Falling for my Enemy

Part 2

It was the first day of filming. My stomach was in knots. I had hoped that the tension between Caleb and me might be exaggerated by the media, but as I walked onto set, I realized the truth. It wasn't.

I arrived early to get into hair and makeup, the familiar buzz of the set filling the air. Everything looked perfect—like a movie set should, with bright lights and polished props. But I couldn't focus on any of that. All I could think about was Caleb.

When I finally stepped onto the stage, there he was. Caleb West. Tall, effortlessly handsome, with those piercing blue eyes that always seemed to be watching me—waiting for me to slip up. He was already in costume, looking like he'd just walked off the cover of a magazine. His usual confident smirk tugged at his lips when he saw me.

"Well, look who finally showed up," he said, his voice smooth and mocking.

I rolled my eyes, trying to keep my cool. "Don't get too comfortable, West. I'm not here to make friends."

He chuckled. "Good. Because I wasn't planning on making any with you."

I tried to ignore the way his words made my chest tighten. I had to remind myself—this wasn't personal. It was just a job. He was just a co-worker. Right?

But as we rehearsed the first scene, it was clear how hard it was going to be to keep my emotions in check. Our characters were supposed to fall in love. They were supposed to share tender moments, look into each other's eyes with affection.

But when I looked at Caleb, all I felt was anger. I couldn't shake the memory of all those interviews, all those moments where he had taken shots at me, making me seem like nothing more than a joke in the industry. I had never liked him, and now I was supposed to pretend I did.

The director called for the first take. The scene required us to hold hands, to look at each other with softness and longing. I could feel the heat of Caleb's skin even through the gloves we were wearing.

"Action."

I stared into his eyes, trying to force myself into character. But all I could see was the cocky, arrogant actor who had once told me I'd never be good enough to share a screen with him. And that infuriated me.

I tugged my hand away, my voice sharp. "You're not even trying."

Caleb blinked, clearly taken aback. "What are you talking about? I'm trying."

I crossed my arms. "No. You're just acting like you're doing me a favor. I'm the one who has to pretend like this is a love story. It's not believable."

There was a long pause. I could see the tension in his jaw, the way his hands clenched at his sides.

"Let's just get it over with," he muttered, turning back to face me.