Chapter 2
Later in the early afternoon, after their last classes, Collin and Belle went to the woods in the campus grounds for the filming location of the university adaptation of the classic medieval love-romance tale of 'Tristan and Iseult', based on a Celtic legend.
Every year, the university produced a movie film facilitated by the screen arts and film-making department in collaboration with creative media and performing arts departments. The university board members thought it was an excellent learning and training opportunities for students and brought an unexpected additional income and popularity to the school. These films were shown in cinemas nationwide and internationally at the end of every school year, critiqued by experts and featured in other universities. The films were full of expensive props, costumes and modern film-making technology provided or funded by wealthy alumnae and families of current students. The university had also produced several celebrities over the years from these films. Many former students made their way to the mainstream media and film-making industry through these university films. These films can boost up careers in showbusiness. The students who worked on these films received wages accordingly like doing part-time jobs and could opt out of 2 or more art subjects. The students who work full time and were primarily responsible for the film were fourth year film-making students who did the film as practicum before graduating and received higher salaries. They were supervised by film professors and experienced movie crews, whom they could consult but all the hard work and details were done through their hard work and dedication. The casting director was responsible for acting auditions and finding the right student actors for the roles including recruiting kids from the nursery, primary, elementary, high school and college departments with consents from parents and or guardians if needed. There were different shooting locations for the films and students were expected to show up on call time for the student costume makers and designers to assemble the costumes and hair and make-up artists to style the actors' hairs and apply make-up or prosthetics.
The plot revolved around the story of Tristan, a knight of Cornwall and Princess Iseult, an Irish princess. Tristan went into a mission to seek the hand of the Princess Iseult for his uncle King Mark of Cornwall and after slaying a dragon that was terrorizing the country, succeeded in his mission. On the journey home, Tristan and Iseult, accidentally drank a love potion prepared by the Queen, the mother of Princess Iseult for her and King Mark. Because of the potion, Tristan and Iseult become bound by unquenchable love and passion for each other but Tristan remained loyal to King Mark despite the feelings he had for Princess Iseult. Upon learning of the lovers' rendezvous, King Mark entrapped the lovers and set to punish them both. On the way to the stake, Tristan escaped and rescued the Princess Iseult from a band of lepers. The lovers flee to the forest of Morrois and remained there until King Mark discovered them. Tristan, concerned about Princess Iseult safety, unwillingly agreed to a truce, and was exiled to the country of Britanny while King Mark made the reluctant Princess Iseult his queen. While in Britanny, Tristan obligated to marry Iseult of White Hands, the daughter of the duke for her name and beauty but was his wife only in name. When on one battle, Tristan was mortally wounded and was hit by a poisoned arrow, he sent for the other Iseult, his one true love, to see her in his death bed. But his jealous wife the 2nd Iseult, discovered this secret and prevented their meeting. Tristan died from his injuries before Iseult arrived on a ship to Britanny. Stricken with intense sorrow, Iseult took her own life and died embracing Tristan. In their graves, two trees grew out with intertwined branches symbolizing their undying love for each other. Even death couldn't set them apart.
Belle had joined some acting classes and workshops at the start of the year to try something new and eventually landed the role of the 2nd Iseult in the story - Iseult of White Hands. She enjoyed the classes and workshops so much and was excited to do the university film, even if it meant working for long hours in addition to the regular classes of her course in Fine Arts Restoration. Collin used to pick her up and drive her home after the workshops because there was no more bus and walking home alone at night was dangerous. She could not drive yet while Collin already received his driving license and a car from his dad at the start of the year when he turned 17.
In the course of the acting workshops, Ivan, the student actor who was supposed to play the role of Tristan met a serious car accident and while recovering opted out of the film. All the pricey sets of costumes and props were custom-made for him. It would cost the production more money to remake and modify the costumes so the student casting director, Cheryl, was desperately looking for a suitable replacement ideally with the same height and body built as Ivan's to fit the expensive clothes and knight uniform. When she saw Collin walking along with Belle to the parking area after her acting workshop, she realized Collin had the same height and built as Ivan. She was almost sure he could fit into all the costumes. In addition, Collin and Belle looked good together and so would Collin and Brooke. She did a little research on him and found out from her voice director friend that Collin was working with them part time as voice actor. He was certainly perfect for the role, but it was not easy to recruit him. Collin was not interested in being an actual actor and adamantly refused the role. He was also busy with his other part time job. He was difficult to convince until Cheryl realized Belle could convince him for her. When Belle started asking and annoying him about the role, he suddenly accepted, enrolled to the same acting workshops and intensively practiced his dialogues with Brooke, whom he had multiple scenes with.
