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Chapter 10
Trenton
RightaftertheThe Nightly Showaired, Evan texted me:Good job, man. I knew I could count on you.
I thanked him and left it at that. I hadn’t actually watched the show—going through it once had been enough. I’d been blindsided by those stupid meme questions. Any viewers who hadn’t seen them before had certainly seen them now. I should have realized the host would ask about them—he was known for doing shit like that. I’d been so focused on doing justice forSing Battle—and therefore Ali—that I hadn’t prepared for any personal questions. It was a missed opportunity. Carlita had certainly milked the chance to discuss her upcoming stint on a telenovela.
My phone chimed again with a message from Lindsey:Babe! You didn’t tell me you were going onThe Nightly Show.
I frowned at my phone. Of course I hadn’t told her. I hadn’t spoken to her after she and her publicist decided I wasn’t famous enough for her career to benefit. My fingers hovered over the screen, trying to come up with a suitable response.Fuck it.She didn’t deserve one, and I had nothing to say to her.
The next morning, Ali and I were meeting with the costume department. I really hoped they didn’t try to put us in matching outfits. I’d had enough of that shit in my Misdirection days.
When I got into the building, I ran into Evan first thing.
“Everyone is buzzing about the reveal show,” he said. “That’s all thanks to you and Carlita. You killed it.”
I wouldn’t have said I killed it, but I had done a decent enough job. “Thanks. I’m sure everyone will be relieved after the reveal show, so we don’t have to worry about spilling any secrets.”
He slurped coffee out of the largest mug I’d ever seen. “You have no idea. It’s been like herding cats, trying to keep it all under wraps. Are you here for costuming?”
“Yeah. They better not try to put me in sequins or some shit.” I wished I could say I was being a smart-ass, but I’d once had a stylist try to dress me in a sequined vest. It had looked like something Elton John might have worn in the seventies.No thank you.
Evan snorted. “You don’t have to worry about that. There’s no way in hell we could convince the celebrities to wear matching outfits, so you can wear whatever you want. We’re just getting your measurements in case you request something down the line. It’s easier that way. But we’re dressing the contestants the same for the reveal.”
“Why?”
“It’ll keep the focus on the celebrities for this episode, which is the draw for the reveal. All the contestants will more or less blend together.”
I wasn’t wild about that idea. The competition was supposed to be about the contestants, not the celebrities. But what did I know about running a successful singing competition? I was just a cog in the machine.
I made my way to the costume department and stood on the block so the lady could take my measurements. Then I texted Ali:Are you in the building?
I felt bad about standing her up the day before, especially without telling her why, but Evan had made me so damn paranoid about not spilling details about the show. I didn’t know if I was allowed to tell her about going onThe Nightly Show.
In the lounge, she replied.
Once done with the costuming people, I found Ali cradling her water bottle in a corner of the lounge. She smiled when she saw me, but I could tell right away something was wrong. Her eyes were glassy, as if she’d been crying and tried to hide it by using eye drops. Plus, her demeanor seemed different than usual.
I approached slowly, as one might an animal in the wild. “Is everything okay?”
“Everything is great,” she said quickly. “Do you want to try to get rehearsal space in the building since we’re both already here?”
“We could, but I’m happy to drive us to my place. And I’ll drive you home afterward.” While her friend Georgia had gotten a rental car, Ali was relying on Uber and Lyft. I didn’t blame her for not wanting to drive in LA.
“Whatever you think is best.”
I knew something was wrong, because when I’d offered her a ride home after our first rehearsal, she’d vehemently insisted on not putting me out. I sat next to her. “What’s going on? If you’re mad at me about yesterday, I’m sorry. Evan asked me to go on the show, and I didn’t think I was supposed to tell anyone, not even you.”
“After I saw you on the show, I figured. You looked good.”
“Thanks.”
Another few contestants came into the room, and when their gazes landed on Ali, their eyes narrowed. When she saw them, she stood. “Let’s get out of here.”
Out in the hallway, I stopped her. “What the hell is going on?”
“I guess you didn’t get the same email we did.”
