LIGHTS, LOVE AND WAR

Beneath the Stars

Chapter 8: Beneath the Stars

The forest had grown eerily silent, save for the occasional rustling of leaves in the breeze. Aryan and Selena remained seated on the log, their earlier tension dissolving into an unfamiliar calm. For the first time, they weren't actors with walls built high to protect their egos-they were two exhausted souls, accidentally stumbling into vulnerability.

"How long do you think it'll take them to find us?" Selena asked, leaning her head back to look at the clear night sky, her voice softer than Aryan had ever heard it.

"With our luck? Probably tomorrow morning," Aryan muttered, smirking slightly.

Selena let out a small laugh, a genuine sound that surprised both of them. "I wouldn't be surprised."

A quiet pause settled between them. Aryan glanced at Selena, noticing how peaceful she looked beneath the moonlight, her usual sarcasm replaced by a rare stillness.

"You ever think about quitting?" he asked suddenly, the words spilling out before he could stop himself.

Selena turned her head toward him, surprised. "Quitting acting?"

He nodded. "Yeah. Just... leaving it all behind. The cameras, the gossip, the people who think they know everything about you."

Selena smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes. "More times than I can count."

Aryan leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "Then why don't you?"

"Because... what else am I supposed to do?" Selena whispered, a trace of sadness in her voice. "It's the only thing I've ever been good at. And besides, I worked too damn hard to let it all go."

Aryan nodded, understanding more than he'd like to admit. "Same here. It's like you spend your whole life trying to prove something-to your family, to yourself. And when you finally get there, it's... lonely."

Selena gave him a sideways glance, studying him as if seeing him for the first time. "I didn't know you felt like that."

Aryan shrugged, a hint of vulnerability peeking through his usual confidence. "Yeah, well, I don't exactly advertise it."

They sat in companionable silence for a while, the stars twinkling overhead like silent witnesses to their rare moment of honesty.

"You know," Selena began, her voice thoughtful, "I always thought you were just this arrogant jerk with a perfect life."

Aryan laughed quietly. "And I thought you were a spoiled Hollywood diva with zero talent."

"Wow, thanks," Selena said dryly, though there was no bite in her tone.

Aryan smiled, his expression softer than before. "Guess we were both wrong."

---

"Why are you always so hard on yourself?" Aryan asked after a long pause. "You act like the world's out to get you."

Selena exhaled slowly, her fingers fidgeting with the edge of Aryan's jacket, still wrapped around her ankle. "Because in Hollywood, it kind of is. Everyone's waiting for you to fail. One misstep, and they'll chew you up and spit you out."

Aryan tilted his head, his gaze steady. "So you fight back before they can hurt you?"

"Exactly," Selena murmured. "It's... exhausting, though. Always being on guard."

Aryan gave a sympathetic nod. "Yeah. I know that feeling. I grew up with a family that expected me to be perfect all the time. No room for mistakes. You mess up once, and it's like you're a disappointment forever."

Selena's heart squeezed at the unspoken pain behind Aryan's words. She hadn't expected him to open up like this, but it felt oddly comforting to know that someone else understood the weight of expectations.

"Funny," Selena whispered, "I spent my whole life trying to prove people wrong. And you spent yours trying to prove people right."

Aryan chuckled softly. "Guess we're not so different after all."

---

A Subtle Shift

Selena shifted her position, wincing as her ankle throbbed. Aryan noticed immediately. "Still hurts?"

"Yeah, a little," she admitted.

Without a word, Aryan stood up and walked over to her. Before she could protest, he crouched down and scooped her up into his arms, carrying her with surprising ease.

"What the-Aryan!" Selena yelped, instinctively wrapping her arms around his neck. "Put me down!"

Aryan smirked but didn't stop. "You'd rather limp all the way back to camp?"

Selena huffed, but she didn't argue. If she were being honest, being carried by Aryan felt oddly comforting-something she never thought she'd admit to herself.

"You know," Aryan said with a teasing grin, "if the paparazzi ever see this, they'll have a field day."

Selena groaned. "God, can you imagine? 'Enemies-to-lovers romance on set'? I'd rather die."

Aryan chuckled. "Well, lucky for you, there's no one around to see it. Just us."

His words hung in the air, heavier than either of them intended. It was a subtle acknowledgment-this moment between them was real, away from the cameras and the expectations.

---

The Rescue

An hour later, the distant sound of voices echoed through the forest.

"Over here!" Aryan shouted, adjusting his grip on Selena.

Within moments, members of the **production crew appeared, flashlights in hand**, their faces filled with relief.

"Thank God we found you!" one of the crew members exclaimed. "We were starting to worry."

Aryan gently set Selena down, careful not to jostle her injured ankle.

"What happened?" Ravi Mehta asked, rushing over.

"Sprained her ankle," Aryan explained. "We got a little lost."

Selena rolled her eyes. "More like a lot lost."

Ravi gave them both a stern look, but there was a hint of amusement in his eyes. "Well, as long as you're both okay. Let's get back to the cabin."

As the crew helped Selena into a vehicle, Aryan lingered for a moment, watching as she smiled-**a real smile**-at one of the assistants who handed her a blanket.

For the first time, Aryan realized that maybe, just maybe, there was more to Selena Reed than met the eye.

And as for Selena? She saw a side of Aryan she never thought existed-a side that made her feel something she couldn't quite name.

Something dangerous.

Something new.

---