Chapter 3

At least now she felt confident. Joan was glad she managed to talk herself out of telling Jack that she'd seen whoever it was standing outside, watching them. If she had told him, then he would have insisted on knowing who it was that was bothering her and whether he was dangerous to her and the crew. Joan wasn't keen on having another incident like the other times.

Once again, she walked onto the set, this time carrying props. The staff has also added a couple of different outfits and props for each role of her character. One outfit is a simple black dress, while the other outfits are more revealing than the others. Her character, Betty, was an aspiring artist who was in need of a new start. She needed fresh clothes, fresh ideas, and a fresh look. Her wardrobe included several different kinds of costumes, some consisting of dresses, some consisting of trousers, and many more consisting of suits. It had been decided that Betty was going to wear a simple outfit, something simple.  Something light, something practical. It wouldn't stand out too much, hopefully.

After arriving at their location - which was a local park - she starts setting up her set pieces, making sure everything goes smoothly. Joan takes a deep breath, closing her eyes for a moment, allowing herself to enjoy the calm silence of the park. There was only the sound of the wind gently blowing through the trees, occasionally bringing birds along with it. A few moments pass and Joan feels relaxed enough to open her eyes once more. California is known for their clean parks; Joan was looking to enjoy any fresh air when she can. 

While filming is being set up, Joan perches herself beside a tall tree with a blue book in hand. The commotion of actors, camera crew, and cacophony of nature was not enough for her to lose her focus. She's used to it. All she needs to perform at her best is some rest and relaxation between sets. 

After all, that's what makes her an incredible actress. As she settles into the comfortable position of sitting under a tree, she starts flipping open the cover of her novel.

Her mind wanders to the mysterious person she saw earlier at the park. He looked familiar somehow and yet completely foreign. For some reason, she felt an immediate connection to the man, yet Joan couldn't figure out how or why.

It was almost as if she had met him before, somewhere or somewhen in her past. Although she tries to put a pin point on when she might have seen him, she's unable to come up with a clear picture.
There must be a story behind it. Some kind of mystery that Joan is simply missing. Unfortunately, there's nothing Joan can do except wait. 

She flips to a page where the title of the novel is written in big, bright white letters. PROMISCUOUS LADYLIKE. 
It took Joan quite some time to learn the names of the characters in her books. Not even into the first chapter, she falls asleep slumping beside the tree with the open book covering her chest.

"Okay, Jack." the director leads him on whilst walking in the park. "In this scene, you walk around the park with Joan discussing an imminent promotion. Something business related. Try to have her character be enthralled at your appearance. Remember, you're her superior."

"I hear you, but I'm not into Joan that way. That woman rubs me the wrong way." 

"I agree. She was a real class act back in the day. Spunky, young, firey. Hard to book with every studio left and right offering her deals. I love her still, but she's a bit much. Just try your best, and we'll make magic happen, okay?"