Jade's POV
((A/N: The awesome Cinematographer for The Fault in Our Stars is Ben Richardson. He gets all the credit here. I just need Jade on some movies. Again this is totally fictional.))
September 6, 2013
I have a few more days alone in my hotel without Lizzie. It's currently a Friday and we are filming the first meeting of Hazel and Gus. "Dante, here try this." I slip on a soft diffusion filter on the camera lens. "How does that look to you?"
"That looks to add a depth to the picture." Dante answers looking at Josh our director when he comes up behind us. "Definitely go with that diffusion filter. Alright people. Places!"
Everyone on set start to get ready moving around on set to their perspective places. The make-up artists we're giving last minute touch ups to Shailene.
"Quiet on set please!" Josh waits until it's completely quiet. Dante hits record as the clapboard is ready in front of the camera ready to close when Josh calls action. "First meet scene take one. Action!" The clapboard closes a second or two after Josh yells action. When it finally pulls away the scene starts.
Ansel as Gus: "I thought we were in a church basement, but apparently we were literally in the heart of Jesus."
Shailene as Hazel: "Oh yeah." She lets out a soft laugh.
Ansel as Gus: "What's your name?"
Shailene as Hazel: "Hazel."
Ansel as Gus: "And what's your full name?"
Shailene as Hazel: "Hazel Grace Lancaster."
The rest of the scene is filmed. "And Cut!" Josh called. Dante takes a minute before stopping the recording. "Alright this time we have camera A recording the scene while camera B sets up the different angle."
We film the scene multiple different times to get the angles that looked good. "Alright everyone let's take five." Josh calls out as the actors head away to get some coffee or to sit down. Dante and I look at each other before setting up the camera for the next scene we need to film today before we are done for the day.
When Dante and I finish I feel someone slide up next to me. "So... how's that girlfriend of yours?" Shailene asks with a soft smirk on her face. My eyes widen before glancing at her. "I told you that in confidence at a girls night during the last week of filming Secret life." I groan, which in turn just makes the actress laugh.
"Look Jade. I think it's cute that you two are together. You're like a match made in heaven. But I really think that it's time to woman up and ask her." Shay looks at me with an encouraging smile. "We aren't ready just yet. I gave her a promise ring on our anniversary."
"You gave her what now?" Shay asks starting to get all giddy. Did I forget to mention that I was a camera operator from season 3-5 on The Secret Life of an American Teenager. Shay is like my LA best friend while Nicole is my best, best friend. She's also the only one besides our family that knows Lizzie and I are together. Well I mean Dakota knows, but that's a little different.
"I gave her a blue diamond promise ring on our anniversary. It's to promise to propose to her soon. We are both working on our next movie together. And I just want to get through that before I propose." I state simply, "I love her, and I want to marry her one day, just not now."
"You guys haven't shot a movie together since you guys started dating. Do you think you can do it? Act like you're not dating each other and seeing each other all day?" Shay asks pulling us to a corner of the set where no one could see us. Because that's not at all suspicious Shay.
"I'm not sure about her, but I know that I can. It's going to be difficult. The way I can pull it off is called self-control." I chuckle rolling up my sleeves on my long sleeve shirt. It may be early September, but today was a chilly day. Shay looks down at my arms.
⚠️Trigger warning for self-harm ⚠️
"How many months now?" She asks softly mentioning my scars. I slightly unconsciously start to itch at the scars on my left wrist. "9 months, and 6 days." The day I stopped was the day Lizzie found me in my bed asleep, dried blood on my sheets. It was in November of the year we started dating. "Every time I think of reverting back, I remember the fear on her face that I saw when I woke up. And I end up calling her."
Shay nods pulling me into a hug. "You are so strong for bearing all that you do up their in your mind by yourself. But I'm glad you found your someone to talk too."
I smile hugging Shay back. "She's helped me through a lot. She helped me find a therapist that I like back at home. Luna. She's the absolute best." When we pull back from the hug she nudges my shoulder. I can see in her eyes she's noticed that I don't want to talk about it any longer. I'm thankful for her understanding of me. She quickly changes the topic. "How was your anniversary? I saw that you two were wearing matching outfits."
