Later that night, Roxie sat on her bed, her legs crossed beneath her as she stared at the blank page of her journal. The small lamp on her nightstand cast a soft glow over the room, the only light in the otherwise dark apartment. The day had been incredible, her first commercial shoot had gone even better than she could have imagined, and Ryan had just offered her another opportunity for an indie film. Everything was falling into place, and yet, her mind kept wandering back to that moment on set.
The moment when she had tripped, and Ryan had caught her.
She shook her head, trying to refocus on the day's events. She'd been writing in her journal ever since she first moved to LA, and it had become a habit, a way to process her thoughts, sort through the highs and lows of her journey. Tonight should have been about celebrating the success of the shoot, about the excitement of possibly landing another role, but all she could think about was the way Ryan's hand had lingered on her arm, the look they had shared.
What is wrong with me? she thought, pressing her pen to the paper with frustration. She quickly scrawled a few notes about the shoot, trying to focus on the rush of adrenaline she had felt in front of the camera.
First commercial shoot went really well. Edward was easy to work with, and the director seemed happy with the takes. Can't believe it's actually happening.
She paused, tapping her pen against the page. The next thing she wanted to write wasn't about the commercial at all. It was about the weird, awkward moment with Ryan. She frowned at the thought, pushing her pen across the page in hurried, messy writing.
Tripped like an idiot in front of Ryan. He caught me, super embarrassing. Felt... strange. Weird tension afterward. Probably just in my head.
Roxie tossed the pen onto her nightstand and let out a long sigh, falling back against the pillows. She stared up at the ceiling, her thoughts spinning. She wasn't even sure why she was so fixated on it. It wasn't like she and Ryan hadn't shared moments before, he was her agent, and they'd spent a lot of time together over the last few months. But this felt different. Maybe it was the way his hand had steadied her, the brief look they exchanged, or the fact that she couldn't seem to shake the awkwardness that followed.
Get a grip, Roxie. It was nothing.
She groaned, pulling her pillow over her face as if it would block out the whirlwind of thoughts rushing through her mind. Why was she thinking about this so much? The day had been a success, a massive one, and she should be focused on the excitement of landing her first national commercial, not on one awkward stumble.
But no matter how hard she tried to push the thoughts away, they kept circling back.
The day had been a dream, from start to finish. The shoot had gone smoothly, Ryan had praised her performance, and now she had an audition for a film on the horizon. It should have been one of the best days of her life, and yet here she was, obsessing over something that had lasted all of three seconds.
Roxie pulled the pillow away from her face and sat up, letting out another deep sigh. She grabbed her phone from the nightstand and scrolled through her messages, hoping for some distraction. She found one, a new message from Nick.
Nick: How'd the shoot go? Do I need to start getting ready to see you on TV?
Roxie smiled, her tension easing just a little. She quickly typed back a reply.
Roxie: It was amazing! I still can't believe it. I think it'll air next month!
Nick: That's so awesome! Proud of you, Rox. You're killing it.
Roxie: Thanks. I just hope it leads to more stuff.
Nick: It will. You're going to be a star. Hollywood isn't ready for you.
Roxie laughed softly, the knot in her chest loosening as she exchanged messages with Nick. He always knew how to make her feel better, to ground her when her thoughts were spiraling. She leaned back against the headboard, typing out another message.
Roxie: Ryan mentioned an indie film audition too. I'm nervous but excited.
Nick: You should be excited! You're on fire right now!
Roxie: Thanks, Nick. I needed that.
Nick: Anytime. Now stop freaking out and go to bed. You're a pro now, remember?
Roxie smiled again, shaking her head. She set her phone down, feeling a little more at ease. Nick was right, she was making progress, and this was just the beginning. She needed to focus on the work, on the opportunities, not on the little moments that made her feel awkward or unsure.
But as she lay back down, her mind wandered once more to Ryan. It had only been a fleeting moment, but something about it felt... different. She groaned again, covering her face with her hands, feeling the frustration bubble up inside her.
Why am I thinking about this so much? she wondered. It wasn't like she had feelings for him, he was her agent. Professional. Calm. Always in control. She couldn't let herself get caught up in silly, fleeting thoughts.
