章 279: Change of Heart
In the bustling modern family set, Ariel's mother, Crystal, hovered over the cast and crew like an overbearing storm cloud. Normally, her meddling was a source of mild irritation, but today, it was downright suffocating. Director Gail's patience had reached its breaking point as Crystal interjected herself into the directing process. Gail's eyes narrowed, and she discreetly gestured toward the showrunner, Christopher.
"Can we kick her out? She's meddling with the production, it's not even funny! She's a bother!" Gail hissed, her frustration palpable.
Christopher sighed, feeling the weight of having to deal with the overbearing mother yet again. "Let me deal with this," he said, giving Gail a reassuring nod.
He approached Crystal, leading her to the corner of the set. The rest of the crew exchanged weary glances, their eyes offering silent support to the beleaguered director.
Lucas scrunched his eyebrows as he watched the unfolding drama between Crystal and the production crew, unable to take his eyes off the escalating situation. He turned to his co-star, Ty Burrell, and muttered under his breath, "Damn, last time I'm here she's not like this, right?"
Ty's usual jovial demeanor faded for a moment as he responded with equal seriousness, "Yeah, I know. She's always been controlling of Ariel's life, but she usually doesn't meddle this much with the production. Today's different."
Lucas raised an eyebrow, feeling a pang of pity for the young actress. "Is that so?"
Ty leaned in closer, lowering his voice even more. "You know, that kid's been through a lot because of her mom. Crystal's so strict with her diet, Ariel barely eats anything."
Julie, who had been listening in, joined the hushed conversation, her voice tinged with concern. "It's been a problem for a while now. I've seen Ariel sneaking in snacks she hid in her dressing room when her mom's not around."
Lucas's sighed and shook his head, a mix of disbelief and sadness clouding his features. "This is getting out of hand. Someone should do something."
After a tense conversation, Christopher and a visibly annoyed Crystal re-joined the set. To everyone's relief, Crystal remained seated in the corner, her glare boring holes into her daughter Ariel.
While the shooting resumed, Crystal kept to herself, much to the crew's relief. However, during breaks, she hovered over the makeup artists, micromanaging Ariel's appearance.
Finally, during a meal break, the cast and crew breathed a collective sigh of relief when Crystal excused herself to take a call outside of the set. Ariel, who had been picking at her barely touched salad, watched enviously as her co-stars and the crew tucked into their hearty meals. Her stomach growled in protest, hungry from her mother's strict diet.
"Want this burger?"
Ariel jumped, startled by Lucas's offer. He held out a juicy burger, complete with all the fixings. Her eyes widened, and for a moment, she was transported to a time when she could eat whatever she wanted, no consequences.
"No, thanks," Ariel said, politely but firmly turning down the offer. "I shouldn't."
Ariel's gaze flickered away from Lucas's eyes, her cheeks growing warm. She couldn't help but think of her mother's constant scheming, trying to force her to get close to the rising star for her own career advancement.
"Come on," Lucas insisted, "it's just a bite. It won't hurt."
Ariel's resolve crumbled, and she took the burger from his outstretched hand. She took a hesitant bite, savoring the flavors that had been so long denied to her. It was delicious. Before she knew it, she had taken a huge bite, and juices were dripping down her chin. Feeling self-conscious, she quickly wiped her mouth with a napkin.
"Easy there," Lucas chuckled, handing her a bottle of water. Ariel gulped down the cold liquid, her cheeks burning.
"I didn't expect you to inhale it like that," Lucas teased, a twinkle in his eye. "You look like a hungry wolf."
Ariel blushed even brighter and took a more ladylike bite, trying to salvage some of her dignity.
"No, no," Lucas said, playfully waving his own burger-laden hand, "I was just kidding. Go ahead, enjoy it your way. It's the only way to eat a burger, right?"
He took a big bite of his own burger, completely oblivious to the mess it created on his face. The others around them couldn't help but laugh softly at the scene.
