Narrator's POV
Lauren was so grateful and excited that she finally got an opportunity to work with Camila. Shooting a music video was not her main focus, but she could do it, especially when it was for her favorite singer. It was not only good for the reputation of her company but also for her fangirl heart. She was so enthusiastic that she took it even though she had a full agenda. Whether it was true or not that opportunity never knocked twice, Lauren just did not want to disappoint Camila. She was also afraid that Camila would never come back again.
The paperwork and the schedule were finalized, and they would shoot the music video tomorrow. Lauren went through everything: the lyric of the song, the theme that Camila wanted, and all the ideas and details that they had discussed during their first meeting. They also had several brief calls to update or change something before the shooting time. After going through everything for one last time, Lauren ended the night by wishing everything would go well tomorrow.
.
The shooting of Camila's music video would take place at the same location as her office. It was one of Lauren's studios for indoor shooting. Lauren, wearing a black coat, pants, and boots, arrived at the office from another shooting place an hour before the shooting would start. She took off her coat as she arrived in her office. She made a warm tea for herself and settled at her desk to do something.
After thirty minutes passed, Lauren took to put on her leather jacket on top of her white shirt. She wore her hair in a ponytail and checked herself in the mirror before she left for the next building which was connected to her office. Arriving at the studio, Lauren walked to Ally, who was talking to one of their crews.
"Good morning, Lauren!" Ally, who was dressed in a yellow suit, finished talking to the crew when she saw Lauren walking toward her. She greeted Lauren.
"Hey, morning, Ally!" Lauren smiled, "All good?" Lauren scanned around the room.
"Yes, everything is as planned so far." Ally informed. It was call time when the crew was ready to start the filming.
"They've arrived, haven't they?" Lauren asked.
"Yes, Camila and her team are preparing in the dressing room." Ally welcomed them when they arrived.
"Great! I will go and greet them." Lauren went to the dressing room, and Ally was back to what she was doing when Lauren showed up.
Lauren walked out of the studio. She passed the hall, walking to the dressing room. She knocked on the door, and Camila's mother showed up. "Lauren, good morning!"
"Good morning, Mrs. Cabello!" Lauren smiled.
"Oh, please call me Sinu!" Sinu said.
"Alright!" Lauren always went with formal greetings with someone she just knew.
"Come on in!" Sinu invited Lauren in. Lauren got into the dressing room.
"Camilita, Lauren is here," Sinu informed her daughter, who had her eyes closed as the makeup artist was doing her face.
"Good morning, Camila!" Lauren greeted Camila, and she looked around the dressing room to make sure they got what they needed.
"Hey, good morning, Lauren!" Camila cheerfully greeted back with her eyes still closed. "How are you?" Camila was still wearing a robe. She had not changed into her costume for the shooting today.
"I'm good. And you? Is everything good?" Lauren asked professionally.
"Yes, a bit sleepy, but everything is fine." It was eight-thirty in the morning, " and thank you for the flowers," Camila said.
Lauren did not respond immediately as she did not remember she sent any flowers. She looked at the bouquet of roses on the table that she saw a few seconds ago. It must be Ally, who arranged everything, "It's just a little thing to welcome you."
"Thank you! It's so sweet of you." Camila finally opened her eyes and looked at Lauren, who stood close to the door and looked in her direction. Lauren smiled.
"It's our pleasure." Lauren did not say my pleasure as she thought Ally should take the credit, not her, but they did do such things when needed as Lauren always suggested.
"You know, It's my favorite flower." Camila smiled broadly.
"I..." Lauren chuckled, "It's Ally's idea."
"Oh," Camila was somewhat disappointed, but she could conceal it. "She's such a thoughtful person." She did not like lying, but she was a good actress as well.
"Yeah..." Lauren and Camila shared that brief look again, the look their shared during the first meeting in Lauren's office. Camila looked away for the makeup artist to continue to do her makeup. "I will be waiting outside."
"Okay, see you!" Camila said.
Camila came out of the dressing room and joined Lauren and the crews in the studio. Lauren was slightly lost when she saw Camila, who looked so beautiful in her soft pink dress. She smiled when Camila got closer. "Are you ready?" Lauren asked.
"Yes," Camila said.
They started the first day with the first scene out of three scenes for three different days. The first scene was Camila with the male dancer. Camila was so good in her acting that Lauren, who was sitting behind the camera wished that the male dancer was her. It would be the dream that came true for her fangirl heart. Lauren could not stop admiring Camila's skills and surely her beauty. However, she still could do her job professionally.
Lauren did her directing, and Camila could follow it well, including all the crew. The shooting was scheduled for four hours, but it was finished before that time. Lauren looked satisfied as everything went well. She and Camila were working professionally even though once in a while they almost shared that look again, but Lauren did not respond to it as she was working. Every time it happened, Lauren would just smile and brush it off. Meanwhile, Camila would become a little awkward, but she could immediately compose herself again.
Lauren did not see it as anything special since Camila was beautiful. Lauren was just having her celebrity-crush moment, enjoying Camila's angelic face. She adored Camila as a beautiful celebrity and a talented artist. She was fangirling Camila, just like many men, and women who adored and loved her. So, It was something common. She also did not see how Camila looked at her as something special. Lauren knew well that many people respected and liked Lauren for her character and personality. Staying true to herself all the time made Lauren beloved by many. She knew she had that charm. She thought that was the reason people respected and valued her, including Camila from the way Camila looked at her.
After the first day of shooting for the music video, Lauren thanked everyone and left the studio for another shooting outdoor. The second shooting for Camila's music video would be the day after tomorrow, in the late afternoon. Lauren trusted Ally to arrange everything since she had to focus on another project, too. Camila did not see Lauren after the last take. She and her team left the set half an hour after Lauren left.
