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“Thirty minutes before we hit the road!” Dad says.
Mia collapses on my bed with a huff, hugging her rabbit to her chest. I lie down next to her and slide my hand into hers. “You have nothing to be nervous about, Mia. You’ll knock the audition out of the park.”
She sighs. “I don’t know.”
“You’ve been on so many. Doesn’t it get any easier?”
She turns her head to me. “A little. But I still get nervous every time. So does Dad.”
“Well, at least it shows you still love it if you get this nervous.”
Mia kisses her rabbit. “Now that I have Lady Bunny, I feel so much better.”
“Ugh, Mia. That thing is probably full of so many diseases.”
She hugs her to her chest again. “Don’t diss my bunny. She’s perfect. Oh my gosh! I forgot to ask you!” She suddenly sits up with her face shining, whatever she was feeling a minute ago totally gone. “Is it true about you and Colton? Are you two really dating?”
My brows shoot up. “It reached the elementary school?”
“Duh. We always hear about what’s going on at the high school.”
I frown. “That’s not a comforting thought.”
“So?” she presses. “Is it true?”
I know Colt and I discussed that we won’t tell anyone about our arrangement, except for my friends. But I don’t want to lie to my sister.
I bump my shoulder into hers. “You can keep a secret, right?”
“Of course I can. But I’m going to tell Rylee and Zoey.”
“Mia…”
“What’s the secret?” She bounces in her place. “Does it have to do with Colton? Oh my gosh, everyone at school wants to know all the details. Who asked who? How did you meet? Do you have cute nicknames for each other?”
I frown again. There’s no way I can tell my sister the truth. Not only will she tell her friends (I can understand that because I don’t like keeping secrets from my friends, either), but she won’t be able to hold back from blabbing to the whole school. If anyone at my school finds out that Colt and I are pretending, that’ll be the end of everything.
“What’s the secret!?” Mia bounces on my bed again.
I shake my head. “Nothing. Just, I secretly believe in Lady Bunny’s powers, too,” I lie. “I know she’ll bring you luck and you’ll nail the audition.”
She throws her arms around me. “Thanks!”
“Mia! Willow! Come downstairs,” Mom calls.
When my sister and I get there, I find Mom packing some last-minute important things. “I hope we have everything we need. I can never remember what I left at the other house.” She turns to me and smiles. “Are you packed, too?”
I nod to the stuffed backpack sitting on the hallway floor. “I think so. Peter can always drive me home if I need to get something.”
“I’m so jealous you’re having a sleepover with your friends at Ava’s,” Mia says. “I’d be in the game room all day. Well, when I’m not in the pool.”
“Willow,” Mom says. “Remember, if for whatever reason you want to go home, just call Halmeoni and Harabeoji. You can stay with them until we get back. Or you can stay with Grandpa and Grandma.”
I nod. “Thanks, but I never get homesick when I’m with my Musketeers.”
When everyone has what they need, we get in the car. They’ll drop me off at Ava’s house before driving to the airport. I run lines with Mia to help calm her down, though she knows the lines inside out.
When we arrive at the Knight mansion, I notice a familiar car pulling up, too. “Looks like Evie’s dropping Lily off,” I say as I gather my things. “Thanks for the ride. Have fun in L.A.” I lean forward to hug my sister. “Don’t sweat it. You’ll do great.”
