Fake It 'Til You Make It - Hamliza

Chapter 8: Panic Attack

Eliza and Alexander both walked into the building at the same time. Today, Eliza was nervous because they were going to do a fight scene, with Charlotte getting hurt and Dylan jumping in to save her, but then he gets shot.

"Ok," the director called once everyone was in costume and on set, "Eliza, when we start you're going to say line #56 on page 20 then hide your face when you scream because there is a bullet flying at you. Alexander, you jump in, the fake bullet will hit the squib and Eliza you panic. If all goes well, we'll keep going to page 21. I'll call cut if we need to redo anything."
Alex and Eliza nodded and took their places.

"Action!" Eliza/Charlotte screamed as the fake bullet was coming at her, Maria/Grace was alive in the graveyard, with the gun that Eliza/Charlotte used to kill her in her hand. "Someone save me!" Alexander/Dylan jumped in front of the bullet. The bullet hit the squib, and the squib exploded; the blood pouring out. The director looked at Eliza's face, "cut!"

Eliza was hyperventilating and crying at the sight. Even though she knew it was fake, she still panicked, having flashbacks of what happened to her and Pip not even a week prior.
Alex got up and went over quickly. "Eliza- what's wrong-?" He tried to console her but she wouldn't look at him. She only looked at the fake-bloodstained shirt he was wearing, making everything worse.

"Oh... oh no... Eliza..." the director ran over. "What is going on here?! We have to redo the scene, it was a mess!" Alexander glared at the director as Eliza sobbed. "I can't-"
"Excuse me?"
"I can't redo it.." The director walked over, and slapped Eliza. "What the hell is wrong with you?! You were fine a few weeks ago-" He was about to slap her again, but Alexander held his hand in a firm grip. "Haven't you heard? She's going through stuff because of what my gi- fiancée did! She can't redo the scene, she just can't!" The director frowned. "At least one more time?" Alexander was about to protest, but Eliza interrupted. "No, let's do it again..."

"Are you sure?" Alexander whispered to Eliza once the director walked away. Eliza nodded. "I don't want to get fired... I'll just... talk about it with my therapist later." She sighed and went back to her starting spot. The costume people came over and handed Alex another shirt and squib.
"Take two, ACTION!" the director called. The three did their scene again and Eliza tried to hide how bad she was panicking again.

They surprisingly did the scene smoothly, nobody knowing that Eliza's cries of panic were real. "Cut! That was amazing!" Eliza paused and sat there, in shock. Alexander knew she was feeling awful. "Eliza? Are you okay?", the director asked. "Mhm!", she squeaked. "Let's take a break!"
"Eliza..." Alexander took off his shirt and she tried not to stare, she kept eye contact with him. "I know you're not okay..." he whispered.

"How long is the break?" She asked instead of answering him. "Uh 20 minutes I think?" Alex responded. Eliza nodded and grabbed her keys. "Where are you going?" Alex asked. "To get Pip. I haven't picked him up from school in ages and he's been asking to come see the set!" She gave him a small smile and drove to the preschool.

"Who let a kid on the set?!", the director asked. "I did", Eliza said calmly. "Alright well, we are done shooting that scene so I think that's it for today, everybody!" Pip smiled as Eliza picked him up. "Can Mr. H. come?", he asked, tugging on her hair. Eliza eyed Alexander. "Of course." They began to drive to her house.

Eliza had put Pip down for a nap so now it was only Alexander and herself seated in the living room. "Can I get you something to drink?" She asked him. Alexander just shook his head. "No but you can talk to me about what happened on set today." He said gently. Eliza teared up. "T-the sight of the blood and the gun shot- i was getting flashbacks..." she explained in as little detail as she could.

"Oh, Eliza. The director was such an asshole for making you do it again..." He pulled her into his lap. "Y-yeah but I need to go on..."
"No. You can't let others push you around like that..." he paused. "And again, I'm sorry for how I acted." She smiled and buried her face in his chest. "Also..." he took off his shirt. "Does this cheer you up?" She blushed. "V-very much.." he chuckled a bit.
"But Alex I was so scared", she cried. He rubbed her back. "I'm sorry."
"You don't have to apologize for expressing valid emotions."

"Ok... I'm sorry-" she whispered again. Alexander chuckled a little. "what did I just say?" He smiled at her. Eliza smiled back and cuddled into him. "Are you tired?" He asked. She nodded and rested her head on his shoulder, still sitting on his lap. "Ok let's get you to bed." He said and picked her up, carrying her to bed. "You had a long day. You deserve sleep too." Eliza mumbled and pulled him into bed with her. Alexander gave in and held her close as they both drifted off to sleep.