Behind The Scenes Of "Roommates"

October 3, 2019.

Two days. That's all it took. Two fucking days. I fell into a new routine.
I remember days of writing "Roommates" without Mena's help then I remember the joy when I got an email from him, with his edited versions of my half-written chapters.
I woke up and rubbed the sleep out of my eyes, then checked my phone. It was my morning reunite now. See if Mena messaged me while I was asleep.
There was an email from Mena!
I clicked on it and saw so many red add-ons for the chapter I was working on.
He first wished me a happy birthday then gave me his add-ons.

Mena- Happy Birthday, Jessalynn!! I hope your day is special.  I'm gonna be a tad busy with another acting gig so if I didn't reply, that's why.
Now here is what I thought of, hope you like them.

-

' I shrugged, "Hard, lots of jumping around and dancing today." I said, not caring about giving away hints on what I was doing anymore.

"So you were doing 'One Jump Ahead'?" Nichole asked me, standing up, she was in a black tank top and a hoodie, she looked so comfortable.'

-

' "Gray areas.." I murmured, thinking back to a scene where Genie tells Aladdin about gray areas about making wishes. I smiled as I shook my head.

"What?" Nichole asked me as I did so.

"Nothing, uhh..." Then I decided to tell her about the movie, I had someone now who knew who I was and she was going to be my roommate, so hiding things now was not a good move, "There is a part in this movie where Genie tells Aladdin about gray areas after saving him in the cave of wonders." I explained to her.

She laughed, "See? Genie was right, there is a lot of gray areas in a lot of things, gotta be careful how you say your words."

I rolled my eyes, "Kinda true, I guess. Glad you know though, it's freeing that I can openly talk about my days now." '

-

' "Would you want to do a sequel?" 

I sighed as I rubbed my head, "It's hard work, but a lot of fun. If Guy, asked me to do another Aladdin movie, I would jump at it."

Nichole smiled, "Good."

-

' "Your smile is cute." I said sleepily.

"Yours is cuter." She admitted honestly.

I smiled softly as I felt my cheeks getting red, "Thank you."

"Of course." She said as she put her hair in a ponytail, "What made you go plant-based?" '

-

I glanced at my phone in awe, he was a good writer!
I added what he wrote to the story then I finished the chapter, then edited it, then posted it.
I sent him a copy of the finished copy then I had some lunch and took out the two dogs.
It was my 31st birthday but it just felt like a usual day to me. I was home alone beside the many pets.
I called the dogs back inside then I started chapter four.
I had an idea for a break-in but I also want Mena, fictional Mena to get home just in time but whatever I thought of fit quite fit.
As if he knew that I was stuck or he was just on a break and he contacted me.

Mena- Chapter three looked FANTASTIC!  You did really add my ideas, that is sweet of you.

I smiled and my thumb hovered over the camera option on the top right corner of the screen.
With a sigh I hit it.
Suddenly, I saw his surprised face.
"It is really you..." I muttered, then I shook my head, "Of course it's you. I don't know what I was expecting... Hi.."
He grinned at me, his grin reminded me of Flynn Rider from the Disney movie Tangled, "Hi! What's up?"
"Thought this would be faster than messaging. If it's not then, we can go back to messaging." I muttered softly, blushing slightly.
He shrugged a little, "This is fine, just on a break. I loved that used my ideas!" He smiled at me then moved to a quieter spot, "So are you working on chapter four?"
I chewed on my lower lip, "Kinda, I'm stuck."
He raised his eyebrows as he widened his bright brown eyes, "That's not good, what do you want to happen in that chapter?"
I sat down sighing, "Ron, Nichole's ex-boyfriend breaks in and they have a fight, but before it becomes really bad, you... Umm I mean Fictional You comes in and tries to help Nichole."
He narrowed his eyes, chewing his inner cheek, then his eyes shimmered, as he widened them, "What if there was an attempted break-in and-" He moved his free hand, "perhaps me... Fictional Me..  felt that Nik wasn't safe there and flies to Los Angeles to take her back to London."
I smiled brightly, "So two break-ins. I like it!"
He shrugged, "So you like drama and romance? Add that in your story. You seem to like crime shows, so use that as an inspiration. Add dramatic scenes."
I nodded softly, then I sent him a picture.

"I want to use that somehow as a huge cliffhanger in the last chapter of the first book."
"First book?!" He half-said half-laughed, then I could be that he saw the picture, "Oh, nice. So maybe Ron grabs Fictional Me and maybe Nik has to rescue Fictional Me?" He shrugged at me.
"Go big or go home, right? And I like that idea! Thanks."
"No problem, I got your back, girlie." He winked, then he looked away from the screen, "Yeah okay, give me a minute." He turned back to the screen, "Duty calls, I gotta go. Keep me updated. Bye Jess."
"Bye Mena, have a good day." Then I closed the chat.
I used his idea and started writing.
I wrote, edited the chapter then posted it.
Like before, I sent the finished product to Mena.
Then I lounged on the couch until my mother came home from work, watching 'Criminal Minds'.