Feelings?

As Jennifer chatted with Lucas, her face alight with joy, others, including Liam, couldn't help but notice the warmth in her expressions, markedly different from her interactions with the rest of them. Observing Jennifer's animated conversation with Lucas, who appeared quite frail, stirred an unfamiliar pang in Liam.

"She doesn't look at me that way..." Liam thought silently, watching the two with a mix of curiosity and a budding sense of envy.

Liam had been working closely with Jennifer for a few weeks, having run through several rehearsals and mock scenes for the "Hunger Games" project. During their time together, he found himself gradually, and somewhat unexpectedly, developing feelings for her.

Despite his role as "Gale" — a character who doesn't end up with Jennifer's "Katniss" in the story — Liam found himself entertaining the thought of exploring a relationship with someone from the same profession, perhaps even in secret. He was aware his manager and agency might disapprove, yet the idea lingered. But now, seeing the woman he had begun to harbor feelings for engaging so joyfully with another man stirred a subtle jealousy in him. Unbeknownst to Liam, Jennifer wasn't interested in dating him, regardless of her feelings towards Lucas or anyone else.

Curiosity getting the better of him, Liam decided to join Jennifer and Lucas. "Hey, Lucas. What are you two chatting about?" he inquired, noting their laughter and the easy rapport that seemed to isolate them from the others.

"Oh, Liam," Jennifer responded with a nod. "Lucas was just sharing some hilarious experiences from his recent project."

"Really? Mind if I listen in?" Liam asked, his expression one of interest and curiosity. Yet, underneath lay a tinge of jealousy and annoyance.

Lucas, with a twinkle in his eye, recounted, "During my last project, there was this hilarious moment when my co-star, Seth, swapped out my water for vodka right before we filmed a really intense scene. You can imagine the 'authenticity' of my performance on that take." Jennifer's laughter echoed softly, clearly delighted by the story. Lucas, riding the wave of her amusement, dove into more behind-the-scenes antics, "And another time, Seth convinced everyone to speak only in rhymes during rehearsals. And imagine we're trying to discuss character motivation, and all you get is, 'He feels quite sad, quite mad, not bad, this lad.' It was absolutely ridiculous, but it broke the ice like nothing else."

Liam observed Jennifer's laughter at Lucas's story, but couldn't quite share in the amusement, prompting him to ask, "Who's Seth?"

Lucas replied with a smile, "Seth Rogen."

Liam was taken aback upon hearing Seth Rogen's name, recognizing him as a well-known Canadian comedian, actor, and filmmaker. It was a surprise to Liam that Lucas, with his unassuming appearance, had worked alongside such an industry heavyweight.

Liam then inquired about Lucas's role in the upcoming project, to which Lucas casually responded, "I'll be playing Peeta Mellark."

"You're going to be Peeta?" Liam couldn't hide his surprise.

Lucas, noting Liam's reaction, asked, "You seem surprised?"

"Well, yeah, given how you look, I wouldn't have pegged you for Peeta," Liam remarked candidly.

Jennifer's eyebrows knitted together in slight disapproval as she chided Liam, "Don't put it that way. Lucas doesn't usually look like this. His current appearance is the result of his deep commitment to his last role. That's the reason behind his look now..."

Liam shifted uneasily, taken aback by Jennifer's fervent defense of Lucas.

Lucas chimed in, affirming Jennifer's point, "Yeah, she's right. I'll gradually get back into shape and let my hair grow back."

Liam, still seemingly unconvinced and focusing on Lucas's physique, pressed on, "I get that your last project demanded a lot from you, leading to your current appearance. However, Peeta is described differently in the books—he is describe to be in medium height and stocky built. How come you were cast as Peeta?"

Jennifer's expression turned into a frown, detecting a hint of issue in Liam's tone towards Lucas.

Lucas, sensing Liam's skepticism from the moment he joined them, felt the underlying lack of respect.

"It's the studio's decision to cast him as Peeta, Liam," Jennifer interjected, aiming to put an end to the scrutiny.

Confronted with Jennifer's support for Lucas, Liam chose to retreat into silence and walked away.

Jennifer, apologetic for the discomfort caused, said to Lucas, "I'm really sorry about Liam. He's not usually like this..."

Lucas, with a forgiving smile, responded, "It's alright." He then shared, "I've actually met Liam's older brother before, so I don't want to judge Liam based solely on today."

"Older brother? Who?" Jennifer inquired, curious.

"Chris Hemsworth," Lucas revealed, glancing towards Liam's departing figure. "It was a year ago, but Chris showed genuine kindness when we spoke."

Lucas gave Jennifer a knowing look and said, "I think I might know why he was acting that way towards me..."

Intrigued, Jennifer leaned in, asking, "And why's that?"

With a playful grin, Lucas ventured, "He seems to have a crush on you and got jealous seeing us together. That's probably why he was so standoffish with me."

Jennifer's eyes went wide, a mix of surprise and disbelief coloring her voice, "What? Are you serious? I highly doubt Liam has feelings for me—we've always been strictly professional. I can't imagine him mixing personal feelings with work..."

Lucas laughed lightly, shaking his head, "Come on, it's not unheard of for colleagues to develop feelings for each other, even if it's just one-sided, right?"

Caught off guard by Lucas's observation, Jennifer found herself at a loss for words, "I...," she paused, glancing back at Lucas, the implication of his words slowly sinking in.

Jennifer mulled over Lucas's insight, realizing there might be a sliver of truth to his words, especially considering her own burgeoning feelings for Lucas. However, she was resolute in keeping those emotions under wraps. In the complex web of their industry, embarking on a relationship was laden with considerations—public perception, the risk of personal matters affecting professional dynamics, and the ever-present scrutiny under the public eye were just the tip of the iceberg.

Moreover, Jennifer found herself unable to voice her feelings to Lucas, held back by a mix of professional caution and personal hesitance.

Casting a glance towards Liam, who stood a short distance away, Jennifer acknowledged the possibility of his interest in her. Yet, regardless of Liam's feelings, her own heart didn't echo the sentiment.