Chapter 2 - Between The Lines
1261 Words
Chapter 2 — Between the Lines
Natasha kept her head down as she hurried back into the studio. Her cheeks were still warm, and she could still hear Warren’s teasing voice in her head.
"See you around… Script Girl."
She groaned softly to herself, clutching the stack of updated scene notes to her chest. Why couldn’t she go one day without embarrassing herself? First, spilling coffee on her script and picking a fight with the director — who turned out to be James Sinclair — and now barging into the men’s bathroom like she owned the place.
It was fine. It was fine. She’d just… never speak of it again.
By the time she reached the soundstage, the rest of the team was already gathered, and James was giving instructions to the lighting crew. He looked up briefly as she entered, his dark eyes catching hers.
For just a second, his serious expression softened — the corner of his mouth almost curling into a smile — before he turned back to the crew.
Natasha exhaled slowly, pretending not to notice.
---
The morning passed in a flurry of activity. Cameras were tested, props adjusted, and actors ushered to wardrobe. Natasha shadowed James as he moved from station to station, occasionally stopping to explain things to her.
“Watch here,” he murmured, gesturing to the camera angle they were testing. His voice was low, but firm. “See how the light falls across the actor’s face? That’s what sells the emotion of the scene. Even the best line can fall flat if it’s shot wrong.”
Natasha nodded, jotting it down. “Got it. So… emotion over perfection.”
James glanced at her, and — surprisingly — chuckled. “Something like that.”
For the first time all day, Natasha allowed herself to smile.
---
Later, during a break, Natasha sat on a folding chair at the edge of the set, reviewing her notes. The sound of laughter caught her attention — James was standing a few feet away, holding a water bottle and talking to her.
She looked up in surprise as he approached her.
“Do you always take notes that seriously?” he asked, his tone almost teasing.
Natasha blinked, then smiled faintly. “Do you always drink coffee that carelessly?”
He actually laughed at that — a short, quiet laugh that somehow made her chest tighten.
“I deserved that,” he admitted, leaning slightly against the nearby railing.
Their eyes met. Something unspoken hung in the air between them.
For once, James didn’t look so intimidating. He just… looked at her. Like she was something he couldn’t quite figure out.
Natasha looked away first, biting back a shy smile.
---
Not far away, Warren watched the exchange quietly from his chair. His script lay forgotten on his lap as his eyes followed Natasha and James.
The way she was smiling at him. The way James actually laughed.
Warren’s jaw tightened slightly.
He’d noticed her the very first day. Noticed the way she walked in with stars in her eyes and her arms full of scripts. How she glowed with quiet determination.
But she didn’t notice him. Not really.
A light tap on his shoulder pulled him out of his thoughts. He turned to see Samantha, the lead actress, grinning at him with her phone in hand.
“Warren,” she said sweetly, “mind taking a picture of me and Kevin? We need something for our socials.”
Warren managed a smile and took her phone. “Sure.”
He lined up the shot as Samantha leaned close to Kevin, both of them beaming for the camera. He pressed the button, handed the phone back, and sat down again.
His eyes flicked back to Natasha and James — still talking, still smiling at each other — and he let out a quiet sigh before forcing himself to open his script again.
---
Later that afternoon, as Natasha was organizing her notes backstage, Mia sidled up to her with a knowing grin.
“So…” Mia began, drawing out the word.
Natasha looked up, startled. “So… what?”
Mia smirked. “Don’t play innocent. I saw you two.”
Natasha’s cheeks flushed. “It’s not— It’s nothing.”
“Mm-hmm,” Mia hummed, clearly unconvinced. “You know, I’ve been working with James for four years, and I’ve never seen him laugh like that. Just saying.”
Before Natasha could reply, Mia winked and walked away, leaving her flustered and pretending to focus on her clipboard.
---
The day stretched late into the evening. The team finally wrapped up as the sun dipped below the horizon, casting a warm orange glow through the studio windows.
As everyone began to pack up, James scanned the room.
“Where’s Natasha headed?” he asked Mia quietly.
Mia raised an eyebrow at him. “Why? You planning to give her a ride?”
James’s gaze lingered on the door where Natasha had just slipped out. “No,” he said simply, though his tone suggested otherwise.
“She probably just grabbed a cab,” Mia said, still smiling faintly to herself as she walked away.
James watched the door for a moment longer before finally turning back to his work.
---
Outside, Natasha climbed into a cab, the city lights blurring past her as she leaned back against the seat. She felt… tired, but in a good way.
It was hard to believe she was really here, working at BrightStar. Hard to believe someone like James Sinclair even noticed her, let alone laughed at her jokes.
A small smile crept onto her lips as she stared out the window.
---
Home was a modest, single-story house tucked into a quiet neighborhood in southern California. Natasha paid the driver, stepped out into the cool evening air, and let herself in.
The familiar smell of garlic and herbs greeted her immediately.
“Natasha! You’re home!” her mother called from the kitchen.
Natasha grinned, slipping off her shoes and heading toward the small dining table where her mother was plating her favorite pasta.
“You didn’t have to cook,” Natasha said, though her stomach growled in protest.
Her mother waved her off. “Nonsense. My little girl’s first big day on her dream job? Of course we celebrate.”
Natasha kissed her cheek before sitting down.
A moment later, her younger brother Mikey stumbled into the room, still in his hoodie and jeans, earbuds dangling around his neck.
“Hey, big shot,” he teased, ruffling her hair as he plopped into the chair opposite hers.
“Hey, college boy,” Natasha shot back with a smile.
Mikey grinned. “Not yet. But soon. Don’t forget — I’m moving out as soon as the dorms open. Then you can have my room to turn into an office or whatever.”
Her father came in just then, loosening his tie after a long day at the accounting firm. He kissed the top of Natasha’s head before sitting down.
As they ate, Natasha told them bits and pieces about her day — carefully leaving out the coffee incident, the bathroom mishap, and… James.
For now, those were lines she wasn’t ready to say out loud.
But later that night, lying in her small bed under the faded glow-in-the-dark stars Mikey had stuck to the ceiling years ago, Natasha couldn’t help but think of James’s quiet laugh.
And, just for a moment, she wondered if he was thinking of her too.
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