I can feel the anxiety thick in the air - tapping pens, jittering knees, shallow breaths. I’m not even the one pitching and still every inch of this glass-walled room is closing in on us. “You’ve had three weeks,” Laura snaps, pacing like a storm in heels. “Three weeks. And the best you can give me is Tom Cruise jumping out of another plane?”
The silence is deafening. A writer clears his throat and dares to offer one last idea. Not great. Runaway train. Rebellious hero. Diva in Distress. Laura doesn’t flinch. She’s not here for recycled stories. She wants a spark. Something that will wake Hollywood up and make it feel something again. If only she’d give me a chance. I’ve had the perfect pitch for the last two weeks, but anytime I bring up anything other than her schedule or coffee order , she completely dismisses me.
“I’m going to pretend this meeting never happened,” Laura says, grabbing her bag. “And Melody - you have ten minutes to get me a coffee.”
“Ten min–” I start, but she’s already out the door.
I rush out of the building trying not to trip over my feet and head towards the only coffee shop that can make Laura’s very difficult order. An almond cappuccino, double-frothed, with a pump of sugar-free vanilla, and a sprinkle of cinnamon on top would be my worst nightmare. But if Laura wants it then it’s coming right up. Running through Lot A, taking in every moment because even though I’m currently on my way to run four blocks to get one of the head executives, Laura Leewall’s, highly complex coffee order, it has always been a dream of mine, to set foot on these lots. To direct. To get the chance to bring a story to life. But not just any story, my story. A haunting portrait of a one-sided relationship—where love becomes toxic, obsessive, and painfully unreturned. A story I know I need to tell and hopefully, a story that will let me let go of him, Logan.
I decide to run through a couple of different lots. Running through the studio would be much quicker than running around the block. I am out of breath, but I will take an asthma attack over losing this internship any day. As I’m about to enter Lot D, I see cameras and a crew set up.
Shit.
If I run around, I’ll never make it back in time. Laura will typically give me a five-minute grace period, but after that, she’ll make the rest of my day a living hell. I decide to run through, keeping my feet light. I’m weaving through cords, dodging cameras, ducking under cranes and flying past the crew. Surprisingly, no one bats an eye.
I should have pursued being a stunt double instead.
Right as I’m about to reach the end of the lot, I see another PA running, and before I know it, we are both lying on the ground with turkey sandwiches and pickle juice all over us.
“CUT!” the director roars with anger.
All eyes are on us, and the set goes even more quiet than it already was. Suddenly, I lock eyes with Ian Sledge. He is the one the cameras and crew have front and center, ready for his million-dollar shot. The heartthrob the world drools over. The heartthrob I’ve drooled over since I was sixteen. Ian is all I brag about to my friends back home. In high school we would watch one of his movies at least once a month. Yikes. Even though I’ve worked at the studio for the past six months now, we’ve never made eye contact. Any time we’ve ever walked past each other on the lots or been in the same meeting room, I’ve always looked down. The fear that a conversation could spark and I would choke up is enough for me to stay in my lane and focus on the real reason I’m here at the studio - my career. But that’s all out the window. If Ian didn’t know I existed before, well… he definitely does now.
There is no time to apologize. I get up and hide my face as quickly as I can, which isn’t hard to do since half of it is covered by turkey and cheese. I book it out of the lot because the last thing I need is for a crew member to recognize me and mention the incident to Laura.
Finally, I make it out to the sidewalk, some food trailing behind, but who cares? I’m only half a block away now and so close to getting this coffee that has cost me my new favorite sweater.
As I’m about to walk in, I’m in utter shock. I am face-to-face with Logan. My ex. The heartbreak that shattered me. The heartbreak that pushed me to pursue my dreams. The heartbreak that should be 3,000 miles away. The one-sided relationship—where love became toxic, obsessive, and painfully unreturned. What could he possibly be doing in Burbank, California?
“Melody?” Logan says with confusion.
“Logan.” I’ve never said a name quicker.
A bit of silence takes over because neither one of us knows what to say. Well, at least I don’t.
“Are you okay?” Logan says, breaking the silence.
I look at him, confused. Why would he ask this? The breakup happened two years ago. Even though it was heartbreaking for me when he said we were better off as friends, I didn’t fight or argue. So, in his head, it was an amicable breakup—no bad blood. We’re cool.
