The day o, I was met with a very apologetic Jamie.

  "Troy, I'm very sorry for my behavior yesterday. I hope you five me," Jamie pleaded, bending slightly at the front with his hands joined in a universal begging motion.

  "Okay," I answered simply.

  Jamie looked up in surprise. "Okay?"

  I shrugged. "What else do you wao do? Humiliate you? That's what kids do. One piece of advice from me, though: if you want to survive in the industry for loher make sure not to offend anyone or bee so powerful that people are fearful of offending you. Got that?"

  Jamie nodded uainly, and I walked back to the set.

  I didn't care that much about Jamie to even think excessively about his as. Evan, whom I cared about like a brother at one point, was much higher oem pole pared to Jamie, whom I had just met a few days ago. I had ended my friendship with Evan because I truly felt betrayed by his as. Jamie, oher hand, was just some guy who shouted at me. Yes, it made me feel guilty at the moment, but I already had a pn to assuage my guilt somewhat. The only thing to see was if my pn would be successful or not. But that wait.

  Today, we were shooting the se where Billy teaches Jamie's character some ballet, but they are caught by Billy's father. Billy dances in front of him, showing his great potential and ging his father's mind about ballet.

  It was Stephen Daldry aer Darling's pn to get most of the dang out of the way before we shot other dramatic ses. The se pnned was Billy's dance practice with his ballet teacher. Then, the only remaining major dance sequence would be the audition in London, which was to be shot st at the real Royal Ballet School.

  "Okay, Troy," Stephen began his se expnation, "the one we'll begin right here from the moment your father walks in and sees you dang with Michael in a tutu. Jamie will then slide dowu and look at you disappointedly. Gary, you'll be standing right here at this point. Got it?"

  We both nodded in uanding.

  "Troy, you'll dance all around Gary without going any further from him so that we capture his expression as well as your dang iake. The most important thing is your expressions. As you begin dang, you're a little angry at your dad, but you dah a purpose, to prove yourself. As you dance more and more, your frown turns to a smile, which fades instantly when your dad walks out. Do you uand?"

  "Yes."

  "Good. Peter, the rest is up to you. Expin all his moves and do a rehearsal se before we begin shooting," Stephen anded Peter before taking a few steps back.

  "Alright," Peter took over, "Troy, you'll begin with a basic tap from this point," he said, tapping his right foot on a point in front of Gary, "and tinue dang like this."

  Peter then performed the dahat I was supposed to do, obviously with more elegand skill than me. I had seen and dohe two-minute dance sequenany times that even my muscles remembered exactly what had to be done and at oint in the music.

  In the inal movie, Billy danced much further away from his father, causing many cuts to show the real-time expressions of the father. This time, it wouldn't be the case. As Peter tinued dang, Gary also showed his professionalism and turned around with him, dispying the correct expressions of bewilderment on his face.

  Wheer fihe sequeh a cool ballet pose, everyone in the viity cpped loudly, including me.

  Ign the noise, Peter just smiled a little and said, "Now it's your turn. Remember to ge your position every 10-15 seds. The camera will be pced on wheels for this se and will keep up with you. Just focus on your danothing else matters to you."

  So, I got into position.

  (Break)

  Filming a dance movie like 'Dancer' was very different from a musical. Although The Sixth Sense wasly a musical with only one song, it did give me the experience of shooting oh live singing and all that jazz.

  After a whole week, we had pleted three of the major dance sequences and their practice sessions. Julie Walters, who pyed Billy's daeacher was an absolute delight to work with. Although she had a little trouble learning all the dance sequences because of her age, she more than made up for it with the charisma she brought to the s.

  Right now, I was shooting for the most difficult se of the movie.

  "I thought he was gonna hit me or something," I said while sitting on Debbie's bed and fidgeting with a doll of hers.

  "Don't be silly," Debbie said as she sat on the bed as well, "He's just under a lot of pressure. That's what Mom says. I think it's because he drinks too much."

  "Does he drink too much, like?" I asked curiously.

  The versatio on for a couple minutes with Billy and Debbie talking about their parents, dang, and sex. We had to redo a few dialogues sometimes because the actress pying Debbie was inexperienced and fumbled with her lines more than once.

