i know you're a good gamer, so don't play with my heart

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(a/n: this chapter is set in september)

"he's done! pope! that's enough! stop! leave him alone!" madison and rudy scream in character as jonathan pretends to strangle a bloody-mouthed drew.

the high intensity of the scene causes derrielle on the sidelines to have everything in her power not to call off the filming process, worrying about her boyfriend's well-being. she knows it's fake but it is still struggling to see and not do anything about it.

drew coughs up some fake blood as he perfectly portrays rafe becoming exhausted from his fight with jd and the slight asphyxiation caused by his fellow actor.

he falls on the hard cement floor; the camera coming into his fore-view, filming how the blood splatter drips down his tan chin and his teary eyes from the life-threatening produced fear.

derrielle watches from behind the directors' chairs, squeezing her pen as she tries not to look too distraught.

madison's, rudy's and jd's characters run off-screen, finally finishing the fervent and powerful acting.

silence engulfs the room as jonas and josh hold off to the very last second to savor that heated momentum, the sound department adding thunder rumbling and siren sounds to transition into the next scene.

"cut! perfect! guys, that was amazing!" jonas yells, taking off his headset and walking off the black director's chair with an appreciative smile on his face.

"jd that was the best performance i've seen from you," he congratulates daviss on his incredible acting skills before walking over to where drew is slowly starting to get up.

"drew?! you alright?" the director then asks, sensing the scene was too intense and some anxious energy on set.

drew nods, coughing a bit to relive the trapped air in his throat, "i-i'm fine."

he looks over to where his girlfriend stands, locking his blue eyes with her amber ones just for a second to reassure derrielle that he really is okay.

"alright, let's finish your shot and then you're done for the day, okay?" jonas says, patting drew on the arm, as he calls for makeup and costume refiners. "and don't wipe off that blood!"'

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"darling? are you feeling okay?" derrielle asks as she quietly steps into drew's trailer after nick told her that he has been in there for more than a half-hour.

she knew that he wasn't good,
not even when they locked eyes on set.

he needs to get away from the superficial life.
and only she knows how to escape it.

"drew?" she asks the room again, not receiving an audible answer the first time. she notices him on his trailer bed as she walks further into the makeshift building, his hand holding a shitty beer from his fridge. "baby?" elle whispers, feeling very uneasy about the situation.

"uh uh," he mumbles, not looking at her and only at his feet, as if he is disassociating from reality and staring into space.

"you sure? you're drinking and it's not even dinner time yet," derrielle tilts her head towards him in pity, reaching out and stroking back some hair that had fallen in his eyesight; trying to bring him back to reality.

drew shrugs her off, raising his voice in annoyance as he replies, "i'm okay, jeez, everyone is askin' that. why wouldn't i be okay?!"

"maybe it's the fact that you've locked yourself in your trailer," she says sternly, a bit taken back by his harsh reply but she knows this isn't like him; something is wrong. "and that you're drinking a gross bud light."

"what? i can't enjoy some bud light?" he snaps, settling down the can on his bedside table.

"drew, we both know you hate bud light," she chuckles softly at his attempts to push her away, instead she finds herself between his legs, her hands on his chin and pulling his gaze up to meet hers. "listen, i don't wanna fight, i'm just really worried about you. i know it's acting but it looked a bit too realistic."

"yeah, you're right, i'm sorry derry," drew confesses, knowing he is being kind of an asshole to her when she really was frightened —he sensed it from across the set room. "i didn't mean to yell, it's just that everyone has been asking me that lately. i took my frustration out on you."

"it's okay, i forgive you," elle kindly smiles down at him, noticing how his eyes suddenly got really glossy. "you sure you're okay, though?"

drew nods as he has his strong arms wrap around derry's waist, enclosing them around her frame and pulling her into a tight hug on his lap. "jd might've tugged a little too hard, i got kinda scared."

