Chapter 11

We used to have it all, but now's our curtain call

So hold for the applause, oh

And wave out to the crowd, and take our final bow

Oh, it's our time to go, but at least we stole the show

~*~*~*~*~*~

Friday, June 17, 2019.

When I woke up that last morning, I felt a sad and hollow feeling in my chest. Today would be the last day of shooting, which was certainly exciting, but what was scary was that I was unsure of what came next. Just because I'd booked one major budget role didn't mean I was set for life. I'd have to start auditioning again, and my name wasn't that known yet. Really, all I was known for now was being Henry's 'girlfriend.' I'd have to wait until the movie actually came out. And who knew if anyone wanted to hire me again until then, or even after that. Acting was a very fickle job, and I knew it.

But that wasn't the only thing weighing down on me. After today, I might not see Henry for a really long time. I mean, I'd obviously see him during all the promo stuff and the premieres, but outside of that? I really had no idea. It would be up to him, because I sure as hell didn't have the guts to ask him out myself. But maybe that dress Hanna's forcing me to wear tonight could speed things along.

Before I could even think about the wrap party, though, I actually had a movie to wrap up. So I jumped into the shower and got dressed in comfortable clothes before making my way over to the makeup trailer. Ella was there waiting for me, a sad smile on her face.

"Juliette, dearie," she said before pulling me into a tight hug.

"Hey, Ella," I said, hugging her back just as tightly. "I'm going to miss you."

"Oh, dearie, I'm going to miss you, too. You were definitely the most beautiful face I ever got to work with." She sniffled a little and then put on a brave face. "It's a good thing today won't be the last day I get to work with you then."

That caught my attention. "It's not?"

Ella smiled. "Of course not, dearie. I'll be traveling with you when you do promotional stuff for the movie. I don't just do makeup for movies, you know."

"I didn't know, actually," I said as I sat down in my usual chair. Henry wouldn't be coming in until at least another hour or so because I had to do a quick scene first. It was weird not having him next to me, especially on the last day of me being in the makeup trailer, but I tried to shrug it off. I'd just try to enjoy today. "If I'd known that, I'd have asked you to be my personal stylist ages ago. I meant it when I said you're the best makeup artist I've ever worked with."

Ella smiled at me in the mirror. "And I meant it when I said you're the most beautiful face I ever got to work with. So kind as well. Hard to come by these days." She combed through my hair for a few moments before brightening. "Hey, what if I do your makeup and hair for the wrap party tonight?"

I brightened up at that, too. Ella had kind of become my second mother on set, and her doing my hair and makeup tonight would be a great honor. "You'd want to do that?"

"Of course, dearie. And do you have a pretty dress for tonight? If you don't, we could just go by the costume department. You need to wear something that'll rock the world of that costar of yours. Maybe then he'll finally make a move."

I swallowed hard. "You... You mean Henry?"

Ella smiled. "Of course I mean Henry. You two have been ogling each other for eight weeks now. Honestly, if that boy was any slower with you, he'd be going backwards."

I couldn't help but snort out a laugh. "Can't disagree with you there."

"So, do you have a dress or not?"

"I do, actually. My best friend is forcing me to wear it."

"Ah, so she knows about you two, too, huh?"

I blushed. "Yeah, she does. She did before I did, actually."

Ella laughed. "Yes, that's usually a trait many a good best friend has. And I'll just trust her judgment in picking it out for you. What kind of dress is it? I need to know if I want to come up with a good look for you tonight."

"Uh... It's black, and kind of '50s style. It's really tight—like, really tight—and has a pencil skirt."

A slow smile spread over Ella's face. "I think I can work with that."

She didn't elaborate on what exactly she had in mind and just went back to doing my hair and makeup for the coming scene. When she was done, she sent me off to the costume department, where they dressed me in simple jeans, a black tank top that hugged my hips comfortably, and the sneakers Amelia usually wore. They gave me a simple pendant necklace and silver earrings to go with the outfit, and then I was good to go.

