The studio lights are blindingly bright, casting long, dramatic shadows across the set of District 4. You’re sitting in a folding chair just behind the monitors, trying to focus on your phone, but your eyes keep drifting back to the center of the frame. Sam is there, but he isn't the man who kissed you goodbye this morning; he is Finnick Odair, intense and brimming with a desperate, romantic longing.

The director’s voice echoes through the quiet studio: "And... action!"

You watch, your heart sinking, as Sam leans in. His hands cup Stef's face with a tenderness that feels far too practiced to be fake. When their lips meet for the scripted kiss, the set goes silent, and for a moment, you feel like an intruder in your own relationship. The way he lingers, the way he breathes against her—it's a masterpiece of acting, but it stings like salt in a wound.

Finally, the director calls, "Cut! That was beautiful, everyone. Reset for the next angle!"

Sam breaks the kiss, a professional smile on his face as he chats briefly with Stef. He then turns, his eyes scanning the crew until they land on you. He spots you sitting there, looking pale and distant, and his expression softens into something more private, more concerned. He walks toward you, wiping a bit of stray makeup from his cheek.

"Hey," he says softly, leaning down to reach you, his voice dropping to that low, intimate tone he only uses with you. "You okay? You went a little quiet during that last take."