“Yeah, yeah, of course I’m okay; w-why wouldn’t I be okay?” My stutter might have given something away.
He looks me up and down with a smirk. “You have food all over you.”
Shit. Again.
Even though I managed to remove the big pieces of turkey and cheese from my face, I forgot that my clothes have shreds of lettuce all over them with mayo and mustard smeared across my shirt and pants.
Think fast. Think fast. Think fast.
“Oh. Right. I, uh…just got off set. They had me in the background of a food fight scene!”
“A food fight scene? For what show?”
He knew I always wanted to move to California to pursue film, but I don’t think he knew I took the leap and came. We both decided to unfollow each other for peace of mind after the breakup. Or maybe he was lurking and knew exactly where I was, and that’s why he’s here?
“Uh, it’s a new one, it’s under wraps, doesn’t matter.” I quickly try to change the subject. “So, what are you doing in Burbank on a Tuesday afternoon?
“Oh yeah, probably weirder that I’m across the country than you having some food on you.” We both chuckle, “Well, technically, I’m here for a job interview, but I decided to stay a week to explore the area.”
My stomach jumps to my throat because how else am I supposed to feel after such a statement? It’s been two years since we ended things, and my days are still filled with thoughts of him, of us. I always told myself if we were meant to be, we’d find our way to each other again. Is this that moment?
I wait a second to respond, blinking a couple of times, “Oh, a job interview? For a law firm?”
“No, actually, my mom got re-married last summer to some head honcho of a studio out here, and he told me to come in for an interview and explore it. It’s for a marketing position and since my mom is here now, I thought, why not? He told me as long as I have a degree, I’ll be fine.” Logan chuckles.
A studio. Of course.
Since I took too long to respond, he continued, “Wait, speaking of studios, which studio were you at?”
The huge coffee shop is starting to feel like that glass room earlier today. Getting smaller with every breath, my head starts spinning a million miles an hour, and then suddenly, a woman’s voice snaps me out of the spiral.
“Hey babe, did you grab the coffee?” She walked right up to us, and I continued blinking to make sure she was real. Long dirty blonde, silky, thick hair, perfect porcelain skin, just the right amount of freckles scattered around her face, and the piercing emerald eyes that stared what felt like right into my soul.
“No, sorry, not yet; I ran into an old friend. Stacy, this is Melody. Melody, this is my girlfriend, Stacy. She’s visiting the area too. Deciding if she wants to move out here once I get the job.”
Great. So I’d not only have to potentially dodge my ex at work, but his girlfriend too. This huge city is feeling smaller than our small-as-can-be town we grew up in. And an old friend? Really? He’s always been a good liar and a good gaslighter, too. But god, I still love this man. Even if he knew he was good at those things, and we were so wrong for each other. He also knows I would play along because one thing about me is that I hate confrontation. I would rather tape my mouth shut before speaking up.
“Hi, nice to meet you!” She looks at me up and down. I can also see the confusion in her eyes as to why I have food all over me but she decides to ignore it which, honestly, I appreciate.
“How do you two know each other?”
And here comes the second lie.
He beats me to it. “Melody and I had English and Political Science classes together in college.”
Political science? He really outdid himself with that one.
Neither one of us says another word. I’m standing there smiling and nodding. Logan has his hands in his pocket, rocking back and forth and I can’t tell if Stacy is getting suspicious or not. Why not tell her? Maybe she’s cool with running into your ex. Or maybe she’s not.
Another spiral is about to begin, but Stacy breaks it again. “Did you also study law?”
And without a second thought I respond. “Yup.” And at this point, my hands are in my pockets too, rocking back and forth. I start to feel my phone vibrate in my back pocket. Laura.
“Oh, how nice. What law firm do you work for -”
“You know what, I’m late to a meeting. I should get going. So nice to see you, Logan and Stacy, so nice meeting you.”
Before they could get another word in, I race out the door. My head is pounding. My heart is sinking into what feels like a bottomless pit, and my hands have never felt so clammy in my life. I pull my phone out of my pocket. I have five messages and three missed calls from Laura asking where I’ve been. I don’t even bother responding. I’ve accepted my fate.