But the more she tried to push it away, the more it lingered in the back of her mind. The way his hand had steadied her. The way their eyes had met. The awkward silence that followed.
Roxie rolled over, pressing her face into her pillow with a soft moan of frustration. She had too much to focus on, too many exciting things ahead to get distracted by something so small. But as she lay there, trying to will herself to sleep, her mind kept slipping back to that moment with Ryan, no matter how hard she tried to shake it off.
Roxie tossed and turned for what felt like hours, unable to quiet her mind. Every time she tried to focus on the success of the day, on the excitement of her first commercial shoot, her thoughts inevitably drifted back to Ryan.
That brief moment, when he'd caught her and their eyes met, had unsettled her in a way she couldn't explain. It wasn't just the embarrassment of stumbling, though that was part of it. It was something in the way he had looked at her, something that felt... more than professional. And it wasn't just the fact that they had shared an awkward moment afterward, either. There had been a strange tension in the air, and Roxie couldn't shake the feeling that maybe she wasn't imagining it.
She buried her face deeper into her pillow, groaning softly. Why was she obsessing over this? She had just wrapped up her first commercial gig, a national one, no less, and she had an indie film audition coming up. She should be celebrating, not lying here wondering why a simple touch from her agent had made her feel so... off-kilter.
It's nothing. You're just overthinking this, she told herself. It's just the adrenaline from the shoot.
But no matter how many times she repeated that to herself, the thoughts kept creeping back in. Was there something more to the way Ryan had looked at her? Was it possible that he saw her as more than just a client? Or was she reading into things that weren't there, letting her own feelings get tangled up in the whirlwind of the day?
Roxie sighed, turning over onto her back and staring up at the ceiling. The glow of the city lights outside filtered through her window, casting a dim, soft light over her room. It should have been peaceful, but instead, her mind was a jumble of thoughts she didn't know how to sort through.
She closed her eyes, trying to focus on her breathing, willing herself to let go of the tension that had settled in her chest. Tomorrow, she would get up and throw herself into preparing for the indie film audition. She had bigger things to think about, things that mattered. Her career was finally starting to take off, and she couldn't afford to get distracted.
But even as she told herself that, she couldn't stop her thoughts from drifting back to Ryan. The way his hand had steadied her, the way his eyes had lingered on hers for just a moment too long. And the way, for a split second, she had wondered what it might feel like to be close to him like that again.
Roxie groaned, pulling her blanket over her head in frustration. Stop it, stop it, stop it. This was ridiculous. She had been working toward her dream for years, and she wasn't going to let one awkward moment throw her off balance. Ryan was her agent, and nothing more. He had been nothing but professional with her, helping her navigate the tough world of Hollywood. And she had to stay focused on what mattered.
But as she finally started to drift off to sleep, her mind still clung to the thought of Ryan, no matter how hard she tried to push it away.
The next morning, Roxie woke up feeling groggy, her sleep having been restless and full of half-dreams she couldn't quite remember. She stretched out in bed, blinking against the sunlight filtering through the window. As much as she had tried to shove it all aside, the events of yesterday still lingered at the edge of her thoughts.
She grabbed her phone from the nightstand and saw a message from Ryan, sent late last night.
Ryan: Great work today, Roxanne. You were a natural. I'll send over the details for the audition later today. Rest up.
Roxie stared at the message for a moment, feeling a twinge of something she couldn't quite name. She couldn't help but replay the events of the day before, from the success of the shoot to that strange, lingering moment between them.
But now, in the light of a new day, things felt clearer. It was just one moment in a long, exhausting day. She had been overthinking it, letting the high of her success and the pressure of the next steps make her read into things that weren't there.
She quickly typed out a reply.
Roxie: Thanks, Ryan! Looking forward to the audition details.
With a sigh, she tossed her phone back onto the bed and pulled herself up, determined to focus on what mattered. Today was a new day, and she had an audition to prepare for. There was no time to get lost in thoughts that didn't help her move forward.
As she made her way to the kitchen to start her day, Roxie resolved to let go of the awkwardness, to leave the strange tension behind. She had a bright future ahead of her, and Ryan was a part of it, as her agent, and nothing more.