I had half a mind to confiscate everyone’s phones before the Showcase, but I wasn’t sure what that would accomplish if they still had iPads and their computers.
Their faces were everywhere, along with the articles.
It was time to buckle down.
Even if that meant I had to turn into boring, mean Grace with no feelings. Did it matter anyway? Since they clearly assumed I didn’t even possess them?
“You didn’t eat,” Rae said quickly.
I stared at the little containers of food in the middle of the table and suddenly felt my stomach roll. How could l possibly eat?
Embarrassment had a way of stealing a person’s appetite.
I tried for a kind smile. “I’m fine, thanks.”
I left the room before I started crying tears of frustration.
With a sigh, I shut the door to my room and threw myself against the bedspread with a groan into the nearest pillow.
I lay there feeling sorry for myself for at least fifteen minutes before getting up and changing into a pair of white Cozy Earth sweats.
Honestly, I had six hours before curfew, but I had no idea how to navigate the city, and on top of that, I still had a rapper to babysit.
Pity party officially over, I left my room and shut the door, but when I turned around Rae was literally inches away from me.
“Shit.” I stumbled back. “How do all of you know how to sneak up on people?”
His grin was gorgeous. “It’s a gift.”
“Uh-huh.”
I tried side-stepping him, but he moved into my way each time.
I closed my eyes in frustration and opened them. “Did you need something?”
“Yeah.” He crossed his arms. “Toothpaste.”
“Toothpaste,” I repeated. “You need toothpaste?”
“Fresh out.” He shrugged. “But management rules, I’m not supposed to leave the apartments without staff…”
“That’s only—” My eyes narrowed. “If it’s toothpaste, I can just go grab it for you if you let me know what kind. Just keep an eye on Lucas. I know he looks like he’s doing better, but the news still hasn’t reported what really happened, so he could spiral at any time still.”
“Solia’s here.” He grinned. “One of our producers wanted to do some last-minute tweaks to the song, and it’s Lucas’s part—he’ll be busy.”
“Too busy to think about hurting himself? Are you sure?” Despite my annoyance with him, I still cared. I wasn’t a monster.
“I know him the best,” was Rae’s response. “Trust me, he’s doing a lot better, and Solia will watch him. It’s not like we’re going to be gone for hours. It’s just toothpaste, after all… completely harmless.”
Something about the way he said completely harmless felt like the exact opposite of the meaning I think he was going for.
After a five-second stare-down, I finally relented. “Fine, let me get my shoes.”
“I owe you.” He adjusted his black hat.
“Oh, don’t worry, I’m writing it down for the next time I need a favor.” I forced a smile, dodged back into my room to grab a pair of high tops, and actually managed to put on my footwear at the door where I was supposed to.
Yay me!
Once I had my shoes on, I looked around the empty living room, ready to announce that I was taking off really quick, but Rae already had the door opened and was ushering me out. “Solia already knows.”
“So you knew I’d say yes to the toothpaste quest?” My right eyebrow arched as I hit the elevator button and stared him down.
He needed a haircut before the Showcase unless the label was going for a longer, surfer sort of look where his hair stuck out messily from under his hat. Both of his ears were pierced with black hoops, simple compared to his costume the other day, and his face was free of all the makeup they’d worn the day of the vampire shoot.
He smiled wide, revealing straight white teeth and a small dimple at the corner of his mouth. “Well, I hoped.”
I wanted to shout at him to stop smiling at me like that. I imagined it was like being hunted in the wild only to stop running the minute the hunter smiled and offer yourself up as a sacrifice.
Yeah, that was what his smiles felt like.
I cleared my throat and jerked my attention away toward the elevator. I hit the parking garage button. “Oh shoot, I forgot the ke—”
“Got them.” He jingled the keys, shrugging as the doors closed. “I figured I’d drive. You know…”
“I’m not that bad,” I argued.
“You’re right.” He laughed. “I think you’re getting worse.”
I tried not to smile at his teasing. Angry! I was angry with him, I reminded myself when we left the elevator and got into the van.
He made no move to start the engine.
Oh crap, was this just a ruse to get me alone to have a serious talk I really didn’t want to have that would make both of us uncomfortable?