Chapter 2
The first day of filming was a minefield of tension. Vi and Caitlyn navigated the set with a careful dance, their interactions brief and laced with barbed words. The rest of the cast and crew watched with a mix of fascination and wariness, not knowing if the animosity was an act or the real deal.
Mel observed the two from a distance, a knowing smile playing on her lips. The tension between them was exactly what she needed for the movie, and she knew how to channel it. "Alright, everyone," she called out, her voice cutting through the murmurs. "Places for the next scene."
Vi took her spot, dressed as Roe, the tough-as-nails ex-scam-artist, turned undercover agent, while Caitlyn slipped into the role of Naomi, the sharp-tongued criminal investigater with a vendetta. The set was a grimy underground club, the neon lights casting an eerie glow on the actors' faces.
As soon as the cameras started rolling, Sevika, dressed as her character, Danny, glided into the scene. She was the picture of confidence, her leather jacket creaking with every movement, her eyes scanning the room with a predatory gaze. "I'm happy you both could make it," she said, her voice smooth as silk as she called over the bartender, ordering her usual whiskey, neat. The sound of ice clinking in the glass was the only thing that broke the silence as the tension grew thicker between Vi and Caitlyn.
"I'm sure you guys both know the importance of this," Danny spoke, pulling a note from her jacket pocket, sliding it to Roe. Vi's eyes followed the note's journey, curiosity piqued as she saw the subtle nod from Mel. She took the paper, her eyes scanning the brief message scribbled hastily in Mel's handwriting: 'Use your history. Make it real'. Vi's jaw clenched as she crumpled the note in her fist, feeling the heat of the spotlight and the pressure to perform.
"Not like I had much choice," Vi said, her voice tight with resentment, echoing Roe's dialogue from the script. She took a sip of the non-alcoholic beer that was supposed to be part of the scene, the bitter taste mirroring her mood. The scene called for Roe to begrudgingly agree to work with Naomi by Danny's request, the woman who had the power to ruin her life with one phone call. Vi didn't need to fake the anger; it was all too real.
Caitlyn, as Naomi, watched her with a cool gaze, the words of their scripted rivalry feeling eerily close to home. "I don't trust her," she murmured to Danny, the edge in her voice as sharp as the blade her character was known for.
Sevika, playing Danny with a sly charm that could disarm even the most hardened of hearts, leaned against the bar with a knowing smile. "You don't have to," she said, her voice a low purr. "But you need her for this job."
Vi's mind raced as she processed the script's backstory. Roe had been a scam-artist, a really good one, until she'd made a mistake. A costly one. She had stolen from the wrong person, and that person was Danny. The weight of her character's desperation, the regret of a life derailed by a single choice, was something she could relate to, a burden she had carried in her own past.
Mel's instructions echoed in her head as she took the stage. 'Make it real'. Vi didn't need to delve deep into her imagination to feel the anger and fear of being cornered by someone like Danny. She knew all too well what it was like to have your life in someone else's hands. She took a deep breath, her fists clenching at her sides.
"Just tell me what the fuck I'm supposed to do," Roe grumbled, facing Danny with a scowl that mirrored Vi's own feelings about this whole situation.
Danny, unfazed, leaned in close. "You're going to play nice with Naomi," she said, her voice a low growl that sent a shiver down Vi's spine. "You're going to get her to trust you, even though you've probably never done anything to earn it."
Caitlyn, as Naomi, watched Roe with a glare that could cut through steel. Her posture was rigid, arms folded tightly across her chest, a clear sign of the defensive wall she had built around herself. It was a stark contrast to Roe's slouched stance and irritated attitude.
As the scene unfolded, the tension grew thicker than the fog machine's output. The script called for Naomi to be skeptical of Roe, and Caitlyn played it to perfection. Every word out of her mouth was a dagger, aimed directly at Vi's pride. "You really expect me to work with a thief?" Naomi spat, her eyes narrowing with contempt.
Vi felt the sting, not just because it was her character being insulted, but because it hit too close to home. The accusation echoed through her own history, her past as a runaway and a survivor.
Mel, watching intently from her director's chair, nodded almost imperceptibly. She knew she had a volatile mix in front of her, but she also knew it was pure gold. "Perfect," she murmured into her headset. "Keep it up."
Sevika's response was simple, but it carried the weight of the world. "Yes, yes I do," she said, her character's smug amusement playing perfectly across her features. Vi's heart raced as she watched Sevika's performance, feeling the sting of truth in every word.
The scene unfolded with a dance of animosity and distrust. Each line was a battle of wit and wills, each gesture a silent declaration of war. As Roe and Naomi, they circled each other like predators, waiting for the moment to strike. Vi let out an irritated sigh, running her fingers through her hair. "Look," Roe retorted, "I want nothing to do with you either, but clearly, we don't have a fucking choice." The room went quiet, the only sound the faint hum of the lights above them.
Caitlyn, her eyes never leaving Vi's, leaned in closer. Her voice was a low growl, the kind that sent shivers down the spine. "You're nothing but a liar," Naomi accused, her words a direct hit to Roe's vulnerable spot. Vi's fists clenched at her side, but she remained in character, her jaw tight with restraint.
Their chemistry was explosive, even in the early stages of filming. Each glance, each step closer, was a silent challenge. It was as if the animosity between Vi and Caitlyn had seeped into the very fabric of their characters, fueling the scenes with an intensity that was both unnerving and undeniably mesmerizing.
Vi took a deep breath, her chest rising and falling with the effort of maintaining composure. She knew Caitlyn's words weren't just lines from the script; they were a mirror to the tension that existed between them in reality. "You think you know me?" Roe shot back, her voice filled with the fire of a thousand suns. "You don't know the first thing about me."
Mel's eyes shone with excitement behind the camera as she watched the scene unfold. The script had called for a volatile relationship, and Vi and Caitlyn were bringing it to life in a way she could have never anticipated. The room was a pressure cooker of emotion, and every crew member was glued to the performance.
Jayce and Ekko, standing off to the side, shared a look of both dread and awe. The rivalry was palpable, but the passion it brought to the screen was undeniable. They both knew this film could either be a disaster or a masterpiece, and the outcome rested heavily on their shoulders.
The scene reached its climax with Naomi's accusation, and Roe's response was a slap that resonated throughout the set. Vi's hand stung as it connected with Caitlyn's cheek, but the latter didn't flinch, only narrowing her eyes further. The crew gasped collectively, blurring the line between reality and fiction.
"Cut!" Mel's voice sliced through the air like a whip, and the two actresses stepped back, their eyes still locked. The director stood, her eyes alight with excitement. "That was... electric. Exactly what we needed." She took a moment to survey the scene before clapping her hands together. "Let's take a break. You three are doing fantastic work."
As the set bustled with movement, the tension between Vi and Caitlyn remained unbroken. Jayce, watching from the sidelines, felt a twinge of anxiety. He approached Caitlyn, who was visibly seething. "You okay?"
"I'm fine," she replied through gritted teeth, not bothering to hide her anger.
Vi finally turned away, running her hand over her face as she walked over to the snack table, taking a much-needed bottle of water. The cold condensation on the plastic bottle felt good against her flushed skin. She took a deep drink, letting the coolness wash down her throat and quench the fire that was burning in her chest. She knew her emotions were running high, but she couldn't help it. Working with Caitlyn was harder than she had ever imagined.