The first thought that popped into my head when I opened the door to my dressing room was I should have answered Axel’s text about the flowers.

Roses were literally on every corner of the room, even rose petals were sprinkled on the floor, the only thing you’ll be able to see were roses, they were either in a vase, arranged in a bouquet wrapped in fancy paper, or simply sitting there on their own.

“Wow,” Adam breathed out, eyeing the inside.

I like roses and I’m in love with the color red, but this is just too much.

“Valentine,” speak of the devil. We turned and Axel was there, and guess what was in his arms. If you answered another bouquet of roses, I’m going to give you a cookie.

Can somebody please tell me what did I do to have him develop such interest towards me? I’ve been nothing but a jerk to him.

I forced a smile as I stepped towards him and accepted the flowers he got me. I turned to Adam and handed them to him, “Can you bring these inside? I need to talk to Axel.”

He nodded but he eyed Axel suspiciously as he entered the room, probably to find some space in that thing.

“Please explain,” I sighed.

“Do you want more?” he asked, his eyes showing pure cluelessness, and I had the sudden urge to slap my forehead. This guy already filled the whole room and he’s asking me if I wanted more.

“Sorry,” he apologized, “But the store ran out of roses.”

He bought out a whole flower shop out of their roses?!

I can’t actually get mad at him, especially with the effort and money he just spent on this. I do have a question, how in the world did he get into my dressing room?

“Thank you,” I said in appreciation. Honestly, I still have no idea how to act with him, the idea that he likes me is still trying to sink itself into my brain.

He just stood there and I started to get awkward, fidgeting on my spot. So what now?

Thankfully, Adam peeked his head through the doorway and called me over, “I cleared the couch, Soph.”

Smiling at Axel as a goodbye, I turned to my dressing room and gently closed the door behind me. I leaned against it as I looked at Adam who got rid of all remains of playfulness in his features as he looked deadly serious.

I rarely see that look on Adam, and when he puts it on, it means you have a lot of explaining to do.

“Axel likes me?” I said, my voice suddenly small as I tried to play it off as something extremely casual.

“I figured that out by myself,” he told me, sitting on the couch that he managed to clear out of the roses Axel had graciously gifted me with.

“I found out yesterday,” I breathed out, walked up to him, kicking the few rose petals out of my way, “Trust me, it was a huge revelation.”

“Trust me, I knew it before you did,” he mimicked my words and tone.

Thanks Adam, now I’ve realized how stupid I had been.

“You didn’t tell me,” I accused as he leaned against the couch, it was as if he already expected that this conversation was coming.

He patted the spot next to him and I sat down, staring right at him. He laid my head on his shoulder as he breathed out a sigh, “You like him?”

Without a moment of hesitation, I answered, “No.”

As much as how I appreciate Axel’s efforts and confession, I can’t just say that I like him after a day when he told me about his feelings, especially after he created the illusion that he hated me after all these years that we have known each other.

Expecting me to just blurt out that I like him and start having an epiphany that all this time, I was just trying to conceal my fondness over him through our fights is just a complete and utter bullshit.

Adam managed a small chuckle at my quipped answer and I felt relief running back into my system, it was better that he was joking than if he was serious, it’s just scary like that.

Especially if we’re going to ice cream later.

“Heart, you’re needed in hair and makeup,” somebody knocked. I muttered a reply as I stood up and looked down on Adam.

“I have a job to do,” I complained dramatically.

He laughed as he followed the suit, trailing after me as he exited the rose filled room.

Remind me to get somebody to help me deliver those to my house.

Entering the room where makeup was being done, we stilled at the sight of Axel getting his hair styled. My lips pressed into a tight line as I took a seat in front one of the mirrors.

Well, this is awkward.

How the hell am I supposed to act? This is the first time a guy actually confessed to me, I have no idea what to do.

A woman approached and gave me a polite smile as she started to do her job. Adam made himself comfortable on one of the unoccupied chairs, looking relaxed as if he was completely unaware of the tension in the room.

I didn’t miss the glare Axel was shooting at my best friend.

Being the Hollywood’s Prince that he is, he made a very dramatic exit with a stomp of his foot after the stylists were done with him.

Adam and I shared a look as I turned to the door he just went out of, releasing a long sigh at this. Somebody please help me think this through.