My thoughts have no thoughts. My body is numb, and today may be the worst day of my life. I’m walking back to the studio without a coffee, I’m about ten minutes past the time I should’ve been handing it to my boss. I saw my ex-boyfriend and got to meet his gorgeous, lovely new girlfriend while covered in a layer of food. And not to mention, even though we dated for four years, he made me feel like I barely existed in his life.
One more block till I get fired.
Friends always told me Logan wasn’t the one. I never could see what they meant. He was my everything. The one I thought I was going to marry—the one I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. Yes, we were young, but I was so sure. I was told over and over again that he minimized my feelings, as if I meant nothing. And for the first time, I saw what they meant. I felt those four years in a five-minute conversation. The way I should’ve felt towards him then, I finally feel it now. As humiliating as that run-in was, maybe that was my closure. Perhaps now I can finally see without the rose-colored glasses. Maybe he won’t consume my thoughts anymore, and maybe I can finally see why we’re not meant to be.
I walk right into the building and head straight to the bathroom. I try to remove some of the stains and salvage the last bit of dignity I have left when suddenly the door flies open. “Melody! Laura has been looking for you all over the place!”
“Shit. Yes, sorry. I know. I just had a minor accident. I’ll be right there.”
I storm out of the bathroom door and head straight to her office.
I walk through the door, and it’s just word vomit. “Laura, I am so sorry. You see, you told me I only had ten minutes, so I rushed to the coffee shop, and then I collided with another PA, and then I just took off and then-”
“Melody you’re fired.” And after those words left her mouth, all I heard was a muffled voice speaking to me. As if Laura had covered her mouth with her hand. The only couple of words I could hear through the spiral were nuisance and disappointment.
Brrrrinng. Brrrrinng.
Startled from the clattering phone, Laura pauses her long rant and picks up.
“Laura Lewall.” She knows how to sound as cold as she possibly can, even while saying her own name.
“Oh! Ian, darling! How are you?” Suddenly her voice is light and happy.
The office is dead silent as she listens to Ian over the phone.
“Wait. The assistant?”
“No, no, she isn’t busy right now. I’ll send her right over!”
She pauses. “Well, saved by the bell. I don’t know what you did but Ian Sledge wants you to meet him at his trailer.”
My eyes quickly look up in pure confusion. “Wait, what? Why?”
“How am I supposed to know? But if Ian needs you today then I can’t fire you. Maybe I’ll fire you tomorrow.”
“Wait, but Laura-”
“Just go. Now.”
I book it out the door again and race back downstairs to the lots. What could Ian Sledge possibly want from me? Is he going to say something about the incident earlier? But wouldn’t he just rat me out to Laura instead of talking to me personally about it? Yes, we locked eyes but I doubt he would even know who I am.
The questions continue to consume my thoughts as I make my way toward Ian’s trailer. But as I get closer, I see a couple of people far off in the distance. I take a few steps closer and I can’t believe what I’m seeing—Logan, and his girlfriend, Stacy. And right next to them, Ivan Benflat. The head of this studio. My boss's boss. The top executive. And all of them holding the coffees, I never got to grab. Today is a never-ending nightmare. My stomach is back up in my throat. I feel tingling throughout my whole body and the tunnel vision begins. Every part of me wants to turn around and walk right off this lot. Slowly the unsettling thought begins: that’s not just Ivan, my boss’s boss. That is Logan’s new stepdad. Of course. The second Logan mentioned stepdad, head honcho, back at the coffee shop, I should’ve known.
I see Logan staring me down from afar. I would have thought he’d be a lot more shocked to see me. About potentially working at the same studio together, but pure contentment ran across his face with a big smile.
Weird.
Did he know I worked here? What is going on?
I look away and continue to head towards Ian’s trailer. As I’m about to knock on the door, I look back up to see if Logan is still watching me, but in what feels like a blink of an eye, he’s gone. I knock three times and Ian opens the door. Watching him from a distance has always had me starstruck, but seeing him up close? I am paralyzed. Within a foot of him I am momentarily incapable of speaking, but I quickly snap out of his trance and remind myself I better make a good first impression or I might lose my job. But the second I step foot into his trailer, my whole world is completely changed.
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