Chapter 157 | Scarlett again?!

A/N; After all the comments yesterday... all I can ask/say is, enjoy the book as it is.. or at least try to. next chapter, there'd be the first trial. there's going to be movie-making, character realisation, his personal life realisations at the same time. so don't focus on just one drama, or well, you do you. happy reading!!

-

"Hey, Christopher, can I get a favor?" Ian asked through the line.

Christopher's voice came through in rather a sleepy tone, "yeah, Ian. Are you okay? It's too early."

Within minutes, Ian explained everything that happened and asked for help to bail out him and his new friend.

"I'll send my secretary, don't worry, just stay there," Christopher said and hung up.

Ian had to go back behind the bars, and he knew it might take quite a while for Christopher's secretary to show up.

"Max, what do you do for a living?" Felix asked.

"Er, I'll tell you someday, what about you?"

"I'd say the same, but I sell drugs."

Ian's mouth formed an O. Seeing how Ian's expressions changed, Felix burst out laughing.

"I'm joking, I'm joking. I'm a motor mechanic. Working with cars and all that, eh you know it. My eye still hurt though, I guess the tree wasn't feeling itself today," Felix mumbled.

"Don't worry, my friend will come, and we'll straightaway go to the hospital."

"Nah, it'd be alright if I just put some ice on it. Also, where'd you get that watch? Must be expensive?"

Ian chuckled and removed it. "Keep it as a souvenir, I had a wonderful night. More like, the best night I had in a very long time. Although-" he said and turned to look at him.

"Yeah?" Felix asked and tilted his head, figuring out what was Ian talking about.

"Although, I guess I have a hunch that'd say we'd meet again."

"Maxy, why do I have a *hunch* that you're not Max Payton?" Felix asked and Ian said nothing but smirked.

[...] Within half an hour, Christopher's secretary, who was dressed in a suit walked inside the police station.

He talked to the police and signed some papers before another officer walked toward Ian and opened the jail box.

"You're good to go. But don't you bastards dare get caught again doing illegal racing." the short officer warned and Ian nodded.

"Finally, freedom!" Felix shouted with a smile. "I guess I'll dip from here, take care, pal!"

"Wait, can you give me your phone number so I can contact you again?" Ian asked.

"Sure, give me your- fuck you're all about expensive stuff, aren't ya?" Felix said while placing a hand over his heart and being dramatic.

"Eh," Ian scoffed.

"Here you go, hope to see you again!" Felix said and walked into the darkness.

In front of Ian, there was Christopher's secretary.

"Thank you so much for coming out here at this time," Ian said and extended his hand to shake.

The secretary took it and nodded, "It's a part of my job more or less. You're welcome, go home safely, without any trouble," he said and smiled.

At the same time, Christopher called Ian.

"Hey, was about to call you."

-Yeah, nice to know you're out. But I think I'll get to know more about the appeal by tomorrow, so don't worry about it. I'll take care of it, so in the next court hearing, there'd be something in your defense

"Ah, thanks a lot, good night," Ian said and waited for Christopher to hang up.

-

[At the shooting set of Marriage Story]

"....I don't think that this is a good shot! Can we take the last one again?" Ian asked looking at Scarlett and everyone who was on the set.

"Sure!"

"Alright!"

Scarlett and Mark said while nodding.

".....Action!"

"We were going to bring him to dinner-" As soon as Scarlett got into the character, Ian stopped her.

"Cut! Scarlett, it's just not it! Do we need a break or something?" He asked while some people nodded.

"Take five, and then we'll be back!" Director said and everyone went back to rest.

Ian frustratingly sat in the director's chair and bent down to take the bottle of water. Opening the lid, he saw a figure standing in front of him.

"Hmm, Rae?" He asked.

"You take some rest, a lot is going on in your life. We can understand. It's the last day of filming, and I know just about what's necessary, I will take care of it. It's stationary shots anyway," she muttered as Ian raised his eyebrow in surprise.

"Not a bad idea, I just can't seem to focus, and whenever I can, it's just-"

"I get you, get some rest," Raelynn said as Ian nodded and stood up.

