Extra's Rise In Hollywood: I Can Gain Character Skills-Chapter 23: Can you teach me?

The café was quiet and cosy, with warm lighting and a soft hum of background chatter.

Selena chose a table near the corner, tucked away from the few customers scattered around.

It wasn’t particularly crowded, but she clearly preferred the privacy.

Liam followed, sitting across from her and taking in the vibe. He was very familiar with this kind of atmosphere, he worked at a cafe after all.

A waiter approached with a pleasant smile. "Would you like to order?"

Selena nodded, her tone polite but firm. "Can I have a hot chocolate? Two teaspoons of sugar, please. Thank you."

"Of course, miss," the waiter replied, glancing out the window and watching the snow fall slowly. "It’s quite cold outside. Perfect time for hot chocolate."

Selena returned the smile, a faint warmth lighting up her expression. "It really is."

Liam, sitting across from her, was momentarily stunned. She caught him off guard, and for a moment, he found himself staring. Realising it, he quickly snapped out of it, clearing his throat. "I’ll have a milk chai latte," he said, his voice steady.

"Coming right up," the waiter said before walking away.

The drinks arrived a few moments later, the steam rising from the cups and adding to the café’s cosy atmosphere. Selena wrapped her hands around her cup, savouring the warmth, while Liam took a tentative sip of his latte, the spices and milk blending perfectly.

Selena’s voice broke the silence. "I want you to teach me how to drive."

Liam froze mid-sip, his eyes widening as the unexpected request hit him. He jerked forward slightly, choking on the latte almost spitting it out.

He coughed, quickly setting the cup down, his face red with embarrassment.

"W-What?" he managed, his voice hoarse. "Teach you to drive?"

Selena’s expression didn’t change—she was calm, collected, and entirely serious. "Yes," she said matter-of-factly. "I want you to teach me how to drive."

Liam blinked at her, unsure if he’d heard correctly. "You’re kidding, right?"

She shook her head, taking a small sip of her hot chocolate. "Not at all."

Selena shook her head, her expression completely serious as she took a small sip of her hot chocolate. "Not at all," she replied, her calm tone contrasting with Liam’s visible confusion.

He leaned forward slightly, resting his arms on the table. "You could learn that from professional instructors," he pointed out, raising an eyebrow. "Just because I’m good at driving doesn’t mean I’d be any good at teaching it. Those are two very different things, you know."

Selena tilted her head slightly, as though considering his argument. After a moment, she set her cup down gently and looked at him, her expression softening into something more playful. "That’s true," she admitted, her lips curling into a faint smile. "But I don’t know why... I have this feeling about you. An intuition, you could say."

Liam furrowed his brow, skeptical. "An intuition?"

She nodded, her smile widening just enough to reveal a glimpse of mischief. "Yes. And I always follow my intuitions." Her eyes sparkled as she added, "They’ve rarely led me wrong."

The way she said it, combined with her light, almost teasing tone, disarmed Liam for a moment. He noticed the way she smiled—genuine, with just enough charm to make it hard to argue with her. The playful glint in her eyes, paired with the way she tilted her head slightly, gave her an almost childlike innocence despite the serious conversation.

"You’ve got to be kidding me," he muttered, leaning back in his chair as if to create some distance from the unexpected flattery.

Selena laughed softly, a melodic sound that made a few heads in the café turn briefly. She leaned forward, her elbows on the table. "Come on, Liam," she said, her tone coaxing. "You’re good at what you do, and you clearly have the patience for it."

Liam shook his head, trying not to grin at her logic. "That’s not the same as teaching someone how to drive, though. Especially stunt driving."

Selena shrugged, her eyes locking with his. "Maybe not. But something tells me you’ll be great at it. You have that calm, focused energy that makes people trust you. Even Damien said you’re one of the coolest people on set."

"Damien said that?" Liam asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Don’t let it go to your head," she teased, smirking. "But yes. And I agree with him. You’ve got a natural talent, and you’re easy to work with. That’s a rare combination."

Liam sighed, running a hand through his hair as he processed her words. "You’re really not going to let this go, are you?"

"Not a chance," Selena said, her voice light but resolute. She leaned back in her chair, her smile never fading. "Look, if I’m wrong and you’re terrible at teaching, we can call it quits after the first lesson. Deal?"

Liam stared at her, caught between exasperation and amusement. Her determination was impressive, and her charm was difficult to resist.

Finally, he let out a resigned chuckle. "Alright."

Selena’s face lit up, her smile making Liam’s heart beat slightly faster.

...

After spending a bit more time at the café, chatting about everything from life in the film industry to favourite places in the city, Selena and Liam decided to wrap up their hangout. The conversation flowed easily, surprising Liam with how relatable and down-to-earth Selena was despite her celebrity status.

As they left the café, the chill of the faint snow greeted them again. Selena pulled her coat tighter around herself as they walked back to her car. Liam glanced around at the quiet street, the faint crunch of snow underfoot adding to the tranquil atmosphere.

Inside the car, Selena turned on the heater, warming the space almost instantly. "Alright," she said, a playful smile on her lips. "Let’s get you home."

"Much appreciated," Liam replied with a chuckle as he buckled his seatbelt.

...

As they pulled up outside Liam’s modest apartment building, Selena slowed the car to a stop and turned to him. "Thank you for today," she said, her voice genuine. "I’ll contact you tomorrow when I’m free so we can start the driving classes."

Liam nodded, unbuckling his seatbelt. "Sounds good," he replied, reaching for the door handle. "And thank you for dropping me off."

Selena’s smile widened slightly. "Get some rest, Liam." 𝗳𝚛𝚎𝚎𝘄𝕖𝕓𝕟𝕠𝚟𝚎𝕝.𝗰𝕠𝐦

He stepped out of the car, the cold air nipping at his face as he turned back to her. "You too," he said with a grin. "Drive safe."

Selena gave him a quick wave before rolling up the window and pulling away.