Free Star Struck by Paige Halpert

It took me several years and a lot of hard work, but I was finally making it. I started going on auditions when I was 19, and now at 27 I had my first costarring role in a major feature film, Bittersweet Memories . My costar was Gavin Flynn, one of the biggest up-and-coming actors. He had just recently starred in an indie film that unexpectedly became a huge box office smash. Fame had come quick for him, and even though he had been in the business about as long as I had, he wasn't expecting it at all. At 28, he was on his way to becoming one of the biggest names in the entertainment industry.
    My name is Megan Manning, and I’ve been acting since I was six years old. Back home, it was always on small stages around the community or at school, but when I became an adult, I decided to turn my passion into my career. It hasn’t always been easy- far from it- but I’ve worked hard and have never given up. Getting the lead female role in Bittersweet Memories was a dream come true.
    Gavin and I had become friends quickly on the set, and we had even hung out together when we were off of work on several occasions. We both had similar interests, and both of us liked doing simple things at home rather than going out to big parties or loud clubs all the time. Even though I knew he was interested in me, I didn't want to admit I had feelings for him as well. Things in my career were just starting to go so well, and filming had been amazing so far, and I didn’t want to risk making things complicated or awkward. After all, he was my co-star; if things were to go bad between us it would create tension on the set. I wanted him so much more than I had allowed myself to believe. But he'd been asking me out for weeks now, so I finally said yes. We were only a few weeks from wrapping the film, so what could it hurt? Our first date was absolutely magical.
    We got in his car on a bright, sunny day. As we drove, we talked and laughed, the sound of each other’s voices being more musical than any song that could come on the radio, so we kept it off the whole drive. He drove us out to a beautiful country setting, where the grass was green, the flowers bloomed, and the air felt so clean and fresh that every breath was intentionally deep. It felt like being home again. His smile brought happiness to my heart and made me smile every time I looked at him. I couldn't take my eyes off of him the whole time.
    It was nice to get away from the busy Hollywood scene for a little bit. Being from a small town, it was hard for me to get used to the fast-paced world of professional acting. My agent was always sending me out into the city for auditions, and it took me a while to stop feeling so frazzled every time I had to fight for a parking spot or search through streets for the right address and office to be at.
    I had landed some minor roles here and there, but Bittersweet Memories was definitely the biggest role I had been able to get so far. Mostly I had done a little regional theater out here, some of commercials, and one-line roles on a couple of television shows. I was loving it all, though Bittersweet Memories was the first thing that would actually pay me more than just a week or two worth of bills.
    We stopped next to a pristine lake, and for a while took in the view with a comfortable silence. We got out of the car and placed a plushy blanket on the ground. Gavin looked at me, gestured politely for me to sit down, and made sure I was comfortable. I closed my eyes and drank in the heat from the warm sun as it poured down on my body. Then he said my name melodiously, and my eyes rushed back to him as quickly as they could. He peered at me so intensely that I blushed, certain that he could see every inch of my naked soul as he looked at me. I stared back at him, trying to capture every detail in my mind so that this moment could live on eternally in my memory.
    He smiled that lovely half-smile he does, and leaned closer. My heart skipped a beat, and he