Ambiance
AU
Chapter Two
The man claps. "Good thing you so obviously are already acquainted. That means we won't need any introduction. And the animosity between you two – by Dave, I can see why Tori Vega was so insistent that it be you two."
Jade's eyebrow shoots up dangerously. "Tori Vega?"
"Why, yes. She and Trina were so insistent that you two be the ones cast. Probably shouldn't have said that, should I?" He laughs dangerously. "Well, yes, anyway. Do stay here and chat for a while. We'll be watching."
At once, all of the men get up and march off, leaving the two actors to their own devices. Jade glares at him. "I don't want to be here."
"Neither do I," Beck says with a casual laugh. "It's a good thing that the scenes we're doing first involve hatred or whatever. Basically, we don't have to like each other."
"You forget the whole 'sexual tension' aspect," Jade grumbles, not even trying to meet his eyes. She scowled. "Something we considerably lack in."
"I'd like to think that I'm a good enough actor to fake it."
"I'm fairly sure that you're not."
Beck sighs, leaning over a bit. "Look, Jade, we're going to have to work in fairly close proximity, and it will be difficult if we're fighting all the time."
"I plan to avoid you as much as is humanly possible." Jade smiles slightly, a twisted, dark, sardonic smile. "Look, Beck, I don't enjoy your company and I see no point in faking tolerance for you. You're a complete idiot, as well as an arrogant loser, and I have nothing but contempt for you."
"Your vocabulary is impressive," Beck responds with a grin.
"I really hate everything about you," Jade replies coolly. "I have no idea how anyone can stand to work with you, much less date you. From what I've picked up on, you've dated up to three girls at once, am I right?"
The arrogant grin on Beck's face fades quickly. "You don't know anything about me."
"I know everything I need to know, actually." Jade rolls her eyes. Turning around, Jade calls, "Van Cleef! Get me a soda. I'm not getting any younger!"
"High-maintenance much?" Beck remarks, raising an eyebrow. Jade turns her death glare upon him.
"As I said before, Oliver, they picked the worst person possible to play my 'love interest'. I really have no desire to kiss you. Besides, you're ugly, and I don't like ugly guys. So if you could kindly, I don't know, fall off a cliff..." She scowls noticeably.
"You're not exactly pleasing to the eye either," he retorts scathingly.
"Please." Jade rolls her eyes, flipping back her hair with one hand as if to show how very pleasing to the eye she is. "I'm gorgeous."
"The goth look is so 2008." He smirks.
"You really shouldn't say things like that. It makes you sound even more stupid, because you obviously don't know a thing about fashion." Her piercing eyes fall onto his traditional plaid shirt and jeans, and she rolls her eyes. "Plaid shirts like that are hideous. Honestly. For such a famous actor, you have horrid fashion taste."
"Do you have to be so rude all of the time?"
"Do you you have to be so stupid all of the time?"
"You're just plain mean; it's rather sad, actually."
"It's not sad. I'm merely honest; it's my thoughts that are mean. And it's better to let my thoughts out than let them simmer around in my mind. If I did that, I'd end up as a murderer. Well, maybe not, but I'd most assuredly end up in jail." Jade gives him a wide scowl, one that clearly shows her emotions toward their conversation.
"Interesting outlook on life, freak."
"Idiot."
"Weirdo."
"Loser."
Beck leans forward, resting his head on his palm and running a hand through his (luscious) hair with the other. "Why do you hate me so much, anyway?"
"Aside from the obvious," Jade begins contemptuously, "which is that you're an idiot, a player, and you think that you're the best thing since scissors – not true, by the way – you broke the heart of a friend of mine. And yes, before you say something stupid, I am entirely capable of having friends. I just don't like you, and so I feel no obligation to be nice to you. Simple as that." She links her fingers, placing her entwined hands on her lap. "Are you going to say something, or are you just going to sit there all day with that dense expression on your face?"
"What friend?" Beck asks quietly. Of course, he's aware that he's (inadvertently) broken the heart of many a girl, but to hear it put so bluntly – it kind of hurts in a way he hadn't thought it would. Quietly, he bites down on your lip.
