FEELINGS IN THE SPOTLIGHT
Chapter Two

A few weeks passed. Rose had accepted the role of Angie in the movie What Do the Stars Say? She couldn’t wait to start shooting; she was already bored with her life. She also wanted to meet Jack. She had never met him. She had only heard that he was very talented and had seen some of his movies. She really liked his work and was sure that it would be a great experience to work with him. Her sister had gotten mad at her for taking another movie. This meant that Rose would again go away for months.

*****

Jack had received the call. He would leave for Texas, and this was where the movie would be shot. He was excited; he really wanted to meet Rose. He told Regina he would be leaving. She, of course, got mad.

"Ugh. I don’t know why you took that role. You have to leave now!" she said angrily, and helped him pack his bags.

"It will only be for a few months. Besides, you can visit me anytime," he said.

"Ugh, no. Texas? Sounds boring. Besides, I’m going to Europe. I have to go model some dresses for a designer."

"See? You’re leaving me, too. So, it’s all even, and you have no reason to complain."

"Whatever. So, who is your co-star?"

"Uh…she is a great actress. Rose…Rose Bukater."

"Why does that name sound familiar? Wait…no. It can’t be the same Rose. The Rose I knew was chubby and sort of ugly. She was a girl I knew in high school."

"I’m surprised you haven’t heard of her. She is a very popular actress."

"You know I don’t pay any attention to that stuff."

"Well, this Rose is very pretty, and is not chubby. Don’t get jealous, either. I’m already sad that I have to leave you. Boo," he said in a sarcastic tone of voice.

"Oh, shut up, Jack. You play around too much. You can’t see that I’m extremely mad right now," she said, and walked to the kitchen. She wasn’t wearing anything but a bathrobe. Jack watched her walk away. She was a very beautiful woman.

Oh, so that is why I’m still with you, he thought to himself, and rolled his eyes and kept packing.

Jack finished packing and took his luggage to his car. Regina followed him and stared at him while he put the luggage in the car. When he finished, she wrapped her arms around his waist.

"You think you could have helped me? My back hurts now," he said, laughing.

"Of course not. You know I don’t do that for myself. What makes you think I would do it for anyone else? But I will miss you, Jack. I will miss your loud voice and your annoying friends. I hope they don’t come over, thinking you are still here," she said.

"No, they won’t. I told them not to come because the gates will be locked. Please remember to lock the gates when you leave. I don’t want to be on the front cover of a magazine because my house got robbed," he said, and hugged her back. Somehow, he really felt something for her, even though she wasn’t very supportive of him, even though she could be a brat most of the time. "I’ll miss you, too. I hope you can visit me sometime. I would really like that. You can also call me on my cell phone. I’ll have it on just for you," he said, and kissed her forehead.

"All right. I’ll call you. I’ll try to visit you, but I can’t make any promises," she said, and kissed his lips. He kissed her back. They hugged for a little while longer. Then he let her go, got in his car, and left for the airport.

*****

When he arrived in Texas, a few cameras followed him. He gave them a fake smile and tried to ignore them. He pulled his cap down, but they kept on taking pictures of him and tried to get an interview with him. His agent was walking behind him.

"Jack, I think it would be better if you stopped for a little while. You won’t look like a good guy if you don’t stop," he said. Jack looked at him.

"You know I’m late, and I can’t stop."

"Yes, Jack, but you will be late and on the news for being an ass. Stop for just a few seconds."

"Okay. You win," Jack said, and stopped. He smiled at the cameras. The reporters quickly started to ask him questions.

"So, how do you feel, being here in Texas?"

"So, is this your first visit to this great state?"

"Are you happy with your new movie?" they all asked.

"Well, so far, people here have been very nice to me. I’m very happy to start filming my new movie. It’s going to be great. I just know it. Sorry I can’t answer more questions. I’m running sort of late," he said, smiling, and started to walk away. The camera people didn’t stop following him until security stopped them. Jack quickly got in a car that was waiting for him.

"Wow. How do you deal with the people following you?" the driver asked while turning on the car.

"I don’t. I just try to convince myself that they are confusing me with someone else and that I don’t really have to care what they say. I’m kind of used to it. That happens all the time. It’s really part of my life," Jack said, smiling.

"No privacy, huh?"

"Nope. No privacy at all," Jack said, and lay his head back on the seat.

*****

Jack arrived at the set. He got out of the car. He had already left his things in an apartment that the movie studio had rented for him. He walked towards a trailer that was in front. A few people were around it, chatting. Jack could tell they were part of the movie crew because of their jackets. They turned and smiled at him, and he smiled back.

Finally, some normal people who don’t jump when they see me," he thought.

"Hey, Jacko!" Randy yelled. Jack turned and looked at him.

"Hey, Randy, how are you? Sorry I’m late. Some reporters were following me at the airport," Jack said.

"Don’t worry, Jack; I understand. You are a big star. Don’t worry. They won’t follow you here. I got extra security around here. They are great guys; they are so great that people won’t know what the movie is about until it comes out," Randy said, laughing. He led Jack onto the set.

"We will not be shooting today, but I want you to meet the cast," he said, pointing at a group of people. They turned around and looked at him. Billy Hill started to walk towards Jack.

