Unexpected Co-star

Part 6

Back in my trailer, I pace the small space, my thoughts racing. The kiss is still replaying in my mind, and no matter how hard I try, I can't shake the way it felt—too real, too intense. I grab my phone, chewing on my bottom lip as I scroll through my contacts until I land on my sister's name.

I shouldn't. I should probably just keep it to myself, let it pass like any other day at work. But I need to talk to someone. My sister, Ava, is the only person who knows me well enough to help me make sense of this.

I hit "Call" before I can change my mind, and it rings only twice before she picks up.

"Hey, Em! What's up?" Her voice is bright, but I can hear the curiosity behind it. We don't talk every day, so I know she's wondering why I'm calling in the middle of the afternoon.

I sigh, sinking onto the couch. "I need to tell you something."

Her tone shifts immediately. "Okay... what's going on?"

I take a deep breath, my fingers nervously playing with the hem of my shirt. "So, you know how I've been working with Hugh Jackman, right?"

Ava chuckles on the other end. "Uh, yeah, you only mention it every time we talk. What about him?"

"We kissed," I blurt out, my heart speeding up the moment the words leave my mouth.

There's a beat of silence, and then, "What? Emerson! What do you mean you kissed?"

"It was for a scene!" I quickly clarify, though that doesn't make it sound any less significant. "It was part of today's shoot. A kiss between our characters."

Ava's quiet for a second, then she lets out a long breath. "Okay... but why do I feel like that's not the whole story?"

I hesitate. Of course she knows there's more. "It felt... different. More real than it was supposed to. Like, we were in character, but I don't know. It just—it didn't feel like just acting."

"Oh my God," Ava whispers, clearly intrigued. "Are you telling me you have feelings for him?"

I pause, trying to figure out how to explain what I'm feeling when I barely understand it myself. "I don't know. Maybe? I mean, we've been working together for a while, and... I think there's something between us. But it's complicated."

Ava's voice is full of excitement now. "Em, you kissed Hugh Jackman and now you're telling me there's chemistry? This is major! What are you going to do about it?"

I laugh, though it comes out shaky. "Nothing. We're just coworkers. I mean, we've been hanging out a bit, but it's not like—"

"Wait, wait, wait." Ava cuts me off. "You've been hanging out with him? As in, outside of work?"

I bite my lip, already knowing how she's going to react. "Yeah, we had dinner the other night. It was no big deal, we just grabbed some food after a long day on set."

There's a pause, and then Ava practically screams into the phone. "You had dinner with Hugh Jackman, and you didn't tell me?! Emerson, what is happening right now? This is huge!"

"It wasn't like that!" I protest, though I can't help but smile at her reaction. "We're just two people working together. It's not like we're dating or anything."

Ava scoffs. "Em, he's Hugh freaking Jackman. And you guys clearly have chemistry, based on what you just told me. You seriously think dinner with him is just casual?"

I groan, leaning back against the cushions. "I don't know, Ava. It's all so confusing. We've been getting closer, but I don't know what's real and what's just work. And now, after today's kiss... I don't know what to think."

"Well, what do you want?" Ava asks softly, her tone more serious now. "Do you want something to happen between you two?"

I close my eyes, considering her question. "I honestly don't know. I mean, part of me wants to just keep things professional and not complicate anything. But another part of me... can't stop thinking about him."

There's a long silence before Ava speaks again. "Em, you're allowed to have feelings for someone, even if it's complicated. You just need to figure out if it's worth exploring or if it's better to keep things the way they are."

I sigh, knowing she's right. "Yeah, I guess I need to figure that out."

"Well, you know I'm here if you ever need to talk," Ava says warmly. "And if you decide to go for it, I expect all the details. Especially if he really is huge, at least that's what an article about him said."

I laugh softly. "Of course. Thanks, Ava. I just needed to talk it out with someone."

"Anytime, sis. And hey, don't overthink it too much. Just see where things go. Who knows? Maybe this will turn into something amazing."

"Maybe," I say, though there's still a knot of uncertainty in my chest.

After we hang up, I sit there for a while, replaying the conversation in my head. Ava's right—I need to figure out what I want. But for now, all I can do is take things one step at a time, and see what happens next.