Page 73 of You. Me. Us.

“Thank you, Olivia,” she managed, forcing a smile. “I appreciate the support. I’ll... I’ll let you know how the audition goes.”

Olivia nodded, a glimmer of understanding in her eyes. “You do that. And Hillary? Remember, you’re stronger than you think. Don’t let anyone - or anything - convince you otherwise.”

With that, she disappeared back into her office, leaving Hillary alone with her thoughts. She took a deep breath, squaring her shoulders. Olivia was right. She was strong. She was capable. And she was going to prove it, to herself and everyone else.

Even if it meant facing the ghosts of her most recent past - and the man who still held a piece of her heart.

thirty-two

. . .

Hillary’s palmswere slick with sweat as she paced the worn carpet outside the audition room, her sensible flats treading a path as the others in the room alternated from caring about her to not caring. She tried to focus on her breathing, mentally reciting her lines for what felt like the hundredth time.

Around her, the waiting room buzzed with nervous energy. Hopeful actors and actresses of all ages filled the mismatched chairs, a few murmuring lines under their breath while others fiddled with their headshots and resumes. A teenage girl with a sleek ponytail tapped furiously at her phone, her leg bouncing. An elderly man in a tweed jacket hummed softly to himself, eyes closed. Hillary didn’t imagine they were all for the same role, or even the same production, but they were all in the same space mentally.

Hillary glanced down at the monologue gripped in her trembling hands, the words blurring together. She blinked hard, trying to compose herself. You can do this, she told herself firmly. You’ve prepared for this.

But a small, doubtful voice whispered in the back of her mind.What if you mess up? What if they laugh at you? You’re not cut out for this. Maybe you should just go home.

Choosing to sit, Hillary grabbed the closest open chair and let her head fall back for a minute. She just needed to breathe in and out. As a slow calm washed over, she lifted her head and her eyes widened instantly.

Julius sat across from her, his eyes on something in his hands.

She couldn’t look away, finding herself as drawn to him as ever. His magnetic presence seemed to fill the space, drawing her gaze like a moth to a flame.

Julius looked up from the script in his hands, his deep blue eyes locking with Hillary’s. For a brief, electric moment, the world fell away. The bustling noise of the waiting room faded into the background as they held each other’s gaze, a flicker of recognition sparking between them.

Hillary’s heart raced, a mix of excitement and hope coursing through her veins. What was Julius doing here? She hadn’t seen him since their interview, and she highly doubted he auditioned the same way someone of her demandability did.

Julius’s lips curved into a small, almost imperceptible smile, a silent acknowledgment of their shared history. But just as quickly as the moment had begun, it ended. Julius broke eye contact, turning his attention back to the script, his expression once again neutral and professional.

Hillary knew a flush crept up her neck as embarrassment took over. He was going to pretend they’d never met. She tore her gaze away from Julius, focusing instead on the task at hand. She couldn’t let herself get distracted, not now, not when her dream was within reach.

Hillary’s mind raced as she sat, frozen in place, torn between her desire to approach Julius and the fear of rejection thatheld her back. What if he didn’t remember her? What if their connection had been nothing more than a fleeting moment, a trick of her imagination? She chewed on her bottom lip, her eyes darting between Julius and the exit, wondering if it would be better to simply slip away unnoticed.

But there was a part of her, a small, persistent voice that whispered in her ear, urging her to take a chance. After all, hadn’t she come to this audition to prove she could do it? If she couldn’t muster the courage to talk to Julius, how could she ever expect to make it in the cutthroat world of acting?

Hillary stood and took a tentative step forward, her heart pounding in her chest so quickly she worried she could pass out any second. She opened her mouth to speak, but the words caught in her throat, her confidence faltering. She glanced down at her feet, silently cursing her own insecurity.

Just as she was about to turn away, to retreat back into the safety of anonymity, she heard him. “Hillary?”

She looked up, her eyes wide with surprise, to see Julius making his way toward her, his script tucked under his arm. He moved with the same easy grace that always made him seem like the most composed person in the room, his presence commanding the attention of everyone.

“I thought that was you,” he said. “I didn’t expect to see you here. I’m not auditioning if you’re wondering. here to do chemistry reads. You look like you’ve been well.”

Hillary nodded, her voice still caught somewhere between her heart and her throat. “Oh,” she managed to stammer out, mentally kicking herself for her lack of eloquence.

Julius’s eyes sparkled with amusement, but there was no hint of mockery in his expression. “Well, I’m sure you’ll do great. You have a natural talent for this regardless of how much you think you should run from it.”

“Thank you,” she said softly, her small hope that maybe there was more than the whirlwind fling between them. “That means a lot coming from you.”

For a moment, they stood there in silence, the world around her fading away as she lost herself in his gaze. It was as if they were the only two people in the room, the electricity between them palpable, the unspoken words hanging heavy in the air. He’d made her feel like the most important person in the room.

Until he didn’t.

But right now, he did. Again. Just like before.

Hillary felt her nerves begin to subside, replaced by a growing sense of determination. Julius’s encouragement was like a beacon in the darkness, guiding her toward the confidence she needed to face the audition head-on. “I’ve always been passionate about storytelling,” she confessed, her voice growing stronger with each word. “Acting is just another way to bring those stories to life. If you were passionate enough about it for it to be our first fight, I guess I owed it to myself to continue and hope the critics won’t tear me apart.”

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