𝗜𝗡 𝗕𝗘𝗧𝗪𝗘𝗘𝗡, m thames.

seventeen

chapter SEVENTEEN
new girl .

mark gathered everyone on set for the day's briefing, his face set in a serious expression. the crew and cast gathered around, their chatter fading as he cleared his throat. starr stood at the edge of the group, her heart still heavy from the previous days' events. the atmosphere was tense, a silent understanding that something had to give.

"all right, everyone," mark began, his voice steady. "i have some important news about the direction of the film. after the emotional turn we've had with miller and clara, we're introducing a new character into the mix."

starr's heart skipped a beat, and she glanced at mason, who was standing a few feet away, his face expressionless. mark continued, oblivious to the undercurrents of tension.

"miller is going to find a new love interest, and we've cast ahliya turner for the role of dior," mark announced. "she'll be joining us on set tomorrow. so, mason, you'll be spending a lot of time with her as we move forward."

starr's heart sank as she heard the news. it felt like a lead weight had been dropped into her chest. the thought of mason spending time with someone else, someone new, stirred up a mix of emotions she couldn't quite define—jealousy, insecurity, and an aching sense of loss. it was like the universe had decided to pour salt in the wound, deepening the rift between them just as she'd started to hope things might settle.

she tried to keep her expression neutral, but she could feel the color draining from her face. the prospect of seeing mason with someone else was almost unbearable, and she could feel her hands trembling slightly. she took a deep breath, pushing through the crowd to find mason.

"mason," she called out, catching him just as he was about to walk towards his trailer.

he turned, his eyes meeting hers with a mixture of curiosity and weariness. "what's up?"

"can we talk?" starr asked, her voice steady despite the turmoil inside her.

mason nodded and followed her to a quieter part of the set, away from the bustling crew. once they were out of earshot, starr turned to face him, her heart pounding.

"look," she began, her voice softer now, "i wanted to talk about everything that's been going on—us, the kiss at the awards, and all of that."

mason raised an eyebrow, his expression guarded. "yeah? what about it?"

starr took a deep breath, trying to find the right words. "i just... i don't want things to be awkward between us, especially with ahliya coming tomorrow. i know we've had our issues, and i don't want that to spill over into our work. i want us to be okay before she gets here."

mason's gaze softened slightly, and he nodded. "i get it. i really do. it's been... strange, and i don't want things to be weird either."

"so... are we cool?" starr asked, her voice carrying a mix of hope and uncertainty. she needed to know if they could move past their recent troubles, if there was a way to salvage what they had.

mason looked at her for a moment, his lips curling into a small, almost mischievous grin. "yeah, we're cool. i mean, if you don't mind my awful taste in music and my questionable taste in movies, then we're definitely cool."

starr couldn't help but chuckle, the familiar teasing tone bringing a small measure of comfort. "oh, don't even get me started on your music choices. they're horrendous."

"hey, that's a matter of opinion," mason said, his grin widening. "but at least we're not arguing about it."

starr rolled her eyes but felt a genuine smile tugging at her lips. "true. just don't start blasting that music on set, okay?"

"i'll try to keep it to a minimum," mason promised, his tone light. "but no guarantees."

they shared a laugh, and for a brief moment, it felt like things were back to normal, even if just a little. starr felt a weight lift from her shoulders, though she knew the real test would come with ahliya's arrival. she hoped they could navigate the new dynamic without falling apart.

as they walked back to the set, starr couldn't shake the lingering anxiety about the changes to come. she knew that having a new love interest for mason would bring its own set of challenges, and she wasn't sure if she was ready to face them. but for now, she took solace in the fact that, despite everything, they were still managing to find their way back to each other.

the sound of the crew bustling around, the click of cameras being adjusted, and the hum of activity filled the air as starr and mason returned to the set. their interaction, though light and playful, was tinged with the knowledge that the real test was yet to come. but for now, they had a fragile sense of normalcy to hold on to, and starr hoped it would be enough to get them through whatever lay ahead.

naya's notes
new characterrrr🥰🥰