Brooke was a student at the university and a gorgeous model and movie actress. She was cast as Princess Iseult of Ireland, the lead role opposite Collin's Tristan. Even before the university film, she was already famous locally and internationally for her acting roles in several mainstream films and modeling works. She was as tall as Belle, glamorous, attractive and with a great body. She had a beautiful, angelic face which fit perfectly to her role as princess. She and Collin actually dated for a few months and went on double dates with Belle and her then boyfriend, James, the student director of photography. James was 21 years old that time - just 4 years older than Belle and Collin. He was a perfectionist, conservative, old soul who was constantly conflicted on dating Belle because she was a minor. As the filming progressed, James became increasingly busy and stressed that he didn't have time for Belle. She was patient with him and stayed but James felt guilty for not giving her the time and love she deserved and partly for dating her as a minor so he broke up with her. Belle was devastated and depressed for weeks but James thought it was for the best. Collin constantly checked on her on those time and kept her company. Shortly after, his own relationship with Brooke fell apart as well. Brooke had accused him of spending more time with Belle than with her and called it quits.
From that point on, Collin was mostly feeling guilty and awkward during the filming with his and Brooke's scenes. He was determined to shorten the shooting duration and avoid repeating takes so he memorized and reviewed his lines without fail and did the best performance he could like his life depended on it. He was extremely focused with his scenes with Brooke that it was a pure joy and pleasure for the director to direct. Collin did find a slight comfort from their breakup, knowing that celebrity photographers would stop following him around and taking snaps.
That afternoon, the filming was down to the last few scenes before the editors take over. They were going to film Tristan's final dying scene with the two Iseults and Kurwenal, Tristan's close friend. Collin couldn't be more relieved, but he braced himself because the scene would involve the three of them – Brooke, Belle and himself. He knew Belle required several takes before getting her acting and lines right and awkwardness was killing him around Brooke. In addition, Alex, the student actor playing Kurwenal contracted Belle's distraction like an infectious disease and kept forgetting his lines as well and they kept reshooting the scene, making Collin more frustrated and awkward.
"Come on, Belle. Concentrate. You're killing me with awkwardness around Brooke here." Collin said while the director called for a few minutes break because Alex and Belle kept forgetting their lines. Collin was wearing his knight costume and walking around with the supposed poisoned arrow stuck on his chest. He was also covered in fake blood and bruises on his face and body.
"It was your acting, it was cringy. You make one uncomfortable, awkward dying person. It's incredibly disturbing and hilarious. You're distracting me and Alex." Belle replied while eating a sandwich sitting on a nearby log. She was wearing her all-white flowing, satin gown. Her hair was braided nicely and adorned with several small, white flowers. "Will you please happily and naturally die, Collin?"
"My acting was fine. You stuttered a lot, then forgot your lines. And which dying person, who was mortally wounded and struck with a poisoned arrow dies looking delighted and happy?" Collin replied, gave her some green smoothie on a tumbler with straw and sat beside her. Both of them saw Brooke, who was sitting on a director's chair opposite them, staring at them with murderous intent and general annoyance. Her make-up was being retouched by her glam team. "You see what I mean? I'm dying here. Of extreme awkwardness. Around that crazy, eye of the tiger."
"You should totally get back with her." Belle said while sipping the smoothie and waved at Brooke and Brooke waved back with a friendly smile. "I'm sorry it seemed to be my fault you two broke up."
