The Kiss that Sparked it All

After a few days of rest, she was gearing up for the non-stop whirlwind of the press tour.

She was nervous at the fan meet-up, but as the roadshow loomed closer, her emotions were more of a mix of excitement and fear.

She was eager to see how audiences would react to the work she had poured her heart into over the past year, yet the fear of rejection was overwhelming.

This was her first leading role, the linchpin of the entire film. She dreaded the thought that the audience might not approve her performance.

Two nights before the roadshow kicked off, she found herself restless, tossing and turning in Balfour’s arms, unable to find solace in sleep.

On yet another sleepless night, after a heavy sigh, Balfour flicked on the bedside lamp.

“Can’t sleep, huh? Will you talk about it?” he murmured.

Ivy felt bad for keeping Balfour awake with her anxiety, but it was all too real, and she desperately needed to vent.

“I just don’t know how to face the audience. Fans are different they support me no matter what. But the general audience? I’m not sure. If this flops, I might never get another role again.”

Of course, Ivy’s concerns were from a purely professional standpoint. As long as she was with Balfour, she’d never be short on opportunities.

Balfour raised an eyebrow playfully, “As long as you want to work, there are scripts aplenty for you to choose from.” Content from NôvelDr(a)ma.Org.

Ivy promptly silenced him, “I’m talking about succeeding on my own merits. Even the director said I need to build my own network. You can help me, but I also need directors and screenwriters who genuinely want to work with me. If they’re just doing you a favor, and if audiences don’t really buy into me, then they’ll be even less inclined. I don’t want any part of strong-arming.”

Balfour pulled her closer into his embrace. “You’re worrying too much. Everyone’s curious to see what you’re capable of in films. Sure, they might not genuinely like you yet, but you’ve got buzz, and that’ll translate to box office sales.”

There was some truth to Balfour’s words, but the furrow between Ivy’s brows remained.

“But what if they don’t like me and rate the movie poorly just because of that? What if the numbers are so bad and I let the whole team down – letting everyone who’s invested so much time, money, and passion into this, down?”

Ivy was extremely anxious at the moment, fretting about every possible thing. She felt like she was going to be the dead weight of the whole team, but Balfour thought quite the opposite. He was confident that Ivy was the crowning touch the film needed, and anyone else in her place just wouldn’t make it.

“Did you forget that the director approached me to ask for you? He wanted you for the role. He saw something in your presence and skills. If you didn’t have the talent, none of the rest would matter. Trust me, even those who dislike you will walk out of the cinema admitting that your acting chops are undeniable. You were born for this.”

“Hmph, you say that as if you didn’t practically drag me to the audition. I might not have even taken the role if it weren’t for your insistence. But, I do have to thank you, and the director as well for seeing the potential in me. I never thought I’d love this work this much. No matter what, I hope this film’s a hit. I really want to keep on going, but if it tanks, I’ll be too scared to take on another role.”