  "Does your mam have sex then?" I asked with a mix of amusement and genuine curiosity.

  "No, she's unfulfilled. That's why she does the dang," came her matter-of-fact reply.

  "She does dang instead of sex?" I asked incredulously. "Your family's weird, a bloody mental lot of them," I ughed at my own joke.

  "No, they're not." Here she started stroking my hair and boy didn't that creep me out. I had to force every urge of mio not shudder at the thought of doing any lewd stuff with an 11-year-old girl.

  Keeping a suave grin pasted on my face, I hit her with the pillow that was lying on the bed. The pillows were stuffed full of loose feathers so that more than naturally possible ones came out and made our pillow fight more iing as we hit each other.

  For the se, I leaned over her and stared into her eyes with clear hesitation as she stroked my cheek with her finger.

  "Cut!" Stephen's voice rang out o.

  I straightened myself up when the director walked in and said, "Troy, I know this se is awkward, but we have to do it. It's already the fifth retake. You hardly ever take anything more than three."

  "Do we have to do this?" I pined, "'t I just hug her? That's pretty intimate for 11-year-olds. I mean we haven't even begun puberty."

  "e on Troy. It's just a se," Mum voiced from the sidelines, "You didn't have a problem when you read the script for the first time."

  I gred at Mum and she just grinned evilly back at me. Yeah, I upset her over the weekend when I told her that British food is bnd and Ameri is much better. We had a whole debate over it that didn't reaywhere. And now, she was having her revenge by making me unfortable.

  Normally Mum is ly on the spot of my shoot, but because this se is a little...sensitive in nature, both of the minuardians were present on the se.

  "I ask again," I turo Stephen, ign Mum for now, "do we really have to do this?" I was asking this questioedly because the inal Billy Elliot film didn't have any sort of kissing se in it. Maybe they filmed an alternate version of it? Or maybe they cut it out in the post-produ? Whatever the case may be, even if they cut the se, I'll have to do it for now.

  "Yes." Came the immediate reply.

  I sighed, "Fine. Let's get this over with then." I firmed my resolve.

  'Remember Troy, it's just a se, and physically she's older than you so no one call you a pedophile.' I reminded myself mentally as I closed my eyes for a moment to ready myself.

  When I opened my eyes again, I saw that Nico, who ying Debbie wasn't faring aer than me. But it was different for her because she didn't have the knowledge of being an older person once.

  "You okay?" I asked her hesitantly, not wanting to be presumptive in this situation.

  She nodded with fidehat even I was not feeling. Her fidence was iious because I smiled and turo Stephen, "Okay, we're ready!"

  I climbed over Nico as soon as I heard a. She started stroking my cheek. I slowly lowered myself over her and soon our lips met briefly. Before it could go on any further, Nico opened her mouth a out a loud burp right in my fabsp;

  I backed away from her mouth quickly and started ughing while still leaning over her. Nico had covered her fa embarrassment, but Stephen never said cut, so I remained in character and tinued with my line, "See, you're a nutter, you!"

  "Debbie!" Came Julie Walters' voice rec and I instantly jumped away from Nico, "It's time for Billy to go home! e on, Billy. I'll drop you off at the er."

  I got up and walked away from the bed, "See ya Debbie!" I whispered and quickly tried to walk away while she was still hiding her fa embarrassment. She hadn't said even a single word after the burp.

  "And Cut! Wonderful! What an i little mishap at the right moment! Perfect!" Stephen fidently announced o, "All credit goes to Troy for remaining in character and giving us this gold!"

  From a director's POV it made sense because ter on when Billy calls Debbie about missing the audition, she doesn't answer his call. After all, he 'hurt' her feelings when he rejected her romantic advaer on.

  I just realized that makes this film sound so much worse when I put it like that.

  I was broken out of my musing when the crew started g after hearing the director's praise for me. Suddenly, I had an epiphany. Did the whole crew just appud my first kiss with an 11-year-old? We humans are a messed up lot, aren't we?

  " we redo this take, Stephen?" Nico asked in lingering embarrassment. "Please?"

