Part Three

Ashlyn sat in the waiting room, nervously, fidgeting with the slides the receptionist had given her and the dozen other women sat in the room, all waiting for their turn to audition for a role that Ashlyn still believed was still stunt casting.

"Ashlyn Munroe?" The assistant's voice said, causing Ashlyn to shake off the nerves and get up from her seat and follow the assistant to a private room where she was shocked not by the group awaiting her, but about the young man with them.

The three individuals with the man were the director for the movie, the writer and the casting director all of whom she recognised from the number of movies they had worked on. The young man with them was a tall twenty-five-year-old old and had light tan skin with light brown hair, stormy grey eyes and a muscular but lean build.

"Kaleb Mercury. It's good to meet you." Kaleb said with a warm smile.

"Hi," Ashlyn nervously said. "I'm Ashlyn. Ashlyn Munroe. Obviously. You... wow. You're... taller than I thought? Or maybe the cameras shrink people? Not that you look shrunk! You look... very... present." Ashlyn babbled. "Sorry. Just... nerves. I get told that a lot, I babble when I'm nervous, Freya usually tells me to breathe when I do..."

"Breathe, Ashlyn," Kaleb chuckled. "You'll be fine. You ready for this?"

"Yeah." Ashlyn nodded slowly, silently berating herself for her awkward outburst, especially since she had no idea why she was so nervous.

"I believe you got the slides. Your character's line is first so whenever you're ready. Just act like we're not here." The Casting Director interrupted the pair.

Ashlyn nodded her agreement, recalling the lines and putting the three other individuals at the back of her mind as she instead focused on her scene with Kaleb. Realising that she was ready and it was now or never, Ashlyn closed her eyes, took a deep breath and then began her audition.

"I shouldn't be here Adrian." Ashlyn softly said.

Kaleb leaned forward as he stood closer to her. "Neither should I. Not like this. Not with you. But here we are. You and I, on our rooftop with a party, two floors down where your fiancee and my girlfriend are probably wondering where we are."

"Don't say that,” Ashlyn flinched. “Don't make it sound like... like fate." Ashlyn paused before softly saying. "We were both feeling nostalgic. That's why we're up here."

"Nostalgia?" Kaleb said in disbelief. "Is that what you call this ache? This feeling like I can't breathe unless I'm near you? I don't feel like that with Samantha."

"We can't... Adrian, it’s wrong." Ashlyn said as she turned away from him.

"Wrong?" Kaleb told her as he turned her back around to face him. "Tell me you don’t feel it too. That pull. Like gravity. Look at me and lie and say it's not as strong as it was five years ago when we were stupid kids in college."

"I..." Ashlyn mumbled, looking at Kaleb into his grey eyes, surprised by how hurt they looked even though they were only acting and she couldn't help but want to be the one to heal his broken heart. "I..." Ashlyn softly said. "I never stopped..."

It was then without thinking of without the guidance of the script, Ashlyn stepped closer, wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him into a soft kiss that was tentative, clearly due to how surprised Kaleb was but then he kissed back and it was then Ashlyn realised where she was and quickly pulled away.

"I… oh God… I’m so sorry!" Ashlyn quickly stammered out. “That wasn’t… I didn’t mean… the character, she… but I… air! I need air!" Ashlyn said before spinning around and heading out of the door.

Making her way outside, Ashlyn took a few deep breaths as she tried to calm her racing heart. What did I just do? I kissed Kaleb Mercury. Actually kissed him. Oh god. I ruined it. Utterly ruined it. Ashlyn closed her eyes and silently berated herself when all of a sudden she heard footsteps and saw the assistant from earlier.

"Ashlyn?" The assistant called softly. "They, uh… they want you back inside."

"Me?" Ashlyn said in surprise. "Are you sure? Did they say why?"

"Just... come back. Now." The Assistant shrugged before indicating to the door and for Ashlyn to follow her.

Ashlyn followed heading back to the room where Kaleb and the others were clearly waiting for her. Entering the room, the assistant left Ashlyn with them, who stood nervously and waited for one of them to speak and possibly berate her for her impulsive decision.

"Ashlyn, that... was an unscripted choice." The Casting Director said. "But it was perfect. It was a real reaction to an emotional moment. We need more of that energy."

"Exactly. We called you back as we would like to see you both do another scene. We want you both to do the balcony argument from chapter twelve in the book. Where Adrian confronts Eleanor after she tries to break it off." The Writer said, handing across the pages to her. "Can you dive back in? Immediately?" Ashlyn looked at the trio as she took the script and then back at Kaleb before nodding and quickly glancing at the words on the page.

"Whenever you're ready," Kaleb told her and Ashlyn nodded, signalling she was.

"Running again, Eleanor?" Kaleb told her, closing the gap between them. "Is that your solution? Hide behind your precious fiance?"

"I'm not hiding!" Ashlyn shot back. "I'm choosing Beck! I love him!"

"Love?" Kaleb leaned closer. "Or convenience? Because this?" I think this scares you. Because it’s messy. It’s real." Kaleb looked deep into her eyes, taking her hand in his. "Yet you long for this. For me."

"Stop!" Ashlyn said as she pulled back using her other hand to remove his arm away from hers. "It’s over, Adrian! We were a mistake!"

"A mistake?" Kaleb softly said. "Once was a mistake, twice is a mistake but three times? Four? Every damn time I see you? Tell me to walk away. Right now. Tell me you feel nothing and I swear I’ll vanish."

"I can’t," Ashlyn softly whispered. "God help me, Adrian, I can’t."

"Then don’t," Kaleb murmured, taking her hand in his again. "Don’t walk away. Please Ashlyn,"

Ashlyn looked into his grey eyes and stepped closer, wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him into a soft kiss that Kaleb returned. Unlike the first one, this one was much more passionate and loving and Ashlyn could almost feel Kaleb’s emotions being unleashed as their characters confessed their feelings for each other.

“I won't,” Ashlyn said as she pulled away. “I promise.”

"Alright," The Director said. "That's... something else." The Director told them before sternly adding. "We'll be discussing callbacks shortly," They continued. "You will hear from us within the week."