Invisible String (BoyxBoy)

Chapter 7. First day

IM SO SORRY THIS CHAPTER TOOK FOREVER. I was away on holidays and was hoping for inspiration to strike but it didn't till today! This one is a special one, hope you enjoy it! :)

"So, I guess that's that." Edvin murmured through his tears.

"Let me call the director and ask if you can skip today's shoot." Jess responded.

"No, not on the first day. Give me an hour and I'll be ready." Edvin knew that the movie and his role was already on shaky grounds, he couldn't mess up again. "Just don't tell me anything else that happens until after the shoot." Edvin turned the laptop back to Katy.

He went back to his room and slumped on the floor, ideas of faking his death and running away swirling in his head. He wasn't even out to his family. Only a few, selected people knew about his sexuality. It's not that he actually cared about what his family thinks, he almost never spoke with his mom and he loved his dad, but they weren't close or anything. Still, a fear of not being accepted lingered in his chest. He didn't even want to think what the people of his country think. He suddenly felt immense shame. I guess he's no longer their "hero"...

He decided to push those thoughts away and take a shower. He did that pretty well, years of practice. The first time he had to put on a face and go out in public with a smile was the opening night of his very first US tour. That's the night he decided he couldn't be with Andrew anymore. I guess we came full circle.

He was about to enter the studio when it hit him that it might be his first and last time... He wouldn't be surprised if he got fired from it, cancel culture was still a major thing and from what the article was saying, it was pretty clear that was the direction Edvin was heading. He pushed those thoughts away, put on his best fake smile and entered the room.

"Who's ready to make a movie?" Edvin practically shouted once he entered the room. His enthusiasm was greeted by cold/shocked faces from the crew and director.

"I wasn't sure if you would..." Matthew, the director said as he approached him.

"What? Show up? I always show up." Edvin responded.

"Good, that's what I like to hear. I just wanted to let you know, me and my crew are all behind you. Whoever leaked those pictures is an asshole."

"Thanks." Edvin responded and looked around. Matthew's statement didn't seem to be completely true as the crews faces said quite the opposite of support.

He was showed to his trailer for his makeup and wardrobe. It was a good sign he thought. It meant he wasn't fired, not yet at least. He read through todays agenda while on the makeup chair and then it dawned on him...

Adrian... How is he supposed to film with a person who's dating the guy who just outed him? Luckily they don't have any scenes to film until the end of the day.

As the day went by, the crew seemed to have warmed up to Edvin. He even got offered a coffee by one of the errand girls who later told him she was a huge fan. This might be alright he thought to himself, until it came to filming the scene with Adrian and he didn't show up.

"Okay, let's wrap it up for today" Matthew announced to him and the crew. "Great job everyone, I'll see you tomorrow."

"What about the last scene?" Edvin asked the director.

"We had to... reschedule it." Matthew responded.

"Take me to his trailer." Edvin wasn't going to let this entitled spoiled brat ruin this film.

"I don't think it's a good..."

"I won't do anything crazy, I promise, I just want to talk" Edvin interrupted before Matthew could finish.

Once they approached the trailer Matthew tried to knock on the door, but Edvin stopped him. "Thanks, I got it from here." The director nodded and left.

He stood outside his co-stars door, trying to compose himself and thinking of what he will say. His thoughts were interrupted by a smack on the face from the said door.

"Oh my god, I'm so so-" Adrian jumped in to see if his victim was alright before realising who it was.

"I'll be fine, thanks." His eye was watering from the impact. "Can I come in?" He tried to read his co-stars face, with no luck.

"I don't think that's a good idea." He responded.

"Well I think, you wouldn't want other people to overhear what I'm about to say." Edvin  couldn't hold back his emotions any longer. His voice quivered as he brushed past Adrian's shoulder and entered the room. "You know," he began, his eyes glistening with a mix of sadness and anger, "out of everyone, I thought you would understand."

Adrian remained silent, prompting Edvin to pour out his feelings. "I know he's your boyfriend, and I respect that," Edvin said, his voice cracking, "but you said this movie means a lot to you too, so why don't you just get your shit together and act professional for once and not  like a spoiled brat that you are."

Still met with silence, Edvin's frustration grew. "Actually," he continued, his voice trembling, "I take it back. I don't respect that you're dating someone who would do something like this , he basically forced his way into my life." He recounted the past, the age difference, and how he felt trapped. Tears streamed down his face as he confessed, "I didn't know how to say no back then. I was a 19-year-old kid from a Serbian village, and he was this older, influential, handsome man."

Edvin sobbed, his anger resurfacing. "I had to choose, you know? My career or love. I realized that if people in my country found out about us, they'd never accept it, not seven years ago, and certainly not today." He paused, choking back tears. "So I accepted that love wasn't an option for me, and I ran."

His sadness gave way to fury. "And if he thinks I was just using him for my career, that's on him," Edvin declared, his voice filled with raw emotion. "I never asked anything of him, and deep down, he knows it's not true."

Edvin couldn't gauge Adrian's reaction, but he didn't care. All he knew was that he needed to release these pent-up feelings. And before he knew it, he found himself in Adrian's arms, tears flowing freely, while Adrian held him as tightly as he could.