Not in the Script

2

More laughs. She caught Colin smirking in the back, nodding in approval.

"But since I'm up here, let's talk about what really matters - Colin Jost. I mean, come on, I do one sketch with the guy, and suddenly I'm stuck in some weird hazing ceremony? Do I have to sacrifice a bad Weekend Update joke to officially join the club?"

Even Colin laughed at that one.

"Honestly, though, I get why people like him. He's charming. He's funny. He's got that whole 'boy-next-door-who-probably-cheated-off-you-in-high-school' vibe."

A bigger laugh. Brylee grinned. 

"But let's be real, we all know he peaked when Michael Che started making fun of him on national TV every week. That's his real legacy."

Colin leaned back in the chair, laughing. She saw him shake his head, like alright, you got me.

"Anyway, I should probably stop talking before he cut my mic. Thanks for letting me hijack your open mic night - this was fun! And if I never get invited back to SNL, well... you'll know why."

"Not bad, Evans."

Brylee smirked. "Not bad I just made fun of you in front of a room full of strangers and got away with it. That was great."

Colin raised his glass. "Fine. That was great. But now, it's my turn."

Brylee's eyes widened. "Wait, you're actually going up there?"

Colin grinned. "Oh yeah. You think I'd let you have all the fun?"

She leaned back in her chair, arms crossed. "Alright, Jost. Show me what you've got."

"So, uh... I wasn't planning on doing this tonight. But then Brylee Evans showed up and publicly humiliated me, so here we are."

Laughter. He nodded, playing into it.

"I mean, I get it. People see me and think, wow, this guy must be so easy to make fun of. And you know what? They're right. My own co-host does it every week on live television. But Brylee? She's on a whole other level. She didn't just roast me in a sketch - she made me a national disgrace."

More laughter. Brylee clapped dramatically, grinning.

"You know, when she first walked into SNL, I thought, cool, another talented person to make me feel bad about my life choices. And then she goes on stage and just murders me in front of a live audience. Like, she made me look so dumb, even Michael Che sent me a sympathy text. And that man has never once felt sympathy for me."

Thr crowd laughed, some clapping in agreement.

"It's funny, because hosting SNL is usually this big, exciting career moment. People come in nervous, hoping to make a good impression. But Brylee? She walked in like she owned the place. I swear, by the time the after-party started, Lorne Michaels was asking her for career advice."

Colin glanced at her, grinning.

"But you know what? It's fine. It's fine. Because I got her back. See, I set her up for this open mic night just to see if she could handle it. And guess what? She crushed it. So now I don't even have that over her. Honestly, it's exhausting. Imagine meeting someone who's talented and funny and cool and then realizing you can't even compete. That's what I'm dealing with here."

A mix of "awws" and laughter rippled through the crowd. Brylee raised an eyebrow at him, her smirk softening just slightly.

"Anyway, I'll wrap this up before she finds another way to destroy me. Thanks for indulging my comedy therapy session. And Brylee? If you ever want to team up instead of roast me, let me know. I could use the help."

"Nice save, Jost."

Colin smirked, sitting down. "What can I say? I'm a survivor."

She clinked her glass against his.

"For now."

-----

The paparazzi saw them together and ran with it, giving them new ideas for skits. Their engagement and wedding.

-----

The line of what was real between them and what was a joke blurred. It all came to head one Friday night, just days before another live show. Colin was in his dressing room going over notes for the skit when there was a knock on the door.

"Come in" he called without looking up.

"Hey, we need to talk."

Colin put the papers down. There was an unfamiliar weight in his voice, something heavier than usual. "Alright, what's on your mind?"

"This whole thing - the engagement, the jokes - it's not just a joke anymore, is it?"

Colin's heart skipped a beat. This was it - the conversation he hadn't been ready for, the one that could change everything. He leaned back in his chair, trying to remain composed. "I don't know. But I'm starting to think that maybe we're both in way deeper than either of us expected."

Brylee exhaled slowly, her fingers tapping nervously on the armrest of the chair. "I think we're both scared to admit it, but yeah, that's exactly it."

Colin ran a hand through his hair, his mind racing. "So, what do we do now? pretend this was all part of the plan?"

Brylee bit her lip, her eyes shifting away for a moment before she met his gaze again. "Maybe it's not about pretending anymore. Maybe we have to admit that there's something between us that goes beyond the sketch.

"Do you really think we're ready for that?" Colin asked quietly, the vulnerability in his voice suprising himself. 

Brylee didn't hesitate. "I don't know if we're ready, but maybe that's okay. Maybe the best relationships are the ones where you don't have everything figured out from the start."

"You're right. Maybe it's not about having it all figured out. Maybe it's about seeing where this goes."

"So, no more pretending?"

Colin smiled softly; his voice low. "No more pretending."

------

As the days went by, they kept it quiet. They decided not to make any big announcements or over-commit to the idea of a real relationship. Instead, they let things evolve organically.

Their moments together became more meaningful. They met for coffee after rehearsals, shared dinner at their favorite spots, and talked about everything but work. They were still learning about each other, how they laughed at the same obscure references, how their personalities meshed in a way neither of them anticipated. But they all learned the difficult lessons.

Colin still had a tendency to joke about everything, but Brylee wasn't afraid to call him out when it felt like he was masking something more vulnerable. And when she pulled away into her own shell, Colin learned how to give her space without making her feel abandoned. 

But the more time they spent together, the more it became clear that something real was happening between them - something neither of them could deny. It wasn't perfect, it wasn't always easy, but it was theirs. And that was enough.

-----

One night, as they walked together under the lights of the city, the weight of their unspoken connection was almost too much to bear. It had been a month since that conversation and things had only deepened. Their late-night talks became routine, but neither of them had voiced what they both felt.

Finally, as they approached Brylee's apartment, Colin stopped in his tracks. "Brylee..."

She turned to face him. "What is it?"

He hesitated, the words tumbling out before he could stop them. "I don't want to play this game anymore. I want to be real with you. I'm not asking for anything right now, but I don't want to pretend that this is just some joke. Not with you."

Her breath caught in her throat, eyes searching his face as though looking for the truth in his words. Finally, she took a step closer, her voice soft. "I don't want to pretend either."

"Then what happens now?" Colin asked quietly.

She smiled a small, genuine smile. "We keep moving forward. Together."