[Next Evening] [Cafe]
The cafe was located between a library and a clothing store. Inside, soft music played alongside quiet conversations. It was the type of place where people tended to stay longer than they had planned.
Willa was already there.
She sat near the window, one leg crossed over the other, a cup of coffee resting untouched in front of her. She wore a cream sweater, paired with high-waisted dark jeans and ankle boots. Her hair fell naturally over her shoulders, slightly styled but not overly done, like she wanted to look good without making it obvious.
Her fingers tapped lightly against the cup as she glanced toward the entrance.
Then she saw him.
Jack stepped inside, scanning the room for a second before his eyes landed on her. He wore a dark green hoodie layered over a plain white t-shirt, paired with black jeans and clean sneakers. His hair was slightly messy in that effortless way, like he had run his hand through it once and left it alone.
Willa changed her expression as soon as he entered. She thought, 'He looks handsome as always.' A small smile appeared on her lips, softer than before and a bit less guarded.
Jack walked over, pulling the chair across from her and sitting down. "Hey," he said, relaxed as always.
"Hey," she replied, her tone matching his, though her eyes lingered on him for a second longer before she looked away.
He leaned back slightly, resting one arm on the table. "You've been waiting long?"
"Not really," she said, shaking her head lightly. "I got here early on purpose... You know, first impression and all those things."
Jack raised an eyebrow. "That serious, huh?"
Willa let out a small laugh. "About the script? Yeah. A little."
That caught his attention.
He leaned forward slightly now, more focused. "Alright… tell me."
Willa exhaled slowly, like she had been holding it in.
"I loved it," she said simply.
Jack didn't react immediately. He just watched her, waiting.
"The world, the characters, the way everything connects," she continued, her voice gaining energy as she spoke. "It doesn't feel like anything I've read before. It's… bigger. Like it actually means something."
She paused for a second, searching for the right words.
"And the girl," she added, her eyes flicking back to him. "Lucy. The way she sees everything first, the way no one believes her, but she still holds onto it… I really liked that."
Jack nodded slowly, taking that in.
Willa leaned forward slightly, her fingers resting against the edge of the table now.
"If you're serious about making that film," she said, her tone more grounded now, "I'd really love to take you up on that offer."
Jack held her gaze for a second before answering.
"I am serious," he said.
Willa didn't interrupt.
"I talked to my parents last month," he continued, settling into it now. "Showed them the script, walked them through the whole idea. They loved it."
Her eyebrows lifted slightly.
"They think it has potential to be huge," he added. "So, instead of just one movie, they want to go big with this one."
Willa leaned in just a little more. "You mean like a franchise?" She asked, looking really interested.
Jack rested his hands together loosely on the table as he nodded. "Yep. They agreed to produce the film, but I need to turn it into a trilogy," he explained. "Three films, connected, planned out from the start. They want me to turn it into a franchise."
Willa blinked once, processing that.
"A franchise," she repeated quietly.
"Yeah," Jack said. "With bigger stakes, bigger world, more depth. And it's gonna be massive."
"Are you going to act in it?" She asked before taking a sip of her coffee.
Yes. I'm playing the role of Peter Pevensie," He replied as the waitress came to take his order. He ordered a lemonade and a blueberry pie.
He thanked the waitress, waited until she walked away, then turned back to Willa.
"I think you should play Susan Pevensie," he said, as if it were the most natural conclusion in the world.
Willa blinked, her fingers tightening slightly around her cup. "Isn't that… one of the lead roles?" she asked, her voice slower now, like she wanted to be sure she heard him right.
Jack nodded once without hesitation. "Yeah. It is."
She let out a small breath, almost a laugh, but it didn't fully form. "You serious?" Her eyes searched his face, trying to catch any sign of doubt or exaggeration.
He didn't give her any.
"Yep," he said simply. "Don't overthink it."
Willa leaned back a little, still processing. She had come here expecting maybe a side role, something small to prove herself. Not something that could define her career if it worked.
Jack rested his forearms on the table, leaning in just enough to ground the moment. "As I said before, I'll lend you a friendly hand. But after that, it's on you."
Her gaze sharpened slightly.
"You'll have to earn it every step of the way," he continued, calm but firm. "You'll need to show up prepared, stay consistent, and give everything you've got."
Willa swallowed, the weight of it settling in properly now.
For a second, neither of them spoke.
Then Jack extended his hand across the table.
