Page 76 of A Little Bit Extra

“Okay, okay.” She nods about 10 times, probably talking to herself in her head. “I can do that.” She doesn’t sound convincing, but if she has said nothing to me or anyone else in the past two months, I’m sure she can keep quiet for the rest of the week.

We chat for a few minutes, and I realize I don’t know much about Carla because I haven’t given our relationship any time to develop.

She reassures me that once we go public, nothing will happen to my job, which I already know because Marcy told me, but it’s nice to hear it from her as well. I look at the clock and it’s already almost nine, so I decide I should probably go check in with a few people and start the day.

I say goodbye to Carla, head downstairs, and find my way to the set. I check in with Ed to see if he needs any help with any scenes today since it’s the last week. I’ve seen the filming schedule, and it’s all over the place. The last week is for re-filming anything that was put on hold or any scenes that Ed may have reviewed and he just wasn’t happy with.

After that I stop by the wardrobe department to see if they need anything. I already knew they would say no because I left that room pristine last week and set them up for success. I’ve come to love this job. It’s been fun to get to know what goes into making a movie. I think back to my first week here, having to be an extra, and think about how much that changed the trajectory of my life.

I know Emmett coming into the diner was the start of something, but if I didn’t get the job at January Studios, nothing would have happened. I wouldn’t have tried to seek him out, and he wouldn’t have returned to the diner that often. He likes to say he would have, if he didn’t see me the next day on set, but I know how much that man loves pizza. He would always choose Al's Pizza over Dave’s Diner.

My phone buzzes as I’m leaving wardrobe. I reach into my back pocket and hit the accept button, putting the phone to my ear.

“Hey Anns! On your lunch break?” I texted her last night to give her an update on what’s going on with Emmett and myself and to call me, so I know that’s why she’s calling me right now.

“I am, yep. I cannot wait to move by you this fall. I’m soooo tired of working at this damn place,” Annie says with a big sigh. She’s started working at a local diner, like me, except hers is full of college students that make her want to bash her head in the wall. Her words, not mine.

I continue walking, heading to the trailers to deliver some scene changes Ed gave me when I passed him on set.

“Have you talked to Mom yet?” I ask.

“Um.”

“Annie, it’s already August! You’re leaving next month.”

“Have you told her about you and Emmett?” Annie counters.

“That’s different and you know it.”

“I plan to tell her at dinner tonight. Don’t worry. I know I need to tell her, and I can do it by myself. I always thought I would need you as a buffer, but I’ve decided if she doesn’t want to support me as I chase my dreams, then… I don’t know what then, but if you’re okay, I’ll be okay, right?” Annie rambles.

“Yes, you’ll be okay and I’ll be here for you, always. We all know that there are a lot of opportunities out here for you to work in PR once you graduate and I think she’ll feel better with you moving by me.”

“Yeah, you’re right.” She sighs. “Thanks, Cass. Alright, I need to get back at it, but please call Mom and let her know before the interview goes live. You know she’d like to hear from you first that you’re actually seeing someone.”

“I know, I will. Text me later and let me know how things go with Mom.”

“I’m sure she’ll call you to fill you in, so you can probably use that as an opportunity to tell her the news. I’m happy for you, Cass.”

Annie would almost make me cry this morning. “Thanks Anns.”

I hang up, and somehow I’ve found my way to the trailers. My subconscious definitely took over while Annie was talking to me and I’ve delivered all the updated scenes besides Emmett’s.

I’m not surprised to look up and see him standing at his trailer door. He’s smiling at me, and my heart does a little tumble. He’s already in his outfit for the day, a simple white button up paired with a pair of jeans. A classic look, yet I can’t help but imagine taking his shirt off one button at a time…

“Are you done eye-fucking me?” he asks.

I give him an exaggerated sigh. “I have a special delivery.” I walk up the stairs and give him the script updates.

“Thanks Cassie. How kind of you.” Emmett winks.

“Gross, you two,” Marcy says from behind. I spin around to find her standing at the bottom of the stairs, arms crossed.

“Shh, leave us alone,” Emmett chimes in.

I give his shoulder a slap and then walk down the stairs to Marcy. “Have a sec?” she asks. I nod. I look back at Emmett and say goodbye, wishing him luck for his last week on set. A moment that to anyone else would look normal, since it is the last week of filming, but knowing that he’s done acting means a different thing since it doubles as his last week on set for the foreseeable future. At least, the last week of his acting. He’ll still be around the set, but it will be different because he’s a writer of whatever film is going on. I realize I haven’t even asked him what movie he’s going to pursue or what next steps are for him. I don’t know much about the behind the scenes of turning a script into an actual movie.

When we get back on set, Marcy stops by the snack table. This reminds me of my first week, following Marcy around trying to figure out what my job was going to entail.

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