"It was good. The morning was shaky Jane Garnes showed up thinking it was okay to do so. Made Lizzie feel completely uncomfortable. Which then made our afternoon weird, but dinner was amazing. The cover band that was performing, they were exquisite."
"Your homophobic neighbor showed up? The thing about that, that I'll never understand is they love god so much, and preach that homosexuality is a sin. But god makes you the way you are, and he don't make no mistakes, which means god made people gay. They also preach that to go against god is a sin, then to go against the way god made you would be a sin. They also don't fully read the Bible fully if they don't love thy neighbor." She points out with a shake of her head.
"I'm just so glad that when I came out my parents supported me. And that people of the Jewish faith are pretty inclusive." I state softly, I grew up with both Christian holidays and Jewish Holidays. My mom is Methodist, which is a form of Christianity, and my dad is Jewish. I don't have anyone on my dads side that dislikes who I love. Plus they have all met Lizzie and absolutely love her. It's a few people on my moms side that give us the problems, they are all family by marriage, not by blood, not that blood always makes a family, love does. But that's not the point, everyone on my moms side that dislikes that I date women isn't of blood relation.
Shay shakes her head with a soft smile. "Well I'm glad your parents supported you, your crazy neighbor is just that, crazy."
"Did I mention that she brought her granddaughter to tell us we were being too loud the night before and the teen came out to her grandmother, that was the best thing I ever seen, Jane's face was of complete an utter shock and disbelief, I wish you could have seen it."
"I wish I did." Both of us start laughing as Shay starts to lean against my chest since she's been on her feet for a few hours now, she was tired. "You're so comfy. I see what she loves about you. I could stay here all day." "Shay, you can't. You need to act and I need to help capture your amazing acting." I state looking into her eyes shaking my head with a soft smile. "Nah, rather just stay here in your comfortable arms."
Jodi, Shay's assistant found our little corner. "Oh sorry, didn't mean to disturb you two. Go ahead and finish up your flirting, I was never here. But Josh wants everyone back on set soon." Jodi quickly scurries away. I knew the dark corner was suspicious.
Both Shay and I look at each other and fake gag before laughing. Shay's like a sister, I can't even imagine ever dating her. And I know Shay feels the same for me.
We both get our composure before heading back onto set. Since we went off set a little during our walk. We didn't notice the paparazzi that had gotten a few pictures of our compromising position.
A few hours later we were done with what was needed to be filmed today to stay on track for where we want to be. Right on schedule.
Shay slips up next to me. "Want to go grab some dinner?" She asks. I nod as my stomach growls at the mention of food. She starts chuckling. "I'll take that as a yes." As we head out a Careless Whisper song edit started playing on my phone. Shay raises an eyebrow at the ringtone. "Subtle. Very subtle." I just roll my eyes. Lizzie is the one who picked out her ringtone for my phone. Just like I picked mine for hers.
I answer the phone knowing exactly who was calling me. "Do you wish to explain?" Lizzie questions the moment I answer the phone. "Lizzie, what's the issue?" "I trust you, but this doesn't look good." She answers my question making me even more confused about what was going on.
"I think I may know what the problem is." Shay states looking up from her from her phone. "There's an article about us from earlier. The angle the photographer was at shows a very compromising position. Article is talking about the possibility of a new romance in the works for you and I."
I internally groan. Stupid paparazzi and articles. Since it's been now confirmed that I would be the new Cinematographer and head of photography on the new marvel movie I've been in few more articles. This is one reason why Lizzie and I try to keep our relationship out of the spotlight. That way rumors don't spread about cheating scandals.
This is the moment I'm glad Lizzie and I have great communication between each other. And that we fully trust how one another feel about each other. "I went on a walk during our break, Shay came with me. We were talking mostly about how our anniversary went. Shay has been on her feet all day, so she just took upon her own decision to use the short girl for her personal bed. The angle the photographer was at makes it look at worse then it was. All that happened was Shay leaned up against me to get some of the weight of being on her feet almost all day while filming. You've done the same on set when I've visited you."
