A/N: So i'm in the middle of moving and haven't had much time to work but I'm at my hotel and got to squeeze in a chapter! xx -Melissa
35.
{Genesis' P.O.V.}
I rested my elbows on the table, the meeting room not unlike the one at the MTV studios empty except for the master mind behind The Maze Runner series and I. I was focused on him, listening to every word. No lecture I was given at Oxford could ever compare to the hour i've been talking with James.
This was James Dashner, and he was talking to me like a colleague.
James was situated in his chair so that he was facing me and kept an arm on the mahogany table. With his chin balanced loosely against his fingers, he used his free hand as he spoke for emphasis. "It was his death that brought it all out. Thomas virtually had the best connection with him, even over Teresa."
"I'm actually terrified for that part when the film comes out." I said, my ankles crossed but my left foot bouncing just barely.
I was afraid that I was going to wake up. Wake up from all of this in my bed in England, two lectures to go to in the morning.
"Blake did an incredible job. Trust me, I don't think there was anyone else that could've been better to play him." James assured, giving a small nod.
"Just from physically seeing the cast I think it does incredible justice to the novels." I replied, being thruthful. "Has there been any word on producing The Scorch Trials?"
"Actually, there has. We're all really hopeful for a good response of the movie and they're actually planning on taking the book to script soon." James grinned a little, his braces showing. "The fan reception for the books and movie are insane."
"You deserve every bit of it, that's for sure." I said, still praying I wasn't going to do something completely stupid and look like i'm crazy in front of him.
"Thank you, and I have to say that the same has to go for your work." James motioned to me absently. "Dalliance was amazing and i'm not even much of romance reader to be honest."
My eyebrows knitted together, a moment of hesitation crossing me. "You've read it?"
James sat up a little more, "I contacted your publisher and requested a copy. A woman named Elizabeth mailed it to me a couple weeks ago when I had heard that Dylan's mystery girl turned out to be an author." He looked slightly concerned, "I wasn't over stepping, was I?"
"No, no, of course not. I just wasn't aware that people could get it. Only a friend of mine got one because her aunt works for the company." Of course it was Elizabeth.
"I pulled a couple of strings. It's not publicly available yet or anything." James took a moment, "I have to ask, when you talk about the view from the building that the incident with her brother happened on, I noticed something in your use of words. It made me think that somewhere out there, the sky really does look like that at night. Is it true? Do the stars really exist how you describe them?"
A faint smile flitted onto my lips, the sight of the roof at Tanner's building flooding in without permission. I nodded, my heart dropping just barely. "It's absolutely breath taking."
"I-"
"Mr. Dashner, Miss Venita." Carleigh, an assistant with a Fox Studios tshirt opened the door of the meeting room. "We're at a half way, if you two would like to come out on to set."
"Thank you, Carleigh." James gave me a smile, "Would you like to? I'd hate to keep you from Dylan for too long."
I laughed a little when it was clear he was teasing. Getting up from my seat, James and I left soon after Carleigh had.
"Have you seen the costumes up close yet?" James asked, as if it was only my opinion that mattered.
"Only in pictures for promotions." I said, pulling my shoulder behind me as we walked through the hall with scampering tech hands that had to get to their destination quickly. I glanced up to James before we reached the doors to the wide open Glade. "They look bloody good, I'll tell you that."
James appreciated my praise. "I was definitely happy with what they came up with. Almost like it's right out of the book."
To be completely honest, James looked exactly like I did when I first saw the set a few hours ago. Being a successful writer must be a high that you can never truly come down from, even once it's become a major part of everyday life.
"Genesis!" Kaya, looking a little rough due to the needs of filming, grinned when she saw me. She waved a hand, all of the others in costume turning towards me.
"Get caught in a mud storm?" I asked, parting from James as he got signaled over by Wes near the cameras.
More of them than I expected laughed- and not even in a way to make me feel better for a shitty joke.
Dylan was adjusting the fingerless gloves he was wearing, smiling as he caught my eyes. Winking discretely at me, Dexter nudged him enough to get a inside laugh from him.
"We've got something we want to show you." Will said, pushing at his hair that would have to be fixed before they could shoot another scene.
"As professional as we seem," Kaya said, in what looked like three lines of the gladers. "we pride ourselves on dancing skills."
"This has to be good." I smiled, a row of Hollywood chairs with 'The Maze Runner' in logo on the back between me and the actors.
Aml had his phone out, amongst the group but not in glade uniform. "Trust me, she's not joking. We live for this."
