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The days following the premiere were a whirlwind of praise and accolades. Critics lauded the film as a triumph, singling out my performance for its emotional depth and authenticity. It was surreal to read the reviews, to see people acknowledge the parts of myself I'd been so afraid to show.
But despite the success, I knew I needed a break.
"I think I'm going to take some time off," I told my manager during a phone call a week later.
"Are you sure?" she asked, her tone cautious. "The buzz around you is huge right now. This could be a great time to capitalize on it."
"I'm sure," I said firmly. "I need to figure out who I am outside of all this."
She sighed but didn't argue. "Okay. Just promise me you'll keep in touch."
"I will," I assured her.
Walker was one of the first people I told about my decision. We met at a quiet café, far from the prying eyes of paparazzi.
"I'm proud of you," he said when I told him. "It takes guts to step away from something like this."
"Thanks," I said, smiling. "It feels like the right thing to do."
"What are you going to do with all that free time?" he asked, a teasing glint in his eyes.
I laughed. "I have no idea. Maybe travel? Honestly, I just want to live for a while without worrying about what people expect of me."
Walker nodded, his expression thoughtful. "That sounds good. And hey, if you ever need a travel buddy..."
I raised an eyebrow, smirking. "You volunteering?"
"Maybe," he said, his grin playful. "I've been meaning to take a break myself."
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Over the next few months, I embraced the freedom that came with stepping away from Hollywood. I traveled to places I'd only ever dreamed of, took up painting (badly). It was strange and wonderful to live a life that wasn't dictated by scripts and schedules.
Walker and I stayed close throughout it all, our friendship deepening in ways I hadn't expected. There were momentsâquiet, unspoken onesâwhen it felt like we were teetering on the edge of something more.
One evening, as we sat on a beach watching the sunset, I found myself thinking about how much he meant to me.
"Walker," I said, breaking the comfortable silence.
"Yeah?"
"Thank you. For everything. For sticking with me, even when I didn't make it easy."
He turned to look at me, his expression serious. "You don't have to thank me, Ava. I care about you. That's not going to change."
The warmth in his words wrapped around me, and before I could overthink it, I leaned in and kissed him.
It was soft and tentative, but it felt rightâlike coming home.
When we pulled apart, Walker smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "Well," he said, his tone light, "that was unexpected."
I laughed, feeling a mix of nerves and joy. "Sorry. I justâ"
"Don't apologize," he interrupted gently. "I'm glad you did."
As the sun dipped below the horizon, painting the sky in hues of orange and pink, I realized that for the first time in a long time, I wasn't afraid of what came next.
I was finally ready to embrace it.
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Authors note:
WERE DONE BITCHES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Go read my new book!!
Called Stolen Melodies.
P.S its another walker scobell one.
LOVE YALL