engulfed in fire

i guess this were i come up with something cool to say, but i am really not that cool. i am shay, i am form canada and i was on one of the biggest shows on abc family. right now you can catch me on the beach in the iconic red swim suit filming the baywatch contunination. okay i guess that is kind of cool. it's nice to meet you all

I'd say being Shay Mitchell is already cool in itself -- iconic, even! You could have stopped there and still won the room. I'm Olivia, nice to meet you! And for what it's worth, filming something on a beach in a red swimsuit for a Baywatch continuation is pretty much the definition of cool whether you want to admit it or not. Such a fun show to be part of. Is anyone from the OG cast part of it?

Life has been so crazy lately. Last year we were filming our show, wondering if people were going to like it, and now I'm about to lead the second season, just dropped an erotic audio story (big gulp!), and– well, my private life is actually great for once. Kind of waiting for the other shoe to drop, to be honest. Any advice on how to shake this feeling?

By the sounds of it, you're having the time of your life! When things have been chaotic or uncertain for long enough, happiness can start to feel suspicious. Like you're constantly looking over your shoulder, waiting for something to balance it all out. But if I can offer any advice, it'd be this: don't borrow trouble from a future that hasn't happened yet. That's a lot of wonderful things, and you deserve to enjoy them without immediately preparing for disaster. Easier said than done, I know. But sometimes the other shoe never drops. Sometimes life is just good for a while, and the best thing you can do is let yourself be present enough to enjoy it. And for what it's worth, I'm very happy that things are going so well for you!

aww, i'm glad you feel the same. please, we definitely need this to happen one day. it would be perfect. oh! i'm so happy to hear that. i had fun doing both so i appreciate that you thought i was wonderful. we really would and hopefully we get the chance to be on the set of a show or movie one day. that's good and ooo, i hope that all goes well for you. i've been good. doing different promos for supergirl and then have a few other projects i'm apart of that i've done the filming for so can't wait till they get announced for a release date.

We do! Fingers crossed it happens, I don't care when. No offense to Emma because they were amazing, but your Rhaenyra was my favorite. Such a shame you were only there for a few episodes. And you looked absolutely gorgeous in Sirens, your hair, the wardrobe, all of it. It was great, indeed! Last weekend was my first performance and I loved every second of it. There's something magical about standing on a Broadway stage. Oh, I'm stoked for Supergirl! I can't wait to see more of her because Superman definitely wasn't enough at all, a full movie is what we needed. That sounds like a pretty exciting stretch. There must be something really satisfying about finally reaching the point where the work is done and all that's left is watching everything slowly make its way out into the world. I'm already curious about those mystery projects now, so whenever those release dates drop, I'll be seated.

yes! oh? that sounds really interesting though and i think i've heard of it. i've been the worst at watching anything lately. honestly, i think it's a great choice and can't go against a good adrenaline rush at all. you'd have to honestly especially knowing you people got trapped in the town. i could see myself coming with you and we'd have to make sure to figure out what was going on. i'm better had handling being scared than one of the other members of my group so i won't just run off on you.

It really is! At least the first season is sooo good, you have no idea. Right?! That's exactly why I'd pick it. I know it's objectively a terrible decision and I'd probably regret it within the first twenty-four hours, the mental decline that must come with something like that is just insane. But there's no way I wouldn't want to know what was going on. Curiosity would absolutely get the better of me. And see, that's why you'd be coming with me. I'd need someone who can keep a level head when things start getting weird. The second one of those creatures showed up, I'd be torn between investigating and questioning every life choice that brought me there. We'd make a great team, though, at least I know you wouldn't abandon me and sprint off into the woods the second things got scary. Some people definitely would.

I have to admit, despite not participating in the wine drinking, staying awake with you until the earlier hours of the morning made the whole trip worth while. I can't remember the last time I laughed that hard, it was probably the last time we were together, Napa really pulled through and I'm just so happy the two of us were in the same place for once. Don't judge, but I had seriously considered hiding away in your suitcase so you'd have to take me home with you.

Babe, if you'd hidden in my suitcase, I don't think I would've even complained once I found you. For the record, staying up with you until stupid o'clock was easily my favorite part of the whole trip too. Being delirious from laughing was definitely the cherry on top of the trip, Z. Napa really did pull through, but I think it only felt that good because you were there. And now you've accidentally made me miss you all over again, so thanks for that. If you happen to be around the big apple, come see me, I've become attached to you already.