  "Aren't you gd that this is over with, Nico?" Stephen asked. "Believe me, this whole se looked very good."

  "People won't tease you for the rest of your days for burping in the boy's face who was my first kiss," Nicued and I felt even much worse about the take.

  Stephen took Nid her mother aside and talked with them for a few minutes. After that, it was clear that we were using that take. There was nothing I or anyone else could do about it.

  (Break)

  Juurned into July and with it came the end of shooting for 'Dancer' which would hopefully soon be renamed into [Billy Elliot]. We shot some ses in London and I ehe whole process a lot.

  The best part was getting to participate in a few of the advanced ballet lessons at the Royal Ballet School (RBS). And damn, the teachers were strict. Peter was more of a freestyle guy with a love for tap that he loved to mash into most of his dances.

  At the RBS, you could not mix another form of da any cost. It had to be strictly ballet. I lear the hard way wherict teacher who was carrying a e rapped my calves whenever I made a mistake.

  Soon that too came to an end as we were doh the shooting.

  "I propose a toast!" Stephen raised his gss high, "To all our cast and crew for making these st couple of months so wonderful and the shooting process so easy!"

  "Cheers!" A chorus rang out through the croeople ehe free booze.

  "Troy!"

  I turowards the voice to find Jamie Bell standing there in front of me with a smile on his face. I smiled back.

  After the initial squabble, we had eventually bonded during the shooting process. At the time when he shouted at me, he was angry because his family could desperately use some of the funds that a lead role would guarantee.

  I couldn't get him a lead role, but I could offer them some moary relief. Not by giving them money ht, no, they were too proud to accept that. I did somethier; I asked Dad to give his Mom a job. And he did.

  Jamie's Mom Eileen was norodu assistant on the Harry Potter set. Even if I'm not cast as Harry, she has a steady job for the decade or so if everything goes well, thus giving Jamie some financial stability in his life. No child should feel pressured to earn money for their family at this tender age.

  "Jamie," I did a little mock-bow in front of him, "How may I help you?"

  Jamie looked at me weirdly, "You're not drunk, are you?"

  "Dude, I'm 10," I deadpanned, "If I drink right now, I'll die of liver failure or something."

  Jamie gave me a dubious look, "Really?"

  I nodded emphatically before lying through my teeth, "Yes, my friend Evan told me that his cousin Jimmy died of the same reason."

  A horrified expression crossed Jamie's face as if he'd drunk some... Oh! This is gold!

  "You didn't drink anything bad, did you, Jamie?" I asked slyly.

  "No, no, I absolutely didn't," he shook his head frantically.

  "Good," I smiled at him, "Did you want to talk about something specific or just hang out?"

  "Yeah, I was thinking," he hesitated, "You got Mom a job o of Harry Potter, do you think you get me a part in the film as well? I just love the books. It's okay if you 't..."

  I raised my hand to stop his rambling midway. I knew people my age would e to me when they got to know about Harry Potter, but this was the first time this had actually happeo me. Any other person, I'd have rebuffed ily, without being too harsh. But this was Jamie. He was an excellent actor and i few weeks, we had gotten very close. Much closer than I was to Nico or anyone else o.

  "I don't have any power over the casting process," I told him clearly, "But I reend you to the director if you want? I don't even know which roles have been cast already."

  "Yes! Thank you so much, Troy! Though, I won't bme you if I don't get the part."

  I him, "Yeah, just make sure you get the role of either Ron, Draco, or Neville. Any other part would be just a background role with hardly any dialogues."

  "Not Harry?" Jamie asked curiously before eyeing me up and down, "Or are you pying that one?"

  "It's not final yet," I shook my head, "But, they won't give you the part of Harry because you're too tall to py him. They want a short boy because of his retives' treatment of him."

  That was true. Jamie, being a 13-year-old, was too old to py an emaciated 11-year-old boy. He could easily py Draco or even Ron because they were from normal families. And if I remember correctly, Tom Felton, who pyed Draco, was older than Emma Watson by two years, and they still cast him. So casting Jamie in a signifit role was not pletely out of the question.

  It helped that he was on the shorter side when it came to 13-year-olds. Probably why he was cast as Billy at his age.

  __________________________

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