"Thanks," he mumbled and walked towards the director's office that had been on the set the whole time.

-

"...But there's still a lot for it with the movie, and I'd discuss it individually," Raelynn said from the speaker as everyone nodded.

"Thank you! Let's start!" Scarlett shouted, earning a nod from Raelynn.

Raelynn was a fun bubble to hang around with, but during work, she was as serious as anyone could ever be.

During the filming, they had grown closer to each other. But the more they started to talk, the more they got to know that the entire thing between them was better off as friends for now.

"Okay, as I explained the scene this is what would happen…." Raelynn started and explained the scene once again.

Every time she explained a scene, what she emphasized was the emotions she wanted to be seen from the characters.

"Are we ready?" Raelynn asked while everyone nodded.

"Okay… QUIET ON SET PLEASE!"

[...] Scarlett was having the calmest thoughts while she stood in front of the cameras and the crew.

'I'm ready and I got this!' she wished herself luck.

"...ACTION!" Raelynn's voice was heard and then she got into the character 100%.

"We were going to bring him to dinner, but he's wiped out. Do you want to take him?" She asked Charlie, looking into his eyes.

"It's your night…" Charlie said while taken aback.

"I know"

"Yeah"

Scarlett was dressed in colored costumes. On the side of the road, Scarlett with her short hair looked at Mark with a smile.

Then they both walked towards the little guy who sat in the street.

The actor they had chosen was a C-graded actor, who was 10 years old to do the role. Not to mention, throughout the scenes, Ian had to put so much extra effort into him to create the perfect scenes.

"You're going to go with your Dad, OK?" Scarlett who acted like Nicole said to the kid while bending over.

The entire set was ill-prepared for the final scene, and it went out more smoothly than expected.

[...] Ian's eyes wandered over how the actors were acting on point. He was looking from afar, his back leaning towards the wooden wall that separated the set and his office.

"Wait!" Nicole called out.

Charlie hesitated as Nicole hurried after him.

She knelt in the middle of the street.

The cameras became closer to Charlier; Charlie's laces spilled out on the pavement. She tugged on one which he was stepping on.

She tapped his calf.

"Can you–" Nicole asked.

He lifted his foot so she could retrieve the lace. She tied his sneaker. Charlie watched.

Then the camera focused on Charlie's smile which explained a lot more things that words could have never.

[...] "CUT! That was a perfect shot!" Raelynn said excitedly and everyone clapped.

"Thank you, guys!" She shouted again.

Although she was fun and bubbly to be around, her work made her much more serious and stern. But by the end of the shooting, she was back to her old self.

Talk about diverse personalities.

Scarlett walked towards her with a huge grin, "You'd be an amazing director one day!" she said while shaking hands with Rae.

"Thanks, you are a wonderful actress."

"Where's Ian?" Scarlett asked.

Raelynn froze a little but gained her composure back again, "Inside the office," she said and started packing things up.

-

"Hey, Ian. How are you holding up?" Scarlett asked as she walked inside the office, closing the door behind her.

"I'm doing comparatively good. Not too bad, nor too good. Just fine, I guess."

Ian's eyes sparkled seeing Scarlett walk toward him.

She sat in front of him, and Ian leaned forward to give her his attention.

"You were really good back there, it can truly be seen from far away itself."

"Thank you, director. But I'd like to know how you are truly doing," Scarlett asked with her eyebrows knitting together.

"The comments and the feedback from the people… They are not the best, I know. But for now, I'm doing better than someone in my shoes would. This is tough to hold up, but I don't have many options, so it's all fine," Ian was truthful to her.

After letting his frustrations away from all the car racing, he felt lighter than before.

But to admit the truth, the shooting did stress him a bit more.

"It's alright, not everything has to go back to where they were in a day," Scarlett stood up and walked to Ian.

She sat on the edge of the table without a hm and smiled seductively.

"Is this fine?" She asked innocently, while her hand placed on Ian's shoulder.

"I think so," he muttered out and stood up to take her in a bridal way to the nearest couch.