POV: Jade Tate

There is a benefit to being a young up-and-coming actress. The benefit, well in the offseason I get to lay around and do nothing. Who knew being in a silly Disney show would pay so much? Now I can just sit and relax all day...

Okay, I'm bored. When is Skylar going to get home? I miss her already. Ugh! It wasn't so bad before because I was always at work and she was always at school, but now I'm free all day and she still has school, still has track meets, and still has to go to work. As her fiancée I told her she doesn't have to work, that I could support us both, but no. Someone thinks it's a good idea not to be so codependent. Like isn't that the whole point of getting engaged?

Or am I making this up?

"Ugh!" I roll over in bed.

The Countess gives me a mean glare and jumps off the bed. She stretches out, her tail fluffed up, then she casually strolls out of the room. I swear that cat has such an attitude, sometimes I feel like she is out to get me. Which is so unfair because I'm her freaking owner!

My phone begins to ring and vibrate and I sit up. Finally, something to do. It's a number I don't recognize but might as well answer it.

"Hello?"

"Jade this is Kathy, the producer for the show Evil Eyes. Well, I saw your audition and I am calling to tell you we are offering you the role of Regan."

"What! Oh my god, like for real?"

"Yes," Kathy laughs.

"Yes! Yes, yes, yes, a thousand times yes." I squeal in excitement.

"Awesome, glad to have you on board. We will be sending you some scripts and information packets. Filming will start next month, our first table read will be in a couple of weeks. It's going to be filmed in Toronto Canada, is that going to be an issue for you?"

Canada... but...

"Jade?"

"Oh uh... no. No. that won't be an issue. I'll figure it out."

"Great! Then I'll see you soon." With that, she hung up.

Canada. That's pretty far away from here. What about Skylar? She can't just come with me, she has school. A full ride for track here at UCLA, this is still only her freshmen year that's not something she can just throw away. She can't just drop everything and come with me.

What am I going to do?

We're engaged. We love each other. I can't just leave, but this show... This is my chance to break out of this child star mold and get out into the real roles. This is a chance for my career to really take off. I mean Regan, that is like the main role. The role of the antagonist, I mean they can't do the show without me. The show literally cannot go on without that role being filled. This is what I've always wanted, a lead role, in a new series that will most certainly be a hit.

Part of me is extremely excited, and the other part is extremely terrified. There is no in-between. This is a chance of a lifetime. There is no way I can pass up this job, but if I take it, I will have to leave her behind.

Just the thought makes me feel sick to my stomach.

How am I going to tell her? I feel like we are finally settled down, finally in a good place, and now this? No. This is awful, this will ruin everything we've worked for. I can't take the role. I'll just have to call Kathy back and decline. Tell her something came up.

I get up out of bed and begin to pace around the house. I need to think. I don't want to pass up the role, but I also don't want to leave Skylar. We just got engaged, how would that make me look?

Did we rush into things too soon? I mean not many other people my age can say that they are engaged to be married. If I leave now, how will I survive? How can I go on without her arms around me every night? Is it even possible?

She's always been there for me. Always been my knight in shining armor. My best friend, my one and only true love. She has always protected me. Ever since we were little. When I got a cold, she took care of me. When I was ditched at a party, she came to get me. When I got into a fight at school, she came to defend me. Who will defend me now?

No. I can't just leave her. I just need to think about this a little more before she gets home. Should I or should I not take this role? I would have to move my whole life to Canada, only for a short while. Just to film the first season, but then if it gets a second season or a third... Then what? What about my other job? I mean I may not be a lead character but still, I'll have to tell them I'm leaving.

Oh, Skylar, I can't just ask her to drop everything and go. Can I?

As I pace back and forth through our living room the Countess comes up to me and rubs against my leg, purring and letting me know she is hungry and to feed her now. I sigh and march over to the food bowl before pouring some in. The pellets clatter against the metal bowl and some bounce out onto the tiled floor.

Before I can bend down to clean up the mess, I hear the lock turn. She's home early, really early. What do I do? What do I say? Don't panic.

Just act natural.

"Hey, my professor canceled class, plus I'm off today. Let me work on this essay for class and maybe we can go out for dinner?" her blue eyes meet my green ones.

I feel my insides twist up. I force a smile.

"Sounds great," I say.

Sounds more like the perfect recipe for me to tell her. Should I tell her? Should I go?

She sets her bag on the couch and stretches, her shirt rising to reveal her toned midriff. I can't help but stare. She really is too gorgeous for her own good. Which presents another problem, if I leave what if she finds someone else in my absence? What if she gets lonely without me by her side? What if she wants to call off the engagement?

I feel tears rise and force myself to turn away, bending down to pick up the stray pieces of cat food that rolled away from the food bowl. The Countess ignores me and continues eating.

"Any news from work today, when do you guys start filming again?" she walks up behind me and startles me.

"No news, I've just been enjoying my free time," I stand up and toss the food in the trash.

"Don't waste it," she frowns.

"Don't you have a paper to write?" I raise an eyebrow.

"I'm brainstorming, plus I need sugar and salt to help me think," She opens the fridge and grabs a soda before grabbing a box of Cheese It's off the counter. She kisses me on the cheek before walking back to the couch.

This guilt will eat me alive. It's not that I don't love her, because I do. So much so that not being around her makes me panic and wonder when I will see her again. I have become completely dependent on her. I have to know what she's doing, where she is, and when she will get home. I know it's controlling but she doesn't seem to mind.

I think she secretly likes that I pay so much attention to her.

Why didn't I listen to her? She said that I shouldn't be so codependent but yet here I am. What do I do? What do I say? Maybe I just won't tell her. Is that a good idea?

I stare at her from the kitchen island and watch her subconsciously push her ginger hair behind her ear, her engagement ring glints and sparkles at me for a brief instant before it is gone again.

She sighs at the computer before leaning over and beginning to type, pausing to take a drink of her soda and shake a couple of Cheese It's into her mouth. While she is chewing, she begins to type again.

They don't teach you this in acting class. What to do when you land a big role and you have to move away from your significant other? They really should teach this. It seems like an important thing to know.

With a sigh, I start to walk back to the bedroom.

"Jade," she calls after me.

I turn and look at her expectantly. She smiles at me with that heart-melting expression on her face, her freckled cheeks turning a slight shade of pink just before she says,

"I love you."

I am pretty sure she just stabbed me somewhere. I can feel it all over my body, the sting, the threat of tears looming close by. The panic.

Why don't they teach you this in school?

"Love you too," My voice shakes and I curse myself.

Her smile fades and she eyes me quizzically. I turn on my heel and walk to our bedroom. The room is clean and the laundry is folded. She cleaned up before going to class this morning. She's always thoughtful like that. Always trying her best to make me happy.

Telling her could break her heart.

I sit on the bed and it dips under me. I grab my phone and stare at the new messages from Kathy and the production team. There is a video file, I click it open and it's the writers welcoming me aboard. They all shout at the camera saying welcome and things like how they can't wait to meet me, and that they are glad I accepted the role.

I smile at the screen.