Hayden and Ewan took their places on the blue platforms with the blue screen behind them while the cameramen were making last minute final adjustments. Hayden smiled when he saw Tricia sitting in a director's chair next to George. He was pointing something out to her on one of the large plasma monitors. At that time she noticed Hayden had been watching and looked up to smile at him.
"Have you decided what you're going to do?" Ewan asked, watching Hayden and breaking him from his stare.
Hayden looked up at him, a bit embarassed that he had been completely daydreaming, "Ya know, I think I have."
At that moment, George called attention to begin the scene. Darth Vader and Obi-Wan were beginning their infamous duel, the duel that would lead Darth Vader to his fate. Hayden and Ewan had been practicing for this duel for months.
The two went into their choreographed fight sequence as the cameras caught their movements from a number of angles. It was still difficult to fight surrounded by objects painted a deep blue. Shooting in front of blue/green screens was something Ewan nor Hayden would ever get used to. They really had to stretch artistically to even imagine what their surroundings looked like.
George seemed impressed with the sequences they caught. "Alright gang, let's break for lunch. When we come back, we'll do more coverage with Hayden and Ewan and bring in their doubles as well."
That was all the crew needed to hear before pouring out the door toward the catering truck for lunch.
Hayden walked over to Tricia, "So...what did ya think?"
"I think you look very sexy up there," Tricia said winking.
"Hmm...dark and brooding, about to turn to pure evil and I'm still sexy....I'll take that," Hayden joked, his eyes twinkling.
The two walked toward the catering truck when Hayden spotted Natalie at a nearby table with a dark haired guy around her age.
Is that who I think it is? he thought to himself as a knot began to form in his stomach.
Hayden and Tricia got in line for their food. "Are you alright?" Tricia asked, seeing the pale expression on Hayden's face.
"Uh, yeah," Hayden replied weakly. "I think I just need to get something to eat, I'm feeling kind of weak and run down."
Tricia nodded in understanding but couldn't help following his gaze to Natalie and her companion at the table.
The line moved pretty quickly and soon they had their food and were looking for a place to sit.
"Why don't we go sit with Natalie?" Tricia asked.
Hayden stopped short in front of Tricia, dreading the words. "Alright," he answered and headed toward the table.
Natalie saw them moving toward her and straightened up in her chair.
"Are these seats taken?" Tricia asked brightly.
Natalie smiled and said, "no, not at all. Have a seat," her eyes never meeting Hayden's.
After their brief encounter a couple of days before in which one would think they had made peace, the two acted as though the opposite had happened. They seemed to be more uncomfortable with one another than ever, a concept that eluded them both.
Hayden sat down next to Tricia at the table across from Natalie.
"Tricia, I would like you to meet Gael. He's an old friend of mine who decided to come visit for a few days," Natalie smiled while the two shook hands.
"Nice to meet you," Tricia smiled.
"Likewise, Hayden, nice to meet you again," Gael replied turning his focus to Hayden.
Hayden half-smiled, "nice to see you again too."
Hayden had met Gael briefly at a get together in West Hollywood a year or so before. At the time, he hadn't been aware that Gael and Natalie were a couple because apparently Gael had wanted it that way. He had touted himself a "swinging single" while Natalie had assumed they were in a committed relationship. Natalie had been crushed when she discovered the truth and had promptly ended things with Gael. That's why Hayden had been surprised to see him here now.
Natalie looked surprised and confused, "I hadn't realized the two of you had met."
"Yeah, a long time ago," Hayden answered without looking at her.
"How long are you going to be here?" Tricia asked Gael.
"I had planned to stay until the weekend, maybe longer," Gael answered, his eyes fixed on Natalie. Hayden looked at the two of them briefly and then pretended to be enthralled with his chicken salad.
"Well, I'm here until Saturday. It would be fun if the four of us could get together some evening," Tricia suggested.
Are you kidding me? Hayden thought to himself. This just seems to be getting worse
"Sure, that sounds like fun," Natalie answered with a smile. Inwardly, she seemed to be enjoying the discomfort this was causing Hayden even if she knew it was not right nor fair.
"What do you think?" Tricia asked, focusing her attention on Hayden.
"Sure, I mean, if that's what you would like to do before you go back," Hayden answered.
Tricia looked at him questioningly. There it was again....that cold and complacent attitude. He doesn't seem to act like himself around Natalie, Tricia thought, scared to wonder further on the subject of why.
"Well, I have to be heading back now, are you ready?" Natalie asked Gael. Gael nodded, "nice to see you," to Hayden and Tricia. "See ya," Hayden answered. "I'll see you guys later," Tricia stated and returned to her lunch.
The two were silent for several moments until Tricia broke through with a startling question for Hayden.
"What is it about her?" she asked suddenly.
"Excuse me?" Hayden replied.
"Natalie. Every time she's around, you act strange. I thought the two of you were friends....but yet whenever she's around, you act like you don't want her to be near us. I don't get it...."
"It's not that...its just, that guy....Gael. He's her ex-boyfriend. A complete and total ass who cheated on her, lied to her and lied about her and I really don't feel comfortable going to 'hang out' with him."
"Oh, I had no idea," Tricia said, feeling a little bad about the situation. She had thought that Hayden was jealous over Natalie's interaction with Gael. Maybe he's just being protective of her since this guy is apparently a creep, she thought.
"..I don't understand why he's here or why she would have him here," Hayden said, sounding like he was getting angry about the situation.
"Well, maybe she wants to give him another chance, maybe he was wrong and he knows it," Tricia answered.
"That's really weak," Hayden said through gritted teeth. "....to let someone treat you that way and then welcome them back into your life. It's not something I could ever do...." his own last words ringing inside of his head.
"Well its their business," Trica said, not wanting to discuss the situation and having to watch Hayden's reaction to it.
"Yeah, its going to be her own fault if things get completely screwed up again," Hayden said.
"Yeah, well she's an adult and that's her decision to make," Tricia snapped. She was getting kind of tired of this. "I know she's your friend and you may be protective of her, but you have to be supportive too."
"I don't have to be supportive of something I don't agree with," Hayden answered gruffly.
Tricia stood up, "well, I think maybe you should ask yourself why you're getting so worked up about this. It has nothing to do with you." It was with that remark, that she walked away from him. He sat there for a moment, trying to regain some composure before he could say the things to Tricia that he knew he needed to say.