The fourth take crashed and burned just like the first three.
"Cut!" Director Ren’s voice sliced through the set. He exhaled slowly, rubbing his temples. "Let’s take fifteen."
Jax stood frozen on the mark, script crumpled in his fist. His delivery had been wooden again. chanical. Like reading a grocery list.
’Fuck.’
The crew dispersed, whispering. Beatrix approached, her Elena costu still perfect despite four failed scenes.
"Co with ," she said quietly. "We need to work through this."
Jax followed her off set, past the caras and lights, toward a luxury trailer parked in the lot. Her na was printed on the door in gold lettering.
Inside, the space was surprisingly cozy. A small couch, a vanity mirror, scripts stacked neatly on a table.
Beatrix sat down, patting the spot beside her. "Sit."
Jax hesitated, then obeyed. The couch dipped under his weight. She was close. Too close. He could sll her perfu again.
Vanilla. Jasmine. Trouble.
"Talk to ," Beatrix said, her voice gentle. No judgnt. Just patience. "What’s blocking you?"
Jax stared at his hands. "I don’t know what it feels like."
"What doesn’t feel like?"
"To love soone so much that losing them destroys you." He looked up at her. "I’ve never been in love. Not like this. Not... real."
Beatrix studied him for a long mont. Then she shifted, sitting closer instead of across. "Then let’s find it together. Close your eyes."
"What?"
"Trust . Close your eyes."
Jax obeyed. His heart hamred against his ribs. She was so close he could feel her warmth radiating.
Thud. Thud. Thud.
"Think of soone you care about," Beatrix said softly. "Anyone. Your sister, your mother, your friend. Soone whose absence would leave a hole in your life."
Jax’s mind flickered to Kai. His ridiculous, loyal, stupid friend.
Then his thoughts shifted to his real sister. Maya. Back on Earth. The one he’d never see again.
’Love? No.’
He thought about gaming. His true love. The rush of victory, the thrill of competition.
’Yeah, that’s the thing. But I guess it won’t help here.’
Then his mind landed on Beatrix herself. The way she smiled. The way her voice sounded like music. The way she made him feel alive.
’Is this love? Or just obsession?’
[A/N: Is this love or anything deep Or It’s just a kid wanting a toy one he’ll eventually get bored of once it’s his.]
His throat tightened.
"Now imagine you have three months," Beatrix continued, her voice a whisper. "Ninety days. To say everything you never said. To hold them one last ti. To morize their laugh, their sll, the way they make you feel safe."
Jax’s breath shuddered. His chest felt heavy.
"And imagine that the person you love is begging you to stay. To fight. But you can’t. Your body is betraying you. And the only gift you can give them is letting them go before they watch you fade."
A tear slid down Jax’s cheek. He didn’t wipe it away.
"Open your eyes."
He did. She was watching him, her own eyes wet.
"That’s Daniel," Beatrix whispered. "That’s what you’re feeling right now. Hold onto it."
Jax’s voice ca out raw. "How do you do this? How do you feel this every ti and not break?"
"Because it’s not real." Her smile was sad. "But for a mont, we make it real. And that’s the magic."
Their faces were inches apart. The air between them crackled with electricity.
Jax’s voice dropped to barely a whisper. "What if I don’t want it to be pretend?"
Beatrix’s breath caught. For a mont, just a heartbeat, she didn’t pull away.
Then she stood abruptly, smoothing her costu. Her smile returned, gentle but distant. "Then you’re a better actor than you think. Co on. Let’s try again."
The School Rooftop Set
The set was breathtaking. A setup at Starlight Academy’s rooftop at sunset. The sky blazed orange and pink. The city sprawled below, lights beginning to twinkle.
Director Ren positioned them carefully. "This is it. The final goodbye. Everything you’ve prepared for leads to this mont. Beatrix, Jax, make it count."
He stepped back behind the monitors. "And... action."
Beatrix stood at the edge, back to Jax, her ponytail swaying in the artificial wind.
"I used to love sunsets," she said, voice trembling. "Now I hate them. Because every one ans another day closer to losing you."
Jax approached slowly, each step deliberate. "You’re not losing ."
She turned, tears already streaming down her face. "Don’t lie to . Not now. Not when we have so little ti left."
"I’m not lying." His voice was steady now, grounded in the emotion Beatrix had unlocked. "You’ll carry with you. In every sunset. Every song. Every mont you choose to live instead of grieve."
He reached for her hand. This ti, his touch was gentle. Reverent.
"I don’t want mories," she sobbed. "I want you."
"You have . You’ll always have ."
Her voice broke. "Then stay. Please. Fight. I’ll fight for both of us."
"Elena..."
Jax’s voice cracked. Real tears now. Not acting. The dam inside him had burst.