I went over to the set that held many memories for me. I'd had my first kiss with Henry in Amelia's apartment. I'd done my sex scene with Henry in the very same apartment, but I studiously tried not to think about that before anyone had the chance to ask why I was blushing. Thankfully, though, I was quickly provided with distraction.

Natascha handed me a bottle of Coca-Cola Life, a somewhat bittersweet smile on her face. "Here's your last morning shot of caffeine."

I accepted the bottle with an equally bittersweet smile. "Thanks, Nat. I'll miss the luxury of you handing me one of these almost as much as I'll miss you."

She gently nudged my shoulder. "Stop it, before I start crying. I hate goodbyes."

I laughed. "Then it's a good thing it's not goodbye yet. And even when we do say goodbye later today, it still won't be goodbye forever. We'll definitely hang out once this is all over, at some point."

"You pinky promise?" she asked, already sticking her smallest finger out for me to hook mine through.

I hooked my pinky firmly around hers and shook our hands. "I pinky promise. Hanna's been asking about you, too, so we'll have to hang out." The two of them had, as expected, gotten along perfectly in the short time Hanna had been visiting the If You Love Someone s

et.

"It's a deal then." Her fleeting happiness melted away as she sighed wistfully, leaning against the doorpost. "I wish I could come to the wrap party tonight, but I'm leaving for Louisiana this evening."

That was actually news to me, and it saddened me to hear. "Really? Oh, that sucks. Which is an understatement."

"Yeah, well... I'm sure you'll have fun without me," Natascha said, and she wiggled her eyebrows at me meaningfully. "Besides, I'm looking forward to seeing my family again, so it's not all bad. You'd better text me a few pictures of tonight, though."

I smiled at her. "I will."

Ryan called me to set then, and I quickly took a drink from my soda before settling on Amelia's couch as Ryan handed me a cellphone and gave me instructions on the scene we'd be filming.

It was a really short scene, and the time flew by as we filmed several takes. When we were done, I was directed back to the costume department, where Ella was waiting for me to do a few quick touch-ups on my hair and makeup. Once I was dressed in a blue halter swing dress and brown wedged sandals, Henry and Scott came in, talking animatedly.

Once he saw me, however, Henry smiled. "That dress looks good on you," he complimented, Scott momentarily forgotten.

Trying to cover up the fact that I was blushing, I smoothed the blue fabric covered in purple flowers down. "Thanks. I like it a lot, too. I'm kind of obsessed with '50s fashion."

"You can keep it if you want," Jennifer, one of the stylists, said. "It does look rather great on you."

"Understatement," Henry said with a grin. He grabbed my hand and twirled me around, making my skirt flare up as I spun. "Beautiful."

"It's too bad we broke up," Scott joked, bumping my shoulder with his.

I looked up at him in surprise, remembering suddenly that Henry and I weren't the only ones in the room. I quickly recovered by grinning back at him. "I'm pretty sure Amelia is very relieved that she and Ambrose broke up."

"Screw the writers for making me an asshole boyfriend."

I laughed. "Just as long as you're not an asshole in real life, it's all good. Anyway, Jennifer, are you sure I can keep the dress?"

Jennifer shrugged. "Eh, why not. It's the last day. You deserve a little gift."

I grinned again and gave her a tight hug. "Thanks, Jen. You're an angel."

She smiled back at me. "It's no problem. But for now this angel has a job to do. Tayler, with me," she said, beckoning Scott with her finger.

Once Jennifer and Scott had disappeared in the many rows of clothing, Henry turned to me. "Speaking of it being the last day of filming, how are you feeling?"

I sighed as I sat down on a chaise lounge by the wall. As Henry joined me, I said, "Honestly? I don't know. It's kind of weird. Last days always are, whether it's the last day of high school or the last day of filming a movie. But I do know that I'm gonna miss it a lot. I'm gonna miss waking up every day, knowing that I'll be doing what I love most. I'm gonna miss working with you every day, too. You're really easy to work with."

He smiled, bumping my shoulder with his. "You're not at all difficult to work with, either, Juliette. Quite the contrary, actually."

I just smiled at him, my heart thumping painfully in my chest. It felt like an actual ache, not being able to just lean forward and press my lips to his, especially as I watched him smile back at me. All I could do was hope that, tonight, we'd finally make some progress in our so far non-existent romantic relationship.

