I stared at the reservation card on the table like it might bite me. Lunch with Gina and Sanaa. Great idea. Brilliant. Because nothing screams "team bonding" like sitting across from the woman who told me yesterday point blank not to mess this up.
The restaurant was one of those chic spots tucked in the hills, all glass walls and greenery like somebody's Pinterest board exploded. I got there first, early on purpose. If I had to do this, I at least wanted a minute to breathe.
"YN."
I looked up and saw Gina Prince-Bythewood gliding toward me like the calm before a storm. She wore that easy smile she always had on set, the kind that made people relax without even realizing it.
"Hey, Gina." I stood to hug her, trying to shake the nerves off.
"Thanks for coming," she said as we sat down. "I thought this would be good for you two. Help build the connection. You know... since your characters fall in love."
I laughed, a little sharper than I meant to. "Yeah, about that... I think one half of that duo hates me."
Gina blinked, then burst out laughing. "Hates you? Sanaa? No. Come on."
"I'm serious," I said, leaning in. "She gave me the 'don't mess this up' speech yesterday like I'm some kid they plucked off TikTok."
Gina's eyes twinkled like she knew something I didn't. "She doesn't hate you. If anything, she's testing you."
"Testing me? For what, the Olympics?"
"For the role," Gina said simply, taking a sip of water. "She cares about the work. Always has. If she's hard on you, it's because she wants to know you can carry it. That matters to her. It matters to me too."
I exhaled slowly, letting her words sink in. Testing me. Fine. I could pass a test. Hell, I could ace it.
Gina smiled like she could read my thoughts. "Look, chemistry doesn't just happen on camera. Sometimes, you have to build it. That's what today is for. No scripts, no pressure... just conversation."
"Conversation," I repeated, glancing at the empty chair across from me. My stomach did a flip. "Right."
As if on cue, the door opened, and in she walked.
Sanaa Lathan. Effortless as always. Black silk blouse, high-waisted slacks, sunglasses she didn't even need because the sun clearly shined for her anyway. Heads turned when she passed, because of course they did.
And then her eyes landed on me. Just for a second. Just long enough for a flicker of something... recognition, annoyance, maybe both.
"Sorry I'm late," she said, sliding into the chair like she owned the whole damn table. Her perfume curled into the space between us, warm and dizzying.
"No problem," Gina said brightly. "I was just telling YN that I want the two of you to really connect. Spend a little time off set. Build some trust, some ease. It'll make everything else feel natural."
Sanaa smiled, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. "Of course. Anything for the work."
I fought to keep my expression neutral, even though my brain was screaming, Translation: this is torture for me too.
Gina leaned back, pleased with herself. "So. Why don't we start simple? How about you two tell each other what drew you to this film?"
Great. A question about feelings. My favorite.
I swallowed, plastered on a smile, and spoke first because silence would kill me faster. "Honestly? The script. The story feels real. Messy in a beautiful way. And I like the challenge. It's the kind of role you can't fake."
"Good answer," Gina said with a grin. "Sanaa?"
Sanaa's gaze stayed on me as she answered, voice smooth as a pour of bourbon. "Same thing. The challenge." She paused, her smile sharpening. "And making sure it's done right."
My jaw clenched under the weight of what she didn't say: And making sure you don't ruin it.
Gina, oblivious or pretending to be, beamed. "Perfect. This is good. Keep going. Order whatever you want—I'll let you two talk." She stood, excusing herself to take a call, and just like that, it was me and her.
Silence settled like a heavy coat. Sanaa slid her sunglasses off and set them on the table. Her eyes met mine, calm but cutting.
"Looks like it's just us." she said softly.
My pulse thudded. And for the first time today, I wondered if this lunch was about chemistry... or a war.
The silence between us stretched long enough to feel like a challenge. She didn't look away. Neither did I.
"Guess we're supposed to... bond or something," I said lightly, trying to break the tension without sounding pressed.
Sanaa's lips curved, but it wasn't a smile... it was something sharper. "Guess so." She leaned back in her chair, eyes sweeping over me like she was flipping through pages in a book she wasn't sure she wanted to finish.
I picked up the menu, scanning it for something to do with my hands. "Any recommendations?"
"You tell me." she said. "You're the one who knows everything."
I shake my head and say nothing. I'll let her have that.
The silence didn't feel heavy this time. Not exactly. It felt... charged, like static before a storm. Sanaa cut into her salad with perfect precision, like this was any normal lunch. Me? I pushed my fork around, trying not to stare at the way the sunlight hit her skin.
"You're quiet." she said suddenly, eyes lifting to mine.
I shrugged, feigning calm. "Just trying to figure out if we're still doing the whole 'hate each other' thing or if we're calling a truce."
Her lips curved... not quite a smile, but close enough to make my stomach flip. "Who said I hated you?"
"Your face. Your tone. Pretty much everything you said yesterday."
She let out a low laugh... soft, surprising, and way too smooth for my peace of mind. "Fair." She set her fork down, leaning back slightly. "Look, I don't... hate you. I just take this work seriously. Maybe too seriously sometimes."
I tilted my head, studying her. The sharpness was still there, but now there was something softer under it... something real.
"So, all that yesterday was what? You looking out for the film?"
"Something like that." she said. Then her eyes held mine, steady and warm in a way that made it hard to breathe. "And maybe I underestimated you."
I raised a brow, fighting the urge to grin. "Maybe?"
She smirked. "Don't push it."
I leaned in slightly, unable to resist. "So, you did see my movie."
For the first time today, her expression cracked into a real smile—brief, but enough to make my pulse jump. "Yeah," she said, almost reluctantly. "I saw it."
"And?" I asked, trying to sound casual, even though my heart was pounding.
Her eyes dropped to her glass, then back up to me. "And... you were good. Better than I expected."
That did it. The smirk slid across my face before I could stop it. "Better than you expected, huh? Sounds like you had low expectations."
She laughed softly, shaking her head like she couldn't believe me. "Don't get too cocky," she said, pointing her fork at me like a warning. "Confidence is good. Overconfidence? Not so much."
I grinned, leaning back in my chair, feeling the shift in the air like a tide turning. "Don't worry. I know the difference."
"Do you?" Her tone was teasing now, almost playful but her eyes? Still sharp, still locked on mine.
Before I could answer, Gina returned, smiling like everything was sunshine and rainbows. "See? I leave for five minutes and you two are practically best friends."
I bit back a laugh, glancing at Sanaa. She didn't laugh. But she didn't deny it either.
And that silence said more than anything else.
