The Kiss that Sparked it All novel Chapter 2654

The more Ivy scrolled through the online chatter, the more anxious she felt. In the end, she handed her phone over to Evadne.

The next day, at the crack of dawn, Ivy went meet up with the director and the crew. Their first stop was the college in the city where "Ballad of Valor," the film they were promoting, was shot. The movie spun a yarn of young, starry-eyed love, targeting a youthful audience as its main demographic.

College students were unpredictable, a tough crowd that didn't follow the beaten path.

Ivy’s nerves were strung tight as guitar strings at the thought of facing this challenging group.

The director noticed Ivy's pallor — a few shades lighter than usual — and couldn't help but chuckle. "You weren't this jittery when you auditioned for the role of Valor. What's got you spooked today?"

Ivy pulled a face, "Aren't you nervous? The thought of being grilled with random questions has me tied up in knots, like I'm back in school facing a pop quiz."

"Hey, they're just college kids. They'll ask you questions based on the film, and you, my dear, are the living embodiment of Valor. What's there to fear? You can't get stage fright now — you're our leading lady!"

The other actors rallied around Ivy, offering words of encouragement. Among them was Ryan, a new actor like Ivy, but with a seasoned model's experience in the limelight, today's Q&A session was nothing big for him.

But Ivy was different. She had been the target of online vitriol for quite some time before facing a real audience. She didn't know how these people saw her or if they harbored any bias that might prevent them from giving the film a fair chance. That was her real worry — one she hadn't voiced to anyone except Balfour. And under a circumstance like this, he couldn't be there to offer comfort.

Though they were both swamped with their schedules, Balfour still found a moment to call and bolster her spirits before her event.