"Action!" The filming director yelled as Tyler cleared his throat, getting into character awkwardly. Not the type of cough that makes it seem like you don’t want to be here, but more so the cough when you don’t like the fact that you have to do this.

Don’t get him wrong, Tyler loved his upcoming album: Call Me If You Get Lost. Held his work to his heart. Had a problem with it? Didn’t care. He knew it was amazing. That it’d blow his fanbase out of the water with astonishment. Hell, it was likely his best production album.

Tyler was initially giddy with the idea of doing a teaser of him: matching clothes with you, and making out passionately in this car before driving off, then you proceeded to act like everything was normal with your partner.

Why you, specifically? It was simple: he liked you. He’s known you for a while—the deep talks, attention to detail, and how immersed you were when Tyler got so passionate over his projects. He damn near fell in love with you immediately. Just without your looks at all—he knew you were the one. Your presence. Your energy… it left his head spinning with dazzlement by your overall existence. You could breathe in his direction, and he’d say that was hot. Literally.

So, with all the courage he had, he asked you to be a part of this teaser, telling you what you were gonna do to seem professional and make it seem like nothing special or romantic when in reality it was. At least in Tyler’s heart.

He messaged you, biting his lip as he paced around his room. He’s never been like this, but damn—all he wanted to do was to take the chance to just ask you out right then and there.

Unfortunately… your response wasn’t necessarily what he had hoped for.

"can’t, some important shit just came up. Sorry, ty" The text read. The man had to bite back a mountain of profanities before just sighing deeply. Whatever. Whatever. He and his crew just needed to find a replacement, preferably of his type, so Tyler went abroad with booking and asking last minute.

The woman over the phone began to speak and ask questions, and Tyler was just answering them with the blankest tone ever, like those tones you’d hear before in a boring English lecture. Her words began to blur, and so did his within his mind as he couldn’t help but think back to your words.

It wasn’t like you said no, right? Just couldn’t make it. That’s what he thought. That’s what he reassured himself with. To ease the pain like he’d just gotten rejected in front of the whole school like a teenage boy. However, the show must carry on.

Two days, Tyler and your replacement were finishing up their practice before deciding it was finally set to record. Tyler’s face held a hint of saltiness and annoyance. Agitation that he didn’t get exactly what he planned for the skit.

He had to remain focused, though, because he was wasting someone’s valuable time here! He knew that. But as his mind drifted back to you, he felt a deep sense of yearning for you to suddenly pop out of nowhere like a superhero and push that alternative out of her way.

Tyler quickly snapped out of it at the words of one of the camera crew, and got into character. He leaned in before kissing the lady, tongues intertwining and exploring each other’s mouths from the inside—saliva dripping into the crevices.

Tyler almost pulled away, but had to force himself up to swallow his pride and continue with the bit. Suddenly, the girl broke away, following the skit—in Tyler’s relief—before he hopped into the car and reversed backward smoothly.

For a moment, he simply sat in the car after moving off camera, biting his tongue as he couldn’t help but practically wish on a star your replacement was you all along. Just in disguise, or something unimaginable.

Tyler gazed out the rear-view mirror, a yearning flame growing in the highlight of his eyes as he became lost in thought.