"Are we done after this?" my sister asked. "The camera didn't even really go where I was standing, so it's kind of pointless for me to be here."
"There's another scene being filmed after this one," I said. "It's in this same room, so I don't think we're supposed to go anywhere until they're done with all that. They might need us."
"Well, not right now, at least. It's going to be a minute, so I'm going to check out these musicians. I'll be back."
It was a phrase I was used to hearing growing up with Audrey as my older sister. When she said she would be back, it meant she didn't want me to follow her. I took a step toward the wall so that I could get out of the way and have something to lean against. I watched my sister and my niece, along with the rest of the crowd.
Audrey went to the front of the dance floor so that she could be close to the musicians. They wereall handsome young gentlemen, and they played well, so I wasn't surprised they had caught her eye. She had always been the one who went to concerts and made friends with musicians.
I could have asserted myself and started a conversation with the people around me. They seemed to know each other, and they seemed cordial enough. But honestly, it was nice to have a minute alone to process the dance. I could not believe what I had just done, and I had to stifle the urge to grin as I remembered it.
I was still lost in thought a few minutes later when someone came up to me. "Did you dance with Alex?"
It was one of the girls from before—one who said she was on the dance squad. A few of them had walked up to me.
"I did," I answered plainly.
"How? Do you know him?"
I nodded. "Yes, we're friends," I said.
She nodded at me.
I tried not to care that she seemed visibly disappointed that it wasn't her who was dancing with Alex.
"You did a nice job," the other girl said.
"Yeah," someone else agreed.
"Thank you," I said, quietly with a small nod.
I didn't expect to wear this dress. I didn't think I'd have my hair up or that the dance team girls would be envious of me. The whole night had been one shocking twist after another.
Chapter 13
Alex and his crew came out of their meeting and announced that we needed to film the sequence one more time. He asked us to make everything as identical as we could.
We danced again, and this time he had the main camera in a different spot. Alex took me over to it and did the first turn directly in front of it.
He said that the second take had happened because he wanted to dance with me again. I was breathless, and the best I could do was smile absentmindedly and pray, following him step-for-step as we danced the scene again. Alex was confident and sure, and I held onto him and let him lead me again.
I knew we weren't the stars of the series, and it wasn't that big of a deal in the grand scheme of things. But being in the scene felt like a gigantic deal to me. He talked to me again this time, leaning in to speak to me as we moved, just like he had done the last time.
It was electric and wonderful dancing with Alex again, but just like that, our dance was over.
He made sure I was going to stick around.
I told my sister we needed to stay for a little while, and I made it seem like it wasn't an option. I just said that we were supposed to wait until theywere done filming. She was happy to stay. She kept talking about the musicians.
Luna did a great job while we waited. She was tired, anyway. We sat along the back wall and watched them complete another scene several times. Alex was a cool, confident, down-to-earth person who interjected with thoughtful instruction when the cast needed it. The whole process was fascinating. My sister loved it too, and it was fun for me to watch her watch them. I had worried about her so much after everything she had been through, and it made my heart happy to see her smiling. I felt happy for Luna, too, for having her mom in such good spirits.
It was the most fun night. I got to watch a fascinating process, I got to watch my sister have a great time, and I got to dance with the director of the film. Twice. Those dances would be locked in my memory forever. Even in the moment, I had appreciated how unexpected and unlikely it all was.
I had seen Alex leave with his crew once they got the last take. It seemed as though people were dispersing.
"Are we good to go?" my sister asked.
I panicked for a second, not knowing where I should go to find him. I checked my phone.
