Rina met the rest of the team the following day on set. She arrived there in her new sports car and strolled inside in her thigh-high boots and a little black dress. Her newly dyed blonde hair gave her the chic look she’d been looking for, perfectly matching the excitement bubbling inside her. She hadn’t been on set in almost five years, since she left acting to focus on her family. She could feel the tingles in her fingertips as she stepped into the set, a location upstate.
The minute she was inside, everyone noticed her all at once. The director came up to her, as Rina’s assistants, along with Ginny, flanked her on both sides. The director, a charismatic middle-aged man was over the moon to have Rina on his set, and he expressed it in a thousand words. “When I brought the script to Scottsdale, I didn’t think I was going to be getting you, since…you know… But you are here right now, and I just can’t believe it.”
Rina didn’t know him so this had to be his first production. “I’m honored to be here as well,” Rina beamed. “It’s just been so long, and now, I can feel the nostalgia. I promise to work hard to make this a success.”
“I have no doubt about you, Ms. Power. Now, let’s hurry along so you can meet the rest of the actors and mingle with them before going right into it.”
They walked into a common room, with some actors reading their lines. Interrupting their focus, the director clapped to get their attention, gathering them around and introducing Rina to them as the second female lead. The rest of them got introduced to her again, along with the male lead, Zico. He reminded Rina of Adam back in Hong Kong who still remained great friends with her. Zico had kind yet intriguing black eyes that made you want to know what he was about. He was really tall, perhaps somewhere between 6ft3 and 6ft4, with a good build and lean waist. Rina would not have noticed that if he wasn’t standing before her without a shirt, despite the weather.
He fit the role, though, as the movie was about a basketball player dating a really rich girl, and having to endure everything she came with, her meanness, rude attitude, and overbearing family. The only person she respected was him, and at the end of the movie, she cheated on him with a man her family wanted her to get married to. The director had hinted at a second part, but he wasn’t certain how the public would receive the first. So, for now, there was no script for the next. They just had to make the first work.
“Hi,” Zico held a hand towards her. “Again, I’m Zico. I don’t think the director pronounced my name properly so I am just doing it again just in case you missed it.”
Rina laughed. He was a funny one. “No one can get Zico wrong, but I appreciate the effort. You could work better on your lines though. I don’t think they work on anyone.”
“Smooth,” he drawled, then burst out laughing. “I like you already. I see why Zayn is head over heels for you. I would be too if I was in his shoes.”
“Lucky that you are not.”
“The lead actress isn’t…” his words trailed off as his eyes darted to the entrance behind Rina. “Oh! There she is.”
Rina turned around with a grin on her face, and it took everything in her to keep it in place when she came face-to-face with Mandy, Joel’s wife. Now it all made sense. Susan had mentioned she was an actress and Rina had been thinking about it since she only knew her as a TV presenter. Mandy was probably just starting out if she hadn’t heard of her.
“I should have asked who was playing second lead,” Mandy said as she got closer. “Hi, Rina. Let’s get along, shall we?”
“Do you both know each other?” Zico asked, standing in between them. “I mean, I know everyone knows Rina Power, but like personally…”
“I am her former boss’ wife.” Mandy beat her to it. “Joel Osteen.”
“Oh!” Zico’s eyes lit in understanding. “Congratulations on your wedding! When I saw the pictures, I thought you looked familiar. Now, I know who that was.”
She flicked her hair and splayed her fingers on it, showing off her ring. Rina scoffed at the sight and shook her head. She wasn’t going to engage in any battle with Mandy. The director asked that they go into their dressing rooms to get ready for the movie, and Rina was grateful to be away from Mandy. Still, she held no personal grudge against her as long as Mandy didn’t try to do anything shady.
Rina’s role in the movie was a basketball lover, who attended the games but wasn’t friends with either of them. She became friends with the male lead due to their basketball conversations which he found really intriguing because the female lead didn’t know anything about the game. Each time she was around, all she did was to wear his jersey for the gram and scream when her man made a basket. The female lead also hated the second female lead in the movie and tended to bully her. It didn’t help that the second female lead worked for their family and had to see both of them when the male lead came around to the mansion.
Rina easily got into the role and her talents were not lost after the break. She had so much fun on set, attracting so much lightness and laughter that everyone immediately liked her and wanted to talk to her. During the break, Zayn sent in a truck of food, like always, and Rina, although really giddy and pleased, rolled her eyes at his cheesiness.
Nothing could have dampened Rina’s excitement about being back on set, with everything going right for her.
Until something did.