"it's okay, baby, i'm here," she settles in his lap, legs on either side of his waist. his head dipping into the side of her neck as she hugs him tighter, hot breath fanning over her collarbone as he relaxes. "wanna go out with me? tonight?" her fingers playing with the brunet cowlicks of his hair.

"yes, of course," he chuckles, pulling his head away to hold her face in his large hands, pushing away some baby hairs back behind her ear. "b-but wouldn't the others get suspicious if we're not—

—"who cares?" she smiles as his eyes light up. "if they haven't figured it out yet, it's their fault."

✍︎︎

"i cannot believe we just drove two hours for dave & busters," drew scoffs as they exit derrielle's car.

he immediately grabs her hand, swinging it as they walk side by side into the complex— the writer biting her lip in nervousness because her plan is going exceedingly well and her actor of a boyfriend has no freaking idea.

"darling, it was either this or chuck e cheese," elle says, squeezing his hand as he holds open the door for her. "come on, i reserved a table."

"wow, okay miss fancy pants," drew chuckles sarcastically, following his girlfriend up to the hostess stand.

"hello, uh, elle johnson?" she greets the host, side glancing over to drew momentarily before finishing her sentence, "i'm meeting some people, they should be here already?"

drew's neck should've broken,
that's how fast she made his head spin.

"oh yes, right this way," the host smiles back, leading the pair in and out of the restaurant section and over to a booth.

"elle?!" drew whisper-yells, feeling a bit betrayed but in a good way. "they?! who else did you invite?"

"drewseph, don't worry," she turns to him, her hands on his chest as his breath grows increasingly more anxious. "i know how stressed and overworked you've been these past few weeks, and i know how much they mean to you so i might've called in a few favors."

"joeyyy!" a male voice calls out from the reserved booth, which drew immediately recognizes as his brother logan's.

"wha- how?" drew laughs in disbelief, looking down at his girlfriend in a warm smile and immediately taking in lo's hug.

"that's not all, bro," logan says, messing his fingers through his younger brother's hair as he pulls away. he nods over to the booth, where a dirty blonde woman stood with a warm smile and tears in her eyes.

"ma?!" drew smiles, biting his trembling lip, grateful tears forming in his eyes as he steps forward quickly and engulfs his mother in a big hug. "when did you get here? how?!"

"your girl works wonders," jodie says, sniffling a bit as she squeezes her son. "i've missed you so much, m'sorry for getting all worked up."

"ma, don't cry," drew chortles, sniffing a bit too as he wipes his mother's tears away. "you'll make me cry."

"okay, i won't cry," the dirty blonde woman smiles up at her handsome son before pointing over to a bashful and warm writer, elle has never experienced the amount of fluff she has just witnessed. "as long as you promise me you won't lose this beautiful and wonderful woman."

drew nods, walking over to his girl. "i promise," he answers, admiring and holding elle's face in shakey hands before kissing her sweetly.

✍︎︎

fez speaking!!

in honor of thanksgiving and being around family, i bring to you the fluffiest shit i've ever written. (i haven't seen my family and hometown friends in two months) #cryingwhenyouwrite>>>

holy shit i am so fucking sorry for the wait besties, it's been 10- TEN WHOLE DAYS??

life's been pretty hectic this past week, especially with my job on my school's newspaper and the huge story that i'm writing about the staggering amount of sexual violence cases and the school isn't transparent in putting these numbers out there. yk for a liberal school, r*pe culture still exists.

all while balancing my other classes' finals and work, my friendships, families, parties, and that boy <3

and then with the news of k*yle r*ttenhouse not getting any charges or little elm high school protesters getting arrested just infuriates me so fucking much, like i live in the most embarrassing country in the world: amerikkka.

anywayss

at least i have drew and derrielle to distract me <33
(1500+ words of it!)

BUT I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR
FIFTY (50) THOUSAND READS!!

THANK YOU SO SO MUCHO I LOVE
AND APPRECIATE EVERY SINGLE ONE OF Y'ALL! <3