35 ᴍᴍ ꜰɪʟᴍ ᴀɴᴅ ᴀ ʙʟᴀᴄᴋ ᴄᴏꜰꜰᴇᴇ I 🎀 𝒢𝓇𝒶𝒸𝒾𝑒 𝒜𝒷𝓇𝒶𝓂𝓈 [𝑔𝓍𝑔] 🎀

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟒: 𝐑𝐞𝐝 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐩𝐞𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬

ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ 14

Charlie-Wren sat at the edge of the bed, staring down at the floor as the late afternoon sun filtered through the curtains of her hotel room. The day had come—the Euphoria season 2 premiere was only hours away, and the reality of it was hitting her like a tidal wave. In just a few hours, she'd be walking down the red carpet, cameras flashing, interviews firing off questions—and, for the first time, she would be doing it with Gracie by her side.

Her heart pounded in her chest, the weight of it all pressing down on her. She'd been in the industry for a couple of years now, but this felt different. This was bigger. More eyes, more pressure. And this time, it wasn't just about her career—it was about her and Gracie. The decision to go public with their relationship had been a huge step, and Charlie still wasn't sure how she felt about it. Excited? Yes. Terrified? Absolutely.

Charlie let out a shaky breath, trying to steady her nerves. The hotel room was quiet except for the faint hum of the city outside, and Gracie was still in the bathroom, getting ready. The makeup team would be arriving soon, along with a camera crew to film some behind-the-scenes footage for her social media.

Her fingers trembled slightly as she reached into her purse, pulling out the small, familiar bottle of pills. She stared at it for a long moment, her mind racing. She'd been cutting back, trying to wean herself off, but today—today was too much. The anxiety clawing at her chest was unbearable, and she needed something to take the edge off. Just one. Just enough to get through this.

With one last glance at the bathroom door, Charlie quickly twisted the cap off and shook a single pill into her hand. She popped it into her mouth, swallowing it dry before slipping the bottle back into her purse. Almost immediately, a sense of relief washed over her, knowing the effects would kick in soon. She'd be able to manage. She had to.

Gracie emerged from the bathroom a moment later, wrapped in a robe with her hair still wet from the shower. She smiled softly when she saw Charlie sitting on the bed, her eyes warm with affection. "Hey," she said, crossing the room to sit beside her. "You okay? You seem... quiet."

Charlie forced a smile, hoping Gracie wouldn't notice the lingering tension in her body. "Yeah," she lied, her voice a little too light. "Just... nervous, I guess. This is a big night."

Gracie nodded, her hand gently brushing against Charlie's. "I get it. But we're doing this together, right? We've got each other."

Charlie's smile softened at that, and she squeezed Gracie's hand in return. "Yeah. Together." She took a deep breath, letting the words sink in. We've got each other. That was what mattered, wasn't it?

Before they could say anything else, there was a knock on the door. Charlie stood, her heart skipping a beat as she moved to answer it. The makeup team was here, along with the camera crew—bright lights, ready to capture every moment of their preparation. This was the start of the whirlwind. From here, it was all about keeping up the act.

"Okay, Charlie, can you turn your head just a little to the left? Perfect," the camera operator called out as Charlie-Wren sat in front of the mirror, a makeup artist working on the finishing touches of her look. The room was buzzing with activity—Gracie was sitting off to the side, still getting her hair styled, while the crew floated around the room, capturing candid moments for the behind-the-scenes video.

Charlie stared at herself in the mirror, watching as the makeup artist brushed the final strokes of highlighter across her cheekbones. She barely recognised herself—her skin was flawless, her lips a deep, bold red, and her eyes dark and smoky. She looked every bit the part of the rising star, the actress whose career was skyrocketing after her role in Euphoria. But beneath the perfectly applied makeup and the carefully styled hair, her nerves were still there, buzzing just below the surface.