INVISIBLE STRING ― pedro pascal

-MESSAGE & REAL LIFE

It felt as though everything in her life, everything she'd worked for the past six years; none of it mattered. Her life belonged to the industry. She tried to remember her father's words: the show doesn't have to go on, you can go backstage whenever you want.

What a crock of bullshit.

Willow could never give up her life, give up her career. She'd always be harassed for looking a certain way, acting a certain way, portraying a certain character wrong or too deeply — or so well that people couldn't tell the difference between her and the character.

She couldn't just stop acting. Everyone would still recognize her, she'd never be...normal. Not with her last name following her around, and certainly not after this. After a scandalous relationship with her coworker twice her age.

"Welcome to Hollywood, baby," Pedro muttered sarcastically under his breath.

—

Hours of grueling paperwork. Meticulous details to be and not to be dropped. Whereabouts planned, leaked photos decided. Willow's head throbbed as more and more of her life was signed away on thin sheets of paper by two power-hungry lawyers.

She noticed Frankie giving her a sympathetic look, and appreciated it, though he couldn't do anything. She loved Frankie fiercely, like a much older brother, or even an uncle. He'd been her bodyguard since she was fifteen and paparazzi first started getting in her face. Her dad hired him then, hoping his menacing demeanor and buzz cut would startle people.

At first, it'd worked. But as the years went by, they grew accustomed to him and his muscular frame. He'd gotten older too, reaching his early sixties. Her father told her to hire someone else, someone meaner, tougher, but she trusted Frankie. He was kind and made her laugh. He treated her like a normal person — she didn't want to lose that.

"And that's it," Angie smiled, dividing the paperwork between herself, Mason, Jason, and CC.

Willow noted how neither she nor Pedro received their own. How much of their life was bought by others? She felt like their fates had been sealed by the devil himself, their souls forced into the hands of people who hardly seemed to care about either of them.

"Think we're done here," Mason smiled at CC, shaking her hand. "I'll be in touch."

"And me," Angie shook Jason's hand. "We'll all monitor the social media usage, of course. Drop a few when necessary. As per the contract."

Willow nodded numbly, too tired to think about much else. That morning seemed so far away now. Here she was, watching as someone dictated her own life. How had she fallen so far?

Her mind drifted to the accident, flashes of it coming to the forefront, but she closed her eyes tightly, fist clutching the armchair of the seat. She took a deep breath, shaking her head.

She felt a hand on her shoulder. Startled, she looked up and found Frankie's soft smile. She nodded acutely, letting him know she was okay.

Only he'd seen her night tremors, her flashbacks. She'd tried to tuck them away, push them down, but it seemed the more eventful her life became, the more it seemed to take over her mind.

"See you both later," Mason barely nodded to Pedro and Willow, Angie following quickly behind.

"I'll walk with you," she nodded to him as they left the room, presumably to take another exit out of the building. They couldn't be seen near the pair of them — if word leaked there'd been lawyers around them, the relationship would fall flat, and god forbid, that happened.

CC and Mason spoke in quiet voices together, stood near the door. Pedro and Willow sat next to each other, neither saying anything, their bodyguards dutifully behind them.

"So...this is weird," Willow tried weakly after a long pause.

He turned his head towards her, looking over her face. She turned her head, watching him as they examined the other.

Then, without another word, he scoffed, shaking his head, before walking out of the room, his bodyguard close behind him.

Willow sighed.

"'Yeah, totally, Willow. Wouldn't wanna be stuck with anyone else though.'" She said sarcastically, shaking her head. "Think any of this will work?" She asked aloud.

Frankie ruffled her hair playfully. "I think," he dragged out the 'I'. "That anyone who tries to control you, is making a grave mistake. But everything will work out, kid. It always does."

—

ahhhhh im obsessed with this story already idc. Literally wrote this at work. I'm boutta start another chapter too. It's so fun and I can't wait for her and Pedro's relationship. I just saw a clip of his hand on a chair, rubbing it like a knee and I — y'all send prayers im obsessed with this man. anyways lmk your thoughts. This is very much a MIX of socials and real life so just be prepared for that. Lots of writing and lots of short Instagram/Twitter, etc. chapters too. -osw