Cut

The soundstage in Burbank was a hive of controlled chaos. Cables snaked across the floor like black vipers; the air smelled of ozone, hairspray, and sawdust.

Lila was in the zone. She sat in her canvas chair, her eyes closed, mental preparation for Scene 42. The Argument.

"Lila?"

She opened her eyes. Caden was standing over her. He wasn't supposed to be here. The set was closed.

"Caden? What are you doing?" she hissed, glancing around. The director, a intense man named Sylvan, was talking to the cinematographer nearby.

"I brought your protein shake," Caden said, holding up a shaker bottle. "You forgot it."

"I have catering," Lila said, lowering her voice. "You can't be back here."

"I'm your manager now, remember?" Caden sat on the arm of her chair. He looked around, his eyes narrowing as they landed on Julian, her co-star.

Julian was shirtless, getting fake tattoos applied by makeup artists. He was laughing at something the makeup girl said.

"Look at him," Caden sneered softly. "Preening like a peacock. Has he tried to touch you today?"

"We have a scene together, Caden. He has to touch me."

"I don't mean the scene. I mean in between. Has he touched your arm? Your back?"

"No," Lila lied. Julian had high-fived her earlier. If Caden knew, he would cause a scene.

"Good," Caden said. He picked up the script pages sitting on her lap. Revisions. They had just come in.

He scanned the page. His face darkened.

"What is this?"

Lila looked. "They changed the blocking. Instead of just arguing, we... we kiss. It’s a heat-of-the-moment thing."

Caden stood up. The shaker bottle in his hand creaked under the pressure of his grip.

"A kiss? This wasn't in the contract."

"It’s a movie, Caden! It happens."

"No," Caden shook his head. "Sylvan is pushing it. First it was the shirt, now it’s a kiss. Next week he’ll want you to do it for real."

"Stop it," Lila pleaded, seeing people starting to look. "You're being crazy."

Caden’s eyes snapped to hers. The hurt in them was instant and weaponized. Tears welled up in the corners.

"Crazy?" his voice broke. "I'm crazy because I love you? Because I can't stand the thought of another man putting his mouth on you? You know how that makes me feel, Li? It makes me feel like I’m dying."

He ripped the script page in half. Then in quarters.

"Caden!"

He threw the confetti of paper on the floor. "Do the scene. Be a whore for the camera if that’s what you want. But don't expect me to watch."

He stormed off.

Lila sat there, shaking. The makeup artist stared. Sylvan looked over, frowning.

Lila felt the familiar wave of guilt crash over her. He was crying. She had made him cry. He was just a boy from Ohio who was overwhelmed by all of this. It was her fault. She hadn't reassured him enough.

She picked up the pieces of the script.

When she got home that night, Caden was waiting on the couch in the dark.

Lila didn't yell at him. She walked over and wrapped her arms around him. He buried his face in her stomach, sobbing.

"I'm sorry," he wept. "I'm just so scared of losing you. They all want to take you away from me."

"Shhh," Lila stroked his hair. "I'm not going anywhere. It’s just a job, Caden. You’re my life."

"Promise?" he looked up, his eyes red and raw.

"I promise."

"Then show me," he whispered. "Show me I'm the only one."

He pulled her down onto the couch. It wasn't love-making. It was a claiming. Desperate, heavy, and erasing.

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