She narrows her eyes. "You know, I might have underestimated your acting abilities a bit. That wasn't bad. If I wasn't aware of your psychopathic lying tendencies, I might have actually believed that you were concerned. Anyway, I suppose you've conveniently forgotten about Emily Stevens?"
His eyes darken. "You know Emily?"
"Childhood friends, Oliver. She came running to me when you, I don't know, broke her heart and stepped on it for good measure? I wouldn't have pegged Alyssa Vaughn as your type, but then again, I don't really know you, nor do I care to. Still, she is nothing compared to Emily, and you know it." She glares at him. "Basically, in case you've forgotten, you cheated on Emily with Alyssa Vaughn."
He sighs, sounding defeated. "No, I didn't."
"Oh, and now you're calling one of my friends a liar? My hatred for you is increasing more by the minute." Her fist is clenched, her eyes angry. "I think I know who to believe."
"I think you don't." His tone is low, challenging. "I didn't cheat on her."
Her eyes are piercing into him. When she finally speaks, her voice is nearly a growl. "I don't know who you're trying to fool."
"I'm telling the truth," he protests.
"Liar." Her eyes flicker. "Why don't you like me, then?" She takes a sip of the soda that Sinjin had brought for her at last, then she turns to glare at her assistant. "Took you long enough."
"That exactly." He motions to the terrified look on Sinjin's face as he skitters away. "You're high-maintenance and frankly, one of the worst actresses to work with. Yes, you're good at acting, but that doesn't give you the right to act like you rule the world."
"I do rule the world," she replies flippantly. "Besides, I'm not the only one who thinks that the world revolves around me." Her eyes bear into him, making it clear who she's speaking of.
"I don't, actually." To his immense surprise, his voice is calm and collected. "I just know that I'm good-looking and honestly, I don't consider that to be a bad thing."
"It is a bad thing if you're actually not good-looking." Her voice is scathing, and it leaves him wondering why she is so very resentful of his appearance. He is good-looking; that much is undeniable, except apparently by her.
"You know what? I think you're in denial." Beck knows exactly what he's getting into; he knows that she might kill him for this. "I think you find me attractive."
"And I think that you're the most insufferable person I've ever met," she replies, not denying it. "You know what, Beck?" Her voice is soft now. It makes her sound almost human. "This isn't going to work. We've so obviously got the animosity part down; there's no point in us 'practicing' or whatever you may call it any longer. I'll go to the director, explain that the scenes we're filming tomorrow or whenever would be shot best if we didn't speak with each other because we already hate each other and that is something that needs no practice." She breathes at last. "I'm rather good at convincing. Have a horrible day, Oliver."
"Oh. All right. You too. See you tomorrow at the read-through." He doesn't think to dwell on why he feels slightly disappointed when she walks away, flipping her hair over her shoulder. He really doesn't want to think about why the disappointment increases when she doesn't come back.
Jade West does have a way of getting what she wants, after all.
–
Jade is woken up at an early hour, much to her dismay. Rolling over, she groans, "What do you want?"
"You have a read-through today, Jadelyn West," Danny says. "After your unsuccessful 'session' with Beck yesterday, I suggest that you show them all up today. That is, if you want this movie to be a success. Otherwise, you may not have anyone to order around anymore."
"Of course I want this movie to be a success. I just wish that Beck Oliver wouldn't be involved in the 'success' is all."
"Oh, by the way." Danny's eyes narrow. "Your little request – demand, shall I say – didn't do anything to soothe the producers' worries about the movie. Also, they're dead set on Beck Oliver playing the role of Zander, so your efforts are in vain. Honestly, I'd say if anyone gets thrown out of this movie, it's you."
Jade's eyes widen. "Really?"
"No, but you should probably start thinking like that so that you don't land yourself in a lot of trouble – which, for the record, I am not getting you out of." He sighs. "Jade, I just... Beck's making an effort to be nice to you. Can't you do the same?"
"No." She picks up a brush, combing through her hair. "It's just that... I really can't bring myself to like him."
"Have you tried?"
