✦ ✧ ✩ Curtain Call ✦ ✧ ✩ - Charlie Gillespie

Chapter 2

They looked at each other and laughed. He saw something in her eyes, raw emotion, a goal to achieve. She really wasn't like anything he's seen before.

"Yeah I guess I am" - He winked at her as if that would get him somewhere

"Oh no baby you are not going to like it" He loved that she was cheeky, and he was ready to do everything to loosen her up.

"You will adore me by the time the plane lands. So... how did you land the gig?"

"I really don't know actually, I've been living here in NYC for about five years working with writers and directors and about a month ago I received a phone call from THE Kenny Ortega team, It was a no-brainer. Started packing after hanging up. But I guess I was recommended. "

"So you must be a really important asset to this project" 

"It wouldn't run without me."

"I bet on it." - he stayed silent for a few seconds and looked down at her notes, confused "So what is it exactly that you would do"

"I'm in charge of making the characters genuine and charismatic. My job is to make you the best you you can be on screen. Enough about me, you won't make me spill more"

-He smiled to himself, and lightly shook his head. It was as she could read his mind.

"What's your story? Was it the overload of energy that made you the perfect Luke?"

"If you say I'm the perfect Luke you must really know your stuff"

"Ugh shut up"

Announcement: "Ladies and gentleman we will start boarding in about 7 minutes for Flight 248 to Vancouver..." -

 "I guess I'm free for now"

"I hope I get a window seat, you don't mind right?"

"Why would I mi- We won't- Charlie?" - The kid was already on the boarding line waiting to get his ticket checked.

"He is going to be a work load"

Charlie sat a few rows behind Eri on the plane. She thought it was a good thing. The plan was  not to get too close to the cast before having a full vision of what the character was going to be. 

She had a method you see. She envisioned the characters and then gave the actors pointers on how to adapt their own personalities to the role they are playing. Her work needed not to be too influenced by their personalities as she believed the actors needed to find out themselves how they differentiate themselves from the role and how they were similar to it. 

Yes, it was a good thing he was far away. Once they land they could part ways and just meet again on set. With loads of people around them. And professionalism. And boundaries.

But then again, she was bored and the seat beside her was empty. The flight was very short, how much can you really talk on a night flight. How much damage can an hour-long conversation tops cause her work. Not much? Right? Her thought were interrupted again by she was not that mad about it this time.

"Hey I'm back, I don't think anyone else is sitting here. And if they wanted to you could just look at them the way you looked at me when I <<damaged your property>>" He said playfully.

"Actually you violently attacked it" - Eri rolled her eyes while smiling, and Charlie looked pleased with himself. 

"You know, you actually haven't told me your name yet" 

"It's Eri, short for..." - she hesitated

"For??? Spill it dork" 

"Erato. My mom really likes Greek mythology. She is a muse. I actually kinda love it but people find it weird" 

"I think it fits you. You were writing a poem before right? It was behind one of your notes. Sorry, don't murder me" - He said putting his head between his legs and sheltering the top of it with his hands.

"You are insufferable. Yes it was a poem, but... she actually writes about love and I don't. At all."

"So that's what you actually like? Writing poems?"

"I love telling stories" They locked eyes in the purest of ways and Charlie excitedly responded "Me too. I do it through my music, don't you play too?"

"I'm trying to learn actually. That guitar is barely my property."  She said scrunching her nose a little.

"That's an easy way to earn some good points with you then. I'm teaching you"

"Okay I'm in, but stop making me talk about myself, tell me about you. I want to have leverage too"

"Leverage for what? What are you planning to do to me?"

They giggled and melted onto their seats. The inoffensive hour-long talk Eri planned to have turned into a full 4:30hs banter followed by 30 minutes of sharing music because someone shushed from the seat behind. Charlie told her about her big family, his previous roles, his audition process, he told her about Madison, Owen and Jeremy and how great and talented they all were. She could feel his passion about everything in life and loved it but would just tease him about it. Eri was a bit of a hermit. She loved being around people, but she was more of an observer, Charlie was a powerhouse. 

But they both shared a passion for people, their feelings, their stories and their struggles. 

As they got off the plane and arrived to where the cabs parked, Charlie turned to her with an exaggerated pouty face "I guess this is all I get from you for now"

"I guess it is!" - she knew how to hide her disappointment - "I'll see you at work" 

"It's barely working. Where are you staying?" 

"I'm actually rooming with Savannah for a couple of weeks to see how it plays out. She seems pretty cool"

"She is!"

"You think everyone's cool Charlie"

"Because everyone is!"

"See you at work dork"