Chapter Five - sparks fly

The next day was Saturday so Sofia slept in. She never had any shifts during the weekends and when she woke, she came to slowly, reveling in the late morning sun that filtered in through her curtains while planning her day.

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"Ok, Ryan, Ryan!" He yelled, this time getting immediate effect. "Take 5." The director said, turning to attend to someone else.

Ryan kicked back on his chair and pushed the mic from his mouth, "I'm fine."

"Make it ten." The director said over his shoulder.

He jumped to his feet and came off the set. "I said I'm fine!" This got everyone's, the director included, attention. He walked back to Ryan and sighed,

"Yeah, this is bad." He was shaking his head. "Look Ryan." He continued, "You're just ranting. All I'm listening to is your body language and right now, it's telling me that you've got writer's block. Except, you're not a writer so I'm gonna need you to take 5 and sort out whatever it is that's bugging you ok?"

Ryan sighed and nodded, his shoulders dropping in concession.

"That's what I thought." The director said, patting Ryan's shoulder. "Amanda!" The director called over Ryan's shoulder. "Take 5. Our superstar needs a break."

Ryan walked over to his actors' chair and sat, reclining in it. He grabbed the bottle of mineral water on the small table and gulped down half of it. Amanda came and took her own seat, by him. But when she didn't say anything, he closed his eyes and relaxed.

"You've been behaving differently." She finally said.

"So I've been told." He replied drily.

"So tell me, what's up?" She asked, turning to sit sideways and face him.

"Nothing." He replied with a sigh.

She chuckled,

"I know you Ryan. You being like this means one thing and we both know it." She said slowly, smiling at him. He didn't say anything so she continued, "You're losing something you want and you might not admit it but you know I'm right. However, I'm still gonna tell you this. You've still got a chance. You just have to put in more effort to show that you really want it." She completed and winked at him and for the first time in their conversation, he sat up and looked at her.

"You really mean that?" He asked earnestly.

"Yeah." She replied offhandedly, leaning back as she flipped some hair off her shoulders.

Suddenly Ryan was running past Amanda and into his compartment, tossing a barely heard compliment over his shoulder for her. He was out in no time, looking spic and span Ryan.

"I'll be back." He said with a smile and rushed out.

Just then, the director walked onto the set.

"Where's Ryan?" He asked, no one in particular. It was Amanda however, who spoke up.

"He left. He's gone to find a way to redeem himself to me." She completed with a contented sigh, looking at her polished nails.

The director scoffed and slapped his forehead.

"Amanda, how many years and you still do not know who Ryan is."

Amanda flushed scarlet, as some of the ladies there giggled and she sulked, storming out of the set.

"Amanda!" The director yelled, chasing after her. "No, come back, I didn't mean to… put it that way! My goddess! Aphrodite! Venus! Oh come on!" He finally said, swinging his hands in obvious exasperation.

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Ryan walked out of TacoFun, Sofia's workplace, he'd met up with Fred and found out that she never had shifts during the weekends. Once he was safely inside his car, he pulled the face cap off and groaned, where the heck did she spend her weekends. Just then, he got a text from Jessi telling him where she'd be. He smiled and put the car in gear.

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Sofia was walking along a lane in a park close to her apartment. Her hands trailed along the flowers that lined the path on her left. She smiled, taking in a deep breath as she let her mind roam free. A little child ran up to her and handed her a flower. Sofia received the gift with a smile and swept some of her hair behind her ear.

"Thank you," she said.

However, it seemed that wasn't all she wanted. She took Sofia's hand and tugged,

'Come see. Come see." she smiled, urging her on.

"I'm coming." Sofia replied as she let herself get pulled along, pushing strands of hair out of her face. A few more kids joined and they led her to a rounded pavilion, stopping at the entrance. Sofia took a step and turned to look at them, unsure of what to expect.

