Chapter 74: Opening Logo

[Chapter 74: Opening Logo]

The next day, Eric made his way to the set bright and early. After a night's rest, he finally walked without a limp. Everyone in the crew had a silent understanding not to mention the previous day's event, but most of them couldn't hide their curiosity and speculation.

"Nickel, has Julia arrived yet?" Eric leaned over to Nickel Frank, who had his head down, pretending to be adjusting the camera.

Nickel looked up and pointed toward the trailer, giving Eric a sly smile. "Miss Roberts has been here for a while, she's in the trailer."

Eric patted Nickel on the shoulder and headed toward the trailer, while those who had pretended to be busy couldn't help but glance at Eric's departing figure.

...

"Do you think the director will go off on her?" a crew member whispered to a companion.

"Who knows. But don't worry, they're almost done shooting. They're definitely not going to replace the lead actress last minute. By the way, why do you think Miss Roberts kicked the director yesterday? Those high heels must have hurt."

"Who should I ask? But you know how things go between directors and actresses. Honestly, I kind of like a tough girl like Julia Roberts; she's got some real fire."

"Fire, huh? You should have seen Julia Roberts when she came in this morning, looking all lost and bewildered. She probably spent all night regretting it."

...

Amidst the hushed whispers behind him, Eric entered the trailer. Julia was sitting in front of the makeup mirror, absentmindedly letting Allison apply her foundation. She caught sight of Eric in the mirror and tensed up.

"Allison, can you step outside for a minute?" Eric gestured to Allison at the door.

Allison put down her makeup tools, casting a worried glance at Julia before leaving the trailer. Eric locked the door behind her, moved to Julia's side, and brushed aside some of the cosmetics on the vanity, leaning in closer to look her in the eye.

Julia appeared somewhat haggard, with her head lowered and her eyes flickering, unable to meet Eric's gaze. Her hands rested on her knees as she nervously twisted the hem of her clothes.

"Don't you have anything to say? Like, maybe an apology?" Noticing how timid she was, Eric sighed and took the initiative to speak.

Julia lowered her head even more, her hands forming tiny fists as she stubbornly bit her lip, remaining silent.

Eric reached out and lifted her chin, forcing Julia's eyes to meet his, his tone laced with impatience. "Look at me and say something."

In that moment, their eyes locked, and Julia clearly trembled at the intensity of Eric's gaze. She was reminded of that night, how this infuriating guy had treated her. For some reason, her stubborn resistance melted away, replaced by an inexplicable sense of anticipation.

Eric withdrew his hand, but Julia still held her gaze upward, her cheeks slightly flushed, her eyes misting with emotion.

After a few seconds of eye contact, Eric's mind drifted back to that hazy night, and he found himself reaching out again, gently tracing Julia's cheek with his finger, sliding down to her rosy lips.

Julia let out a silent moan: yes, yes... just like that.

This time, she didn't stay passive; instead, she parted her lips slightly, wrapping her mouth around his finger, looking up at Eric with sultry eyes, her tongue playfully dancing around it as if indulging in something precious.

After a while, Eric couldn't help but slip his thumb into her mouth, squeezing her nimble tongue playfully. But then, amidst her soft sounds of pleasure, he suddenly snapped back to reality, feeling embarrassed over his own loss of control. He pulled out a tissue to wipe his damp fingers, glancing nervously at Julia, who looked at him with hopeful, dreamy eyes. "Alright, I guess... I understand where the problem lies."

Julia leaned forward, resting her head against Eric's abdomen, her small hand sliding down toward his belt. Just as she was about to do something, Eric reached out to stop her. "Julia, this isn't the place. There are dozens of people outside waiting for us."

"I... I don't care," she breathed softly, continuing her movements.

Eric raised his hand, intending to shake her awake, but then remembered that in this situation, she wouldn't just wake up; it would likely deepen her submissive mood. After a moment's thought, Eric walked to the trailer door, yanking it open, letting bright light and the chatter of crew members flood into the trailer.

He turned back and saw that Julia's expression had regained some clarity. Thankfully, her innate sense of shame seemed to be keeping her compliance in check, which was a good sign -- she wasn't too far gone.

"Alright, Julia, let's just forget what happened yesterday. We'll talk about it after we finish the film. I... I apologize for this, but you might need some therapy."

Though Julia was already twenty-two, she didn't really understand the last part of Eric's statement. She had only finished high school and lacked the broader insights Eric had accumulated over decades.

Nevertheless, remnants of her previous compliance prompted her to nod obediently. At the mention of therapy, she realized her recent actions indicated some issues on her part.

"Can you tell me what exactly is going on?" Julia asked, straightening her disheveled clothes.

Eric returned to Julia's side and noticed a strand of hair falling over her forehead. He instinctively reached up to tuck it behind her ear, then abruptly drew back his hand. "Sorry, Julia, you might be experiencing mild Stockholm syndrome."

Julia looked perplexed; she only knew Stockholm was the capital of Sweden. However, seeing the guilty and awkward expression on Eric's face kept her from pressing for more information.

Some crew members watched in disappointment as Eric quickly exited the trailer. The rented trailer wasn't large, and if a man and a woman were inside engaging in certain activities, it would definitely rock a bit. Unfortunately, nothing of the sort had occurred, leaving those hoping for gossip sorely disappointed.

...

"Get it together, everyone! Let's get ready to work," Eric, already feeling guilty, felt his embarrassment flare up under the gaze of those mischievous characters. "Allison, it's you I'm talking to -- stop hiding. And whoever else is around, hurry up and get Julia made up. Nicole, why haven't you laid down the camera tracks yet? Do you not want to work? Allen, bring me my directing script..."

With Eric's roar, the entire crew sprang into action, and a bustling day of shooting officially began.

...

That afternoon, Jeffrey returned from New York, informing Eric that the Pixar-created Firefly Films opening logo had been completed. After a full day of shooting, Eric found himself at the Firefly headquarters meeting with Pixar representatives.

"Eric, this is John Lasseter, Pixar's Creative Executive Vice President. John, meet Eric," Jeffrey introduced as the two shook hands.

"Lasseter, I'm really sorry to have kept you waiting," Eric expressed his apologies. John had arrived at Firefly headquarters at four in the afternoon but hadn't met Eric until seven. Still, John couldn't complain too much; each business deal was crucial for Pixar's survival.

"No worries, Mr. Williams. I think we should take a look at the opening logo you commissioned," John replied.

"Of course," Eric nodded. The three of them walked to the Firefly screening room, where John personally loaded the completed tape into the projector.

On screen, a little girl in a red hooded sweatshirt held a glass jar, standing in a field under the night sky. The girl opened the jar, and a firefly inside flitted about for a moment, quickly flying out to create a swirling light pattern in the air, gliding away until it became the brightest star in the vast dark sky.

The complete opening logo lasted around thirty seconds and replayed a few times before Eric furrowed his brow and voiced his thoughts. "Mr. Lasseter, don't you think the little girl's movements seem a bit stiff?"

*****

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