"You are a comfy pillow and bed. So, I understand why she would want to use you as her own personal bed." I groan playfully. "I'm not a bed baby." "But you are a great bed, baby. But your pillows are mine." I narrow my eyes. Fine if that's how she wishes to play. "2."
"You wouldn't dare." Lizzie states on the other end of the phone. I can hear Ashley and Mary-Kate asking what 2 meant in the background.
"Oh, I would dare."
Shay looks at me tilting her head to the side mouthing 'what the hell does 2 mean?'
"3."
"Jade."
"4."
"Jade."
"5."
"Alright. Fine you win." Lizzie groans over the phone. "Why is it you always start at 2, not at 1?"
"1 is no fun." I smirk slightly, "that means I don't get kisses if I say 1. But because I love you we can just stay at 2."
2 is blindfold, 3 is handcuffs, 4 is rope, 5 is I think you can make an educated guess after 4.
"Oh thank god. You are staying in a hotel, we don't need any noise complaints." I can hear Mary-Kate and Ashley gag hearing Lizzie's answer. They must have at least a guess of what our numbers mean.
"Take me off speakerphone, I don't want the twins to hear this."
"Off."
I take a deep breath shooing Shay away. "I don't want to wait."
"What do you mean, you said you would wait until I was read-" "Not about that. I can wait for that. I just don't want to wait until I call you my wife."
"Jade..." "Since I'm not needed in Amsterdam, I was thinking of heading up to visit my family for Halloween and staying until New Years. Filming for the Marvel movie doesn't start filming until February. And you can train anywhere getting ready. We can have a small little wedding, just family. And then later have a big wedding... I just, I want to be able to call you my wife."
"I guess your family is meeting mine at our wedding." Lizzie answers back, I can hear her smile through the phone. I heard some grunting and curses before a new voice was on the phone.
"Jade Angela Davis, did you really think you could ask my baby sister to marry you over the phone. No. She deserves better then that. I won't tolerate an over the phone proposal." Ashley huffs out. "Your middle name is Angela?" Mary-Kate asks. I groan before I start laughing. "No it's not. Ash just loves to call me that. It's actually Jade Andrea Davis. It's close to Angela which is why Ash likes to say Angela."
"But we are serious, Lizzie deserves better then to be proposed over the phone."
"Guys! I'm about to ring shopping with my LA bestie, I'll give her a romantic proposal. Don't worry. She deserves to be swept off her feet. Can you give the phone back to your sister please?"
"What's up baby?"
"November 30th. That's the date we are getting married."
⚠️Trigger warning for attempted suicide⚠️
"Why then? I mean I know what day that is, but still." "Because it was the day you saved my life. I was taking one last nap smelling your perfume before... If you didn't come home that hour, I don't want to think about what would've happened. Elizabeth Olsen, I want to marry you on the day you saved my life."
"I love you so much Jade. I can't wait to marry you, but when I tell my mom about our wedding, I'll tell her you proposed in person and not over the phone."
"I love you too. Now, I need to go find a engagement and wedding ring for you. You find me a wedding band in New York. I will propose better then over the phone, but that won't be until I'm back in my home town. Western Mass is absolutely beautiful in the fall." I smile thinking of my hometown in the fall with the leaves falling and changing color.
"I'll let you go do that since I know you will be super busy until they go off to Amsterdam. Bye baby." Lizzie says over the phone. "Bye baby. Love you." I get a love you too before I hang up. I look for Shay who was about a 100 yards or so down the way at her car. "We going to get food or what loser?"
"Food and a ring!" I exclaim heading towards the girls car. "Ring?"
"I'm womaning up."
"Finally."
((A/N: I'll just give you a quick run down on Jade's mental health. She has anxiety and depression, she's now on medication for both of them. She has trauma from her bullying backstory, along with trauma from a childhood accident. She was self-harming until Lizzie found her in their shared bed with dried blood on the sheets. She's now found herself in a better state, with the help of her therapist, Lizzie and her medication. I just thought I'd mention these things now, as they will be brought up again.
And this is for anyone whoever feels like they don't have anyone to talk to. I'm always here, and I'm always a great listener. I don't even need to know the full story to listen. I'm here. And I'll help however much I can. You aren't alone in how you are feeling. You are loved, and you have so much ahead of you.))