"So, hey," he said after a few moments of silence, "do you have any plans for lunch?"

"No, I don't think I do. Why?"

"Well," he started slowly, "I thought, considering this is our last day, we could picnic somewhere or something?"

A slow smile plastered itself on my face. "I would love that."

He smiled back at me, his eyes twinkling, and I was pretty sure I was gonna die in the most positive way ever.

When Jennifer was done dressing Scott, it was Henry's turn, and then we were driven off to set, where Ryan and other crew members were already waiting for us. We'd be filming a scene at the beach, and a massive stretch of it was cordoned off so we could film. Dozens of extras milled about as we walked up to Ryan.

He smiled and gave each of us a hug, which was a little uncharacteristic of him. His wife, Fiona, stood next to him. "Hey, guys," Ryan greeted us. "Last scene. How are you feeling?"

"Like I'm gonna kick this scene's butt," Scott said, one of his many grins plastered on his face.

"More like you're going to get your butt kicked," Henry joked.

"Ha, ha, very funny. Ry, seriously, man, why does the last scene we film have to be one where I'm not exactly painted in a good light?"

"Is your character ever painted in a good light?" I countered.

He pointed at me. "Touché."

"Anyway," Ryan stated loudly, clearly wanting to get back to business but unable to fight off a smile, "let's get into position. And for all the extras, remember that it's a party! Don't pay any attention to the cameras and just have fun. For you three, remember the history your characters have. That's the most important note I have for you. Now let's get this shit rolling one last time!"

Henry offered me his arm. "One last time?" he asked me.

I smiled at him as I hooked my arm through his. "One last time," I responded.

"Action!" Ryan yelled, and we were rolling.

Henry and I, as Noah and Amelia, stood on the edge of the ongoing five year reunion party of their college. I nervously smoothed the fabric of my dress down and remembered that Amelia took comfort from Noah's proximity. That wasn't hard to fake, though, considering the fact I felt pretty much the same when it came to Henry and me.

"Are you nervous?" he asked. We still weren't joining the party yet.

I smiled sheepishly at him. "A little. I don't even know why. Everything is so different from five years ago. I hardly recognize the girl I was back then."

Henry grabbed my hand, entwining our fingers together. "Everything will be fine, Amy."

I looked down at our entwined hands. "That is different, too."

He looked down at our hands as well, a slow smile shaping his lips. "A good different."

I smiled back at him. "Yeah. A very good different." My smile faltered as I got serious again. "The teasing will be merciless. Remember how everyone always thought we would end up together?"

He chuckled softly. "They were furious when we still weren't together by the time we graduated. I guess we just needed a little more time."

I shook my head. "We were stubborn. I was stubborn."

He pulled me a little closer, so our sides were touching. "You were scared. And that's okay. We're together now. And it kind of sucks that we'll have to prove all these fuckers right, but we won't let it affect us. Because we are us, and we're good. Okay?"

"Okay."

Henry cupped my cheek with his free hand and pressed a soft, lingering kiss to my forehead. When he pulled back, his eyes were soft and—if I wasn't mistaken—filled with affection. It made my heart swell, and I desperately wished this was real life instead of a film set. "Ready?" he asked, and I nodded.

Henry and I mingled around, saying hi to multiple people as we made our rounds. After a bit of that, Henry was given his cue and he perked up. "This is our song," he said, pulling me close. "That's it. We're gonna dance. Screw saying hello to people we don't care about anymore anyway."

I giggled. "You're such a sentimental person, Noah."

He half-shrugged as we slowly rocked to the beat that would be edited in later. "I don't much care about all these people here. But this song, however... We used to scream the lyrics at the top of our lungs, remember?"

I smiled, snaking my arms around his neck. "I think we kept quite a few people up back in the day."

He smiled cheekily. "Like I said, I don't care about them anyway. I only care about you."

