~ Danielle ~
There was a lot of noise and fuss around me but I had learned to shut it out. The spotlight around this series was not something for me to profit from. I somehow felt like a guest among the real stars and leads of the series. After I arrived at the red carpet I met up with Sophie Skelton as we had agreed upon.
We had our pictures taken and the premiere went as planned. The first episode was shown on a massive screen which was followed up by a party.
"Sophie!" I smiled at her, at I pulled at her arm.
"Where are you going?"
She was about to leave my company but she didn't say why.
We had had a few too many drinks already. The whole evening went by so fast.
"Mingling!" She said as she smiled at me.
"We can't just stand here the entire evening now, can we?" She somehow made it sound so obvious.
"But.. We are already mingling?" I said uncomprehendingly.
I wasn't under the impression that we had been antisocial – I just didn't know what I was going to socialize with the major stars about.
"We've been standing here by this table for at least half an hour. You don't get new friends by doing that, Dani." She said with a shrug.
"Besides, isn't it about time for you to speak to Sam?"
"About what?"
I could feel a nervous tension by thinking about it.
"I don't think he has anything to talk to me about." I frowned.
"Don't say that."
"Why shouldn't he have anything to talk to you about?" Sophie knew that I had some kind of a crush on him. She had figured it out during our time on set.
"I have barely spoken two words with him!" I said.
Sophie had been acting with him for a long time – she knew him way better than I did.
"Well... Should I introduce you to a conversation with him?" She asked me with a raised brow.
"God no."
It would be too obvious what my intentions were if she tried to meddle.
"He doesn't bite, you know." She said as she rolled her eyes.
"Everybody is speaking with each other tonight – use that to your advantage!"
I sighed.
"Fine, but don't be embarrassing." I said to her with a serious tone.
She took my hand so she could lead me through the crowd. I followed her around as I looked around in an attempt to get an overview.
My heart was beating hard. I was so nervous.
"Relax." She said to me.
"I can feel your hand sweating." She pulled me towards the bar.
I could see him there.
Sam.
I pulled my hand back.
"It's only because it's a million degrees in here." I lied.
Sam was so pretty and I didn't know what I should say to him.
"Bullshit." She said.
We were close to him now. He was standing right there in front of me. I shushed her. She shouldn't be saying stuff like that when there was a possibility for him to hear it.
"Sam!" Sophie said with a huge smile.
Shit.
"Sophie." He said calmly as he was looking at her.
He was standing casually by the bar with a glass of whiskey in his hand.
"Have you met Danielle?" She asked with a cheeky grin.
Smooth.
Or...
"I have." He said with a little nod.
His eyes were pointed at me a few seconds later.
"Hello Danielle." He smiled.
I had only spoken with him once and it hadn't been that big of a deal. I wouldn't be surprised if he didn't remember me.
I held my breath for a second.
"Hi."
I didn't quite know why I suddenly became so nervous. Sophie disappeared before I managed to stop her.
"How's it going?" He asked.
I looked at him as I stopped searching for Sophie. She was such a traitor.
"Good. I'm good." I said as I folded my hands.
God, they were so sweaty.
"You?"
"Wonderful!" He outburst with a smile.
"It's nice to be able to celebrate months of hard work with everyone involved in the process." He said.
Oh that Scottish accent.
"Yea, you have been working with them for a long time, haven't you?" I asked.
He was so handsome.
As a man close to 40 years of age he was so attractive.
" I have, yes." He smiled.
He was nearly twice my age but I didn't think much about it. I was so captured by his handsome looks.
"So... How are you going to spend your time off?" I asked. I just wanted to keep the conversation going.
"Probably heading back to Scotland." He said.
"How about you? Anything special planned?"
I shrug my shoulders.
"I'll probably look for some more jobs." I said.
"Ah..."
"Nothing lined up yet?"
He actually sounded genuinely interested.
"Oh sorry – where's my manners? Do you want anything to drink?" He pointed towards the bar with his glass.
"Not really."
I was only at the beginning of my career. I hadn't landed any major roles yet.
"Just a glass of rosé."
"Coming right up." He said as he caught the attention of the bartender.
There was something about him. Something about his actions. I really liked it.
"So gallant." I said.
"I'm trying." He admitted with a smile.
He got the glass of wine from the bartender and he handed it to me right away.
I accepted it as I looked at him.
"You don't have to be gallant for me." I said.
"Sure I do."
"It's all about showing off the best side of yourself, isn't it?" He asked.
I tilted my head slowly to the side.
"Well – it depends on whether one wants to achieve something with it." I tried to smile a little.
"It's not possible to be gallant without wanting to achieve something?" He asked – one brow slowly raised.
"Sure... But there is usually always a reason."
I sipped a little to the wine.
"Ah."
"You haven't met a lot of gentlemen I assume." He said. It made me laugh a little.
"I don't think boys my age act like that." I said.
"Na... They don't know anything." He said.
"No?" I got a little surprised by his answer.
"I don't assume you were this gallant when you were in your early twenty's?" I teased.
He just smiled.
"You never know."