Alex didn't know exactly when things had changed. It wasn't a sudden revelation, nor a dramatic moment. Just a series of glances, a little too long. Silences, a little too charged. Laughter, a little too knowing. Three years at RADA, watching him blossom, correcting inflections, straightening his posture. Three years of slowly growing attached, without admitting it.

She had sworn to herself never to cross that line. Not with a student. Not with such a young girl, fresh out of school, full of life and plans. But now that she was no longer under his responsibility, that she was "officially" out in the world, she had allowed herself a shiver of selfishness. A drunken evening after a promising debut. A kiss exchanged backstage, trembling with hesitation and suppressed desire.

What should have remained a casual encounter had turned into a discreet ritual. A dinner here, a weekend there. Always in the shadows. She had lived in the spotlight long enough to know how to dodge it when necessary. She pretended it didn't affect her that much, that she knew how to handle it. But the truth was, she found herself waiting for each message with adolescent impatience. She, Alex Kingston, a seasoned woman, a respected actress, suddenly eager for a call, a glance.

Alex didn't tell anyone about it. Not even her closest friends. She kept it to herself, like a precious secret, a breath of youth stolen from time. She told herself it wouldn't last. That it couldn't last. But every time she found herself face to face with her, every time she felt that energy vibrating in the air, she forgot all the reasons, all the doubts.

Alex simply believed it. Just for a moment.