🇬🇧 Once Upon a Time #Herophine 🇬🇧 (English version)

Chapter 10 - Mercy?

"Friends?" She chuckles. "Jo, when you panic you start to rant!"

"I'm not panicking!" I reply.
She's right. I know it very well.
I'm definitely in a panic.
I don't understand anything anymore.
The more I spend time thinking that we need to remain strictly professional, lest we risk ruining our big break, the more I think it's really worth it, after all.
There's something about him that I've never found in anyone else and it disorientates me.

"Oh, really? You didn't spend 20 minutes in front of the wardrobe because you don't know what to wear tonight?" She catches me again, caught in the act.
Okay, she's right. She's sooooo right.

I snort and sit up in bed. "There's nothing wrong with wanting to make a good impression!"
Especially with the guy you like, I might add.

"With a friend!" She points out the obvious.

"With a friend!" I echo her. I know she's not believing a single word and neither am I, to be honest, but I can't afford any illusions. I have to keep telling myself this. Sooner or later I will believe it. I hope.

"Jo, when the two of us go out together, if it were up to you, you would walk around in your pajamas!! What exactly are we talking about?!?"

"I'd like to point out that he and I are not dating, we're just going to dinner!"
I hear Mia clearly giggling on the other end of the phone.

"Well then, let's pretend nothing happened, but bear in mind that you can't repress what you feel! There's nothing wrong if you like him!"

"Don't talk nonsense! We've only known each other for a short time and what's more he's a colleague! In fact he's my co-star! There certainly would be something wrong with all of this!!!" I continue undaunted.

"How does he behave? Do you think he likes you?" Mia doesn't seem to give any weight to my words, she's so convinced that I like Hero!
I huff, unable to make my best friend understand me.
I think for a moment about what she asked me, but I can't give a rational answer as always.
I have no idea.
I didn't even wonder, honestly.
I was so busy repressing my feelings these days that I didn't pay attention to this detail.
Shit! What did I miss?

"I have no idea!!!" I snort, closing my eyes with one hand. "And I shouldn't even care. We're colleagues, okay? Stop!" I sigh again. Reminding her and myself, for the hundredth time, that nothing romantic can happen between colleagues.

The risk of falling in love with the character you play, rather than the person in front of you, is too high.
And I could never really like Hardin.

"Anyway, it doesn't matter now! You guys need to get to know each other better and the movie excuse is perfect to spend a lot of time together! I doubt he hasn't noticed what a great girl you are! And if he hasn't, he's a fool and let it go ! It's not worth it! Understand?"

Mia's motivational speeches are always the best.
Useless now, sure, but fantastic.
I nod, as if she could see me from the phone.
"Mmh...mmh..."

"I know you'll do as you please, but follow your heart. You'll see that you won't be wrong!"

"Thank you, my spirit guide!" I tease her "I will treasure your teachings!"
I burst out laughing.

"And what does it mean that you are colleagues? Lots of people fall in love at work, there's nothing wrong with that."

"Mia..." I sigh, turning back to the closet. "Even if he was really interested in me, we would have to shoot a lot of scenes as lovers and if it went wrong in real life, it would be a big problem!"

"You're too brainy, my friend! Many actors play the part of lovers even if they are no longer together!" She makes me notice.
I know it very well.
Vampire Diaries and Twilight are examples of this. But that doesn't mean it must have been easy for them.
It would be heartbreaking if it were to happen to me!