Lennox
Ibelt out the lyrics to Burning Bridges, finishing it with a long falsetto outro testing every ounce of what’s remaining of my vocal cords.
Jace, our drummer Troy Spade, and our bassist Gabriel Silva, finish in perfect succession with the end of the lyrics and the song ends with dramatic flair.
“CUT!” Pierre calls out. “Impeccable!”
We’re on day ten of filming and it’s been nonstop since the moment we stepped on set.
The chemistry between Jace and I is just as strong but the exhaustion is apparent in both of us.
We film for a minimum of fifteen hours a day, then head straight to the hair and makeup trailer to remove our 80s getup, before retiring to our own trailers and passing out within minutes, just to wake up the next morning, repeating the same cycle.
I can’t say I have all that much experience with the cinematic process of everything, but Pierre is a perfectionist beyond definition. So, Jace and I find ourselves filming the same scene over and over again until Pierre is satisfied.
I was shocked when Sofia told us how impressed she was by our chemistry and ability to keep the scene moving, stating that she’s never seen Pierre so content with scenes so quickly. Further stating that he usually hyper focuses on one scene that could take days to get right.
I managed to school my expression because I can’t imagine how excruciating that would be if Jace and I weren’t so compatible in this way.
Then she reminded us of our meeting with the intimacy coordinator to prepare for next week, which will be a whole new version of interesting if he makes us repeat those performances over and over again.
We wrap up the early scenes of the movie today and we’re heading straight into filming Iron Horizon’s first US tour. There’s a newly built stage on the production set, one inside and another outside for the outdoor festivals they performed at.
We have a day off so they can finish the set design and I’m dying to do something fun.
I just want to get away for a day, blimey, even a few hours and just let loose.
Normally, I’d find a club or bar and new people to hang out with for the night, but I have this unrelenting desire to ask Jace to go out.
I think he’ll turn me down. Actually, I know he’ll turn me down. But, he needs a break, too, and I decided I’m just not going to take no for an answer.
Our cast mates all come together and fist bump, something we’ve grown to do naturally when Pierre is happy with a scene, then put our equipment away before stepping off set.
“Hey, Moose?” I say, as one of the crew tosses me a water bottle and a protein bar.
I catch both and hold up two fingers indicating I want another.
Once he hands them to me, I pass them over to Jace then take a swig of my own.
Then I just spit out what I want to ask.
“Let’s go out tonight. There’s a great bar off Sunset. I think you’ll like it.”
“Um. No. Thanks though.” He answers with so much ease, like he’s rehearsed that a thousand times in his lifetime.
“Oh come on.” There’s a little bit of whining behind my tone. “It’s been nonstop. We could both use the break.”
He tips back his water bottle, taking a long chug as he shakes his head in response. There’s a smile behind his eyes though. I can see it just lingering there.
I open my mouth to reply but I hear my name being called and when I turn around Graham is gazing in my direction with a bit of a scowl on his face.
Shit. What did I do now?
“Okay, but just think about it. It’ll be fun, I promise,” I tell Jace before taking a step backward and spinning on my heel to meet Graham.
“What’s up?” I step up to him and he just shakes his head, pushing a magazine in my hand.
“Hiding, were you?”
I glance down at the page he has it opened to. Jace and I are in full wardrobe as Ryan and James. We’re on the ground and I’m laying on top of him. His hands are wrapped around my waist, my face mere inches from his and we’re both looking at each other like we need each other to survive.
The title reads:
SNEAKING AWAY ON SET?
The article goes on to suggest that filming just started and that it seems we can’t stay away from each other.
I have no idea how this picture was taken or where they were hiding when it was. We were behind my trailer, hidden from view, or at least I thought we were.
We purposely planned for them to use the other images of us being playful, waving at the camera, not a private one, where it looks like I want to eat him alive and not in the cannibalism kind of way.
The title nailed it, because it does look like we’re sneaking away. No crew in sight, completely off set, behind my trailer.
“Fuck,” I whisper as I turn my attention to Jace with a concerned look in my expression.
He squints, glances down at the article in my hands and looks back up to me.
Just as he begins to take a step in my direction, the studio door swings open and Jace’s mother walks through it, Gordon on her heels trailing right behind her.
“Jace, I need to speak with you right now,” she calls out.
“They’re filming, Evelyn. You need to stop.” Gordon gently grabs her elbow to pull her back.
She yanks her arm out of his grip. “He’s been ignoring my calls all week,” she says, then continues walking toward him. “Jace!”
Jace remains calm as he looks at her and points at the break room. She’s content with that and steps through the doorway, Gordon following right behind her, but not before giving Jace an incredulous, wide-eyed expression.
I’ve never met his mother in person but I’ve seen a ton of photos of her. She looks young but polished and always put together. However, just like when I met Jace she’s nothing like what I expected her to be.
Jace glances in my direction and now that I’ve gotten to know him better I can tell he gives us all one of those placating smiles that tends to ease everyone in the room.
“Gordon looks terrified,” Graham states just as Jace walks into the break room, closing the door behind him. “Think she saw the article?”