𝐕𝐄𝐍𝐎𝐌 | ⁿⁱᶜʰᵒˡᵃˢ ᶜʰᵃᵛᵉᶻ

8 | final kiss

Weeks have passed and the end of the shoot had come faster than I'd expected. All the long hours, the intense scenes, and now, just one final moment remained—a kiss scene.

I tried to calm my nerves as I took my place on set, glancing across to where Nicholas was standing. He was already in position, focused, his gaze locked onto me as I stepped into the scene. His stare was intense, more so than usual, and for a second, I had to remind myself this was just another role, just another scene. But somehow, it felt like more.

We launched into the lines, our characters throwing accusations and confessions at each other, the argument escalating until both of us were breathless. His voice was low, rough with emotion, and I could feel the heat of his anger filling the air between us.

Then came the shift. His words softened, the tension between us changing. Nicholas stepped forward, so close I could feel his breath against my cheek. His gaze held mine, dark and unreadable, the usual mask slipping just enough for me to see something vulnerable. For the first time, I felt like I was truly seeing him. I noticed the small details on his face.

Slowly, he reached out, his fingers grazing the side of my face, tracing the line of my cheek as if he were memorizing every detail. ''I can't explain what you do to me.'', he softly said.

I held perfectly still, my heart pounding as his thumb brushed over my upper lip, his touch warm and gentle in a way that seemed entirely too real. He leaned closer, his face mere inches from mine, his eyes never leaving my own.

The world around us faded. All I could see was Nicholas, his hand now resting softly along my jaw. His gaze flickered to my lips, lingering, and I felt my pulse quicken in response.

Then, he leaned forward, his lips brushing against mine, soft and tentative. The kiss was gentle at first but then he pressed in a little deeper, his hand sliding to the back of my neck, pulling me closer. I felt myself melt into the kiss, forgetting where we were, forgetting that it was supposed to be just a scene. His fingers tangled slightly in my hair, his touch warm and firm, grounding me in that moment.

It felt like an eternity and no time at all before the director's voice rang out, cutting through the haze. "Cut!"

I pulled back, my mind spinning, my heart racing. Nicholas held my gaze for a beat longer, his hand slowly dropping from my face, his expression unreadable once more.

Suddenly he got closer, his lips moving towards my ear. ''I know you enjoyed it, Rivera'', he whispered into my ear.

I swallowed, trying to pull myself back to reality. ''Get over yourself, Chavez'', I quickly responded.

Applause erupted from the crew, and I forced a smile, trying to shake off the intensity of the moment. But as I turned to walk off set, I couldn't ignore the way my skin still tingled where his fingers had touched. Just acting, I told myself.

But I couldn't shake the feeling that, somehow, it had been more. But it's over now. No more Nicholas and Perla.

__________

i know i know it's a bit early for their first kiss but it wasn't a real one. it was just because of the job. BUT they both seemed to like it!!