Chapter 9
Sabrina had never been on a movie set before.
Which became painfully obvious approximately thirty seconds after arriving.
She nearly walked directly into a camera.
"Careful," Lucas said, grabbing her elbow lightly before she destroyed what looked like equipment worth more than her rent.
"I'm sensing judgment."
"I'm sensing a lawsuit waiting to happen."
The studio lot buzzed with constant movement around them. Crew members rushed between trailers carrying coffee cups and lighting equipment while assistants shouted schedules across the set.
It looked exhausting.
Lucas barely reacted to any of it.
People greeted him constantly as they walked.
Actors.
Directors.
Crew members.
He nodded politely at everyone but didn't stop long enough for real conversation.
Interesting.
"You know," Sabrina said quietly beside him, "for someone this famous, you're surprisingly antisocial."
Lucas glanced at her. "I'm selective."
"That sounds like antisocial with confidence."
A woman carrying a clipboard approached quickly.
"Lucas, wardrobe needs you in ten."
He nodded once.
Then another assistant intercepted him immediately after.
"Production pushed scene four forward."
Another nod.
Another interruption.
Sabrina watched the constant demands pile onto him one after another.
No wonder he always looked exhausted.
"Do they let you breathe here or is that scheduled too?" she asked.
"Breathing's at four-thirty."
"That feels illegal."
A tiny smile appeared briefly.
Lucas led her toward his trailer while crew members openly stared at Sabrina curiously.
Right.
Because now she was "Lucas Cooper's girlfriend."
Weird.
Inside the trailer things became quieter instantly.
Smaller.
More private.
Sabrina sat carefully on the couch while Lucas grabbed a water bottle from the mini fridge.
His script sat open across the counter covered in highlighted notes and scribbled handwriting.
"You actually study these?" she asked.
Lucas looked mildly offended. "What did you think acting was?"
"Mostly staring emotionally into middle distance."
"That's only award season films."
She laughed softly.
The trailer door suddenly swung open.
A blonde woman stepped inside without knocking.
Beautiful.
Perfect makeup.
Designer clothes.
Her eyes landed immediately on Sabrina.
Then Lucas.
"Well," she said slowly, "the internet wasn't lying."
The atmosphere shifted instantly.
Lucas straightened slightly. "Claire."
Interesting tone.
Not warm.
Not hostile either.
Just cautious.
Claire smiled tightly. "Hi, Lucas."
Then she looked toward Sabrina.
"And you must be Sabrina."
There was something sharp underneath the friendliness.
Sabrina recognized it immediately.
"Oh no," she thought. "Pretty actress hostility."
"Sabrina," Lucas said calmly, "this is Claire."
"You forgot ex-girlfriend," Claire added lightly.
Ah.
There it was.
Lucas looked tired immediately.
"Claire—"
"What?" she interrupted innocently. "It's public information."
Sabrina suddenly wanted to evaporate.
Claire crossed her arms loosely.
"You're definitely different from his usual type."
Lucas's expression cooled instantly.
"That's enough."
The room went quiet.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
Because it was the first time Sabrina had seen Lucas genuinely irritated on her behalf.
Claire noticed too.
And smiled slightly like she'd learned something important.
"Well," she said smoothly, "I just came to remind you we start filming together again tomorrow."
Lucas nodded once.
"Great."
Claire looked toward Sabrina one last time before leaving.
The second the trailer door shut, silence filled the room.
Sabrina blinked slowly.
"...Well that was terrifying."
Lucas rubbed a hand across his jaw. "Ignore her."
"She looked like she'd poison me elegantly."
"She's dramatic."
"You dated her."
"That sounds judgmental."
"It is."
Lucas sat across from her with another exhausted sigh.
"She likes attention."
"That definitely narrows it down in Hollywood."
To her surprise, Lucas laughed quietly.
Then his expression softened slightly.
"She wasn't trying to upset you."
"She literally walked in here radiating villain energy."
"Fair."
Sabrina leaned back into the couch cushions.
"So your ex hates me already."
"She hates everyone eventually."
"That somehow wasn't reassuring."
Before Lucas could answer, someone knocked rapidly on the trailer door.
"Five minutes!"
Lucas stood immediately.
Work mode again.
The shift fascinated Sabrina every time.
"Come watch if you want," he said.
"You sure?"
"You signed up for this."
Right.
Fake girlfriend duties apparently included witnessing filmmaking.
The set itself looked even more chaotic up close.
Massive lights hung overhead while cameras rolled into position around an elaborately designed apartment scene.
Crew members adjusted makeup between takes while the director shouted instructions.
Then Lucas stepped into frame.
And completely transformed.
Sabrina stared.
Because suddenly every movement became intentional.
Controlled.
Magnetic.
The exhaustion vanished.
The guardedness disappeared.
The entire room focused on him instantly.
He delivered lines opposite another actress effortlessly while cameras followed every expression.
It honestly felt strange watching him become someone else so easily.
"You can't stare that hard," a voice beside her whispered.
Sabrina jumped.
A dark-haired makeup artist grinned knowingly.
"You'll make it obvious."
"I don't know what you mean."
"Mhm."
Sabrina looked away immediately.
Oh no.
Was she staring?
That felt dangerous.
The scene wrapped after another take and Lucas walked back toward her while crew reset the lights.
"You look traumatized," he observed.
"I think I understand why people are obsessed with you now."
He looked unimpressed. "That sounds unfortunate."
"I'm serious. You become completely different on camera."
Lucas's expression shifted slightly.
"Different how?"
"Like..." Sabrina hesitated. "Like you know exactly who you're supposed to be."
For one brief second something unreadable crossed his face.
Then it disappeared.
"That's the job."
But something about the answer felt incomplete.