Daughter of a Witch

Unseen Tears (Tv Show)

The sky was a dull gray as Y/n walked onto the set, her usual bright, lively presence replaced by something much quieter, much smaller. She tugged her jacket tighter around her as a light breeze swept through the studio lot. The weather felt heavy, and for the first time in a long while, it mirrored her mood exactly.

The day had barely started, and already Y/n felt like she was moving through molasses. Everything was in slow motion-the bustling crew, the laughter from her castmates, the hum of morning energy. Normally, Y/n would be right in the middle of it all, teasing Joe Locke about his messy hair or joking with Kathryn Hahn about their lines for the day. But today, she couldn't summon the energy to join in.

She knew her absence from the fun wouldn't go unnoticed for long. Everyone knew her as the group's heartbeat, the one who could always bring a smile to someone's face. But today, she couldn't even manage one for herself.

Y/n moved quietly to her spot on set, not really saying much to anyone. She saw Kathryn and Aubrey Plaza standing near the craft services table, chatting while sipping their morning coffee. Normally, she'd have joined them, cracking jokes or jumping into their conversation. But today, she waved faintly, forcing a smile before heading straight to the makeup chair.

As soon as she sat down, she took a deep breath, her phone buzzing in her pocket like a reminder of everything she wanted to forget. She already knew what the notification was-another message from Maya Hawke, one of her closest friends. Y/n couldn't bear to look at it right now. Her heart was already aching, and she didn't have the strength to break it open any further.

The morning dragged on. Between takes, Y/n did her best to stay focused on her work, pouring her energy into her scenes, but the weight in her chest only grew heavier.

Kathryn was the first to notice. Of course, she was.

"Hey, sweetie," Kathryn called gently after their first scene together wrapped. "You okay? You seem a little quiet today."

Y/n turned, offering the best smile she could muster. "Yeah, just a little tired, I guess. Didn't sleep well."

Kathryn's brows furrowed slightly, but she didn't press. She knew Y/n well enough to recognize when something was off, but she also knew that Y/n wasn't ready to talk.

Aubrey, too, noticed. Her dark eyes watched Y/n with that familiar, quiet intensity, like she was reading her mind without saying a word. Aubrey didn't ask her anything directly, but the way she kept throwing small glances her way-almost like she was waiting for something-made it clear she knew something was up.

But they both gave her space, and for that, Y/n was grateful.

The minutes turned into hours, and soon, it was lunchtime. Normally, lunch was when the whole cast gathered, laughing and joking over sandwiches and salads, but today, Y/n couldn't face it. The idea of sitting there, pretending to be okay when she felt anything but, was unbearable. So, instead of joining everyone, she slipped away. She needed to be alone.

She retreated to her trailer, shutting the door behind her and leaning against it for a moment. Finally, with no one around, she let the weight of the day crash down on her. Y/n sank onto the couch, pulling her knees up to her chest. The tears that had been building up all morning spilled over, silently running down her cheeks.

Her phone buzzed again, and she wiped her eyes with the back of her hand before reaching for it. She opened the message from Maya, though she already knew what she'd see: another image of James, her boyfriend, laughing with the girl outside his trailer. The same girl he'd been kissing in the first picture.

Y/n's stomach twisted as she scrolled through the texts Maya had sent her earlier that morning. The photos had come first, sent by Maya and Joe Keery, her best friends on the Stranger Things set. Maya's texts had followed soon after, apologizing profusely, telling Y/n that she'd done some digging and confirmed what Y/n had been afraid of-James had been cheating on her.