Lucas grinned, happy to have brought some levity to the set.
The crew members discreetly observed the heartwarming scene between Lucas and Ariel, exchanging knowing glances among themselves. Some of them even approached Ariel with their own meals, surreptitiously passing her delicious delights they had saved just for her. Ariel couldn't help but smile and accept their kind gestures, relishing the much-needed support.
However, the moment was short-lived. Crystal returned to the set, her eyes narrowing as she laid her disapproving gaze on her daughter.
"What do you think you're doing, young lady?" she hissed. A vein throbbed in her temple as she regarded the untouched burger in Ariel's hand. "Do you have any idea how bad this looks? Eating such junk food is bad enough, but you're taking big bites? Are you trying to sabotage your career?"
Ariel froze, the last bite of burger turning to sawdust in her mouth. Her eyes widened in shock and embarrassment as her mother's words sunk in. Slowly, she swallowed the food, her cheeks flushed with shame.
"Who told you it was okay to eat that?" Crystal demanded, her voice icy cold as she snatched the burger from Ariel's hand. The artless way she wiped her fingers on a nearby napkin emphasized her disdain for the situation.
The cast and crew exchanged uncomfortable glances, unsure of how to react to the tense scene unfolding before them.
Lucas stepped in, his eyes blazing with indignation. "I gave her the burger. If you have an issue with it, take it up with me." Ariel's grateful gaze met his, her heart warming at his defense.
"Are you out of your mind—" Crystal started, her voice dripping with venom. But when she realized who had interrupted her tirade, she froze, turning to see the one and only Lucas.
Amazingly, Crystal's demeanor softened, her frown melting away as she affected a syrupy-sweet smile. "Oh, it's you, Lucas. I didn't realize it was you." She laughed, her earlier fury vanishing like a magician's trick.
Lucas and the others was taken aback by Crystal's sudden U-turn.
"You're the one who gave her the burger, Lucas?" Crystal asked, her tone dripping with false sincerity.
Lucas's eyebrows shot up at the sudden change in her demeanor, but he nodded to her inquiry.
"Oh, I see. I didn't know it was you who gave it to her," Crystal said, her laughter grating on everyone's nerves. She held out the half-eaten burger to Ariel, her smile as cold as ice. "Go on, finish it, Ariel. You don't want to appear ungrateful to Lucas, do you?" Her eyes bored into her daughter's, leaving no room for refusal.
The cast and crew exchanged incredulous glances, their jaws practically on the floor. This was a far cry from the raging diva they'd just seen moments ago.
Lucas's brows furrowed, his confusion written all over his face. He hadn't expected this turn of events either. He'd been ready to face the consequences of his actions, but Crystal's complete 180 left him reeling.
Ariel, however, was all too familiar with her mother's games. With shaking hands, she took the burger from her mother's outstretched hand and forced herself to take a tiny bite, all the while avoiding eye contact with her smirking mother.
"Lucas, did you know," Crystal purred, draping an arm around her daughter's shoulders as if they were the best of friends, "my Ariel here has always been a huge fan of yours? She's always dreamed of making it big in Hollywood, just like you." She squeezed her daughter's arm a little too tightly, but Ariel didn't dare flinch.
"I know," Crystal gushed, her voice sickly sweet. "I just adore her ambition. I've always encouraged her to reach for the stars, you know? To aim as high as someone like you."
Lucas, feeling increasingly uncomfortable, forced a tight-lipped smile and continued eating his burger, nodding whenever he thought it was appropriate. The others at the table exchanged knowing glances, sensing the tension between mother and daughter.
Ariel's cheeks burned as her mother prattled on and on about her nonexistent "ambitions" and "goals." She stared down at her half-eaten burger, wishing she could either disappear or, better yet, become invisible.
The rest of the cast and crew busied themselves with their meals, not wanting to draw attention to themselves lest they become the next target of Crystal's unwanted admiration.
