Page 55 of You. Me. Us.

“And cut!” Vera’s now familiar singular word cut through everything. “Great job, you two. The chemistry is really coming through.”

Like a shower washing away sweat, the single word stole Stella from Hillary, leaving her as just Hillary once again.

As they stepped away from the set, Julius turned to Hillary with a warm smile. “You’re really nailing this, Hillary. It’s a pleasure working with you.”

Her usual blush didn’t feel like it came, she might actually be getting used to accepting praise. “Thanks, Julius. I’m learning so much from watching you work.”

She marveled at the surreal nature of it all. Here she was, acting alongside one of Hollywood’s biggest stars, holding her own in a sci-fi epic. Not to mention dating the man of her dreams. The nerves were still there, but with each passing day, they were overshadowed by a growing sense of excitement and purpose.

And at the end of each day, there was a secret trip from hotel room to hotel room, where he stole a little more of her heart every time. Everyone on set knew they were an item, but they’d been careful off set, keeping their secret.

Another day and another scene she had no business understanding, but now she was stuck in front of a mirror in makeup, trying to see the expression on her face that she needed to project

Hillary stared at her reflection in the mirror, trying to summon the well of emotions required for the scene. Her character was supposed to be confronting a deep-seated fear of losing everything to the oncoming forces, but Hillary felt disconnected, the feelings just out of reach.

“I don’t know if I can do this,” she muttered, hearing the frustration in her voice.

“Hey, it’s okay.” Ethan’s voice startled her even as his face appeared just to the left of hers in the mirror. She hadn’t heardhim enter the green room. “This is a tough scene, but I know you’ve got it in you. Plus, I’ll be right by your side.” Ethan’s role, Prince Illiyah, was Stella’s love interest before she fell for Atlas. They’d shared plenty of scenes, but he was usually more closed off, more playful and less real with her.

Sarah’s warning always kept her on her toes around Ethan, but she was wondering if it wasn’t wrong to do that since it had been months with no incident.

Hillary sighed, turning to face him. “I just can’t seem to connect with her, you know? Like, I understand her fear, but I can’t make myself feel it. And I understand normal fear too.” She barely resisted muttering that she spent everyday living with it regardless of what job she had.

Ethan pulled up a chair, sitting down beside her. “Close your eyes,” he said softly. “Think about a moment in your life when you felt truly afraid. Not just nervous or anxious, but genuinely scared.”

Hillary hesitated, her eyelids fluttering closed as a rush of memories flooded her mind. She could see herself, standing nervously backstage before taking her first steps onto a stage. She could feel the excitement and fear coursing through her veins as she packed up her life and moved to the city alone. And she could vividly recall the intense satisfaction and nerves that coursed through her body as she submitted her very first article to Muse during an interview. The images were like a movie playing out behind her eyelids, each one a defining moment in her journey toward success.

“Now, hold onto that feeling,” Ethan continued, his voice a gentle guide. “Let it fill you up, but don’t let it overwhelm you. Use it to fuel your character’s emotions, to understand her struggle.”

As Hillary focused on the sensation, it was as if something clicked into place. Her character’s fear became her own, and suddenly, the scene made sense in a way it hadn’t before.

She opened her eyes, meeting Ethan’s gaze. “Thank you,” she whispered, a small smile tugging at her lips.

Ethan returned the smile, his hand resting briefly on her shoulder as he stood up. “Anytime. Now, go out there and show them what you’re made of.”

As Hillary stepped onto the set, she carried Ethan’s words with her, a newfound connection to her character lending depth and authenticity to her performance.

They hadn’t been particularly close, but she wanted to change that. He was a great person, and a stupid warning that didn’t even seem to be true shouldn’t stop her from making a new friend.

The next month brought new challenges and successes, but Hillary couldn’t noticed a growing tension between Ethan and Julius. It started subtly—a curt remark here, a pointed look there—but soon, it became impossible to ignore. She didn’t know what changed between the two friends, but there was quiet chatter about it everywhere she looked.

She couldn’t help but worry the problem was her friendship with Ethan, even though Julius didn’t seem to mind it, and Ethan was perfectly friendly and professional.

Hillary found herself caught in the middle, trying to navigate the increasingly volatile dynamics on set. She’d be rehearsing a scene with Julius, only to catch Ethan’s disapproving stare from across the room. Or she’d be joking around with Ethan, only to feel Julius’s eyes boring into the back of her head.

It’s just the pressure of filming, she told herself. Everyone’s stressed and on edge. But deep down, she knew there was more to it than that.

One day, as she was running lines with Ethan, Julius stormed off the set, his jaw clenched tight. Hillary watched him go, a sinking feeling in her stomach.

“What’s going on between you two?” she asked Ethan, her voice low and concerned.

Ethan shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant, but Hillary could see the tension in his shoulders. “Just creative differences, I guess. Nothing to worry about.”

But as the days wore on and the tension continued to mount, Hillary couldn’t help but worry. She felt like she was walking a tightrope, trying to maintain her professionalism while navigating the minefield of emotions and egos on set.

She just hoped that whatever was going on between Ethan and Julius wouldn’t derail the film. She hadn’t been part of their tension, but sooner or later she worried the whole set would feel the damage of it.

Is there a way to talk to Julius?She shook her head. She wouldn’t push. She’d asked him numerous times if he was okay, and he always smiled and assured her he was. Whatever this was, he clearly wasn’t ready to let her in despite how important he was to her.

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