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Tess hadn’t seen Zara in a few days. That wasn’t so strange. They were both busy people. But it was unusual not to get a text here and there.

Tess was trying not to let it worry her. But something seemed off about that last conversation. Something in Zara’s tone had sounded wrong.

Tess sat at her desk, nervously pissing about with bits of paper, trying to keep her hands busy. Nina was due any minute.

Tess still couldn’t quite believe Nina had agreed to talk about premiering her film here. Not only that, she’d seemed downright excited.

There was a light knock on the door, and Tess looked up just as Nina stepped in, pushing her sunglasses up onto her head.

She’d grown into herself since the last time Tess had seen her, mostly in confidence.

‘Tess,’ Nina said, her smile broad and genuine. ‘You look exactly the same as I remember.’

‘Nina!’ Tess said, standing to greet her. ‘God, it’s been forever. The last time I saw you were, what, eighteen?’

‘That sounds about right,’ Nina said.

‘Where are you living now?’ Tess asked.

‘London. For the time being,’ Nina said. ‘Been thinking about moving back. I bloody hate London.’

Tess chuckled. ‘You went there to go to film school, didn’t you?’

‘Well remembered,’ Nina said, pleased.

‘And you did it,’ Tess said. ‘You made a real movie. Lost Signal. We showed it here. It was good.’

Nina visibly blushed. ‘Oh, did you think so? That means a lot.’

‘I can’t believe how far you’ve come since the days you hung around here. You’re a big deal now, right?’

Nina laughed. ‘You’re only as good as your last film. So I guess it’ll depend on how this new one pans out.’

‘Sit down. Tell me about it,’ Tess said.

Nina smiled and sat down and talked for about twenty minutes about her new movie, Paper Stars, barely pausing for breath. Tess liked to see it. She was still that same kid who could talk endlessly about movies. Only now, it was her own.

‘Wow, sounds great,’ Tess said.

Nina looked down in a shy manner that recalled her younger self. ‘You know, I don’t know if I’d have gotten here without you.’

‘Stop it,’ Tess said with a dismissive hand.

‘Seriously! Everyone else thought I was mad to even consider film school. Not you, though.’

‘Oh?’ Tess asked.

‘Yeah, you said that if I didn’t go to film school and at least try to make movies, it would be a terrible waste.’

Tess nodded. ‘Yeah, I guess I do remember that.’

‘You said, “The world needs your voice,”’ Nina said.

Tess chuckled, embarrassed. ‘Bit dramatic, but I meant it.’

Nina glanced around the office, her eyes lingering on the old film posters. ‘I know you did. It’s part of the reason I’m not a business studies graduate right now.’

Tess was flattered. She didn’t quite know what to do with it. ‘I think it had a lot more to do with your drive. You’d have gone no matter what.’

Nina’s smile softened. ‘You don’t want to give yourself credit.

But you have to realise that letting me go on about whatever obscure director I was obsessed with that week was a big deal.

You treated my obsession like it was something that mattered. That made me believe it did.’ She leaned forward, her expression serious. ‘That’s why I’m here, Tess.

I want this premiere to be at The Eclipse. I’ve had offers from bigger venues, but this place is special. I want it to show here first, where it all started for me.’

Tess nearly fainted. It was going to be this easy? Zara wasn’t here. Tess hadn’t even started to pitch. ‘That means so much, Nina. Truly.

But I want to be honest with you—things have been… tough lately. We’re fighting to keep the cinema open.’ She stopped there, not wanting to sound desperate. Not in front of Nina.

Nina looked worried. ‘If it’s a fight, then I’m in it.’

Before Tess could respond, the door opened, and Zara walked in, her expression apologetic but distracted. ‘Sorry I’m late,’ she said, her eyes darting from Tess and Nina. ‘I got held up.’

Tess gave her a quick smile. ‘No problem. Zara, this is Nina Clarke. Nina, this is Zara. She’s basically the reason the place is still open.’

Tess had thought that was a nice thing to say. But Zara almost flinched at the words. It was extremely fucking weird.

‘Nice to meet you,’ Nina said, standing to shake Zara’s hand.

Zara managed a polite smile. ‘Nice to meet you, too,’ she said before turning back to Tess. ‘I can catch up later if you two are getting caught up.’

‘We’re all caught up. Don’t worry,’ Nina said. ‘Now I’m in the process of begging Tess to show the film.’

‘You begging me? I thought I was begging you?’ Tess said.

‘God no. It was a yes the second I got your DM,’ Nina said.

‘That’s great news,’ Zara said with a smile that never got to her eyes. Tess made a note to check in with her later, but for now, she didn’t want to spoil the moment. ‘We’re really lucky you chose us.’

‘Well, I’m not doing it just for you,’ Nina said, grinning. ‘I’m doing it because I want to see my movie up on that old marquee out front. That’s been a dream of mine since I was, like, fifteen.’

As Nina gathered her things and prepared to leave, she placed a hand on Tess’s arm. ‘Thanks, Tess.’

‘Thank you,’ Tess said with feeling.

‘No, I mean, thanks for, like, everything.’

Tess felt a swell of gratitude. But as she watched Nina walk out, she caught sight of Zara, still standing stiffly by the door, her hands clenched around her phone. Something was up.

As soon as the door clicked shut behind Nina, Tess turned her attention to Zara.

‘Hey,’ Tess said. ‘What’s going on?’

Zara blinked, surprised. ‘Nothing,’ she said too quickly. ‘It’s… nothing. Don’t worry about it.’

Tess crossed her arms, giving her a knowing look. ‘I’m not buying that. You’ve been off since you walked in here. Talk.’

Zara hesitated, glancing down at her phone. ‘It’s just work stuff,’ she muttered. ‘You don’t need to stress about it.’

‘Well, too late. I am,’ Tess said, a slight edge creeping into her voice. ‘Look, Nina just offered us a lifeline. If there’s something that could mess with that, I need to know now, before we start planning around it.’

Zara’s jaw tightened, and for a moment, Tess thought she was going to keep deflecting. But then she sighed, her shoulders sagging as if the weight of whatever she was holding back was too much to carry. She took a few steps forward and sank into the old, threadbare armchair by Tess’s desk, rubbing her temples.

‘It’s… it’s not about the premiere,’ she said finally. ‘But it could affect everything.’

Tess felt a chill creep up her spine. ‘What do you mean?’ she asked, trying to keep her tone even. ‘Zara, you’re freaking me out.’

Zara looked up, her eyes dark and troubled. ‘I found out something,’ she said, her voice barely above a whisper. ‘It’s bad.’