"No. And I don't plan on it. Now leave me be. I need to get ready." She glares at him until he backs off.
Twenty minutes later, she arrives downstairs, her copy of the script in her hand. With a scowl, she determines that the only empty seat is next to the one and only Beck Oliver. Andre gives her an encouraging smile, but no one else seems to even notice she has arrived.
She clears her throat loudly.
"Yes?" one of the producers says, giving her a look.
"I've arrived."
"Good for you," Beck mutters under his breath, and that is all. Haughtily, Jade sits down, feeling thoroughly humiliated. This is just another thing to add to the list of reasons why she hates Beck Oliver. She really should start a list and see how long it is by the end of shooting.
They immediately launch into the reading. Of course, Beck and Jade have the hatred down-pat. It's so easy for her to fuel all of her anger, all of her hatred, into the lines that Kyra puts so perfectly.
"It's like you're oil and I'm water," Jade reads, her voice dark. "We don't fit, yet people are so intent on putting us together. And obviously I'm the more essential element."
"Water and oil aren't elements." Beck is quick to correct her. Well, technically, it's Zander, but Jade couldn't really care less. "Besides, I have time in my hands."
"Like I care." Jade is quick to add a snort there. She imagines that's what Kyra would do. (Or perhaps it's what she would do. She can't really tell a difference.)
"You should start caring." Beck's voice is angry now. "You don't care about anything, Kyra, and it makes it hard to work with you."
"Sometimes it seems like you don't care either!" Jade hisses at last. "I care about people – about my friends – and you just pull everything off so seamlessly, like you couldn't care either way! When was the last time you told someone you cared about them?"
"It wasn't that long ago." It's kind of scary, Beck decides, how very close Zander's character is like Beck himself, and how Kyra is quite a bit like Jade. He simply writes it off as good casting, because there is no way that he and Jade are anything like the movie. They hate each other and that's that. "Besides, like I told you, the past is the future and the future is the past. I have no solid concept of time."
"Yeah, well, maybe you should look at yourself before you judge me, Mr. Time Man." Jade delivers this line perfectly, putting a lot of emotion into it. Then she pauses. "So, how was it? I mean, I know I was amazing, but I'm sure Beck wants feedback."
Beck just rolls his eyes, since he is a little eager to hear what they thought.
The director claps. "Amazing. You two have such tangible tension. It's like sparks are flying between the two of you."
Jade's eyes widen. Beck nearly spits out his mouthful of water.
"You've got to be kidding me." Jade laughs nervously.
"No. It was really good. It was almost like you were the characters. I think you'll be wonderful together in the movie, though of course, we still have a while of the reading to go." The director's eyes narrow. Jade knows that this is typical procedure. They don't compliment anyone, don't get anyone's hopes up, because then their hopes can only be crushed.
And of course, all hopes are completely destroyed.
The thing is that it is harder than Jade had thought to act like she genuinely is in 'love' with Beck, because that stupid 'spark' is just not there. And when she has to say 'I love you' to him, it feels more like she's choking it out than genuinely saying it to someone she loves.
Beck's 'I love you' feels like it has come from a robot, and that robot is most assuredly not a good actor, either.
"Well." Director Lane sounds nonplussed. "It seems like we've got a lot of work to do. You two have a lot of issues that need working out before we get to the romance scenes."
"I just can't work with him," Jade says dramatically. "There's no spark."
"Actually," Andre butts in with a grin, "I think you guys would be cute together."
"Dude!" Beck glares at Andre. "You don't honestly think that?"
"Actually, I do. And apparently, so does everyone else." Andre keeps grinning like a creepy stalker, much to Jade's dismay.
"Well, then, you're all idiots," she says simply. "I think we've done enough here. We start filming tomorrow, right?" Thankfully enough, it is the hatred scenes; nothing out of her comfort zone. She is comfortable insulting Beck, comfortable hating him. Somehow, she highly doubts that she will be comfortable kissing him, especially since those lips have probably touched a thousand other girls. (She has no idea why that bothers her, but it does.)
"Yes. We expect you to be punctual, Jadelyn." Their glare says that they're tired of her being late. She rolls her eyes. Obviously they can't make the movie without her. It might actually be a bit better without Beck, at least in her opinion.
