Dylan 

Here we go again. Bryce and I are posing together in front of a large, white, fabric backdrop. Powerful lights illuminate us, making it hard to see all the people moving about behind the photographer. Stylists, agents, hairdressers, makeup artists, and assistants do their jobs and talk amongst themselves, but the loud pop song that blares from the sound system drowns out their chatter. 

I feel the bass from the music thumping in my chest and the electricity of the busy atmosphere dancing on my skin. Photoshoots always fill me with anxious/excited energy. If I am honest, I am kind of known to be full of chaotic energy.

With my delicate features, and willowy frame, I may look quiet and reserved at first, but I am neither. I love cracking jokes and making new friends is sort of a hobby for me. Honestly, I just want to put the people around me in a good mood. My motto is not to think too hard about anything. It’ll just give you a headache.

I'll admit that I am quick to cover up my insecurities and setbacks with humor and a winning smile to keep people happy, but Bryce can always tell when something is off with me. Just like I can tell that he isn’t quite himself right now.

Bryce is quietly and effortlessly cool. He smiles often enough, but it is usually a small smirk. He rarely laughs out loud, even when I am at the height of my comedic talents. 

Sometimes I can win a full smile that covers his entire face and raises his cheeks to his amber eyes. That makes me feel amazing. 

Sometimes he gives me a grin, showing his flawless white teeth and crinkling the corners of his eyes. 

When that happens, I feel like the sun has parted the clouds overhead and bluebirds are singing.  I know if he smiles like that, he has been delighted to the point that he forgets to glower in that strangely seductive way of his.

Getting a smile like that from him used to be my favorite addiction, but I am not sure I will get the chance today. Bryce hasn’t so much as looked at me.

When we arrived at 5:30 this morning, he murmured greetings to the room and made a beeline to his glam station, walking right past me with his hands in his pockets.  His eyes were glued to the ground.

Usually, he would be stationed next to me. If  he wasn't, he would immediately have his station moved closer to mine. Often his glam team would have to relocate themselves after he lingered in my space for too long. 

Everyone gave me questioning looks when he ignored me. I just shrugged and everyone got back to work. 

Bryce and I belong to one of the most famous talent agencies in the business.  I got lucky because I got signed with them before I was even cast in my first role. I later learned it was because a casting agent saw an audition I'd submitted and thought Bryce and I would look good together. 

In my very first acting role, I was cast opposite Bryce as his love interest. It was a cute, romantic TV series about first love and it was full of laughs and heart. 

Though Bryce had been acting for a bit, this was a breakout role for both of us. The public adored us, and it was mainly because of our genuine connection. 

My silly personality brought out moments of prickly annoyance, sarcastic comebacks, and goofy behavior of his own. His commitment to the role made me work harder to match him. We played off each other well and I got to watch him blossom in our time as co-stars. 

It’s been a year since the show wrapped after the three seasons that were shot in a little over two years, but fans still love seeing us together. We still appear side by side in game shows, commercials, talk shows and  magazines like the one we are posing for today. I know I am the reason we no longer hang out, but we usually fall easily back into our playful, affectionate ways whenever we see each other. 

The tension that now shows in his neck and shoulders is not something I am used to, so I decide to do something about it. 

Since we are close together, I brush his right hand with the tips of my fingers. It was discrete enough that no one in the room noticed, but I am sure the videographer that has been capturing behind-the-scenes footage will see it while editing and be sure to include it. 

Our fans will obsess over it as a sign that we are “more than friends.”  They like to pretend that we are our characters from the show. In reality, I am just trying to figure out what is bugging him.

He swallows hard when our hands touch but does not look my way. We shift into slightly new positions with every camera click. After one flash, I take the opportunity to brush his shoulder with mine. This causes him to glance my way to check his proximity to me, and I give him a pointed look before looking towards the camera again. 

He and I could communicate whole paragraphs with our eyes. The look I just gave him said: 'What’s up with you, dude?'

Bryce rolls his shoulders and straightens the cuffs of his sleeves before shooting me a glare that meant:

'Nothing. I’m good.'

I huff softly then turn towards him, pretending to adjust my sleeves.

'Yeah right. You’re being weird, bro.'

Bryce straightens to his full height, squares his shoulders and steps into my space. 

We have similar heights, but he tends to slouch very slightly in a I-am-too-cool-to-stand-up-straight kind of way. He leans on things a lot too. I would mock him for trying too hard, but darn it, it works for him.

He puts his hands in his pockets and wordlessly dares me to continue. He wants me to drop the subject. I mimic his bravado and step closer so that our faces are inches apart.

Now, people in this position are either about fight or kiss, so I decided to break the tension just the way I always have.

My eyes drop from his pretty amber eyes down to his plump pink lips. I smile and then bite my bottom lip before returning my gaze to his. For a split second, his expression remains serious and then it happens. He blinks at me and then the corners of his lips turn up slowly until a full-on grin takes over his face and he looks away bashfully. I laugh triumphantly, and he can’t resist quietly laughing with me while the people around us whoop and whistle.

Bryce places his hand in my fluffy black hair for a moment, still smiling, but now it is a soft, closed mouth expression. He moves a few silky strands that have fallen into my eyes back into their place and I grin widely. My face reads 'am I cute' and he pushes me playfully out of his space.

My friend visibly relaxes, and the photoshoot instantly becomes more vibrant. I’m glad. It feels like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders. Sometimes I could swear that the sun only shines at 25% until that boy smiles. Why did I ever quit making him smile as a hobby?

Without warning, Bryce kisses my cheek and I feel my whole face get hot. The whole room errupts into laughter, but I don't join them since my heart is hammering painfully in my chest. 

Oh yeah, That's why.