"So," he said, a small hint of a smile forming, "what do you say? You ready to take the big leap with me?"
Willa looked at his hand.
Then back at him.
The hesitation was still there, but it wasn't fear anymore. It was the realization that this could change everything, and it was better than doing a stripper or a hooker role. So, she took his hand.
"I'm ready," she said with a nod.
Her grip tightened just a little.
"But I'm not taking this lightly," she added, meeting his eyes directly now. "I'll give it my all, and I promise that you won't regret your decision of giving me this big chance."
Jack nodded once as he shook her hand.
"Good," he said.
Willa pulled her hand back, a small smile forming, though her mind was already racing ahead. "I really thought you were going to offer me something like… a supporting role. Maybe a few scenes, something safe."
The waitress brought Jack's order, placed them on the table, and left.
Jack picked up his glass and took a sip before replying, "Safe doesn't build anything worth remembering."
She let out a quiet breath, shaking her head slightly. "You're either very confident… or completely insane."
"Probably both," he said.
That got a real laugh out of her.
For a moment, the pressure eased, but the energy between them had shifted. This wasn't just two actors talking anymore. This was the start of something bigger, something that could define both of their paths if it worked.
Willa picked up her coffee again, but this time she actually took a proper sip.
"Okay," she said, more to herself than to him. "Susan Pevensie."
She looked back at him, a spark returning to her expression.
"Guess I better start preparing."
...
[2 days later] [Preston Production Set] [Music video shoot]
The prom set was already in motion when the camera reset for the mid-sequence shots.
Colored lights shifted slowly across the gym floor. Extras filled the background in loose pairs, swaying to the playback track. The banner above the stage hung slightly crooked, but no one fixed it because it looked real that way.
Willa stood at her mark, adjusting the strap of her dress once before letting her hands fall naturally. Jack rolled his shoulders, settling into position a few feet away.
"Rolling."
"Playback."
The music started again.
Jack moved through the crowd, steady pace, eyes locked ahead. Extras parted just enough to give him space without breaking the illusion. Willa turned on cue, her gaze landing on him at the right beat.
He reached her and looked into her eyes.
His hand lifted. She took it.
They stepped into the center.
The choreography stayed simple. Slow turns, controlled steps, clean timing. His hand rested at her waist, guiding without force. She followed with ease, her movement light and precise.
The camera circled.
He spun her once. She came back into place smoothly. Their spacing stayed tight. The lighting shifted warmer as they moved, catching the edges of her dress and the line of his shoulders.
The music dipped.
He pulled her closer for the dip. She leaned in, trusting the motion completely. The hold stayed steady.
"Cut."
The crew came in to reset the settings for the next scene. The extras relaxed. A crew member walked through with a clipboard and started to talk with the director.
Willa straightened, brushing her hair back. "That one felt better," she said, mostly to herself.
Jack nodded once. "Yeah."
"Reset for close-ups in ten," the assistant director called out.
Break time hit quickly.
Willa and Jack walked to the mini fridge together.
Jack took out two water bottles and gave her one. "Here you go."
"Thanks," Willa said as she opened the cap and took a sip. Half a second later, she stopped. Her expression changed immediately.
"What the—" she coughed and pulled the bottle away. "What is this?!"
Jack was barely holding their laughter.
Willa blinked rapidly, eyes watering. "Why does it taste like battery acid?!"
"It's not that bad," Jack said as he took a sip from his bottle.
She looked at the bottle again, as if it had betrayed her. "You!" She narrowed her eyes as she looked at Jack, who failed to hold his laugh.
"Super sour soda," He nodded, still smiling. "Thought you'd like a surprise."
Willa grabbed a napkin from the side table with the packed food. She started wiping her tongue like that would help. "Why? I trusted you."
"You still can," he said. "Just… not with drinks."
She narrowed her eyes, then took another cautious sniff of the bottle and immediately pulled back. "That's evil."
"Creative," he corrected.
She set the bottle down carefully, like it might attack again. "You're dead."
Jack raised both hands slightly. "Worth it."
A crew member nearby chuckled. "That was brutal."
Willa grabbed an actual water bottle this time, checking the seal before opening it. "I'm getting you back for this."
"I'm ready," Jack said.
"No, you're not," she replied, taking a real sip and finally relaxing. "I'm going to wait and let it marinate. Then I'll attack you when you least expect it."
Jack smirked, "When was the last time you pranked someone?"