"If I could stay, if I could have one more day, one more hour, one more second, I’d choose every single one with you."
His hands cupped her face, thumbs wiping away her tears.
"But I can’t. And I need you to promise sothing."
"Anything."
"Promise you’ll live. Not just exist. Live. Laugh. Love soone new. Be happy." His voice dropped to a whisper. "Because if you’re not, then I’m taking your life with . And I can’t do that. I love you too much."
Beatrix was fully imrsed now, sobbing openly. "I don’t know how to let you go."
Jax pulled her close, wrapping his arms around her. "Then don’t. Not yet. Just... be here. With . One last ti."
The Kiss
The script called for a kiss. A simple, tender goodbye.
But what happened next wasn’t choreographed.
Jax leaned in slowly. Beatrix t him halfway.
Their lips touched.
Soft at first. Tender. A goodbye sealed with breath and warmth.
But then Jax’s hand slid into her hair. Beatrix’s fingers clutched his shirt. The kiss deepened, desperate, aching, like they were trying to pour a lifeti into a single mont.
The crew held their breath. Even Director Ren didn’t call cut.
When they finally parted, both were shaking. Foreheads pressed together. Breathing ragged.
Jax whispered, off script: "I’ll find you. In every life. I promise."
Beatrix whispered back, tears streaming: "You better."
Silence.
Director Ren’s voice ca quietly. "Cut. Perfect. That’s... that’s the one."
The crew erupted in applause. Clapping. Whistling. Soone shouted, "Fucking beautiful!"
But Beatrix and Jax didn’t move. They were still holding each other, lost in the mont.
Director Ren watched the playback, eyes wide. "Those last lines weren’t in the script, but damn they fit perfectly."
Evening: The Wrap Party
The small celebration was subdued. Everyone still felt the weight of that scene hanging in the air.
Jax stood on the balcony of the venue, alone. The city lights blurred below. His hands gripped the railing.
’I kissed her. I actually kissed her.’
’And it felt... right.’
"You were incredible today."
He turned. Beatrix stood behind him, still in her costu, makeup slightly smudged from crying.
"So were you," Jax said.
Silence. Heavy. Loaded.
"That kiss..." Beatrix started.
"I know. I’m sorry if I..."
"No. Don’t apologize." She stepped closer. "It was... perfect. Too perfect."
Jax turned to face her fully. "What does that an?"
Beatrix struggled with her words. "It ans I forgot I was acting. For a mont, I forgot about the caras, the crew, the script. It was just... us."
"Would that be so terrible?"
"Jax, I’m twice your age. I have children. A career. A life that’s complicated enough without..." She trailed off.
"Without what? Without feeling sothing real for once?"
She flinched.
Jax’s voice softened. "I’m not asking you to change your life. I’m not asking for anything except honesty. Did you feel it too?"
Beatrix was quiet for a long mont. Then: "Yes."
The admission hung in the air like smoke.
"But feeling sothing doesn’t an we should act on it," she continued.
"Why not?"
"Because I’m supposed to be the responsible one. The adult. And getting involved with you, it’s not fair to you."
"Let decide what’s fair to ."
Beatrix shook her head, smiling sadly. "You’re making this very difficult."
"Good."
Jax stepped closer. Not touching, but close enough that she could feel his warmth.
"In that scene, Daniel said he’d find Elena in every life. I ant it."
"Jax..."
"I’m not asking for forever. I’m not asking for anything you can’t give. I’m just asking you not to close the door on this. On us. Whatever us ans."
Beatrix looked at him. Really looked. At the boy who’d sohow beco more than a boy.
"One condition," she said finally.
"Anything."
"We take this slow. No rushing. No expectations. We figure out what this is together. Can you do that?"
Jax smiled. "I can do slow."
Beatrix laughed softly. "Sohow I doubt that."
"Then let prove you wrong."
She reached out, taking his hand. Just holding it. Simple. Innocent. But loaded with promise.
"It’s ti for to go," Beatrix said gently. "I hope we et again soon."
She squeezed his hand once, then let go. Turned. Walked away.
Jax watched her leave, his chest tight.
’Today I didn’t get what I wanted.’
Frustration bubbled up inside him. He’d been so close. So fucking close.
Footsteps approached from behind. A woman’s voice. "Mr. Rayne?"
He turned. The director’s assistant stood there, holding an envelope. "This is your paynt for today’s work..."
But Jax wasn’t listening. The frustration boiled over. The childish rage of soone denied what they craved.
His mouth opened before his brain could stop it.
"Get the hell out of here," he snapped, voice cold. "Before I slam you against that wall and fuck you right here."
The assistant’s eyes went wide. Her face paled.
She dropped the envelope and ran.
Jax stood alone on the balcony, the cheque fluttering at his feet.
’What the fuck is wrong with ?’
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