Again, my heartbeat sped up at his words, and I had to remind myself that it wasn't Henry saying them, but Noah. So I just smiled and let out a contented sigh as I rested my head on his shoulder. One of his hands rested on my hip and the other trailed gentle patterns on the small of my back. I shut my eyes tightly, pretending for the few moments we had that this was real, that this was genuine. I allowed myself to feel all of him. I allowed myself to feel safe. I allowed myself to be happy that his scent was all around me. I allowed myself to feel comfortable in his embrace.

The moment was shattered when someone bumped into Henry's shoulder and the both of us staggered.

"Whoops, sorry!" Scott said, sounding everything but apologetic.

Henry turned to him and made a visible effort to stay calm. "Hello, Ambrose. And it's okay."

He moved to turn towards me again, but Ambrose's next words made him halt. "I guess I should've known you two would end up together. Word of advice, brother: She's a great lay, but that's about it."

"Noah," I whispered. He was about ready to punch Ambrose; it was evident in the way his muscles strained and the way his eyes were burning with an angry fire.

Things could've died down if it hadn't been for what Ambrose said next.

"She's even lousy at making sandwiches, and that's about all women are good for. Fucking and cooking, am I right?"

Henry seemed so angered by the statement that he nearly hit Scott for real. He barely had enough time to throw his head sideways and stagger back. It was one of the best movie punches I'd had the privilege of watching up close. Henry stepped toward Scott as the less muscular actor cupped his jaw. "Never—ever—say something so blatantly sexist in front of me again. And don't ever disrespect Amelia again, or I'll hurt you for real." His voice was soft, but so filled with vehemence that it actually gave me goosebumps. I flashed back to that first day we'd met, where he'd stood up for me in the restaurant I'd waitressed at back then, and I had to wonder how much of this tirade was acted. I couldn't help but think that, if ever faced with a similar situation in real life, Henry would act exactly the same.

"I'm not afraid of you," Scott spat.

Henry gave him a glare so intense that the blood drained from Scott's cheeks. He actually paled, even knowing that Henry was acting. That's just how good Henry was—or how caught up in his role he was.

"Noah, let's go," I urged, tugging on his arm. "Let's just blow this party and go home. It's not worth it."

He didn't respond. He just kept glaring at Scott, his breathing hard and his muscles still strained as if he was ready to punch him again.

I tightened my grip on his arm. "We wouldn't let it affect us because we are us and we are good, remember?" I pleaded with him.

He blinked slowly, seemingly coming back to his senses. He took a deep breath and nodded. "You're right, Amy. You're right." He grabbed my hand, entwining our fingers again, and I was surprised at how incredibly gentle he was being with me. After his earlier display of aggression, I hadn't expected the gentleness, but I guess I should've. He's Henry after all, and he's always been gentle with me. "Let's go," he said, his voice soft again, none of his earlier anger detectable.

We made our way through all the partying extras and when we finally reached the edge of the party, we halted. Henry cast a pained look back at the party, and I rested my hand on his cheek, trying to distract his mind. "Are you okay, Noah?"

Slowly, he came back to me, but it was clear he still had his altercation with Ambrose on his mind. "I'm so sorry, Amy. I hadn't meant to..."

"Hey," I interrupted him, smiling. "It's okay. Sometimes we all need to lash out. I get that more than anyone. And we're still us, and we're still good."

A big smile conquered his face, brightening all of his features. "Yes, we are. Let's go home."

I squealed as he scooped me up in his arms bridal style and carried me off.

"Cut!" Ryan yelled from his director's chair. There was a huge grin on his face. "That was great, guys! Henry, your performance was impeccable. You really sold it. Think you can do that again?"

Ryan made us film the scene a few times more before he finally thought it was time for a break, and Henry and I collected everything you could possibly need for a picnic. We took our stuff to a grassy field somewhere behind the trailers. Kal joined us, and he was happy to just run around for a bit as Henry and I spread a blanket on the grass and sat down on it.

Henry had actually managed to find a wicker basket somewhere, though where I didn't know, and I didn't ask. He reached into the basket and handed me a sandwich. I couldn't help but smile when he also handed me a bottle of Coca-Cola Life; after two and a half months, he already knew what my addictions were.