He has a chance, deep inside my mind, he will always have one. But now, with the person who I know claims my heart, there’s an obvious priority here. He knows this, he knows that Adam is the first boy in my list right now.

“He really is something,” Adam tried to joke, but there was something else in his voice – it was almost strained.

Is he jealous? Will he finally realize that he has feelings for me all this time? Oh hell with this hypocrisy, those things only happen in movies.

And speaking of movies…

“There you go,” the woman who was styling me gave me an approving nod, “You’re ready to face that camera.”

I gave her an appreciative look, hopping off my chair, I walked out of the room and into the main set. Another day of filming, and perhaps this might be less dramatic than yesterday’s.

“How did this happen?” I asked Adam, as if he knew whatever I was talking about.

Actually, my mind is starting to get jumbled up right now, even I don’t know what I’m asking.

The thing was, Adam knew it. He wrapped a comforting arm around my shoulder and gave me a light chuckle, attempting to lift up my mood, “Simple,” he answered, “You’re Sophia Heart Valentine.”

His answer was so short, heck, it was only my name, but somehow, it did hold the answer. Those three words that make up who I am was enough to make me think once again.

I’m Sophia Heart Valentine, even if you twist and turn my life around, I’m still me, and the reason why everything is happening right now is because I’m me.

Sophia is in love with Adam, Heart is in love with the spotlight and is currently in war with my father, while Valentine is the one Axel claimed to have a liking to.

Maybe one day, I don’t have to think of myself as two different persons.

“I’ve become somebody I hate,” I couldn’t help but mutter. I’m a rude and selfish bitch, just as what Axel claimed me to be.

“Nope,” Adam denied, “You’re still the same girl that I’m best friends with, and you know that I’m always here, right?”

“Right,” I finally smiled.

We eyed George as he climbed onto his chair, motioning all of us to take our places, giving my shoulder one more assuring squeeze, he released me and allowed me to walk up to where the camera was pointing.

Like the usual protocol, the director gave us instructions and I can really feel how compromising this position is, Axel was just a few inches next to me.

“They’re acting like an awkward couple who just experienced dating for the first time,” Taylor laughed to Marcus as they observed our movements.

I’m pretty sure none of us has told our managers what just happened, and we’re quite contented keeping this to the two of us.

Well, except for the fact I just told Adam, but hey, he claimed that he already knew about it.

Was I really that blind the whole time?

“Alright then,” the director said, sipping on his coffee as he stood next to the camera man, “Action!”

Axel slowly approached me, finally getting into character, “Are you avoiding me?”

I’m somehow sensing that every scene was film is somewhat associated to whatever is happening to our lives.

“No,” I replied quickly, making sure my voice was to give out a hint that I really was.

“You are,” he pointed out, taking a few big steps so that he was finally directly in front of me, “What’s wrong?”

Taking a step back, I softly shook my head, “Us!”

“Us?”

“Yes, us,” I repeated, “It feels like everything’s already falling apart when nothing has even started yet.”

Oh do you feel the irony?

I knew what this scene called for, it was another intimate moment between Collie and Ellie. I mentally trying to calm myself down, we’ve already had so much delays and I know how behind we are.

“But I’m willing to fight,” he turned his tone into a defensive one, grabbing my wrist and pulling me to him, I made sure it appeared that I was struggling in his hold.

Be professional, Valentine. We’ve acted in so many movies before, we’ve had so many intimate scene with this guy before.

Well, that we before his sudden confession.

He slowly pressed his lips into mine, and I just allowed him. I was commanding my body to relax, but I just can’t. I returned it, just like what this movie called for.

Now I’m feeling robotic.

I’m going to act like an idiot again, I always do anyways. Sorry about that world, but you just have to deal with me like this.

“Cut!” the director yelled, patting the camera man on the shoulder. When I heard that word, I instantly pulled back, giving Axel a polite smile.

“Good job,” I complimented, it was just to get rid of this awkward air.

Adam, please swoop in and distract me.

Like an answer to my prayers, my said best friend walked up to me and gave me a slow clap, “That was great, Soph.”

It was then I’ve realized that this was the first time Adam had actually seen Axel and I kiss. My cheeks flamed up in embarrassment and I took quick breaths to calm myself.

Be professional, Valentine.

“Thank you,” I told him, turning to Axel, “I wish you luck with the next scene.”

