Chapter 4: The First Scene
641 Words
Lena barely had time to cool down from the disaster of the table read before she was thrown straight into their first official scene.
The moment she stepped onto the set of Ever After, she felt the weight of it all—the cameras, the crew, the pressure of proving herself in front of Hollywood's biggest names.
And, of course, the unbearable presence of Noah Sinclair.
He was already on set when she arrived, lounging in his chair like he didn't have a care in the world. Dressed in character as Elliot—dark jacket, tousled hair, brooding expression—he somehow looked even more insufferable than usual.
"Look who decided to show up," he drawled as she approached.
Lena sighed, adjusting her coat. "Unfortunately."
A slow smirk curved his lips. "You should really work on hiding your enthusiasm."
"Trust me, I'm trying."
Before Noah could respond, Katherine Monroe clapped her hands. "Alright, places, everyone! Let's get this right the first time."
Lena's stomach twisted. Their first scene together wasn't just any scene—it was the scene.
The first kiss.
She swallowed hard, gripping the script in her hand even though she knew the lines by heart.
The scene was set in the middle of a storm, rain pouring as Elliot and Sophia faced off in the street. The fight was raw, emotional, filled with tension that had been building for years. And then, in the heat of the moment, Elliot was supposed to grab Sophia and kiss her—hard, desperate, like she was the only thing holding him together.
Lena had kissed actors before. It was part of the job. But something about this—about kissing him—made her skin prickle.
"Alright," the cinematographer called. "Rolling in three, two—"
"Action!"
Lena barely had time to breathe before Noah was in front of her, his presence completely overwhelming. His eyes locked onto hers, dark with intensity.
ELLIOT: "I don't care what you think, Sophia. I love you, and I'm done pretending I don't."
Lena's heart pounded. She forced herself to stay in character, meeting his gaze with fire.
SOPHIA: "Love isn't enough, Elliot! It never has been!"
The tension between them was thick, suffocating.
Noah's jaw clenched. He took a step closer.
And then—
Nothing.
He hesitated.
Lena frowned. What was he doing?
A beat of silence passed, then another. Katherine sighed loudly. "Cut! Noah, what the hell was that?"
Noah scratched the back of his neck, looking almost embarrassed. "I just—wasn't feeling it."
Lena's irritation flared. "Wasn't feeling it?"
He turned to her, shrugging. "What? I'm not going to force it if the chemistry isn't there."
Lena's mouth fell open. Did he just—
Katherine groaned. "We're doing it again. And this time, Sinclair, sell it."
Lena took a deep breath as the cameras reset. If Noah wanted to play games, fine. But she wasn't going to let him make her look bad.
She stepped back into position, eyes locked on his.
"Rolling in three, two—"
Noah barely gave her time to react before he grabbed her, hands firm on her waist.
And then he kissed her.
It wasn't soft. It wasn't careful.
It was fire.
Lena's mind short-circuited as the world around her faded. Her pulse hammered as Noah pressed into her like he meant it, like there was something between them neither of them could explain.
And for a split second, Lena forgot it was just acting.
When they finally pulled apart, breathless, the entire crew was silent.
Katherine exhaled. "Now that is what I'm talking about."
Lena blinked, her heart still racing.
Noah just smirked, his lips still slightly parted. "Told you we had chemistry."
Lena turned on her heel and walked away before she did something reckless.
Like kiss him again.
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