the co-star (jenna / female reader)

Chapter 9: M.W.

Your POV

Two weeks went by in a blur, and now it was the night before I leave for Montreal. I've received a copious amount of preparation and scheduling details, and I've been rehearsing the script like my life depended on it because, in a way, it did. The role was small enough to not feel too overwhelmed by, but big enough to get my name out there. To say I've been on cloud 9 was the understatement for the century.

"I still can't wrap my head around this, dude. Dibs on being your plus one at the premiere, by the way." Troy mentions as he helps me pack my suitcase.

"Of course, T." I shoot him a wink as I fold my favorite pajama shirt, the one Jenna wore months ago. I smile at the memory.

"Well fuck us, I guess." Gio states from my bed as he hits his weed pen.

"Seriously. I was the one who helped you with the audition tape!" Lily whines from her position at the foot of my bed.

"Okay, calm down. Hopefully after this, I'll have a lot more premieres to attend. You can all be my date." I say with a laugh. This was all still so surreal for me. Even talking about attending movie premieres seemed so far-fetched, but it wasn't.

"Yeah, yeah. So what are you doing when you get there?" Gio asks with another puff of his pen.

"The cast will be meeting for a bonding brunch since I haven't met any of them yet. Then I'll be going to a wardrobe fitting, then hair and makeup trials, then rehearsals." Saying this out loud was already exhausting me. I was going to need a lot of espresso with this sudden shift in my schedule.

"Damn, girl. You're legit in a movie. My best friend is a superstar." Troy says with a chuckle and his comment makes me smile. All three of them were ecstatic when I told them the news, and it helped my nerves immensely knowing I had such a solid supportive foundation.

"I know. I can't get over it." The grin on my face grows the more we talk about it. I'm about to say something else when I hear a knock at the front door. I shoot my friends a look of confusion.

"Are you guys expecting anybody?"

"This is your house, Y/n." Lily chuckles. I suppose that was a silly question. I abandon my packing and head to the front door, confused at to who could be showing up to my place this late.

When I open the door, I'm met with a beautiful, extravagant bouquet of flowers with a note attached. My heartbeat skyrockets at the thought of Jenna sending me sendoff flowers, as it was a very her thing to do. I pick them up off the floor, the vase heavy, and set them on my kitchen counter. Just as I pick up the note, Troy enters the kitchen.

"Do you have any foo- oh, are those from your little lover?" He teases as he wiggles his eyebrows. I slap him on the shoulder as he passes by me to raid my pantry, where he won't find anything but stale saltines and a can of soup that was probably expired by now.

"Shut u-" My words get caught in my throat when my eyes finally land on the note. This isn't Jenna's handwriting.

Congratulations on the big role. Can't wait to see that pretty face on the big screen. - M.W.

My throat goes dry and a cold sweat rolls through my body. MW. Matthew Wright. I quickly slam the note face down on the counter and use both hands in an attempt to steady myself. I hadn't heard from him in months, and he wants to make himself known now? When I'm in the zone, preparing for a big movie? How did he even know? What the fuck? I close my eyes to try and deter the panic attack I feel brewing in my tight chest.

"These are disgus- hey, are you okay?" Troy rushes to my side with a mouth full of crackers. I clear my throat and blink back the stinging tears threatening to spill over.

"Yeah. Just- it's a really sweet note, that's all."

"Are you sure? You don't look so good." He goes to rub a hand on my back and I quickly swat him away.

"I'm fine, Troy. I'm just- I'm overcome with emotions. Okay?" He stands there frozen, not quite buying what I'm telling him but knowing not to push it any further.

"How about we leave you to pack and prep for the night, alright? I'll rally the troops and we'll be out of your hair." He says in a gentle tone. He knows something is wrong, and I feel bad for snapping at him, but all I wanted to do was crawl into a hole and disappear. I nod slightly, silently agreeing to his suggestion. With a soft "Okay", he apprehensively pats me on the shoulder and heads back toward my bedroom. I grab his wrist gently before he gets too far.

"Will you, um- will you stay with me tonight?" I plead. I hadn't felt scared like this in a long time, but this felt too ominous and the last thing I wanted was to be by myself.

"Of course. You know how much I love your couch." His lighthearted joke makes me crack the smallest of smiles as he turns to get the others. As soon as he's out of sight, I tear the note up in as many tiny pieces as I can before dumping it in the trash. I keep the flowers on the counter for now, not wanting Troy to grow any more suspicious, but I tuck them away into an unlit corner on the counter. Looking at them made me feel sick. I quickly regain my composure as my three friends make their way through the kitchen and to the front door.

"Good luck out there, man. You're gonna do great." Gio says as he goes in for a hug, too high to notice the shift in the atmosphere. I hug him back tightly, grateful for his well wishes.

"Please tell us every detail. Like, every detail. Love you, girl." Lily embraces me next with an enthusiasm I try my best to match. We finish our goodbyes and Troy locks the door behind him. As he heads for the couch, I triple-check that the door is locked.

"One last movie night for the road?" I turn around to see Troy on the couch, making himself comfortable. Troy was my safe person, and knowing he was here made me release a small breath of relief. I nod and make my way to the couch, deciding I'll finish packing first thing in the morning. I plop next to him and we share a blanket, keeping a comfortable distance. I can feel his eyes trained on me, begging to tell him what was wrong, but I wasn't going to get into it right now. Not right before I embark on the biggest, most important journey of my life thus far. I turn on the TV and silently surf through the streaming services, feeling a weight lift when I see Troy turn his attention to the screen in my peripheral.

"Psst." He whispers after a few moments of silence and movie-searching. I reluctantly turn my attention to him, hoping he's not trying to pry. "We're gonna need to order some food. I'm starving, and those saltines felt like sandpaper." He continues. I release a genuine laugh, both in amusement and relief.

"Agreed. Order what you want." I hand him my phone and he begins sifting through the Doordash options. I watch him for a moment, a sense of gratitude and melancholy washing over me. What would I have done without him tonight? What was I going to do without him for the next few months?