"Hey, I’m Billy. Nice to meet you, Jack," he said, and shook his hand. Jack smiled at him. Everybody was talking and greeting each other. A few other cast members greeted Jack and talked about their characters. Jack was amused by them, but he still wondered where Rose was. He had been waiting to meet her. He was walking around the set when he saw a car arrive. The passenger side door opened, and Rose got out. She had her back to him. Jack smiled, realizing it was her.

"Hey, Rose," he said. Rose turned and looked at him. She smiled at him. Jack quickly felt like his heart had skipped a beat. She sure is pretty, he thought to himself. Rose walked towards him and hugged him.

"Finally, we meet. I’m so glad to meet you, Jack Dawson," she said, smiling. She let go of him.

"Yeah. It’s great to finally meet you, Rose. I thought you were blonde."

"Yeah. I am, but Randy asked if I could change it to red, just for the movie," she said, smiling.

"Oh, well, it looks great on you. I’m for real," he said, smiling.

"I thought you had longer hair, Jack?"

"Randy," they said at the same time, and laughed.

They sat in chairs and started to talk.

"Well, we are shooting here for a few months. Then we are going to Washington, D.C. Sounds like we have a busy schedule," he said.

"Yeah, we do. I think I’m going to miss my home. You know, I’m never there; I’m always busy here and there. My sister and I are very close, and we never get to spend any time together. But I guess that is what I get for being an actress," she said.

"Yeah. I know how you feel. I feel the same way," he said. He really liked Rose so far; she seemed like a nice person.

*****

A few days later, they finally started to shoot the film. The first few scenes took a while. They were short but difficult scenes. Jack and Rose spent most of their free time together. They would basically spend the whole day together. They would shoot most of the scenes together and then they would go out to eat together. They really got along very well. They would joke around and have long conversations. They were like best friends. They would tease and argue just like friends. They loved to be together.

One day, after a couple of scenes, they sat down to take a break. They got bottles of water and sat down on a bench. They sat close together.

"Hey, Jack, you know we are going to have our first kissing scene in two days," she said, laughing.

"Oh, yeah. I read that in the script. You know, it’s going to be a wet one," he said, smiling.

"Ugh. You are gross!"

"No, I mean you are going to be crying in that scene, and then I’m going to kiss you. It’s going to be wet. Get it?" he asked, laughing.

"You are so bad. Please don’t turn to comedy as another career," she said, laughing. He looked at her and pinched her belly.

"Ah! That hurt, you dork!" she said, laughing and grabbing her side. She pinched his ear. He started to laugh and started to tickle her.

"No, Jack…you know I hate that!"

"I know. That’s why I do it."

"You son of a…"

"My mother has nothing to do with this," he said, laughing. She couldn’t stop laughing. He stopped tickling her and let her stand up. His face was hurting from all the laughing, as well as hers. He stopped laughing and stared at her, smiling. She was smiling at him; Jack didn’t know why this made him feel funny. He felt like a dumb teenager with his first crush. Rose looked at him and smiled. She loved the way he smiled, and the way his eyes sparkled with the sun’s light. She grabbed his hand and pulled him up from the bench.

"Come on, lazy. We have to get to work," she said, pulling him next to her.

"Oh, man. Do we have to?"

"Yes, lazy!"

"Oh, all right, but promise me you won’t pinch me anymore."

"Okay. I promise, but you have to promise me you won’t tickle me anymore. That is annoying. I hate it!"

"Okay. I won’t do that anymore, even though it’s great fun," he said, smiling, and walked with her. He looked at her and smiled.

"What are you smiling at, creep?" she asked. He looked at her again and started to tickle her.

"Jack, no!" she screamed, and started to laugh.

*****

The next day, while Jack was doing a scene, Rose was in her trailer. Her makeup artist was doing her face.

"Well, Rose, it’s the first time I can do your makeup without Jack here. You two get along pretty well," Judy said.

"Yeah…is there something wrong with that?" Rose asked.

"Oh, come on, Rose. You and I both know you have never had a longer relationship with a guy than what you have with Jack."

"It’s not a relationship. We are just friends."

"Whatever! You have a thing for him. I can tell."

"Judy, I really don’t. He is lovely, sweet, and a great friend, but just that--a friend! Besides, he already has a girlfriend."

"Ah…you do care. Don’t worry. He can get rid of her."

"Judy! No. I’m not like that. Besides, she is a model and an actress. Who can beat that? He is just a friend. A goofy guy that definitely is not my type. I think I know his girlfriend…anyway, don’t bother me with that anymore. Goofy Jack is just a friend," Rose said.

"All right, Rose. Don’t get mad. But answer me one question. If Jack didn’t have a girl, would you have at least thought about Jack as more than a friend?" Judy asked. There was a long pause.

"No," Rose said firmly. Judy smiled and just nodded her head.

*****

Jack was talking about his dog. Rose wasn’t fully listening to him; she was just staring at him.

He is adorable. Ugh. What am I thinking? What if I did really like him as more than a friend? No. That is not possible; he is so childish and immature. But, oh, he is so funny and sweet. But he can have a potty mouth. No. I should not even be thinking about him, she was thinking to herself. Jack noticed that she wasn’t listening to him.

"Rose…Rose, hello. Are you there?" he asked, smiling.

"Oh, I’m sorry, Jack. I just couldn’t get any sleep last night, and I’m so tired. I’m sorry I wasn’t listening," she said.

"It’s okay. You listen to me more than my girlfriend does," he said, smiling. She smiled back at him.

Chapter Three
Stories