She thinks that maybe she should think of a way to make him late instead for once.
A wicked smile on her face, she dashes to the lobby. With a pleading smile, she walks up to the desk. "I'm sorry, but I've lost my key. I'm in room 312. Do you think you can give me an extra one?"
"I thought you were in room 314, Miss Jadelyn?" the clerk inquires, raising an eyebrow.
She does the same back. Why anyone bothers arguing with her, she'll never know. "No, Beck and I traded, actually. We're oh-so-close and all that." She hopes that the fake smile on her face is convincing.
"All right then," the clerk says with a suspicious frown. "I don't believe you, so I'm sorry, but I can't give you the extra key. You are only to receive keys for your assigned room, or so says the management."
Frowning, she realizes that she's going to have to do this the hard way. She then turns her frown upside down, so to speak. "Oh, that's all right; I understand. Beck and I will just trade back then. See you!"
Quickly, she rushes to the elevator. It seems to take forever, and it plays the most annoying song she's ever heard, but it's all worth it once she gets upstairs. Leaning down, she pulls one of her hairpins out of her messy bun and begins to pick the lock.
Hurry, she chides herself. You've got no time to waste.
Much to her dismay, it takes a longer amount of time than she'd originally thought, but thankfully Beck doesn't catch her. Once it finally swings open, she dashes in, clutching her scissors tightly in her hand. His clothes are spread out neatly beside his bed. She tilts her head to the side. Too easy. She unzips her purse and takes out her pair of leather gloves and her favorite pair of scissors.
Showtime.
–
Beck Oliver is an organized guy. He sets his clothes out the night before and always double-checks to make sure it's exactly what he wants to wear. So, the night before shooting starts, he is sure to double-check. And when he does, he realizes that his clothes are full of holes.
It takes him less than a minute to deduce who it was.
Jade.
Mumbling something that's not very nice under his breath, he pulls out another t-shirt and pair of jeans. Thankfully, it'd just been a polo that she'd shredded, but the threat was there all the same. She was trying to make sure that he would be late the next day.
Quickly, he makes his way to the bathroom, where he discovers she's stolen his shampoo and soap. He dials up the desk and asks for an extra of both, letting them assume that he just uses a lot of both and therefore is a stinky guy. (He has no idea why he's covering for Jade, other than the fact that he's just naturally a nice guy.)
He goes to bed early that night and gets up early the next morning as well. Fortunately, she hasn't done anything else to his possessions. He is sure to confront her in the cab, though. (Of course, Director Lane has demanded they share a cab.)
"What do you think you're playing at?" he hisses under his breath.
She gives him her best angelic expression and says, "I don't know what you're talking about."
Even he has to admit that she looks kind of pretty, but now is hardly the time for that. "You broke into my room and vandalized my things."
"Have you got proof? Really, Beck, you shouldn't go around accusing innocent girls of crimes. I'm the best person I know, honestly." She smirks, crossing her arms across her chest, probably think that it's a clear victory on her part.
She's wrong.
He holds up her necklace – a long, thin string with a J on it. "I don't really know many other girls who wear a necklace just like yours, do I?" Slowly, he gives a small, thin smile.
"You absolute jerk!" Jade hisses through her teeth. "Give me my necklace now."
"Nope." Beck grins now, unable to help himself. "I'll give it to you after I extract a little something from you."
"What could you possibly want?" Jade retorts, crossing her arms angrily across her chest.
"Wait." He pulls out his PearPhone and goes to the 'Record' app. With a grin, he says, "You have to confess that you vandalized my stuff."
"No way!" Jade protests.
"Either that or I keep this necklace." Beck's hand closes around the small 'J'. "What's it going to be, Jade?"
Finally, she nods. "Whatever. Fine. Press your stupid 'record' button before I get even angrier." He does so, and she says slowly, "I'm Jade freaking West, and I vandalized Beck's stupid clothing, so yeah, there's my idiotic confession. You can stop recording now."
