Unscripted

chapter 7

The sunlight streaming through the tall windows of the rehearsal hall did little to calm my racing heart. Malachi was leaning against the far wall, arms crossed, smirk in place, and I could feel the weight of his gaze on me the moment I stepped in. I tried to act normal, walking past him, pretending not to notice him brushing lightly against my shoulder.

"Morning," he said softly, voice teasing, eyes glinting.

"Morning," I murmured, trying not to blush.

"Sleep well?"

"Yes... fine."

"Uh-huh," he said, clearly unconvinced, eyes tracking me as I moved to grab my script.

Rehearsal started, and the subtle games began immediately. Malachi found excuses to be close—hand brushing mine under the guise of moving a prop, shoulders bumping accidentally-on-purpose. Each time, my pulse spiked.

"You're... quiet today," he murmured during a scene break, leaning so close that I could feel the warmth of his presence.

"I... just focused," I replied, heat rising to my cheeks.

"Focused, huh?" he said slowly, smirk tugging at his lips. "Sure you're not distracted by me?"

Distracted? By him? My chest tightened. "Maybe... a little."

His grin widened. "Good to know."

I'm doomed, I thought.

Arianna and Sway continued their subtle manipulation, texting Malachi behind my back:

Sway (text to Malachi): She's reacting more than usual. Keep pushing.
Arianna (text to Malachi): Small touches, lingering looks... you can get her to admit it if you play your cards right.

I had no idea, but Malachi clearly noticed my reactions, smirking knowingly whenever I flushed.

As rehearsal progressed, he made a bigger move during a scene. He stepped just a bit closer, his hand resting lightly near mine as he leaned down to whisper a line. The warmth of him so close, his breath brushing my ear, made my heart race.

"You're avoiding looking at me," he murmured.

"I'm... not," I said, voice trembling.

"Yes, you are," he teased, tilting his head. "I can tell when you're trying not to. It's... cute."

Cute? Him noticing that I like him? My brain short-circuited.

During a break, we ended up alone, setting up chairs. Malachi leaned casually against the wall, eyes locked on mine.

"You're really thinking about something," he said softly.

"What? No... just the lines," I stammered.

"Uh-huh," he said, smirking. "Lines. Right."

I looked down, unable to meet his gaze. He stepped closer, hand brushing mine again—not accidental this time. My heart felt like it was about to leap out of my chest.

"Freya..." he murmured, lowering his voice. "You're hiding something, aren't you?"

I felt my face heat up. I wanted to confess, to tell him everything—the flutter in my chest every time he smiled, the way my thoughts kept drifting to him—but my courage failed me.

"I... I don't know what you mean," I whispered, looking anywhere but at him.

"Uh-huh," he said softly, smirk still there, eyes glinting. "You don't have to say it out loud. I think I can tell."

Later, during lunch with Arianna and Sway, I admitted how flustered I felt.

"I don't understand him," I confessed. "He's... he's teasing me, but I feel like he's trying to get something out of me."

"Exactly," Arianna said, smirking. "He's testing you. And you're reacting perfectly."

Sway leaned forward. "If he flirts a little more, you might just give him the answer without even realizing it."

I groaned, burying my face in my hands. "This is impossible."

Back on the rehearsal floor, Malachi made another bolder move. He stood beside me, our knees brushing, and his hand lingered near mine as he whispered a line.

"You know... if I kept doing this," he murmured softly, "I might get the truth out of you."

My chest seized. "What... truth?" I whispered, heart racing uncontrollably.

"The one you're pretending doesn't exist," he said, smirk teasingly. "The one I think about when you're around."

I froze, cheeks burning. My heart was hammering in my chest. He knows. He really knows.

During a brief pause, I sank into a chair, heart still pounding. Malachi stood nearby, eyes still watching me with that mischievous glint. He leaned just slightly closer as if to see if I'd confess, but I couldn't. My thoughts swirled.

I like him. I really like him. And he's... he's pushing me, teasing me, testing me. I don't know how to stop it. I can't stop thinking about him.

By the end of rehearsal, my chest felt heavy and light all at once. He'd made a few bigger moves, brushed against me more than "accidentally," whispered things that made my mind spin. Every glance, every touch, every teasing word had left me flustered, confused, and... falling even more for him.

Arianna and Sway had sent encouraging texts again, but I barely looked. My attention was entirely on Malachi.

And somehow... I don't think I want to stop this game. I don't want to stop him from noticing. I just... hope I survive the next move.