Chapter Text
„You are not going to like this.“
Harry did not open his eyes but he heard Kelly stepping away from his bed and even though his eyes were closed he could feel the bright afternoon sun streaming into his room as she ripped open the curtains. Dramatically , he groaned and burried his head under his pillow.
„Good morning to you too,“ he grumbled when Kelly pulled at his blanket and grinned when he saw her standing at the foot of his bed, her arms crossed in front of her chest.
„It’s three pm,“ her eyes skated over him and he grinned at her, raising an eyebrow suggestively, but Kelly just rolled her eyes, „you look like shit. When was the last time you actually got up?“
Harry rubbed his chin, „Wednesday?“
She sighed. „You know I‘m just cutting you some slack because you start filming in a week.“
Kelly settled down on his bed, handing him her phone.
„I guess you haven’t seen the news yet.“
„What news?“ Harry frowned and took the phone. He glanced at the article and with every word he read, his frown deepened and — „what the actual fuck?“, he threw it on the bed.
„Why did no one tell me?“
„They did, you just went MIA,“ Kelly answered calmy and grabbed her phone, scooting closer, „it’s not that big of a deal. You know there are always some last minute changes.“
„Last minute changes?“he mocked, unable to keep the dispise out of his voice, „they replaced the fucking female lead.“
„I told you, you wouldn’t like this.“
„Yeah, no shit,“ Harry spitted and ran a hand through his hair, reaching for his phone on the nightstand only to find it dead. There was the reason he learned about this just now. Angrily, he tossed it back on the nightstand and stared at Kelly.
„How did that happen?“
„Lexie got in a fight with the director over twitter. Apparently she thinks she knows more about directing than Becca does,“ Kelly shrugged and stood up, „probably it’s for best she is off the project. She sounds difficult to work with and they already got you on set. On diva is enough.“
Kelly smirked and Harry gave her an unimpressed look, but the grin on her face was so pleased he actually had to keep himself from smiling.
It was weird, being so close with Kelly. It was not normal that exes stayed friends, let alone starting to work together after a break up. But theirs was amicable.
They were young and reckless, and he didn’t want to commit in a way a girl Kelly deserved it, and then suddenly his life started falling apart when his dad got sick, and in a blink of an eye they had grown up and apart.
„Also, it could be worse,“ Kelly patted his leg, „it could be Cassandra.“
Harry sighed deeply and flopped back down, throwing his arm over his eyes.
„Thank god, it’s just her wannabe actress sister - - what‘s her name Pressman?“
„Allie,“ Kelly offered.
„Allie Pressman,“ Harry repeated slowly, voice dripping with sarcasm„can’t wait to meet her.“
*
Allie locked her phone in mid-skimming of the tabloid announcing her acting debut alongside Harry Bingham. America’s hottest Heartthrob .It was the article called him. America‘s hottest Heartthrob. He was Amercia‘s hottest heartthrob and she was Cassandra Pressman’s sister. That was her thing. That was what she was — the youngest Academy Award winner in history’s sister and nothing else. At least until today.
Today was the first day of Allie Pressman, actress and female lead for the Next Big Thing. When she signed the contract, they told her it would be the next Twilight or Hunger Games. Thats how they managed her to sign for the two sequels too. It might have been naive to commit for three years right away, and Cassandra definitely told her not to do it — which was probably the reason she did it in the first place but this was the also the first thing Allie ever did for herself.
Everything else everyone always did for Cassandra. They even moved to L.A so Cassandra could pursue her acting career besides their family lived in West Ham for generations. It was where Allie‘s friends still lived, where Will still lived but she didn’t complain because she loved her sister. And for seven years, Allie starred and shined in the role of Cassandra Pressman‘s sister but it was time to find out who Allie Pressman was.
„You good?“ Grizz asked and startled her out of her thoughts.
Allie managed a smile and hoped it was convincing, running a hand through her hair.
„Im fine. Just a little nervous,“ she laughed breathlessly, „which is stupid because I practically grew up on movie sets.“
Grizz looked up from his phone, considering her and giving her a soft look. „You are allowed to be nervous. You never acted before.“
„I did the commercial with Cassandra a few years back and I guest-starred for a few episodes on this dystopian CW show.“
Grizz grinned. „Fine. You never were a lead before. This is huge, Al. Be nervous but also be proud.“
Allie glanced out the window and whipped her head around when she realized that the car just pulled up at the studio. Her heart started pounding and she was not ready, so not ready. What was she thinking? She was a supporting character, not a heroine.
Allie felt Grizz’s hand absentmindedly squeezing her shoulder, „breathe Allie. Everything is alright.“
„You’re rig—,“ Allie started but her voice trailed off as she spotted Harry Bingham crossing the street in front of her car.
He was wearing sunglasses and his cloths were kind of rumbled, his hair a mess but he looked like — yeah, America’s hottest heartthrob, and Allie swallowed hard. She definitely should not lust after her co star. This was like the number one rule, and she grew impossibly more anxious — well, right until the moment he opened his mouth.
„Hey Harry?“ Allie knocked at his trailer. She walked over after she had met with the director and the producers, doing all the official stuff, and he was the last point on her to do list. To introduce herself was the polite thing to do, right?
Harry opened the door and looked at her, eyes resting on her with an unimpressed expression, and after a minute of him not say anything and them standing in awkward silence, Allie held out her hand.
„I‘m —.“
„Cassandra Pressman’s sister I know,“ Harry interrupted her and leveled his gaze even lower at her, „which is the only reason you got the part. So if you excuse me, I need to run my lines. Some people actually had to work to get the job,“ and slammed the door in her face.
Allie‘s lips felt open and she blinked, dumbfound, at his name sign before she turned around and walked away.
What the actual fuck? Well, at least she didn’t have to worry about lusting after him.