Song for this chapter: Lizzy McAlpine - Older on the multimedia.

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Nat

The bright studio lights beamed down on me, hotter than usual, and the steady hum of the crew bustling around us felt louder. I forced a smile at the host, who was explaining the next part of the cooking segment, but it felt like my face was stiff. I stirred the pot in front of me, nodding along to whatever banter was happening, but I wasn't really there.

It was supposed to be a fun, casual appearance—Linc and I promoting our upcoming movie while cooking alongside the host. Easy enough, right? Not today. Every little thing felt like it was grating on my nerves.

"So, Nat," the host grinned at me, turning their full attention toward my side of the kitchen, "what's your go-to comfort food?"

"Uh," I blinked, scrambling to focus. "Probably pasta. Easy to make, and I can load it with whatever's in the fridge."

"Pasta, huh? What kind of sauce are we talking?" The host's enthusiasm was genuine, and normally, I would've met it with the same energy.

"Anything works," I mumbled, tossing a handful of ingredients into the pan in front of me, "but I like a good creamy one."

I could feel Linc next to me, methodically chopping vegetables with the precision of a robot. He hadn't said much either, which wasn't surprising, given his nature. Still, his calmness irritated me more today. How could he be so... unaffected? I glanced at him, and of course, he was as cool and composed as ever, flipping whatever he was cooking like he wasn't bothered by a thing.

The host switched gears, trying to bring him into the conversation. "And you, Linc? What's your comfort food?"

Linc looked up briefly, as though thinking about it for the first time. "Probably steak," he said flatly. "Something simple."

"Steak!" the host clapped their hands together, trying to inject more energy into the segment. "Classic. So, between the two of you, we've got steak and pasta. Sounds like a dinner party waiting to happen!"

I forced another smile, hoping it looked genuine. "Yeah, sure."

In the corner of my eye, I could see a couple of crew members looking at me, probably wondering why I wasn't as lively as usual. Normally, I would've joked along with the host, maybe even teased Linc about his boring food choice. But not today.

As the segment dragged on, I felt more and more drained. Every time the host asked a question or made a joke, I had to force a response. I was on autopilot, just trying to get through it.

"Now, Nat," the host turned to me again, setting down the spatula. "You've been really busy with promo for your new movie. What's it like working with such a talented cast?"

I gave a non-committal shrug, stirring the sauce in the pan. "It's great. They're all... really talented. I've learned a lot."

The host's smile faltered slightly, and they glanced at Linc, probably hoping he'd help out. Linc, of course, was as detached as ever. "Yeah," he agreed, his voice even. "It's a good team."

"Well, that's fantastic to hear!" The host's energy spiked again, but I could tell they were struggling to keep things upbeat. "I'm sure your fans are excited for the premiere."

Linc said nothing, just flipping his food like we weren't doing a live show in front of an audience. I glanced at the camera, realizing how out of sync we must look. Here I was, visibly irritated, and Linc, cold and distant, as always. We couldn't have seemed more detached from each other if we tried.

"Alright, it looks like our dishes are almost ready to plate," the host said, clapping their hands together again. "Let's get everything set for a taste test!"

I hurried to finish up, but everything felt off. My hands moved too quickly, knocking over a bowl of herbs, which scattered across the counter. "Dammit," I muttered under my breath, hoping no one noticed.

But of course, someone did. One of the crew members rushed over to help me, but I waved them off, bending down to sweep up the mess.

"Everything alright?" the host asked, clearly sensing the tension.

"Yeah, fine," I said tightly, standing up with the bowl of herbs. "Just a little mess."

Finally, we plated the dishes and lined them up for the taste test. I could barely pay attention as the host made more jokes, giving each plate a theatrical "Mmm!" after every bite.

"And there you have it, folks!" the host said with a big smile. "Two delicious dishes from our amazing guests, Nat Taylor and Linc Smith! Be sure to check out their new movie hitting theaters soon!"

We waved to the cameras, and as soon as they yelled "cut," I walked straight off the set, not bothering to say goodbye to anyone.

I slammed the dressing room door behind me, ripping off the apron and tossing it onto the chair. I was so done with this. I had been irritated the entire shoot, and now I just wanted to be left alone.

But of course, that wasn't going to happen.

There was a soft knock on the door before it swung open, and Linc walked in, as calm as ever. He leaned against the wall, arms crossed, his blue eyes studying me.

"You were acting different today," he said, his voice cool and detached.

I snapped. I didn't even think about it. "Oh, I'm acting different?" I spun around, glaring at him. "Well, I'm sorry for not being perfect all the time. Was I not allowed to have an attitude for once?"

Linc raised an eyebrow, completely unfazed by my outburst. "I didn't say that."

"Well, it sure sounds like you're judging me for it," I spat, my voice rising. "Do you know how exhausting it is to always be the nice one? Always smiling, always accommodating, always playing the perfect version of myself?"

Linc didn't flinch. He just watched me, his expression unreadable. "You don't have to be anything for anyone but yourself."

His calmness irritated me even more. I let out a bitter laugh. "That's easy for you to say, Linc. You walk around like nothing affects you. But I'm tired. I'm tired of pretending everything's fine when it's not."

Linc remained silent, his gaze steady, but there was no emotion in it. It was like talking to a brick wall.

I felt tears prick at my eyes, but I blinked them away, refusing to cry in front of him. "You don't get it, do you?" I said, my voice quieter now. "You'll never get it."

He was quiet for a moment, then nodded. "You're right. I won't."

Without another word, he turned and walked out of the room, leaving me alone with my frustration. As the door closed behind him, I collapsed onto the chair, letting out a shaky breath.

