STARRY EYES | mileven

nine

it's only gotten worse.

the notes didn't limit themselves to one or two per day, they've gradually gotten more with each passing one. she started finding those threatening notes all over the day and each time she found a new one, her stomach started sinking further and further.

she has an entire stack with them by now.

worthless bitch.

i'm going to fuck over your entire career.

ugly sluts like you don't make it far.

she hadn't really slept in an entire week, aside of her dozing off for five to ten minutes when the sleepiness caught up on her body like an avalanche. but each time she momentarily falls asleep, she jolts awake not soon after when her nightmares alert her.

the worst thing is her knowing that she woke up from a nightmare and has to live in another.
it was starting to get harder to memorize her lines, to concentrate during filming and muster up enough strength to slip into the character perfectly.

it was all taking a toll on her body and mind, she kept hoping that the notes will simply end any day without having to alarm anyone else, especially because she was keeping her distance towards mike in a way that feels rude.

this felt like a dead-end street to her, she's reluctant to tell anyone about these notes because on one hand, she's hopeful they'll come to an end while on the other hand, this is her first big movie set, the first time she is the lead – she simply can't afford to cause a mess.

not when she's working with so many important people in the industry.

not when this is career-defining in all ways.

one slip up here and she might actually be ruined for.

despite everything, she tried to keep a more positive outlook on the situation. this was their last day on the school set, after a couple days of break in between, they'll move production to the studio and other sets.

maybe whoever left those notes would also be left behind here too.

at least, she hoped so.

when kali yelled cut after mike and her filmed their very last scene, after hours of retaking it, she almost felt like collapsing on the ground. quickly, before mike got the chance to try and talk to her again, she walked away.

this time though he didn't make any advances to call for her or follow her, which was exactly what she wanted since the start of those notes.

but part of her was far too saddened by this. it seems like she's truly ruined all chances for them to ever be friends.

she hasn't had a single conversation with him since their first day on set, she either bolts away right after filming together — as she did now — or hid in corners to avoid him.

she hated this; and she hated the confused look in his eyes even more each time he was looking at her. today he wasn't even looking at her at all though.

while keeping all of these things in her thoughts, minutes after she was on the way back to her trailer, she heard him.

"el, wait." he said, "please just wait."

she turned around to see him walking fast in her direction, his hand was outstretched towards her, a portable mug in his hand as he almost urged for her to take it. the lid on it was displaced as if he hurriedly tried to put it atop.

"i don't know if i've done something, please tell me if i did something wrong, but whatever it was, i'm really sorry—" he pointed at the mug. "here's my truce offer."