“Because I don’t want to keep filming?” I asked. This entire meeting was set up because I’d complained about the number of rewrites. Now, they were scrambling for excuses to keep us here. Sebastian and I both knew they were only prolonging this so they could keep an eye on us. Arthur’s reasons were flimsy at best. It felt like he’d come up with this story just a few moments before I walked in. None of it made sense, but I went along with it, hoping he’d hang himself.
“Exactly. But I’ve convinced him this is the last scene needed. He wanted to keep filming, but we knew you were getting exhausted, and the longer it goes on, eventually, he’ll kill again. It’s time to wrap. So, what do you say? Let’s stop this beast.”
I thought about the text again.
Even if I hadn’t received it, I wouldn’t have believed a word from this asshole’s mouth. He really thought I’d believe Sebastian killed my mother? This dude stabbed me.
“What are your hesitations?” Arthur asked.
“It’s hard to believe he had something to do with my mother’s murder,” I said honestly.
“Understandable. Unfortunately, I was the one who watched the security cams. It was without a doubt Sebastian Shaw who raped her, stabbed her, and later staged her murder to look like a suicide.”
I stared deep into his eyes, studying him. How could he lie so easily? He continued his fabrication without batting an eye.
“The studio made the mistake of covering it up. Why ruin multiple lives? We thought we were doing the right thing—keeping a boy with a bright future free but on a short leash. His urges had gotten the best of him, we thought. We were sadly mistaken and now need to take him down.”
“And a fake-out is going to do that?” I lifted the bullet, deciding to play his stupid fucking game. It didn’t feel rubber, although I’d never felt a real bullet to compare it to.
“Yes. He’ll see it as a warning.”
“Is that why you stabbed me? A warning?”
He was silent for a long time, then nodded. “Yes. I thought you were Sebastian. I didn’t look before I thrust the knife.” He hung his head, seemingly in shame. He was a good actor. “I am deeply sorry, Evelyn. I never meant to hurt you. You were never supposed to return.”
This man really thought he had me convinced. I gripped the arms of my seat. If I had a gun, I’d use theIch lügebullet right now and test it.
I seethed inwardly. I needed to get out of here. I couldn’t fake this anymore. Arthur walked across the room to a mini fridge. He opened it and pulled out a blue Red Bull.
“Are you thirsty? The blueberry is my favorite.”
I peered into the fridge and spotted a red can. “I’ll take peach.” He pulled it out and handed it to me, then offered a toast.
“What do you say? Are you in?”
I stared blankly at the wall behind him, then lifted my can. “We have such sights to show you.”
“What’s that?”
“Nothing.” I smirked. “Of course I’ll do it. It’s for the greater good.”
THAT NIGHT, Isat in my home theater, freshly showered, wearing one of my mother’s flowing pink nightgowns, watching her first film,Missing You, Missing Me. The storyline was shit, but her performance was impeccable. She was around my age yet appeared so much older.
Not physically. She was stunning until the day she died. It was the way she carried herself, the confidence she always exuded. She walked into a room with the expectation that everyone was there just for her. She took no shit and yet was soft as a kitten. I glanced at the rest of my couch, a small twinge of loneliness pulling at my heartstrings. If this were Sebastian’s house, I’d be surrounded by dogs. Sebastian would be wrapping a blanket around me and handing me a bowl of freshly popped popcorn with M&M’s, and we’d be snuggling in for another night of movies. But it was mine, and I had no one to warm my feet or cuddle under my arms. There was no popcorn with M&M’s, and there was no Sebastian.
I missed him.
I pulled a throw blanket up to my chin and continued my melancholy reflection of my mother’s body of work. Tomorrow, I was expected to kill Sebastian. They really thought I was stupid. Did they forget the internet existed?
They literally fed me the plot fromHeathers, for Christ’s sake.Ich lügebullets? Come on.I made a living watching and deep diving movies. Did they really think I wouldn’t catch that reference?
I had a feeling everything would change tomorrow. Someone was going to die. Whether it was me, Sebastian, or someone else, I could feel it in my bones. There was going to be an incident.
After the movie finished, I left the home theater and drifted through the house, my feathery robe trailing behind me. My mom had been so much taller than me, I felt like a little girl playing dress up. I tightened the robe and went out the back door to stare at the moon.
Sebastian had asked me several times what I wanted after this was all over. I hated to admit, but I’d begun thinking about it. Up until now, I’d made a point not to think of life after my revenge because I was so sure if I made it through the whole list, the police would gun me down on the front lawn after my last kill. But what if they didn’t? What if no one ever learned about what Sebastian, Bryce, Skye, and I did? What then?
I was starting to think it was time to sell this old place. I could get a pretty penny for the home of Lita Reyes—theSimon SaysFinal Girl.