Ty leaned in towards Julie, his voice barely a whisper. "What's the deal with that woman? She's all sugar and rainbows to Lucas, but a second ago, she was a nightmare."
"Shh," Julie hushed him, glancing around to make sure Crystal couldn't hear. "I think it's because he's, you know, really famous." She tilted her head in Lucas's direction, and Ty nodded in understanding.
Meanwhile, Lucas mindlessly chewed on his burger, nodding automatically at Crystal's rambling, but his thoughts were far away. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Ariel's desperate expression and the way she shifted uncomfortably in her seat. His heart ached for the girl, but he didn't know how to help her without making things worse.
"Lucas?" Crystal's voice cut through his thoughts. "Do you agree with me?"
"I'm sorry," he apologized, feigning distraction, "my mind was elsewhere. What were you saying?"
"I was just saying, I think my daughter could benefit from some acting guidance from an experienced star like yourself," she purred, playfully patting his shoulder. "Don't you agree?"
Lucas didn't miss the underlying pressure in her words, but he forced a smile nonetheless. "Of course, I agree."
Crystal nodded, a satisfied smile on her lips. "I just don't know any other actor who could teach her as well as... you," she purred, her eyes lingering on Lucas a bit too long. The other cast members exchanged glances, their feelings hurt by her blatant favoritism.
"You see, Lucas," Crystal gushed, "your acting is simply phenomenal. I've seen all your work, and I must say, each performance is Oscar-worthy!" Her over-the-top praise hung in the air, making the others around them shift uncomfortably.
Finally, she got to the point. "So, if it's alright with you... I was wondering if, in your free time, you'd be willing to give my daughter some... private acting lessons. I just know it would be so beneficial for her career to learn from a star of your caliber." She batted her eyelashes, and it was clear she had an agenda.
Lucas felt cornered by her request, unsure how to respond without offending her or offending Ariel. He took a deep breath, searching for the right words.
As Lucas hesitated, Crystal seemed to sense his reluctance. "I know, I know. You must be so busy. I'm sorry for even asking," she said, but her expression told a different story. "It's just... as a mother, I want my daughter to be happy."
Before Lucas could respond, Crystal shoved a business card into his hand. "This is Ariel's number. Please, call her when you have a moment to... discuss the lessons." Her smile practically lit up the room.
Lucas sighed inwardly, unable to refuse the card. He knew the game she was playing; she wanted Ariel to have a connection to a rising star in the industry. He glanced at Ariel, who looked mortified by her mother's behavior.
"Aren't you two friends, though?" Crystal asked, feigning innocence.
"Well, I guess you could say that," Lucas hedged, not wanting to lie directly.
"Great! Then you must exchange numbers, so you can keep in touch," Crystal gushed, practically shoving a pen and another card in front of Lucas. "Since I've given you hers, you should give her yours too. You know, for... uh... contact."
Lucas sighed, knowing he was cornered. He quickly scrawled down a number on the card, purposely using an old, rarely-used burner number. It wasn't technically his main one, but he hoped it would suffice to appease Crystal for now.
***
As the shooting resumed, the rest of the cast and crew exchange knowing glances as they watch Crystal clinging onto Lucas, their expressions saying it all: "Poor guy." Once she was out of earshot, Ariel blushed and apologized to Lucas.
"It's alright," he replied with a reassuring smile. "But, if I may ask, don't you have anyone else to look out for you? I'm not trying to pry, but your mom... she's kinda... intense."
Ariel sighed. "I have older sisters and my dad, but my mom has legal guardianship over me. They're trying to fix that, though. My oldest sister's already petitioning for my emancipation."
Lucas nodded, feeling a little better. "That's good to hear."
As they continued their conversation, Lucas couldn't help but notice Ariel's revealing outfit—a short miniskirt that left little to the imagination. He knew better than to comment on it, chalking it up to her mother's insane fashion choices.
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