"Go on." They urged her, giggling. She nodded and smiled then turned and walked in and there he was, looking out a window on the other side. He turned and gave her a boyish grin. However, she scoffed,

"So you're using kids now?" She asked, shaking her head. Then sighed, "And I thought you hit rock bottom already." She said and turned. "I just can't with you." She said, walking out but he rushed to her and blocked her exit.

"Kids." He called over his shoulder. "She's trying to make a run for it." He said and Sofia arched an eyebrow, not really knowing how to react to this.

Suddenly, they came alive again, asking her to stay.

"Please don't go." One of the boys said.

"Give him a chance!" A little blonde girl yelled from behind. Ryan. Sofia rolled her eyes at Ryan and came closer so she could see them.

"I've got to go now kids. I've got other stuff to do." She said kindly, smiling at them. Suddenly the blondie started crying and a few others followed suit. Sofia tried to calm them down to no avail and due to the growing attention, she gave in.

"Ok, ok, I'll stay and hear him out, you can stop crying now." She said, sighing in concession and just like that they stopped. Then she turned and walked back in.

"That'll be hundred bucks." The blondie whispered in Ryan's ear and he nodded, handing her a wad of bills. "I'll keep the change. Great doing business with you Romeo." She smiled, patting him on the back. They left and Ryan walked back in.

"So your charm extends to the kids." She said, leaning against a wall.

"Well, yeah. But for some reason, it doesn't extend to the important stuff." He replied.

"And that's your aim right?" She asked. "To extend it, that is." She added.

"No, not really." He answered, exhaling in his habitual manner.

"You're just a play boy." She said, shaking her head.

"Come on, of course not." He replied, smiling as his habit came into play once more.

"You know you do have records." Sofia said, nodding, as she began to remember all she'd heard her girlfriends say about him.

"Oh really?" He scoffed then shrugged, "Let's hear them then."

"Like when the Princess caught you with some British super model in her room or when you were out with a female musician, I think Brandi and then she had to leave cause her mom was rushed to the hospital and when she got back, she saw you kissing another musician, Bella I think. Or, when the police stopped you and Dri to check her license. You both get out of the car and she's settling the case while you're leaving with another one of your celebrity girlfriends. I think the worst was when a model invited you as her date to a wedding, on getting there, you decided the bride was better, seduced her at the altar and left with her, only to dump her on day three."

"So someone's been keeping tabs on me already." He said, smiling at her.

"You wish." She scoffed. "My girlfriends all love you so, I hear a lot from them." She said, shrugging and he winced,

"Still, that's a lot." He said.

"Yeah, you've got haters." She replied, nodding.

"All men." He countered. "And, believe me it's embarrassing even to me, just the straight ones." He said, his face turning sour.

Sofia laughed at him, coming off the wall as she shook her head.

"Ok, ok, I guess that's true but I'm not gonna become another name on your list besides, I've got to go." She said, making her way to the exit.

"Just hold on for a moment please." He said, walking towards her. "Let's start all over ok, right at the beginning." He completed, extending his hand for her to take. She turned and faced him, her eyes moving from his face to the hand and back to his face. She nodded and walked closer,

"But first, you need to come clean." She said nodding.

"Sure." He replied with a smile, slipping the hand into his pocket. "About what, exactly?" He asked, running the other hand through his hair as he gave her a boyish grin once more.

"I did see blondie sharing out bills from a fat wad, care to share your thoughts on that?"

He immediately exhaled in his habitual way, ruffling his hair as she chuckled.

"Ok, ok." He finally said. "You got me. I guess even my charm has got its limits." He said with that cute boyish grin and she just couldn't get mad at him. This time however, she was the one that extended an arm for a handshake.

"Sofia DelaCruz." She said with a smile.

"Ryan Barnes." He replied, taking her hand and just then they withdrew both hands as if jolted by electricity. Sofia gasped, shaking her head, she turned and ran away. Tears were blurring her vision but she ran on, ignoring his calls.