He took a drink from his bottle of water and rubbed a hand over his face once the bottle was capped again. "This scene is kind of exhausting to film."

I eyed him, debating whether or not to ask the question I knew I wanted to ask. Eventually I decided to just screw it and go for it. "How much of that was actually acted? The anger, I mean?"

Henry stared at me for a moment before busting out a laugh. "I keep forgetting how good you are at reading me."

I half-shrugged. "It just really reminded me of that night at Harvey's. You know, with the drunk guy? Your anger... it was very similar to what you displayed in that scene. It's nearly impossible for you to have faked that. Of course, you are an amazing actor, so what do I know."

He smiled. "No, you're right. My anger was partially real. Is it bad that it scares me that I don't know how big that real part is?"

I fought not to catch my breath at his admission. It was usually me who was the weaker one, the one who discussed what she was feeling. Not him. "No, of course not. I have the same thing. Sometimes my emotions are so similar to Amelia that I don't know if I'm still acting or not." I hoped I wasn't blushing, and if I was, I hoped he wouldn't figure out the reason behind the blush. That he wouldn't figure out that my emotions were so similar to Amelia's because I was as much in love with Henry as she was with Noah.

He chuckled. "It's a weird job we have, isn't it?"

I echoed his laugh. "It sure is. I wouldn't have it any other way, though. I love acting. I can't see myself doing anything else."

"And you shouldn't. You're a natural at it."

I grimaced. "Yeah, but that's just it. Because I can relate to Amelia so much, I don't know if the praise is deserved."

He bumped his shoulder with mine, and I wondered if he'd meant to scoot closer to me. I hoped so. "Every bit of it is deserved. Trust me. You're a great actress. Of course it helps that you can identify yourself with Amelia, but I think that's only natural. Every character you play is a part of you. You give a piece of yourself to every character, just as the character gives a piece of itself to you."

"I hadn't thought of it like that," I said as I tore a piece from my sandwich.

"You should. And you should also believe in your own skills. You're a great actress, and you're going to make it big. I can feel it in my bones. I may be biased, though."

I tried to ignore the fluttering of my heart as he smiled down at me, something more in his eyes that he was usually better at hiding. I wondered if he had walls up, just like me. Was that why he hadn't made a move yet?

Knowing it was probably better not to entertain the thoughts in my head any further, I popped the piece of sandwich I'd torn off earlier into my mouth, letting comfortable silence fall over us as we ate. It was hard to concentrate, though, with our legs pressed together. Thoughts of him pressing me down onto the checkered blanket and kissing me kept entering the forefront of my mind, and they were getting harder and harder to fight off.

A welcome distraction provided itself by way of an overly excited dog. He barreled over to us, tongue hanging out of his mouth, and came to a skidding halt right in front of us. He happily pushed his nose into my ear, making me scoot closer to Henry as I squealed. "Kal!" I protested, laughing. Kal just pushed his nose into my ear again before licking my cheek. I put the last quarter of my sandwich back into the basket so I had my hands free for Kal, and I wrapped my arms around his neck. He happily allowed it. "I'm gonna miss you, Kal," I said, hit with the sudden realization that Henry wouldn't be the only one I wouldn't be seeing for at least a long time.

"I have a feeling it's entirely mutual. You made quite the impression on that mutt of mine."

I smiled at him as I continued cuddling Kal, my fingers combing through his soft fur. "He's such a sweetheart. God, I love dogs," I muttered, pressing a kiss to Kal's muzzle. "You know, I still miss my dog every day."

"What was her name?"

I smiled as I thought back to my dog. "Luna. Like the goddess of the moon. She was a mix between a Labrador and a Golden Retriever, and the sweetest little thing ever."

He smiled back at me. "So you're a Retriever kinda gal, huh?"

I laughed. "I suppose so, yes. If I'm ever to get a dog again, I think it'll be another Retriever. Doesn't really matter which kind, as long as he or she is as kind and gentle a soul as Luna was. It's a high standard, though."

"What was she like?"

