Contents
Chapter 20: Emmett
Overview
Haunted by guilt after the staged kiss with Evelyn, Emmett runs to Prickle Point and unexpectedly meets Julia. They share an intimate sunrise, trading vulnerabilities about careers and fathers, and Julia pledges she’s “Team Brandt.” Their playful directing exercise escalates into an almost-kiss, confirming their chemistry and intensifying the conflict with the show’s premise.
Summary
Before dawn, Emmett wakes burdened by guilt over the forced kiss with Evelyn and for tainting Prickle Point, a place tied to cherished family memories. Restless, he runs the trail to the summit to clear his head and watch the sunrise, trying to reset before another day of filming.
Julia appears, cleaning up crew debris to avoid fines. They settle into a companionable view of Cascade Valley, and Julia quips that she’s “Team Brandt,” not Team Bottom Line, signaling solidarity against the show’s manipulations. Emmett asks about her goals; Julia admits she wants to direct major films. Emmett affirms her, and the conversation turns to their fathers—Julia’s late father, Gabriel Silva, and Emmett’s abrasive dad, Carl. Emmett explains why he hasn’t cut Carl off despite the pain: he still extracts coaching value and avoids reopening grief.
Their ease grows as they joke about Emmett’s on-camera awkwardness. Julia teases that he kisses like a “virginal robot,” and Emmett challenges her to direct him. What starts as coaching becomes physical proximity; Julia adjusts Emmett’s posture, and Emmett places his hands on her hips, grazing her neck and tilting her chin, testing the line.
Breathless and inches apart, they hover on the edge of a kiss. Emmett pulls back at the last moment with a teasing farewell, leaving to process the surge of attraction. He leaves Prickle Point feeling that the morning has repaired what last night damaged—and with his feelings for Julia unmistakably intensified, complicating the show’s narrative.
Who Appears
- Emmett BrandtProtagonist; seeks solace at Prickle Point, bonds deeply with Julia, and initiates an almost-kiss that clarifies his conflicted feelings.
- Julia SilvaAssistant director; cleans the site at dawn, shares ambitions and family history, declares “Team Brandt,” and nearly kisses Emmett.
- EvelynContestant; her forced kiss with Emmett the prior day fuels his guilt and discomfort.
- RichardProducer; his push for sensational footage looms over Emmett and Julia’s private connection.
- Gabriel SilvaJulia’s late father; remembered as supportive, inspiring Julia’s directing ambitions.
- Carl BrandtEmmett’s father; criticized yet acknowledged as a tough coach Emmett can’t fully cut off.