I was mentally doing a happy dance that the next scene that was scheduled to be filmed didn’t need my presence, it was just enough to calm down my nerves.

Problem was, I found out that it wasn’t. I’ve been on the edge all day, even the cast and crew noticed, but they allowed it to slide. They assured me that my acting was decent, it was a successful day of shooting nonetheless.

It was obvious that both Axel and I were acting so differently. George looked like he was about to explode questions, but he held back.

“I freaking need ice cream right now,” I groaned, sliding into the driver’s seat of my car, “A huge strawberry sundae would suffice.”

My backseat and trunk was filled with roses, and to be honest, I had to roll down my windows just to make sure the strong aroma didn’t suffocate me. Even though my car was overflowing with the flowers, I still had a few more to that was waiting inside my dressing room to be brought home.

Adam got into the passenger seat, shutting the door as he fastened his seatbelt, “It’s Sunday tomorrow, want to do something?”

“My dad wants to meet up with me,” I mumbled, hatred leaking in my voice as I started the engine, “I just want to leave him hanging there forever, but that would be too cruel.”

“You’re naturally evil, so I’m sure that’s no problem for you,” he joked, earning a playful slap on the arm from me.

“But I’m still mad at him,” I sighed, driving out of the compound’s parking, “I have no idea what made the perfect image of him in my mind crumble into pieces.”

“If it gives you any comfort, I did observe that he has changed,” he commented, “And I’m sure it’s not the better.”

Sorry, my dear Adam, it doesn’t give me any comfort.

Just the thought that my father changed so much doesn’t make any sense. Was I really blind the whole time?

Since I was a child, I knew he wasn’t an angel of some sort. I saw his and my mother’s fights, a piece of my heart always broke whenever I heard their screams at each other. I was aware of that little part of him that was covered in dirt, it wasn’t pretty in any way.

But I also knew that he’s a good father, no matter how much of a jerk he was. It was also half my fault, I actually just jumped into the opportunity of being a celebrity. I asked for his permissions, but that was it, I didn’t ask for his thoughts about the ordeal.

In the end, we were both at fault.

I was thinking that this whole time, he didn’t like the idea of me moving to Hollywood to become a performer, but he held his mouth shut, just because I liked the idea back then.

Well, that was in the past.

I’m not ready to deal with him yet, I have no idea when, but I also knew that Kate needed my help with the wedding. After giving it some thought, she was actually decent. My father was just really an idiot.

Even though, I’m not facing any of them alone.

Turning to Adam, I gave him a pleading look, “Come with me tomorrow?”

He smiled, and just like always, an automatic comfort surged through my body when he nodded, “I can’t leave my princess to charge into war alone, can I?”

I laughed at the term he used, inside my head, this already was a war. I don’t know when it will end, but I knew I had to be careful with my tactics, and with Adam as my teammate, I’m not scared that I’m going to lose.

“I won’t be defeated,” I smirked, “Because I’m Sophia Heart Valentine.”

Be prepared, I’m going to take a grip of myself. I’ll try to surface from Hollywood, I can get through with my dad’s engagement, I’ll get rid of my mother’s sadness, I’ll make Axel forget about me so he won’t be hurt, and I’ll fight with my favorite boy by my side.

“Are you ready for this attack, my dear knight?” I grinned, turning to Adam when we stopped at a red light.

He mirrored my emotions as he clasped my hand in his, “I’m ready when you are.”

Like a wall that held me up, he’s always there. I won’t let him be demolished, it was his job to keep me standing and protected and it was my task to make sure he’s always there.

Though we both know that as long as one of us is standing, we’re going to make it.

Hold on to your seatbelts, ladies and gentlemen, we’re going to the fast lane.

-------------------------

I just want to simmer you guys down, because the last chapter was dramatic. This was actually just Sophia's contemplation on everything, but please expect to go back to our fast pacing, and like what she said, hold on to your seatbelts.

I'm fairly busy, and most of you know alreay why due to my announcement a week or two ago... I think. If you don't what it is, Falling For The Opposite, my other book, is getting published. 

Dedicated to @minisweets for the banner on the side, it looks so simple and elegant, I love it.

Question: Do we want a tough Valentine or a big softie?

Hugs and kisses to all of you, see you guys next chapter, don't forget to vote, comment and follow. s