He does so, and with a smile, he turns the necklace back over to Jade. "Now, Jade, if you try anything like this again, that recording gets shown to the movie company, and while they may not fire you, they certainly won't be pleased."
"Recordings can be faked," she reminds him.
"Too bad I was videoing." He shrugs. "It's a bit harder to fake a personal video, don't you think?"
"You are my least favorite person in the world. I hate you. I'd rather like to roast you over a fire and feed you to a T-Rex for lunch."
"Creative."
"Isn't it?"
–
Once they get to the movie set, it seems that they're nearly ready to start, which Jade claims is 'stupid and an embarrassment to the entire Hollywood industry'. Sadly enough, they whisk her away into makeup anyway and get started applying powder and other utter crap to her face. She thinks it's stupid. Obviously, she's already gorgeous without it.
The funniest part is that they plaster the stuff on Beck as well, though he doesn't seem to mind it. It does give her leverage for teasing him anyway.
After makeup, they're thrown onto the set. Jade reads over her lines one last time, practicing how she's going to say each one. Beck just tosses his onto a table.
"You need all the practice you can get, Oliver," Jade hisses, glaring at him. "Knowing you, you'll probably mess up on all of your lines."
"Knowing you, you'll probably be a jerk to me," Beck responds, raising an eyebrow. "Oh wait! That already happened."
"You're needed on the set," a helper (Bailey, Jade thinks) stutters nervously. "They won't be happy if they're kept waiting..."
Jade just rolls her eyes and stomps off. Once she finally gets to the set, she's whisked over to where they're beginning to practice her movements. She's told to walk and stop and start again, until they're finally satisfied and all the tape is laid.
"Go through it once with no camera or props," the director encourages, and of course, no one says no to him.
Jade rolls her eyes. She's hardly an amateur, but she begins anyway. She walks toward Beck, pretending to be humming to herself, and then runs into him 'accidentally'.
"Hey!" she yells, glancing down at her 'ruined' shirt. "Watch where you're going, freak!"
"Actually, I have a name. Zander Daniels, at your service." He grinned slyly. "Isn't this quite the cliché beginning? You know, we don't have to start here."
"I have no clue what you're talking about, Daniels, nor do I care to know." She pushes at his shoulder. "Let me through."
Then Beck holds out his hands, which, out of context, looks entirely ridiculous. Of course, Jade has to take five steps back, then she looks confused. "What did you just do, freak?"
"Told you already that I'm not a freak." Beck grins. "Have fun with your nice shirt. It's all clean now."
"All right!" The director claps his hands. "Nice job. Now, when we're shooting, Jade's going to have to switch shirts quickly between takes. Someone get on that. While this scene will rely primarily on cinematic editing and CGI effects, we're going to need some brilliant acting from the two of you as well."
"Of course," Beck promises. "Though I can't say the same for Jade."
Jade glares at him.
–
The day goes much like that, with fighting both on and off-camera. They do what feels like a million takes and only get one scene finished.
"Let's call it a day," someone says wearily that afternoon. Jade heads to her trailer, giving Beck a don't-bother-me glare.
Of course, he takes that as an invitation to come knock on the door of her trailer.
"Can't you see I'm busy?" she snarls, her lip curled threateningly.
"Can't you see I don't care?" Beck rolls his eyes. "Look, Jade, I'm tired of fighting."
"I'm not." Jade holds on to the edge of the door, determined as always. "And please get this through your thick head – I never will be tired of fighting. I'm always going to dislike you. Now please, if you would, leave me alone. I'm in no mood to talk to anyone, let alone you."
She slams the door in his face. When she opens it a few minutes later, he's gone.
She can't say she's relieved.
–
A/N: important things:
I'm sorry that I didn't reply to reviews! I replied to like two and then got tired, so yeah, I'm really sorry. Thank you all so very much for reviewing! I'm glad most of you like the idea and are excited for the story.
Please don't fave/alert without reviewing. Please?
My knowledge of filming/cinematography is limited, so I'm reallyreally sorry about errors! I'm doing some research and all so hopefully it's not too off.
I think they're a bit OOC but whatever. This is pretty fun to write anyway.
Please review :D