As sad as it was to not have you as a roommate, I feel like I did steal you away for like 80% of the time and that counts for something, doesn't it? The stars aligned and I really did have the best time with you in Napa, I'm just sorry we had to go our seperate ways at end of it. That spa day could've lasted a life time and it still wouldn't have been enough. Now, correct me if I'm wrong, but am I crazy of was Joe staring at you like, the whole time? I know he's a nice guy and maybe I was imagining it, but I swear, at one point I was convinced something was wrong with him.

And I loved being stolen by you, to be honest. Doesn't get much better than that. Napa genuinely felt a little unreal in the best way, so sad we got rudely thrown back into real life afterwards 'cause I really wanted a whole month in there with you... if only! And don't even get me started on the spa day, because I'm still emotionally attached to that robe. Maybe that means we should come back at some point. We absolutely could've stayed there another week and I still would've complained it wasn't long enough. But wait, what did you see? I might actually have to tell you something about that, because there may be a reason behind it.

I think people romanticise constantly being outside their comfort zone a little too much sometimes, when realistically, peace and familiarity can be just as important. And yes, that’s the perfect way to describe it, disappearing somewhere quiet for a bit. I love cities too, but eventually my brain starts craving somewhere slower where nobody expects anything from me and I can just switch off properly. I already know you’d love those places. Though fair warning, once you get a taste for those kinds of beaches, crowded tourist spots start becoming unbearable afterwards.

So true. Sometimes the healthiest thing you can do is just exist somewhere that makes you feel calm again. That underrated familiarity and having space to actually hear yourself think, which is rare these days. I can absolutely see myself disappearing somewhere quiet with zero plans, living off good food, late sunsets, and not checking my phone for hours. I really need that detox, plus that kind of reset feels rarer and rarer lately. Oh, I hear you! I feel like once you experience the kind of place, there's no going back.

that kind of goes without saying at this point. oh, will you shut up already? you're not only way more gorgeous and perfect than i am, but you're also ridiculously iconic. are you trying to butter me up so i'll start annoying my agent about making this happen? you know what we could pitch as a movie idea? have you ever seen in her shoes with cameron diaz? because it could be sort of like that, but also be different. we seriously need more feel-good movies again. not that i mind the endless stream of action thrillers netflix keeps dropping, but wouldn't it be kind of nice to bring chick flicks back? and no, you're gorgeous.

I might be a little guilty of that, but can you blame me? I mean, if we ended up working together on something like that, I'd be insufferable for at least six months. I can totally see it! The kind of movie people rewatch when they need comfort, I really want us to be in something like that. We really are missing those kinds of films lately. Don't get me wrong, I'd be all over the moon if we kicked some ass in some action thriller, but bringing back genuinely good chick flicks feels overdue. We need movies that make people want to call their best friend after watching them. And I already know we'd have way too much fun making something like that.

i just wanna say how much i love and adore you. i would easily be up for the chance of us working together on a project if that happens. i know we'd have a good time together easily. how have you been though? @oholt

Aren't you just the sweetest? I really appreciate that and I feel the same. I'd be completely up for the idea of us working together on something; I've seen you in House of the Dragon and Sirens and… you're simply wonderful! I know we'd make a great duo. I've been alright, rehearsing for a musical I'm doing on Broadway starting next week. How about you?

Napa had faded into a blissful haze. The short vacation had been everything Joe had wanted and it hadn't been until it ended that he cursed himself for the way he had left things. Sure, he had a wonderful time, he saw friends he rarely got to see due to the harsh reality of the industry pulling them all in different directions and he's even spent a some of his time away experiencing enriching events that would have never occurred to him had he not been brave enough to venture outside of his comfort zone. These wonderful, unbelievable memories that he hoped would never fade from his mind, but amongst all the great, he'd been kicking himself for the cowardice nature he had so foolishly displayed when it had come to spending time with Olivia. It shouldn't have been this difficult, but when she was around, Joe found it hard to speak in full sentences. She had captivated him from the very first 'hello' and his emotions had only become more obvious over time. Still, for some reason he still didn't understand, that one little question he had been begging himself to ask hadn't left his mouth while they'd been in Napa and he hated himself for it.

