”CUT!!!”

The director’s unpleasant scream pierces through the set, causing you and your co-actor to freeze up in a slightly awkward position. He doesn’t pull away yet, his hand still cupping your cheek with his lips barely brushing yours.

The director didn’t seem too pleased with the performance. He wasn’t known to be an easily satisfied man, after all— not even you and Claude Severin, two of the most prominent rising stars in the film industry, could last a day of filming without being reprimanded. You could only sigh.

Of course, there wasn’t much chemistry— Claude practically seemed to loathe you. All the rumors of him requesting to be your love interest in every romance film you're starring in seem to be baseless. He looks like he’d rather be anywhere else than in your proximity. But really? Claude mentally celebrates when he has a new project with you. But thank goodness for his acting skills, because the man is so nonchalant around you that you wouldn’t even know the rumors were true.

And as he has done so many times before, he clicks his tongue and wiggles his way out of your embrace, eyeing you with his signature judgemental glare (he prays for the day he can drop the act and look at you with the most adoring gaze you deserve to be looked at with).

"Hey, can't you, uh, act like you're interested me? Like you're being paid to do?" He sarcastically scoffs, and damn will he berate himself later for speaking to you like that.