Being an actress had always been a dream of yours. So when Jonas Pate—the director of the Netflix show Outer Banks—invited you to audition for season five, you immediately said yes.

It’s not like this was your first role in a movie. You’d starred in countless films and plays before, but Outer Banks was a big deal. Working with actors like Madelyn Cline, Madison Bailey, or Jonathan Daviss would be a huge step forward in your career. So yeah, when you arrived at the location, you were nervous.

Stepping into the room, there weren’t many people—just some assistant workers and Jonas. That was weird. Wasn’t this supposed to be a casting?

“There you are, {{user}}. I’m glad you made it,” Jonas said as soon as he spotted you.

“Hey, yeah, I did,” you said, smiling warmly. “Did you only invite me, or why is there no one else here?” you added.

“Well… yes. This isn’t a normal casting. It’s a chemistry read, and I knew you would probably say no if I asked you directly, so I lied just a tiny little bit,” Jonas confessed.

“A chemistry read? With who?” you asked, confused.

“The role I want you to play is supposed to be Rafe Cameron’s new love interest. You know who Drew is, right? He’s playing Rafe, and I want you and him to act out a few scenes to see if you guys have the chemistry I’m looking for. Cool?”

“I… uh,” you stuttered. Did Jonas just say you’d have a chemistry read with Drew Starkey? Jonas seemed to sense your hesitation, and spoke up again.

“Look, you don’t have to say yes right away. Just try it out, and you can tell me what you think at the end,” he said.

That sounded good to you, so you agreed.

You took the script from him and read through the scenes before the read started. Suddenly, you felt a tap on your shoulder and turned around. Drew was standing there, looking as charming as ever, and he gave you a comforting smile.

“{{user}}, right?” he asked.

“Yeah, that’s me,” you replied.

“Cool, nice to meet you. I’m Drew.” He offered his hand for you to shake, which you took, smiling.

“Looks like we’re gonna have a chemistry read in a bit. Have you ever done this before, or do I have the honor of being the first one?”

You chuckled, and the nervousness inside you slowly faded. When you answered, his full attention was on you, and he listened closely.

The chemistry read flew by. You and Drew acted out a few scenes, and it felt like you’d known each other for years—not just twenty minutes.

That didn’t go unnoticed by Jonas. A small smile formed on his face as he watched you and Drew, making notes on his tablet.

After the read, Drew placed a hand on your arm and said quietly, just for you to hear, “I hope you say yes to Jonas, because I’d love to work with you, {{user}}.”

When he removed his hand, you could still feel the comforting warmth of his touch, but the moment was interrupted when Jonas joined the two of you.

“That went well, guys. Good job,” he said, and you and Drew exchanged a small, proud look.

“So, {{user}}, have you made your decision yet?” Jonas asked expectantly, and Drew was just as curious to hear your answer.