Olivia had flown out to see Joe purely because she missed him, and it hadn't even been a full week since they'd last seen each other in Napa. They had only been doing this, whatever this was, for a few weeks now, but if she was being honest with herself, Olivia already felt like she wanted more of him. The more time they spent together, the more addictive his presence became. Joe was… easy. Easy to be around, easy to trust, easy to fall into. Being with him brought this quiet sense of peace she hadn't realised she'd been craving until he came along. And yet there was still this invisible space lingering between them, because technically they weren't anything, not officially anyway. They'd never sat down and defined it. All Olivia really knew was that everything inside her seemed to settle whenever he was close. Maybe that was why his nervousness caught her off guard now, because despite the chemistry crackling so naturally between them, despite the attachment that had grown frighteningly fast, despite the fact they'd both literally boarded planes just to steal a little more time together, Joe was still looking at her like she might disappear the second he said the wrong thing. When his fingers curled around hers, Olivia squeezed his hand instinctively, grounding him without a second thought, and her expression softened into something openly adoring as he continued rambling through his nerves. Her eyes followed every movement, every stumble over his words, and somewhere in the middle of it she realised, with a sudden aching clarity, that she was already far more emotionally involved than she'd ever planned to be.

What do you like to do on Sundays. I call them lazy sundays because I like to be lazy.

Sundays are definitely meant to be lazy, though! I'm a firm believer in doing as little as humanly possible on a Sunday without feeling guilty about it. Usually it's a lot of staying in comfy clothes, maybe thinking about being productive for a solid five minutes but somehow ending up rotting on the couch watching films or random documentaries instead. I like being outside for a bit too, with my dog, my fam. Very wholesome of me. And if I'm really lucky, I'll spend the whole day avoiding everyone, pretending the rest of the world doesn't exist until Monday forces me back into reality. What do you do? Do you like watching something or just stare at the wall?

Yeah, exactly. A bit of balance keeps things from tipping too far either way. And honestly, sticking to what works isn’t a bad thing at all. Sometimes, the comfort zone is exactly where you need to be. And please, a private beach is the dream. Not too many people, just the waves and a bit of space to actually breathe. That’s all I ever want. I might be a little biased since it’s home, but you have to add Rugova Canyon in Kosovo to your list, it’s stunning. And then the Ksamil Islands, Gjipe Beach tucked between cliffs, and Dhërmi Beach in Albania, all of them feel a bit more secluded and untouched, which I love. You’d be very into them.

Oh, I certainly agree! I think people put way too much pressure on themselves to constantly push beyond their comfort zone, when sometimes the healthiest thing you can do is lean into the places and routines that genuinely make you feel good. It honestly sounds like heaven! A private beach, barely any people around, just the sound of the waves and enough space to just... be. That's exactly my kind of place. I love cities, but after a while there's something so necessary about disappearing somewhere quiet. I've officially added all of those recommendations to my list now. The "secluded and untouched" part is exactly what sold me. I already know I won't want to leave.

oh yeah, i am aiming for the stars here, baby doll. nope, it can't be without anyone else, just me and you. oh, of course. we are going to make it happen - all the monkeys your heart desires. you can't. it is going to be so much fun. they are all going to love you. it will be so chaotic, but we will love it all the more. please, i am waiting. if he could like me in sweatpants so i don't have to change, it would be even better.

I like that. Ambition is one of my favorite traits in people, it's such an underrated kind of energy. Monkeys loving me is honestly the best thing that could happen to me, though I feel like I'd get humbled by one of them stealing something from me. That feels like the natural order of things. And I don't think there's any state you could be in that he wouldn't like you, Em. If anything, I'm pretty sure sweatpants is the optimal setting. That's when you get the real test, if someone still thinks you're great when you look like you've fully given up on life for the day, that’s the real deal. Everything else is just bonus points. How was the trip for you, love?

okay, i totally fell off the face of the earth for a minute there. ended up having to do a lot of travelling over the last week so i'm blaming it on that. however, i'm back and here to check in. how have you been? any new, fun updates to share? and more importantly, what are the chances we can get together before this trip ends tomorrow?

That's not too bad, 'cause travelling has a way of completely obliterating any sense of time, so I'll allow it. I've been good! Mostly just leaning fully into the whole "pretend real life doesn't exist for a few days" thing, which I highly recommend. I ended up thinking this is exactly how people end up extending trips indefinitely. I'll see you at the goodbye concert! I feel like it would actually be criminal if we let the trip end without properly hanging out. Even if it's just drinks here.

in the spirit of branching out and giving a go at the whole making a new friend thing, i'd like to offer myself up as a partner in crime - if you need one - for the rest of the trip. want to hit up the spa day tomorrow? go off-itinerary and wander until we (potentially) get lost and spend way too long trying to find our way back to the resort? i'm down for all of the above. @oholt

Oh, yes, please! Actually, all of that sounds right up my alley. I'm fully on board for the spa day, and the idea of wandering completely off-itinerary until we get lost, it also sounds like the ideal bonding experience to me, kind of my brand too so you've picked the right person. Consider me very happily signed up to be your partner in crime for the rest of the trip.