sophie, the daughter of famous actress Blake Lively, struggles to prove herself outside her mother's shadow. Charlie, an up-and-coming star, deals with the pressure of expectations as his popularity rises. When they meet for the first time at a cast...
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Charlies POV
I sat in the back of the black SUV, staring blankly at my phone as I scrolled through the flood of notifications. Los Angeles blurred by outside the tinted window, but all I saw was the endless stream of social media mentions, DMs, and fan accounts tagging me in their edits. My Instagram had blown up more overnight—thousands of new followers, all thanks to the announcement of my latest role in Percy Jackson and the Olympians.
I clicked on one of the fan-made posts, a video montage of my past work with the caption: "Charlie Bushnell about to SLAY as LUKE in PJO💥" I liked the post, knowing the fan would probably freak out over the notification.
The excitement around the project was electric, and while most of it was thrilling, there was a weight to it too. This was the biggest role of my career so far. I'd been working for this moment, but now that it was here, it all felt surreal.
Twitter, however, was more of a mixed bag. I swiped over and scrolled through the latest mentions.
@user47: "SOPHIA AND CHARLIE ACTING AS LOVERS IN PJO??? HOW DID I MISS THIS?!"
@user69: "Honestly, I'm just here for Sophia Valentine Lively. Sorry, Charlie 🤷♂️."
My phone buzzed again. A new text from Walker.
Walker: Dude, dinner tonight. You ready?
Charlie: Trying to be. You know how it is—new faces, new vibe.
Walker: Bro, don't even. The vibe is gonna be great. Especially with Sophia there.
I rolled my eyes but smirked anyway. Sophia Lively. The media couldn't get enough of her—Blake Lively's daughter, rising actress, all-around star. We'd never met, but I'd heard plenty, and I couldn't deny that I was curious about her. Playing love interests on-screen was bound to get interesting.
Charlie: I barely know her and plus shes just my cast-mate no more
Walker: Yeah, yeah. You'll see. Chemistry on-screen and off? I'm calling it noww😜
I glanced at my phone one last time, scrolling through more posts about Sophia and me, most speculating about how we'd get along or whether we'd become the next Hollywood "it" couple. People loved a story, didn't they? Even when it hadn't happened yet.
A new Instagram notification appeared from Sophia. Curious, I clicked it.
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she sent a photo of her sitting in a white seated car, probably on her way to dinner too. Her caption read, "Helloo, mind sending me the location?"
I chuckled. She seemed chill, despite all the hype around her. Maybe tonight would be easier than I thought. I quickly swiped up to reply.
Charlie: yeah yeah one sec
*sends location*
As the car pulled up to the restaurant, I took a deep breath. The real pressure wasn't about Sophia or the cast dinner. It was about proving myself in the role of Luke. I had a chance to show what I could do, and I was ready to bring it.
Tonight was just the beginning, but I had a feeling it would set the tone for everything to come.
