“That man is going to be my what?” Freya screamed at her assistant; the assistant in question only just dodging a thrown vase.

“Well he’s been cast as the male lead and you’re the female lead.”

Freya raised her eyebrows and started tapping her manicured nails against her crossed arm.

Her assistant took a breath before continuing, “and since the play is a romance...,” the assistant trailed off when she saw the purse of Freya’s lips.

“I’m not an idiot, Mia,” she said, “I understand the intricacies but why did it have to be him?”

“Because it’s him,” a voice chimed in from the open doorway.

“Carol,” Freya called rushing to bring her friend into a light hug.

Carol let herself be manhandled and patted Freya on the back before pulling away. “And, just so you know, everyone heard what you were just ranting about.”

Freya closed her mouth and pressed her lips together tightly while her skin turned a dashing shade of red.

*

Meanwhile, out in the hallway Terrance sat atop a stack of old-timey suitcases reading through the script. He’d learned to block out Freya’s screaming a month after he’d joined the company. He did find it rather amusing that she was ranting and raving about him though; he didn’t even have to do anything special to tick her off.

In his peripheral he saw someone passing by; or, at least, he thought they were passing by until they came to stop right in front of him. He raised his head and was greeted by Mia, Freya’s assistant.

“Mia, what can I do for you?” he said giving her a broad smile.

Mia glanced back at the doorway from whence she’d came before squaring her shoulders and facing him fully. “If possible, I’d like you to be as unobtrusive as possible during rehearsals but, failing that, could you please try and make nice with Freya?”

Terrance grimaced but nodded his understanding. “I can’t make any promises but I’ll try talking to her and hopefully this production won’t be ruined by our lack of chemistry.”

*

The following week the group gathered to try a run through of all the scenes with the other cast members watching on as an audience. When Terrance and Freya step onto the stage for their first scene together everyone held their breath.

The moment the two start conversing though all the tension in the room fades away. Somehow, some way, the two of them were making this work and were making it work well.

Carol, their director, watched on filled with a sense of relief. She was the only one aside from the two up on stage who was aware of the accord they’d struck and all she could do was hope it would last past opening night.