Chapter 2 Damian Stone

The reporters pranced into action when the major movie star, Damian Stone, left his house and came into view. Their cameras at the ready, they clicked on the shutter buttons repeatedly, skillfully taking as many shots as possible. Damian frowned as the sight of them. They were always present, lurking at every corner of the public to take his pictures like he was an exotic specie. It felt predatory. He felt like a prey; he was probably akin to dessert to be served in the magazine columns by tomorrow at most. For a second, Damian considered going back inside the house. These pests dared not encroach, or he would serve them legal charges of private property invasion. But Damian was already late for the shoot, and it wasn't worth it to cower just because of these people. Damian quickly manoeuvered his way to his black limousine and entered, gearing the engine into action. One of the photo journalists caught Damian's attention—blond, tanned, his face now stubbled, some gray in the mix. Damian recognized him from years back, when he had looked way younger. It was this same man that took THAT shot. The one that made the front pages of all the major headlines the next day after…well. Not that Damian had an aversion to being in the limelight or something, being used to it as one of the quirks of stardom, but this one was particularly painful. It was a shot of himself when he had been most vulnerable, grieving after that unfortunate incident—the death of his girlfriend, Lisa. Damian drove on, allowing himself think of Lisa, just this time. He had tried so hard to forget her when the pain had been too much, almost unbearable back then. And although it took time, Damian did. He hadn't thought of Lisa in three years. He had picked himself up, finding solace in work, and in his new girlfriend— now fiancée, Ruby. Just as Damian was thinking, the phone rang, the caller ID displaying that it was Ruby. "Hey, babe. Are you home?" Ruby's voice wafted through the soundpiece. Ever since they had grown to their present relationship, hearing her voice always uplifted Damian's mood. Just like Lisa's had, once upon a time. "Hey," Damian answered. "I'm on my way to the movie shoot." "Oh my God, it's today?" Ruby exclaimed. "I was going to be there, for you." "I think I'd do just fine. You don't have to come as moral support every time, you know." "I know, but I've always come to set with you since....." Ruby didn't finish the sentence. Damian knew that talking about Lisa made Ruby close to tears, so he hurriedly changed the topic. "Well, you know the crew and the cast would miss you if you left your own movie set. You are afterall the star. My shining star." That obviously brightened Ruby's mood as she laughed, a soft tinkering sound that sounded like jingle bells. "You are so sweet, babe." There were sounds of production in the background. "I have to hang up now. Maybe if I finish fast enough, I'll drop by your set to watch you act." "Maybe you will. And certainly, we must go out tonight." "La Creme?" She asked. They made the best hot buns and creamed coffee. "Late night coffee?" Damian laughed. "Your caffeine addiction’s going to kill you some day, babe." "I know, I just can't help it," Ruby chuckled, then abruptly changed the topic. "By the way, it's a romance movie, right?" "Yeah, it is." "And who's the female lead? Someone I know?" Damien could smell the possessiveness in Ruby's voice through the phone, "A newbie. Some girl with talent, apparently. What, you jealous?" He teased. Ruby coughed, "I trust you enough, darling. I just don't know if I trust those ladies. Who knows, they might try to snag you up. You're the ideal catch." Damian knew Ruby was like this. In fact, for the past two years they'd been dating, she always found a way to be on set with him, serving as a deterrent to her 'would-be competitors.' Damian did not find it upsetting. If anything, it was rather cute. "I don't think you have to worry about this one. It was your brother—Tyler—that brought her in." "Tyler?" Ruby's brother was the Director of the movie set Damian was acting in. "Yeah. He found her on one of his exotic trips and found a way to push for a role of her as the female lead. And from the way he was persistent about it, I suspect he has a thing for her. Probably smitten." "Oh, classic Tyler," Ruby groaned. "Poor girl." Damian tsked, "I know what you're insinuating, but we don't know about that. This lady did pass all the screen tests, so she must be good." He had already arrived and could see the production crew setting up the location. "Gotta go now." "Alright, love you." "And you." The call ended with a click sound. "Mr. Damian, sir," Even before Damian could get out of the car, there was already someone hovering about him, fawning subserviently. Irritated, he locked the door and ignored the person just as Tyler Flint came into view. Damian did not like Tyler at all. Something about him rubbed him off the wrong way. Maybe it was that lazy charm Tyler exuded that screamed he did not bloody care what anyone thought about him. Or the arrogant smirk that seemed to be screaming, 'Worship me. Love me." Regardless, Damian only wanted a professional relationship with the fella, nothing more. "Damian," Tyler smirked when he saw Damian and gestured for him to come forward. "You are three minutes late, how characteristic of you." Damian scuffed. He had had the unfortunate misfortune of working with this snub multiple times now, and it was always this same irritating attitude. "I had no idea timekeeping was part of your job? Do you get paid for that as well?" "Well, I don't. But it is my business when the star of my production is late." "Well, I'm here now. Better late than sorry. And it was just three damn minutes. Shall we start?" Behind Tyler, someone opened the door of the makeshift cabin. Involuntarily, Damian's gaze shifted to the petite girl at the entrance, and time froze.