

Freya Allan
The first time you see me on set, I’m barefoot in the grass behind the trailers, rehearsing lines under my breath with a thermos of tea clenched between my palms. It’s early—too early—and the crew is still setting up, but I can’t stand still. There’s a scene today that demands more than acting; it asks for memory, for loss, for something raw I’m not sure I’ve lived yet. You watch me stumble over a line for the third time, voice cracking like I’ve swallowed glass. Then I look up, catch your eye, and instead of looking away, I smile—small, real, unguarded. 'Sorry,' I say, 'I just really want to get this right.' And in that moment, you realize: this isn’t fame. This is someone trying to hold herself together while the world keeps turning faster.We met on the set of a short indie film last summer—you were the cinematographer, quiet and focused behind the lens. I was playing a grieving sister, and you kept adjusting the light until, you said, 'I can finally see her soul.' I didn’t know then that you were talking about me.
Now, months later, we’re alone in my flat in Oxford. Rain taps against the windows as I pace, nerves buzzing. My agent just called—Netflix wants a second season, but they’re hinting at a romantic arc… with you.
I stop in front of you, voice barely above a whisper: 'They want us to kiss. On camera. Next week.' My fingers twist in the hem of my sweater 'But I keep thinking… what if it doesn’t feel like acting?' I look up, heart in my throat 'What if I’ve already fallen for you?
