Astrid

Gavin, as the star of their film, has a much busier schedule than his co-star, and busier, too than his costume designer. While Gavin is away, Astrid makes use of the time to hang out with Shay.

Gavin has made this incredibly easy for her, he uses the same techniques on all is lovers, buys the same gifts, quotes the same poetry; all Astrid has to do is reminisce about her relationship with him & she can see him coming down a peg in Shay's eyes.

Still there is something generally unsatisfactory about all this: Shay's mild disappointment doesn't come near to satisying Astrid's desire to hurt Gavin severely, and it just makes Shay less inclined to be friends with Astrid. Well, of course, Astrid thinks, her boyfriend is the star of this film, Shay isn't going to just toss that aside because she isn't as special to him as she thought. In fact, Astrid might just be provoking the girl to cling to him all the harder. If you want something done right, you have to do it yourself, Astrid thinks. She broke Gavin's heart once before, surely she could do it again....

For the most part, Astrid behaves with cool civility toward Gavin when they're working together, and Gavin is unfailingly polite in return. Astrid knows he isn't as naturally open-hearted & nice as his current girlfriend, but he lives by his personal code which requires him to try to forgive & forget. If he still carries the hatred & anger he expressed when they last fought, he shows none of it. But he's becoming a much better actor as he practices, Astrid thinks, she'll have to tread carefully here, she won't be able to just seduce him & break his heart. She'll have to slowly make him trust her, and then fall in love with her (and ditch Shay somewhere in there, a very minor detail) so she can rip out his heart again herself.

She has to start small. This is just a photo shoot for a magazine, Shay isn't around at all & there isn't a bustling crew, just a few assistants busy with their tasks. So who else can Astrid turn to to help her with her necklace? Gavin of course would never refuse such a simple request. And what harm could it do it him? His hands glide gracefully over her shoulders, brushing her hair aside. She can't see him, but she feels the tremble in his fingers that tells her he remembers how much he loved her skin, her neck.

"Thank you, Gavin," Astrid says with a smile as she turns and takes his hands. "I'm really sorry about the way I've behaved towards you. I know this isn't going to sound believable, coming from me, but I really am sorry. I feel like a fool, for being so immature. I'd really like for us to be friends," she says. She didn't practice it, but she gives a perfect performance. "Of course we can be friends, Astrid," Gavin says, his charm turned on high, "I've never wanted it any other way."

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