I grinned. "Stubborn as hell, just like me. Every time I would call her, she'd pretend not to hear me, except when I had food. But I wouldn't really have to call her if I had food, because she'd already be sitting right in front of me, not-so-patiently waiting for me to accidentally drop something. I swear to God, that dog acted like she never got anything to eat. And she liked to cuddle, but only on her terms. Her farts were the worst thing ever. Like, for real. Not even kidding. And she was just so sweet. She wouldn't hurt a fly—literally." I gave him a sad smile. "I really do miss her."

Henry wrapped an arm around my shoulders, pulling me even closer as he attempted to comfort me. I wasn't about to burst out into tears, but the gesture was appreciated. I rested my head in the crook of his neck, and I was almost dizzy from his intoxicating scent. "She seems like she was a great dog."

"She was. She helped me through a lot of rough times."

"Dogs are good for that."

I smiled, even though he couldn't see my face. "Yeah. They are."

"If you ever need to cuddle with Kal, just call me," he said, making me laugh.

"I'll try to keep that in mind."

We finished up lunch soon after that, needing to get back to set. We regrettably had to leave Kal in Henry's trailer before we left, and I was sure to give him lots of kisses because I felt guilty for leaving him there.

The mood was even weirder on set now than it was before. It was like everyone realized that this was really it. There were no more breaks. This was the last stretch of filming, and then it would be over. We'd still have to do ADR, the movie still had to be edited, the soundtrack still had to be made, but it was the last time we were all filming together like this. It was kind of an indescribable feeling. It was like there was a hollowness in my chest, and yet it was filled with pride for all that we'd accomplished. And as we filmed, everyone gave their best of the best. And everything went flawlessly, even with my heart beating loudly in my throat. When Ryan announced that we'd be filming the last take, I nearly felt like crying. Just a few more minutes, and it would be over. Part of me was grateful (that part being my feet—which didn't really like walking around on the sand in high-heeled wedges) and part of me was sad. But nevertheless, I managed to put all of my feelings aside, and played Amelia one last time.

"Cut!" Ryan yelled. "Amazing job, everyone. Really." He took a deep, shaky breath as everyone looked at him, mixed emotions in the crowd. "There's so much I want to say to all of you, but right now I'm coming up blank. I'm just so incredibly grateful for the work you've done, and even more grateful for the way you made my job so easy." A laugh went through the crowd, making him smile. "Anyway... I'll bet I'll be a little more coherent during the wrap party tonight, so expect a speech from me then. For now... Thank you. I'll see y'all tonight!"

We cheered, and he bowed. Then he made me, Henry, and Scott come forward and bow too. I curtsied for the crowd with heated cheeks, but couldn't stop the bubbly laughter as the crowd of extras and film crew cheered.

Henry gave me a hug. "Great job, Juliette." He looked at something behind me and smiled. "I'll see you tonight. For now, I think someone wants to say goodbye to you, so I'll leave you two to it."

I whirled around and saw Natascha standing there with a sad smile on her face. Henry hadn't moved two steps away from me before she was already flinging herself around my neck. "I'm gonna miss you so much, Jules!" she nearly screeched. "I so wish I could be there tonight. You'd better keep your promise of taking pictures tonight. Loads of pictures."

I smiled, hugging her back tightly. "I will. And I'll miss you, too, Nat. So much. Next time we're both free, we're totally hanging out. I don't care if I have to fly you out to wherever I am."

Natascha laughed, wiping a single tear away. "Okay. And keep me updated on your life in the meanwhile, okay? I don't want to hear stuff about you from the media. I want to hear it from you."

"I promise. Maybe we can Skype sometime."

"That sounds good." She looked at her watch and sighed. "It's time for me to go. But before I do, promise me one thing, okay?"

"Anything."

"Forget your inhibitions tonight. Just have fun. Don't be scared of what you're feeling. And above all, blow that idiot's mind by looking as stunning as possible."

Smiling at her, I said, "I'll try my best."

"That's as good as it's gonna get, I suppose." She sighed again. "Well... Goodbye."

"Goodbye, Nat," I gave her one last tight hug, and then she really left.

As I watched her walk away, the realization hit me. This really was over.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The lyrics at the start of the chapter are Stole The Show ft. Parson James by Kygo.

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