I tried resting my eyes as the hair stylist yanked at my hair to get it to stay just the way he wanted it. Early morning shots were the worst, especially if you made the mistake of staying up all night the night before, like I had.
I heard the door to the hair and makeup trailer open and I opened one eye. My co-star and on screen love interest, Chris Evans, was now sitting in the chair beside me. We looked at each other through the mirror (as the hair stylist got mad at me for turning my head) and smiled as a "hello".
Finally, the work on me was done and the work on Chris was just starting. I told Chris I'd see him on set and left the trailer. That's how most of my interactions with Chris were going lately. It's not that we didn't like each other or anything, we were both just slightly awkward. We had only started filming for our movie a few days ago, and Chris and I had zero time to get to know each other, despite the fact that we were playing love interests.
I walked to set, looking over my script as I did so. Our first scene was being shot on location at a park. The park was closed down, but people were still lined up in hopes of seeing whatever was being filmed. Once I was spotted, there were screams and people calling my name. I smiled and waved at the fans. I wasn't allowed to go take pictures or sign autographs, as much as I wished I could.
"Which scene is this?" I asked the director. He had told me a dozen times, but I decided to keep asking just to get on his nerves.
The director and I were actually pretty close friends. It was part of the reason I got the role. The other part was obviously my audition and the fact that the casting directors also liked me.
He rolls his eyes. "It's the park date scene that turns into a make out session. You know this."
Of course I knew this. Like I said, I had asked him a dozen times. Also, it was the scene in which Chris and I would be getting extremely intimate for the first time.
Here's what the movie is, if you're wondering; Chris and I are playing characters named Amanda and Warren. Amanda is a high school drop out trying to turn her life around by going back to school while also juggling a job she can't stand, bills, and a family who have basically turned their back on her, while Warren is a former heir to his father's empire until his mother and father basically exiled them from the family for whatever reason and is now trying to make it on his own without his family's money. The two meet up and decide to help one another, but, of course, they start to fall in love. There's many trials and tribulations to their relationship, but in the end they do end up together.
The scene we were about to film was their "first date" scene. In the scene, Amanda was teaching Warren how to take a girl on a normal date that didn't involve a lot of money or fancy places, and was to end off with a make out session right there in the middle of the park. A lucky watching fan was about to be picked as the extra who was going to break the scene up.
I sat down on the picnic blanket that was placed out with the picnic foods spread across it. I sighed with relief knowing it was real food. I was starving.
It was early in the morning, which means perfect lighting. The sun was rising and almost at it's peak in the sky. By the time we were to start filming, and finish all the repeat scenes and whatnot, it would be late afternoon, which would be the correct time in the movie.
Chris walked out of the hair and makeup trailer and was also met by thunderous screams of excitement. He waved to the crowd as he made his way over to me and sat down next to me on the blanket.
"So, listen," he started. "I know this is going to be awkward where we haven't exactly talked much, but I was hoping to get to know you a bit more before we film more of these scenes."
I tilted my head and took a bite of a sandwich that someone had made. Still cool from being in a fridge, and definitely delicious.
"What did you have in mind?" I asked.
Before Chris could reply, our director called for places.
"I'll tell you after," he said quickly before the director called action. "I'm just not used to this, you know?"
"Used to what?" I asked, now in character as Amanda. "A picnic is a perfectly normal thing for normal people. Especially on such a nice day."
"I know, but my dates don't usually go like this. If I brought a girl to a park and said we were eating homemade food, that wasn't gourmet or anything, she'd laugh in my face and leave."
I took another bite of the sandwich, a smaller one, and rolled my eyes. "You've been taking out the wrong girls then." I swallowed the bite and added, "Out of curiosity, how do your dates usually go?"
Chris looked off at the park, where a few extras were playing, jogging, and just trying to make it look like we hadn't shut down a park for most the day. He looked thoughtful, as he was supposed to.
"I'd pick the girl up, we'd do something extravagant like a meal at the fanciest restaurant in town, or I'd take her to the dock and we'd go sailing on one of dad's boats. It'd always end without clothes though."
I picked a grape from the picnic basket and threw it at Chris, exclaiming, "You pig!"
We both laughed as we were supposed to.
"I am not a pig!" he defended. "It's not my fault I'm so irresistible." I rolled my eyes again, but Chris quickly said, "No, I'm serious! I had one move I'd try on girls. It was foolproof, really. They always fell for it."
"And what was this 'move'?"
Chris moved close to me. I felt my heart start to race. "I'd look them in the eyes and say, 'You are the most beautiful girl I've ever met'." The way he said it, even though I knew he was acting, made my knees feel week. Thank God I was sitting down. I could smell his cologne. "They'd always giggle at that. Girls love being called beautiful, none of this hot or sexy shit. And I can get that. I, myself, prefer to be refereed to as 'handsome' and not 'hot'."
"Good thing you're neither of those," I teased as I took a sip from the water bottle next to me.
"Hey now!" Chris said. "I wasn't done! After that, they were ready for me to go in for the kill. I'd be so close, just like this - " His face was right next to mine. " - I even had a girl beg me to kiss her once just because I was this close. And once I got the okay, I'd do this."
He took my head in his hands and kissed me. I was supposed to be shocked at first (or rather Amanda was supposed to be shocked), and I was, but for a different reason.
Chris was an amazing kisser. Even for acting standards, he was amazing. I felt on top of the world at that moment. After a moment, I eased into the kiss. I put a hand on Chris' cheek and leaned into it.
It started to get intimate. Chris moved me so that I was leaning back on the picnic blanket, shoving away any food in our way. Not that I cared at that point. Suddenly, it wasn't exactly food I was hungry for.
I knew I wasn't supposed to feel this way at that moment. When you film an intimate scene, whether it's just making out or even a full blown sex scene, you can't get aroused. It's only acting! None of this was real! But then again, if it wasn't real, why did I feel really attracted to Chris right now?
My hands were balled up into fists, holding Chris' shirt tightly. One of his hands was supporting him up while the other was holding my waist. I wanted to go further, I really did. It was so hot.
But then we were interrupted by the lucky fan calling, "Hey you two! Get a room!"
"Cut!" the director called. "Wow, you two, that was great. Take five to get yourselves all organized."
I forgot we were filming a movie.
Chris sat up first, his cheeks red. He rubbed the back of his neck, awkwardly.
"That was um..." he started.
"Intense?" I offered.
"Very," he agreed. "You seemed really...into it."
I looked away, trying not to meet Chris' eye. "Yeah, sorry about that."
"I wasn't exactly complaining." I looked back to Chris, surprised by the remark. "(Y/N), I want to get to know you better, not just for the role but because I think you're a pretty cool girl. Do you think, after filming today, you'd wanna...go out for dinner or something."
I smiled. He was so awkward, but also so adorable.
"I'd love that," I said.