Abruptly, Caitlin pulled back, out of breath, and looked down into Gemma’s eyes. With her hands still wrapped in Gemma’s hair, Caitlin’s expression shifted.
Ice rushed through Gemma’s veins as an unexpected panic flooded Caitlin’s face.
“Hey, what’s wrong?” Gemma asked, afraid to hear Caitlin’s answer.
“I shouldn’t have done that,” Caitlin said, jumping out of Gemma’s lap. “You should probably go.”
“Did I do something wrong?” Gemma shifted down the bed, closer to where Caitlin was leaning back against her desk along the window.
“I’m sorry.”
Gemma felt like she had been gutted. Just moments ago, they’d been entwined and sharing something groundbreaking. Now, Caitlin was asking her to leave?
The shift felt so sudden that Gemma was left reeling. But she wouldn’t beg to stay where she clearly wasn’t wanted.
With trembling hands, she gathered her schoolwork and hurried down the stairs toward the front door, the silence behind her louder than any goodbye.
FINALS WEEK PASSED IN Aflash, and Gemma yearned for summer break now more than ever.
Caitlin hadn’t so much as looked at Gemma since the night they had kissed. Gemma had tried texting her to check in and ask if they could talk about what happened, but every messagewent unanswered. Caitlin was avoiding her. Worse yet, every time that Gemma spotted Caitlin from across the quad, the cheerleader was attached to Troy like a koala bear.
This kind of heartbreak was new to Gemma. There was no doubt in her mind that there had been a spark between the two of them. No, it had been more than a spark. It had been a fireworks show. Either way, Caitlin had made her decision. She had chosen Troy, and Gemma realized right then and there that this friendship had officially ended.
FIFTEEN
CAITLIN HAD TO HEAVE HERSELFout of bed that morning to get ready for filming. She hadn’t been getting much sleep ever since Gemma had come back into her life, but the previous night had been the worst so far.
Today, they would be shooting Kate and Sarah’s first kiss. Caitlin stared at her reflection in the hotel bathroom mirror, anguish etched across her face. She squeezed her eyes shut, her mouth twisting in sorrow. It had been nine years since her lips had met Gemma’s.
An hour later, Caitlin arrived on set and headed straight toward the glam trailer, needing all the help she could get.
“Take this, sweetie.” The makeup artist handed her a transparent sheet with two golden half-moons.
“Thanks.” Caitlin peeled each off, placing them underneath her eyes while her hairstylist went to work on her bedhead.
Once Caitlin was ready, a production assistant escorted her back to her trailer, where she found McKenzie Ryan already waiting.
“Caitlin—Gemma will be here soon so that we can have a quick chat before we get started on the day.”
Caitlin took a seat on the couch across from where thedirector leaned against the trailer’s long countertop. Within a minute, Gemma had joined Caitlin on the navy upholstery, facing Mrs. Ryan.
The setup reminded Caitlin of a particular day during their senior year of high school when a teacher had caught them skipping class and making out behind the stadium bleachers. They had ended up in the principal’s office, shamefully wedged into two chairs opposite the broad walnut desk. Caitlin hoped this talk would go better than that one had.
“Ladies, today is pivotal, so I wanted us to go over a few things. We’ll start with a shot of Sarah receiving the audition callback in her apartment. So Gemma, you should be brimming with excitement as you run over to the phone to call the one person that you want to share the news with most.”
The director shifted her words toward Caitlin, barely taking a breath in between sentences. “Then we’ll move on to Kate as she answers Sarah’s phone call. You’ll ask her out for dinner to celebrate. Any questions so far?”
They both answered “No,” at the same time.
Mrs. Ryan flipped through the script, her eyes quickly skimming each page. “The night will be fun, flirty, laughing, drinks flowing, et cetera, et cetera. Then Kate accidentally mentions that her friend is the director of Sarah’s new play. Gemma, when you ask if that’s the only reason Sarah got the lead, make sure you’re pissed off. Caitlin, your job is to reassure her. Kate will explain that she had only put in a good word because of how much she cares about Sarah.”
She shifted her focus back toward Gemma. “I want a wave of emotions to hit your face. First, you’re angry. Kate went behind Sarah’s back, and it stings. But then I want to see you soften at the realization that Sarah isn’t the only one catching feelings.”
Mrs. Ryan looked back and forth between Caitlin andGemma. “Are you still with me?”
They both nodded, listening intently.
“After dinner, Kate will insist on giving Sarah a ride home. Caitlin, you’ll walk her to her apartment door to say goodnight. That’s the moment—the first kiss. I know this isn’t your first rodeo, so I’m not going to micromanage the mechanics. But I want it to sizzle. Let the passion drip, I want to see sparks flying! The audience needs to feel this chemistry in their bones.” Mrs. Ryan balled her fists into the air as she spoke, seeing the scene play out in her mind.