"I... I..." Willa stuttered a bit. "I can prank. You'll see," she nodded.
"Hope it's a good one," He said as he picked up the sour soda bottle and chugged it at once. Then he placed the bottle on the side table.
Willa made a disgusted face. "How the heck?! Are you even a human?"
"I eat mint ice cream without even flinching. So, a bottle of sour soda is like a walk in the park," He said.
"No!" She flinched as she remembered her first taste of toothpaste-flavored ice cream. It was really disgusting and she almost threw up.
"Yes."
"You monster."
...
"Alright, back to places," the assistant director called.
They moved back into position.
Willa paused next to him for a second before stepping into her mark. "If I collapse mid-scene, I'm blaming you."
"Don't worry, I'll catch you," Jack said.
She shook her head once, then faced forward as the music queued again.
"Rolling."
The shoot resumed...
...
[Evening]
The crew shifted everything to the rooftop location. Equipment was carried up in steady lines. Cables followed. Someone tested the wind levels. Another adjusted the lighting rigs so they would not overpower the natural city glow.
The rooftop was simple. Open space, low railing, skyline stretching behind it. A few string lights had been added, not too bright, just enough to give shape to the space. The music would carry the rest.
Jack stood near the edge, looking out over the city. Willa stepped out a moment later, dress moving slightly with the breeze. She stopped for a second, taking it in, then walked toward him.
"Looks better up here," she said.
Jack nodded. "Yeah. Feels calmer."
The director stepped in before they could settle too much.
"Alright, listen up," he said, clapping once to get their attention. "This is the final sequence. Close-up work. Everything is tighter now, so no big movements."
Jack and Willa both focused.
"I don't want choreography," the director continued. "I want that natural connection. Small movements, touches, and eye contact... Let it feel like you're talking without words."
He pointed between them.
"This is the moment to bring out your all."
Both of them listened carefully.
"At the end," the director added, "the camera's going to push in. You lean closer. We cut right before contact. It should look like you're about to kiss after a confession."
Jack gave a small nod. "Got it."
Willa exhaled once, grounding herself. "Okay."
They moved into position.
The assistant director raised a hand. "Quiet on set."
The rooftop fell still.
"Rolling."
"Playback."
The music started, softer than before.
Jack stepped toward her first. Willa met him halfway, her eyes already on his before they stopped within reach.
For a second, nothing happened.
Then he lifted his hand and lightly brushed her arm before resting it at her side. It was a small, controlled movement, but he kept it there. Her fingers moved up and rested near his wrist.
They moved closer together.
His hand slid higher along her waist, guiding her in. She followed without looking down.
Their faces stayed close enough to read each other.
Willa's breathing slowed. Her gaze softened, not exaggerated, just steady. Jack held it, matching the tone, letting the moment sit instead of pushing through it.
The camera moved in.
He leaned a little closer.
She tilted her head just enough to match the angle.
Her hand slid from his wrist to his shoulder, resting there as if it had always belonged.
The space between them narrowed.
The music carried the moment forward.
The camera angle tightened.
Their foreheads almost lined up. Their faces were barely an inch or two away from each other.
Willa's eyes flicked to his lips for a fraction of a second before returning to his eyes. It was subtle, but it landed.
Jack didn't break focus. He lifted his right hand and cupped her cheek. She closed her eyes as he leaned in close enough to make it feel real.
"Cut."
The director's voice came in right at the edge of it.
The moment broke clean.
Willa stepped back first, a small breath leaving her as she brushed her hair behind her ear. "That felt… different," she said quietly.
Jack nodded once, adjusting his stance. "Yeah."
The director walked over, already smiling. "That's the one," he said. "Exactly what we needed."
A few crew members nodded in agreement. Someone near the monitor gave a thumbs-up.
"Everything was natural. It's like you two are a real couple," the director added. "It didn't feel forced at all."
Willa let out a small laugh, more relief than anything else. "We are not a couple." She said too quickly. "We just practiced a lot."
Jack looked at her briefly, then back toward the crew. "Are we good to wrap?"
"Yeah," the director confirmed. "That's a wrap on your part."
The tension that had been sitting under the surface all day finally lifted. The crew started packing up again, conversations picking back up.
Willa looked out at the city for a second, then back at him. "Not bad for something that started with you poisoning me earlier."
Jack smirked. "You're still on that?"
"I'm not letting that go," she said. "Just so you know."
"Fair enough," he replied.
---
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