Following the Stars

Chapter Seven

The first few weeks on location in Venice had flown by. Johnny and Lexie were extremely busy shooting scene after scene, and due to the busy nature of the city things had to be done efficiently and professionally, resulting in a lot of long and tiring days. They were almost four weeks in, and today they were shooting in an abandoned building. It was a hostage scene, and as Lexie's make up was being touched up, she spotted a tall man wander in and greet Johnny in a very friendly manner. "Hey dude. How are you?" Johnny asked the man. "I'm good, pumped to be here. How are you?" "Really good thank you. Come meet everyone." Johnny guided the man over to where a group was gathered, Chris the director greeted the newcomer. "Paul, so good to see you, thank you for doing this." "No sweat. As soon as Johnny told me about it, I was up for it." "Come meet your leading lady." "Paul, this is Lexie. Lexie, this is Paul." Lexie took the man's hand and shook it. "Hi, nice to meet you." "You too. I think I'm playing your boss if I remember rightly." "Yes it would appear so, I promise I'm employee of the month everywhere I work" Lexie giggled. This resulted in both Johnny and Paul chuckling before they got called on by the director. They were put in their places and ran through the scene before it was decided to shoot. Lexie gave it her all, and tried as hard as she could. She had to portray that she really was vulnerable. After many takes, Chris yelled Cut, Johnny smiled "See I told you she's incredible isn't she?" He said to Paul who smiled agreeing. "Ok well let's call it a day. The guys need to rig the pyrotechnics anyway so let's all reconvene at the same call time tomorrow. Lexie rolled her shoulders it had been a very long day. "Hey doll, wanna hang out for a while this evening? Paul's wife and kids don't fly in until Sunday. It will give you a chance to get to know him?" "Yeah that sounds cool. What do you wanna do?" Lexie replied as she unpinned her hair. "Why don't you come over to my suite, we can order dinner?" Paul replied. "Sure thing. 9pm?" Johnny said and Lexie nodded before gathering her things to leave.

She returned to the hotel room, showered and was drying her hair when things kept popping into her head. What was she thinking? Going to a hotel suite with two men she hardly knew? The other part of her brain was scolding her for thinking so negatively. She didn't have time to argue with herself though as her phone beeped.

Keep it casual tonight. Paul is already in his sweats. See you soon, JD x

Love that. Won't be long. X x

She quickly rang her mum knowing she hadn't spoken to her in a day or so. They caught up on FaceTime, she got to speak to her Dad for a few minutes too, she was extremely excited that her parents were flying to Venice in just over a week's time. She missed them dearly. Finally, after hanging up from her folks, she looked at her wardrobe, what could she wear? After looking at several options she found some black leggings, and a large band tee that she tucked in at the front. It wasn't the most sophisticated look but she was told to keep it casual so she intended too. She donned some sneaks, grabbed her phone and room card before closing the suite door behind her. Paul was the other side of the hotel, even though they were all on the same floor it was still a little bit of a walk. She finally got to the room and knocked loudly on the door. After a few moments Johnny answered it, "Hey You!" He said guiding her in. Music was playing softly in the background, he had a cigarette between his fingers and looked effortlessly cool. Paul was sat on the couch leaning over a laptop that was on the coffee table. "Lexie's here!" Johnny said rather loudly. "Hi!" Paul looked up with a smile that Lexie returned. "Make yourself at home." She immediately kicked off her shoes and curled up in a nearby armchair. "Want a drink doll?" Johnny asked. He opened the mini fridge and held up a bottle of beer. "Sure I'll take a beer. Thanks." He opened it and passed it to her before raising his own bottle "Now the duo becomes the three musketeers." Lexie smiled and clinked her bottle with his. "Right that's done. Sorry Lexie, I was sorting out some admin. How are you? We didn't get to talk much earlier before being thrown into shooting the scene." Paul said closing the laptop. "Oh don't be silly, I'm good. Thank you for having me over." "No sweat love. A friend of Johnny's is a friend of mine."

A couple of hours later, they had ordered room service and consumed it, and were still hanging out on the couches and arm chair. "So you had no idea how big it was gonna become?" "No idea at all. We were all told it was going to be a 6 part series. Nothing more. Then by time the 4th episode aired they had already issued contacts for a second season." "That's so cool, and you were only 7? Fuck that's so young, isn't it Johnny?" "Sure is." "I learnt my trade from some of the best in the business. I think that's why I enjoyed it so much, at the time I knew that it was different, and not everyone got to do that, but I had no idea who these names were, to me they were just people I worked with. I picked their brains and followed them round. It was great." "What do you prefer Music or film?" "Music. I have more control over it. The only things I don't have control over are the soundtracks which is fine, but all my own stuff is written by either our family friend Gary, or myself." "Nice. Smart move." "I think so." "He's a legend in the business. He was in a 90's boyband and wrote all their stuff, now he prefers writing, Dad met him years ago, think they used to play football together or something. Then we went to his house in Portugal one summer, I confided in him that I loved acting but I really wanted to sing and he came up with the concept of a Tv show where my character could sing. He thought it would be the best way to protect me at that age. Of course we all know who snapped his hand off at that idea." "Yep. Don't we just." "I was a little teenie bopper who made them a ridiculous amount of money, they had merch, concerts, Tv shows, it was madness, they literally pimped me out so much, by the time my parents insisted I wound down work to do my exams they made me sign to go on tour the following year to make up for it." "Bastards" "I'll say." Before long Lexie checked her phone and saw it was nearing 1am, she began putting her shoes back on. "Sorry to be the party pooper but I'm gonna hit the hay, I'm due in hair and make up at 8." "Fuck, why so early?" "Because I have to get all glammed up, you two just don suits remember?" Lexie said giggling. Johnny nodded, "I'll walk you back," "don't be silly, you don't need to do that." "Remember what I said, I'm a gentleman" Lexie smiled as he held the door open for her and guided her out to the hallway. "Thanks for having me Paul!" "No problem hun." The door closed as Johnny walked beside Lexie, "He seems so nice, have you known him long?" "We've worked together a number of times, he's a good pal." "That's nice." "Yeah he's coming to Paris with me to celebrate my daughter's 13th birthday next weekend." "Oh wow, that will be fun!" "Yes she adores Paris just like her mother. Both the kids were born there." "Yeah, it's a beautiful city." "That it is." They arrived at Lexie's suite door shortly after and she lent into hug Johnny, after all they were merely weeks away from shooting a passionate kissing scene anyway so what trouble would a hug be? "Thanks for walking me back." "Anytime doll, see you tomorrow."

Johnny made his way back to Paul's suite rather quickly smiling to himself as he entered. "What was that?" Asked Paul. "What?" "That whole I'll walk you back I am a gentleman?" "I am a gentleman." "You are, but when have you ever gone out your way to walk girls back when there's nothing in it for you? Especially when her room is almost next door." "Paul, she's a woman on her own in a foreign city, it was the least I could do. Besides not everything has to lead to that..." "does it not? You're Hollywood's sexiest movie icon." "I WAS. I'm now Hollywood's most hated man remember?" "Pfft not that hated, you've got a job haven't you?" "Oh please, you really think if Chris and the writers didn't know Stephen so well that I would be here?" "You're here because you're a fantastic actor, end of story, now stop changing the subject. You like her!" "I do not." "You do, you're blushing." "I'm not a girl Paul." "No she's the girl, and you like HER!" Johnny began chuckling and so did Paul before they both settled "So do you?" "Do I what?" "Like her?" "Paul, I'm not having this conversation." "That means yes then."