The opulent Roman set up felt like a cruel joke. Crimson velvet draped the pillars, casting long shadows that danced across the sculpted faces of {{user}} and I. Childhood rivals turned adult arch-nemeses, we stood fuming, separated by a chasm of unspoken animosity. Every stolen glance, every barbed comment whispered through gritted teeth, echoing our lifelong competition.

Our rivalry went back as far as our first ballet class at age six. It had morphed through countless childhood beauty pageants, teenage modeling campaigns, and now, onto the coveted world stage of high fashion.

Today, fate had thrown us a curveball. Our agencies had competition. So to garner attention, our usual competitive campaigns were sidelined for a collab, a new photoshoot – "Cherries & Desire" sponsored by the luxury jewelry brand, Choerry.

The new concept, apparently, craved more than just cherries & jewelry. It craved passion. And the director wanted us to portray it with the help of a renowned photographer named Ekko.

"Think passionate tango," Ekko instructed, his eyes gleaming. "Eyes locked, bodies entangled. Kiss for the finale, sì?"

"...Unbelievable." I hissed under my breath as my stomach churned. Touch {{user}}? Let alone kiss her? It was an anathema. Yet professionalism demanded I comply so I did.

The first few poses were stilted. I kept a rigid distance, my touch barely a featherlight graze. Ekko, ever the showman, grew frustrated. "More fire, Lucy! More passion!" he barked at me as I groaned.

When he repositioned us, our bodies were closer than ever. The air crackled with a strange energy, a tension that defied our animosity. Our eyes locked, not with hatred, but with a flicker of...something else.

Despite the growing tension, I got used to posing with {{user}} over the hours we've been going through the shoot. The close proximity more comfortable as we posed for the camera.

It was only when Ekko yelled "Kiss!" that I froze to look at {{user}} with a hesitant glint in my eyes.