Collin then understood that Belle's distraction was stemming from feeling slightly guilty of causing the rift between him and Brooke since the bar incident a few months back. After breaking up with James, Belle was miserable and went drinking by herself in the local bar. She was under the legal drinking age limit that time but managed to charm herself in the bar. In a short while, she attracted the attention and interest of a group of 5 older men who bought her drinks and tried to take her with them in one of the men's apartments to continue drinking and partying. One of the film crew who knew Belle and Collin was also hanging out in the club and saw Belle's drink being spiked with some pill. She grew concern for Belle but was too scared to intervene because she was also underage. When the group began leaving the bar, taking a clearly drunk Belle with them, she considered reporting the incident to the police, but tried calling James, Belle's ex-boyfriend first. When she couldn't reach James, she remembered Belle and Collin were like siblings, so she called Collin to hurry and take Belle home. Collin was in the middle of a dinner date with Brooke when he received the call. He left hastily without finishing his food or explaining everything to Brooke and drove as fast as he could to the bar. He caught up with Belle and the men in the parking lot and saw one of the men carrying Belle into the car. Collin seethed in anger to see the men taking advantage of her vulnerability and of Belle's utter recklessness. He dreaded the thought of Belle getting kidnapped, raped or harmed if nobody had intervened. He tried talking to the men calmly and reasonably, but the foul-mouthed men were intoxicated and irrational. Then he saw the man carrying Belle, shoved her to the backseat of the car and she hit her head on the windscreen at the other end. At that moment, Collin lost his composure and went ballistic. He pushed the men standing near him and punched the man who shoved Belle inside the car so hard that the men stumbled on the ground. He then pulled Belle out of the backseat and supported her standing up and walking. One of the men hit him hard on the face and the noise awakened Belle. Belle was in a haze and confusion, but she recognized Collin and instinctively elbowed the face of the man who punched him. Then, they hurried back to Collin's car.
The men tried to chase them bringing some crowbars but suddenly, a guy in a black hoddie, black distressed jeans, black mask and black and white converse sneakers appeared out of nowhere and engaged in a fist fight with the rest of the men. He beat them easily and left them scrambling on the ground. The mysterious guy then idly jogged away without looking back at them and disappeared in the shadows. Collin thought it was bizarre but was thankful they didn't have to deal with the drunk men.
On the drive home, Collin was furious with Belle for carelessly going out on the bar alone and drinking with the men, but he realized it was pointless to scold her because she was too drowsy and intoxicated to understand what he was saying or react to him. She was asleep most of the time, smiled sweetly at him when awake and embraced him tightly. He had to pull over to the side of the road several times to put her seatbelt back. Collin could take Belle to her house so that her parents could ground her for weeks, which she rightfully deserved. But instead, he just took her with him in his apartment and lied to Belle's mum about finishing some assessments when she called her phone that night. He then left her to sleep on his bed.
The disturbing incident with the men, the overwhelming fear of almost losing Belle that night and the stinging on his left cheek kept him wide awake. He ended up sitting on the couch and watching over her the whole night. Sadly, he forgot about Brooke, who waited patiently for him to return to the restaurant. She tried calling him on his phone, but he had dropped it in the car while carrying Belle inside his apartment. As a celebrity, Brooke had few days off and free times that she always chose to spend with Collin. Collin was grateful for her time and made the most of their dates and time together. But the bar incident involving Belle and Collin's reaction confirmed her greatest fear - that Collin would always love and choose Belle over her and it tore her heart to pieces. Although he had assured her several times before that Belle was nothing more than a sister to him, she could feel there was something more. With that, she broke up with him. Collin was quite heart-broken with the break-up and apologized sincerely about his actions. Most of their friends including Belle, were rooting for them, and were expecting Collin to try getting back with Brooke. But Collin never did; he just let their break-up take its natural course.
"You were absolutely reckless and careless back at the bar, yeah?" Collin replied. Belle thought Collin was going to nag her again about the bar incident. He had done it before and nagged her for hours until she dreamt of him still nagging her in her sleep. So, she just kept quiet. "But... it was not your fault we broke up... so, just get your head around your lines next take, 'kay? It's hard to keep dying in the arms of your Ex, you know."
"Especially if you look like a scorched, dead animal every time." Belle replied and laughed at him as she imitated his dying performance with exaggeration.
"Was it really that bad?" Collin asked and Belle nodded while laughing. "Nope, I'm not gonna let you mess up my mind this time. My acting was just fine."
Collin couldn't care less about his appearance or performance in the film nor how the film would fare in movie theaters, he just wanted the filming to end and enjoy his summer break with activities he, Finn and Chester had planned.
As it turned out, the film was a massive success when shown in the theaters. It was an undeniable hit, which was reviewed positively by critics and received very well by viewers. The amateur actors were praised for their acting performance and good looks while Brooke became even more famous. Several of the cast including Collin and Belle were offered modelling and acting contracts. Collin was not interested in a showbiz or modelling career the slightest and turned them all down. Belle also turned down the offers. She was happy with the filming and acting but was not planning on pursuing a full-time career on this area. She was also worried about her friends and the public discovering that she was given as a collateral for some ancestral debt and was already engaged to Van Dureem.