Laughing, I could tell that he was being serious. "I'm intrigued."
"Ready to impress the pretty lady?" Dexter asked, glancing back behind him to Thomas, Will and a few others.
"Hey," Dylan swatted Dexter with tease of a warning. "Careful, Dex."
"Only stating the obvious, D." Dexter grinned, "Okay, Gladers! 1, 2, 3, 4!"
Synchronized, the moment that the music stared on Aml's mobile, fifteen of them lined up started dancing.
I pressed my lips together to keep from laughing, all of them moving their hips before sliding to the side.
Dexter clapped before pushing his arms as Dylan did. Aml jumped in time, filming on his phone from Kaya to Will. Kaya, still holding a coffee cup in hand, was nodding her head to the beat, completely invested in the dance routine.
I tried to hide my grin, but it was too hard. I rose my eyebrow at Dylan, getting yet another wink as he danced on.
"Oh God, this again." Hank surfaced next to me, crossing his arms over his chest. "It's a wonder that we got the movie filmed in the first place." He said, "This is probably what they did the same amount as actually acting."
I laughed at Hank's comment but still watched as the gladers continued their dance that was impressively well coordinated. "I'm honestly not surprised, but I was pretty sure that Dylan couldn't dance."
Hank chuckled, shaking his head. "He can't."
"I heard that Hank!" Dylan called out, pointing towards us before spinning in a circle.
"Good with names as well as good hearing." Hank informed me, clapping once the bass had cleared from Aml's mobile.
Grinning, I joined Hank in applauding them. "It's was lovely." I praised, my voice tinged with laughter.
"As much as you all should try out for America's Best Dance Crew, I need to get you all back to fighting." Hank waved his hands out when he got a rain of boos. "I know, I know, I'm the worst human being on the planet. Dex, Will, Ki, Thomas, Kaya, Blake, get your asses to the training room!"
"Yo, Hank." Dylan pointed to himself, shaking his hair that was pushed down instead of it's normal coifed state. "Need me?"
"You've got it covered." Hank shook it off, "Teen Wolf kept you sharp." He whistled, yelling at the six that he needed in a way that made them run but laugh at the same time.
"Dance routines?" I asked with a lifted brow, all but Dylan clearing off for either food or fighting.
Dylan was grinning as he gave a small shrug. Going between two of the cast chairs, he messed with his hair again. "It's how we survived the ruthless maze." A serious look crossed his face, "Do you agree with Hank?"
I held my hands up as if surrendering. "Of course not."
"I find it very hard to believe you." Dylan reached out, taking the moon pendant of the necklace that went down to the bottom of my rib cage in his fingers. "You're not lying to me, are you?"
I shook my head, having a hard time not laughing as he tugged me a little closer to him. "You're not a terrible dancer, but you are covered in what i'm hoping is fake dirt."
"I bet you are hoping that." Deviously smiling, he let go of my necklace and took a step forward.
I backed away, my eyes widening a little. "Oh, please tell me you're joking."
Dylan moved again, getting the same reaction from me. Narrowing his eyes, he said, "Careful, Gen. If you think that I can't catch you, you're in for it."
I was wearing a white shirt, that I actually really liked.
"Dylan," I held my arms out to ward him off, "Don't do anything too hasty, yeah?"
"Are you scared?" Dylan teasingly asked, still walking towards me slowly at the same pace I took steps away. "Gennn." Moving too quickly, he grabbed my waist and pulled me into him before I could run. Squeezing me, he lifted my off of the ground as he laughed.
I swore against him, giving up with a laugh. "It is just stage makeup, right?" I asked, putting my arms around his neck as he set me back down on the concrete floor.
"Yes, it's just stage makeup." Dylan gave me a small kiss and kept his own strong arms encircling my waist. He had to tilt his head down to meet my eyes, but he didn't seem bothered to do so. "How was talking to James?"
"It was incredible, actually." I said, one of my hands leaving the back of his neck to touch the dark hair that had been matted down his forehead by a spray bottle of water earlier. Grinning, I ran my fingers over it. It was weird with it not up, but I liked it.
"You know, my hair almost costed me this job." Although I wasn't looking at him, I could tell that he was looking at me.
"Too MTV, right?" I asked, looking from Dylan's hair to the brown eyes that were thoroughly focused on me. I flushed a little, my cheeks growing warm.
Did he have to look at me like that?
After a second, his mind had switched thoughts. "Do you want to go to a party tonight?"