Disclaimer: I do not own any of the "In a Heartbeat" characters except the ones I make up.
Author's Note: There is some "close quoting" from certain episodes of "In a Heartbeat" that I am using in this particular short story. (Just so you know, "close quoting" is quoting but not exact quoting. Sorry, it's kind of confusing). This is just an idea that I got in my head for a while, and I figure that I may as well write one chapter and see what you guys think of it. This might really suck, you guys might really like it. I don't know. It's kind of weird, and I think it's kind of hard to get used to me calling them or referring to them as different people, but whatever. Also, some of the information about the actors and actresses in this story are not real. At least, I don't think so. I made them up. Just please review and tell me what you think. (I was a bit bored). Anyway, please review!
PS: Sorry, I didn't know how to spell Reagan's last name and the internet wasn't handy while I was writing this story.
"Behind The Scenes"
"Listen, Val, I'm really sorry about last night."
"Oh, that's ok –" Val started.
"It's just that William–" Tyler said.
"Wait a minute! You are apologizing for William?"
"Well, yeah. He just gets up in your face all the time."
"Okay, you're apologizing for someone who was nothing but nice to me and ended up driving me home because the person who invited me to dinner ended up leaving in the middle of it."
Tyler looked instantly ashamed.
"Tyler, I don't think William's trying to replace your dad."
Tyler looked down at the ground.
"So, you never did tell me what your dad said when you told him you made the honor's list," Val said.
"I left him a message. He hasn't called back yet," Tyler said.
Just then the bell in the EMS station went off and Val, Tyler, Hank and Jamie were in the ambulance on the way to their call.
"…And…cut," the director said. "You guys are done for the day."
Reagan Pasternack, Shawn Ashmore, Danso Gordon, and Christopher Ralph's expressions softened instantly as the actors and actress joked around on set.
"So, Reagan," Shawn began awkwardly. What are you doing tonight?"
Oh my God! Reagan thought. Is he asking me what I'm doing tonight because he wants to ask me out? …Or is he just making conversation with me? "Oh, I'm just planning on going home."
"Listen, Reagan, do you want to go out to dinner and a movie with me tonight?" Shawn asked her, kind of sheepishly. He was afraid she'd say no to him.
"Sure," Reagan replied. "I'd like that." She smiled at him.
He returned the smile. "What time should I pick you up?" Shawn asked her.
"Um, how about eight o'clock because it's about seven now, and I have to change," Reagan said.
"Okay, I'll be there," Shawn replied.
Both Shawn and Reagan went their separate ways home, planning to get ready for their dinner-and-a-movie date. Neither of them could wait. You see, what made their chemistry on their show "In a Heartbeat" was really made more realistic by the fact that even off set they liked each other a lot.
Meanwhile, Christopher Ralph and Jackie Rosenbaum a.k.a. Caitie Roth were engaging in a conversation of their own before changing their clothes and washing off their make-up and going home.
"So, Christopher, what are you doing tonight?" Jackie asked him.
"Mmm…nothing much," he replied, hinting that he'd like to.
"Uh-huh. What do you say? Want to go dancing?" she asked him.
"Uh, sure," he replied. He'd never tell anyone, but he really liked dancing. He'd been there with friends a lot. In real life, Christopher wasn't really a rebel without a cause, he was actually more along the lines of the characters of Val and Tyler, over-achieving, that kind of thing.
And Jackie was nothing like who she played on television either. She was actually very sweet and shy, and liked to blend in rather that stick out and look different. "Great," she replied, giving him a shy smile. It was the first time she'd gotten up the courage to ask Christopher if he'd do something with her. She was tremendously relieved that he's accepted her offer.
"Okay, Jackie. I'll pick you up at nine if that's okay," Chris interrupted her thoughts.
"Awesome," she said.
Reagan Pasternack went into her large bedroom and searched for something appropriate to wear to her date with Shawn. She'd been waiting for so long for him to finally ask her out, and she had been completely surprised that he had. She would have asked him out herself, but she was really old-fashioned when it came to guys. She liked them to ask her out. Also, she had this tiny little thing called "fear of rejection." It was kind of like an annoying phobia-type thing. She hated it. She wished she had the guts to ask out a guy, but she could never muster up the courage - or confidence to do so. She pushed the clothes in her closet in all different directions, being especially specific about what she was going to wear on her date. She didn't want to wear something he'd seen before, that's for sure. And she didn't want to look too dressed up or too dressed down. She settled on a light pink beaded sweater-set with white capris and white wedge sandals. A light pink headband added the last touch.
When the doorbell rang, Reagan yelled, "I'll get it!" so that the rest of her family wouldn't answer it instead. She opened the door and greeted Shawn warmly, saying, "Hey. Come on in."
Once Shawn had stepped inside her house, he complimented her. "You look great."
"Thanks," she replied giving him a smile of appreciation.
"Shall we go now?" Shawn asked Reagan. Being a gentleman, he offered his arm to her. She took it happily and they left the house and got into his brand-new, dark blue Volkswagen Jetta.
"This is a nice car," Reagan commented.
"Thanks," Shawn said as he pulled out of her driveway and headed toward the Movie Theater. They had both been in the mood for a comedy, so they decided they would see "The Animal" with Rob Schnider. Most of it had been so stupid that they had to laugh. They both laughed so hard, that by the time they left the theater, their stomachs hurt.
They walked out of the theater, still laughing hysterically thinking about certain scenes that they found particularly funny.
"What about when the car kept rolling down that hill?" Shawn asked, still laughing.
"Or when he stuck his head in the fish tank, or when the monkey kept beating him up," Reagan commented, and she burst out in giggles.
"Or when he ate all the food in the butcher shop, or when he acted like a seal or dolphin or something and saved the little boy?"
"Oh - what about the time when he found the drugs in that guy's butt in the airport? That was particularly gross!" Reagan exclaimed. They both stopped walking when they reached Shawn's car. They looked at each other a long time before they both leaned in until their lips touched. They pulled back and smiled at each other. Then they hopped in the car and headed toward the restaurant.
~ Ah well. I know it sucks. But I still would like to have your opinion, so please, please review! Hint, hint, wink, wink, nudge, nudge, chuckle, chuckle, Please review! ~