems like they found a great actor." Cid said, a sense of self-gratification in his voice, being part of the team that found him.
"Is that it?" I said, a little too hastily. My words seemed to hold a malice I didn't realize I was using.
"Yup. I'll leave you to your business." He said, "Make sure you don't let this fact go to your head kid. You both are young actors, and I know you are a hothead."
"Sure Cid. I won't." I said impatient. Cid and I got along, but right now I didn't even wanna talk to anyone but Namine. "See you tomorrow."
"Later Kid." He said, before hanging up the phone.
I slouched my way back to the couch, plopping once again onto Namine's lap, groaning. "Sora did well today huh?" I just nodded into her lap. "Again, it'll be okay Roxas. Stop whining like a little brat."
"I'm not whining like a brat!" I whined like a little brat. I pouted as she just laughed and shook her head.
"I swear Roxas, I have no idea what to do with you." She said.
"Good." I kissed her again.
"I hope that you can move past this little jealousy over Sora." She played with my hair, "This is going to be a great movie for you."
"I hope this is going to be a great movie for me…" I said as I hugged her.
Namine went home, since she had an early job in the morning. I showered, changed into my gym shorts, shirtless, and went to bed, with the satin sheets pulled over my body. I loved the way they felt on my body, like a silky layer of protection. It was bliss. As I lay there, my eyes closed trying to go to sleep. My mind drifted back to images of this morning, Sora smiling at me, with his sapphire eyes just lighting up at the sight of me, commenting on my movie, my surprise when he mentioned my very first movie. I couldn't help but smile at the naïve actor's face.
A/N: So this is the ending of chapter two! I hope you all like where this is going. I am debating making this story just centered on the movie, or continue even after the movie ends. It'll be at least a fifteen chapter story, just for your information. I really enjoy writing this story, because it's so, different. Though, if you are an actor or an actress I wouldn't mind if you reviewed or messaged me to help me out with how an actual like set works., because I've been basically winging this. But, yes I hope you all review this story with what you think, and possibly some critique. Thanks guys! Read and Review
