Off script

Are we on the same page?

Writer's Perspective / Me

The break room was quiet except for the low hum of the vending machine and the occasional rustle of popcorn. They weren't talking much anymore. It wasn't an awkward silence—not exactly. It was just... different.

Sadie glanced at Caleb, and for the first time in a long time, he wasn't looking back at her. He was staring at the TV, but his eyes weren't really focused on the screen.

Sadie

I crunched on a piece of popcorn and tried to focus on literally anything else.

"You good?" I asked casually, nudging his knee with mine.

Caleb blinked like I'd just pulled him out of a daze. "Yeah," he said, too quickly. "Just tired."

He wasn't tired. I knew that look.

I should've let it go, but for some reason, I didn't.

"You sure?"

His jaw tightened for half a second, and that's when it hit me.

Oh.

Was he feeling weird too? Was I making him feel weird?

I took another bite of popcorn, trying to ignore the shift in our usual easy banter. The air between us felt heavier than before, like we both knew something had changed but neither of us wanted to say it.

Caleb

I tried to brush it off, like I always did. Acting had taught me how to hide my feelings, but today, Sadie's nudge cracked that façade.

I popped a Hot Cheeto into my mouth, forcing a smile. "Yeah, I'm fine. Sometimes a scene just... sticks with you."

Before I could explain further, the director's booming voice cut through the break room:

"Everyone, we need you back on set!"

Just like that, the moment was gone.

On Set

Sadie and I were thrown into a new scene with the whole cast. It was nothing complicated—just another take. But then, she forgot her line.

Sadie never forgets her lines.

I watched as she quickly apologized, brushed it off, and reset. The scene went on. The director called cut. The crew applauded.

But something was off.

When the commotion died down, we somehow ended up alone in a quiet corner of the set. The weird part? Neither of us had tried to get away from each other.

The energy of the day had faded into something heavier. Charged. Unspoken.

Sadie

"Caleb," I whispered, hesitant, "what were you trying to tell me earlier?"

He searched my face like he was looking for reassurance before finally admitting, slow and careful:

A fragile pause settled between us, filled only with things we weren't ready to say out loud. Something had shifted—beyond the lines, beyond the script—into a space neither of us had expected.

After the Scene

The buzz of the day was fading as we lingered in the quiet. Sadie and Caleb headed back to the break room, still no one else was there  just them.

"Caleb," Sadie began, her voice barely above a whisper. "Just be honest. I want you to be honest."

He hesitated, his eyes flicking between mine, searching for something. Finally, he exhaled.

"I don't know," he admitted. "But for a second, it felt like I wasn't just playing Lucas. Like... for a moment, it was me, and Lucas just disappeared."

The words spilled out before he could stop them. His thoughts, his feelings—too fast, too raw. He shut his mouth and looked at me, waiting.

I just stared. Blank. No reaction. Nothing.

Then, slowly, I felt my lips part.

"It was weird" I giggled. "I felt weird" I admitted. "But don't you think it's normal? I mean, Caleb, we're actors. We're going to have uncomfortable moments sometimes. I think this was just... one of those moments."

Caleb

Perfect. Did I just make things terribly shit?

AUTHORS NOTE - Hello I hope you liked!! Sorry this story is taking a long time to write so sorry if you feeling too much is lingering let me know :)