I stared at my phone for a moment, considering calling Juls. But what would I even say to him right now? He was so far away, and everything felt... wrong. I missed him, but I didn't know how to talk to him anymore. The thought of him and Sign kept creeping into my mind, and it was eating me alive.

I buried my face in my hands, feeling the weight of everything crushing down on me.

***

I stood in front of Grachel's door, my heart pounding in my chest. My knuckles hovered over the wood for a second before I finally knocked, the sound echoing in the quiet street. I hadn't called ahead—hadn't even thought about it, really. I just found myself here, driving aimlessly until I realized I was parked in front of her house.

A few moments later, the door swung open. Grachel's face appeared, a mixture of surprise and curiosity, her usual strictness softened by the sight of me.

"Nat?" Her voice was laced with confusion and concern. "What are you doing here?"

I tried to speak, tried to find the words, but the moment our eyes met, something inside me shattered. My lip trembled, and before I could stop it, the tears came. It was like all the weight I'd been carrying, all the emotions I'd pushed down for so long, came rushing out in an unstoppable flood.

Grachel's face shifted instantly, her concern deepening. Without hesitation, she pulled me inside, closing the door behind us. "Hey, hey," she murmured, her voice gentle as she guided me into the living room. "Come here, sit down."

I collapsed onto her couch, burying my face in my hands as the sobs took over. I could barely breathe, overwhelmed by everything I had been bottling up—the pressure, the loneliness, the overwhelming exhaustion. I could hear Grachel moving around, but I couldn't focus on anything but the crushing weight of my life, my career, my relationship with Juls... everything felt like too much.

Grachel sat down beside me, placing a hand on my shoulder. She didn't say anything at first, just letting me cry, and I was so grateful for that. I needed to release it all, to let myself break down without trying to pretend I was okay.

When my sobs finally quieted down, I accepted the tissue Grachel handed me, wiping at my swollen eyes and sniffing back the embarrassment that followed the tears.

"Nat," Grachel said softly, "what's going on?"

I shook my head, my voice coming out as a whisper. "I don't know... I just... I'm so tired, Grachel. I'm so tired of all of it."

She didn't press, just watched me, her eyes full of the patient concern I'd come to rely on over the years. I took a deep breath, trying to gather my thoughts, trying to put into words what had been eating away at me for so long.

"My work... my personal life... everything feels like it's falling apart, and I don't know how to keep it together anymore." My voice broke on the last words. "I feel so alone."

Grachel frowned, her brow furrowing. "Alone? Nat, you have people around you, people who care about you. What's really going on?"

I swallowed hard, feeling the familiar tightness in my chest, the emotions rising again. "I'm always the one who has to smile," I whispered, the frustration finally bubbling to the surface. "I have to be the positive one, the one who holds it all together, and I'm so tired, Grachel. I'm so tired of pretending I'm okay when I'm not."

She didn't interrupt, just let me spill everything.

"And Linc..." I scoffed, feeling a surge of anger I hadn't expected. "He doesn't care about anything. He's cold, distant. I'm trying so hard, and it's like he couldn't care less about anything or anyone. He just... he just does whatever he wants."

Grachel's face softened further. "You've been under a lot of pressure, Nat. But you don't have to handle this all on your own."

I wiped at my face, feeling drained. "I know, but... I don't know how. I don't even know who to talk to. Juls... he's been distant lately, and I can't shake the feeling that something's wrong. And then there's Sign..." I trailed off, unsure how to explain the mess of feelings that stirred every time I thought of Juls and his past with Sign.

Grachel's expression turned thoughtful. "Have you talked to him about it?"

I shook my head. "I'm scared of what might happen if I do."

"It's okay to be scared, but keeping all of this bottled up inside will only make it worse," she said gently. "You need to be honest—with yourself, with the people in your life."

I stared at the floor, the truth of her words sinking in. "I don't want to lose everything. But it feels like I'm losing myself trying to keep it all together."

Grachel took my hand in hers, squeezing it. "You don't have to lose yourself, Nat. You're stronger than you realize. But you can't carry the world on your shoulders alone."

The weight of her words hit me hard, and for the first time in a long time, I allowed myself to sit in the silence. The pressure hadn't disappeared, but for a moment, it felt lighter. The loneliness I had been drowning in didn't seem so suffocating anymore, not with Grachel by my side.

I looked up at her, blinking through the remnants of my tears. "Thank you," I whispered, my voice shaky but sincere.

Grachel smiled softly, her eyes warm. "You don't have to thank me, Nat. I'm always here for you."

I took a deep breath, feeling a strange sense of clarity. Maybe things weren't completely falling apart. Maybe, just maybe, I could fix them.

"I need a favor," I said suddenly, the thought coming out of nowhere but feeling right. "It's... it's a big one."

Grachel's eyes narrowed slightly, her curiosity piqued. "What do you need?"

"I want to go home," I said, the words spilling out before I could stop them. "To Australia. I want to stay with my family for a few weeks."

Grachel's surprise was evident, but she didn't say anything at first, waiting for me to continue.

"I've been so focused on my career, on Juls, that I forgot what really mattered," I explained, my voice soft but steady. "I cut off my parents a few years ago because I thought... I thought I had to. I thought my work was more important, that the spotlight was all that mattered. But now... now I just feel lost. I need to go home. I need to reconcile with them."

Grachel's face softened, her eyes full of understanding. "If that's what you need, Nat, we'll make it happen."

For the first time in what felt like forever, I felt a flicker of hope. Maybe it was time to go home.