.
It was the second day of shooting. Camila and the team arrived fifty-five minutes before the shooting started. Lauren also arrived a bit later than before. It was ten minutes before the scheduled time. Since she arrived late, she did not visit Camila in the dressing room. She went through the studio with Ally and waited for Camila on the set. Camila came out five minutes before the time. Her face lit up when she saw Lauren.
"Hi!" Camila tapped on Lauren's left shoulder.
"Oh, hi, Camila!" Lauren smiled. "Can we start now?"
"Yes, I'm ready." Camila looked at Lauren's white shirt, "don't you want to change your clothes."
"Oh..." Lauren looked at her wet clothes. It was raining on the way here. She did not bother to use the umbrella when she was out of the car. "No, I'm good."
"Are you sure? It looks... quite... wet!" Camila's voice came out a bit seductive. She could see Lauren's chest through her white t-shirt. They shared that brief look again, but it was a bit longer than the last ones.
"Lauren, here you are!" Ally passed a white towel to Lauren.
Lauren took the towel and told Camila, "See! I'm good." She tapped the towel to dry herself and hung the towel on her neck afterward. "We can start!" Lauren smiled, and she went behind the camera.
Lauren had to repeat several takes for the dancing parts, but everything went well so far for the first halftime. They took a break for thirty minutes. Lauren used the change to have a warm drink and changed into dry black clothes that she got from Ally. After the break, Lauren went behind the camera again while waiting for Camila, who was still in the dressing room, preparing for the second set tonight.
There were more people at this second shooting as it was a dancing scene where dancers and Camila's choreographers joined the set. Lauren did not know how to dance, but she could tell whether the dance was beautiful and graceful or not. She had an eye for art and beauty. Lauren's eyes were on Camila when Camila was reviewing her dance with her choreographers. She was both admiring and studying the dance moves.
Lauren walked up to Camila and her choreographer when they were discussing the dance. "I'm not a dancer, but may I share my opinion?" Lauren said.
"Yes, sure!" Camila and her choreographer agreed.
Lauren took a few steps away and showed them, "Camila's part, we can try this move..." Lauren showed them her strange moves, "from here to there... and..." she laughed at herself after trying to explain to them with her limited dance skills, "sorry I know no dance but do you get what I mean?"
"Yes... It's a good idea." The choreographer said. She tried Lauren's idea. "You're right. We should try Lauren's idea." She told Camila.
"Alright!" Camila agreed, "like this... from here and ended there..." Camila tried it herself, following her choreographer.
"Yes, but this part is like this...sorry..." Lauren held Camila's waist to correct her move. Lauren was serious about teaching Camila. Camila was looking at Lauren.
"It's okay..." Camila was a bit nervous when Lauren touched her waist.
"It goes like this..." Lauren explained it by dancing with Camila. "Sorry, I'm a bad dancer." She felt silly because Camila was looking at her awkwardly.
Camila laughed, "No, you're not bad..."
The choreographer added, "You're not bad as you can suggest a good idea... you just don't do it often."
"We'll see if it is indeed a good suggestion," Lauren said, and they started again.
The second shooting ended at nine. Lauren was exhausted since she was on the sets since the morning. She thanked everybody as usual before she left. She took her black leather jacket and left the studio.
"Lauren!" Camila called her.
"Yes, Camila?" Lauren stopped and looked at Camila with her sleepy face.
"Tired?" Camila saw Lauren's face.
"Yeah... it's a long day." Lauren rubbed her face. Camila smiled, feeling sorry for Lauren. "What can I help you with?"
"Eh?" Camila forgot why she called Lauren.
"You called me...?" Lauren frowned.
"Oh, no... I just want to thank you for today. Last time, you're gone before I can say thank you."
Lauren smiled, "Yeah, I had to rush to another set, and you don't have to thank me every time."
"But you do." Camila saw how Lauren always thanked everyone when they ended the shoot.
Lauren chuckled, "They help me!"
"You help me, too!" Camila and Lauren shared that look again, stopped talking, and looked at each other in the eyes for a bit too long.
"Okay..." Lauren chuckled.
"Okay, see you on Friday!" Camila bit her lip. She was a bit nervous but she hid it well.
"See you on Friday... Camila!" Lauren looked at the pretty one before she turned around and left.
"Bye!" Camila turned around as well, heading to the dressing room.
.
Lauren walked into the set for the last day of the shooting. She came early today. It was an hour and fifteen minutes before the time. Her crews were preparing the set under Ally's supervision. She sat on the director's chair and opened her laptop, and did her stuff. Her schedule was easy today, so she came early to the set. It was also the last day, and she wanted to make sure nothing was left behind.
An hour passed. Lauren closed her laptop and walked to Ally. She inspected the set by herself. She made a few adjustments before she asked Ally. "Are they ready?"
"It might delay fifteen minutes." Ally told Lauren.
"Something happened?" Lauren asked since she saw worries written s on Ally's face even though Ally was smiling.
"They arrived late, and she seems not in a good mood." Ally greeted Camila and her team when they arrived and saw Camila's bad mood. She looked upset.
"Oh," It was not the first time they had to deal with clients' moods. "Does she need more time?"
"Alejandro asked for fifteen minutes." Ally informed.
"Oh, okay." Lauren sat back in her direct chair and waited for Camila to come out.
Fifteen minutes had passed, and Camila had not shown up. Lauren looked at the time. She was free after this shooting, but she dislike the long delay. She stood up and walked out of the studio, heading to the dressing room where Camila was. She met Sinu outside the room, who told her that Camila just needed a little bit more time. Lauren asked Sinu if she could see Camila. Sinu was not sure, but she asked Lauren to try.