Chapter 2

I gathered up my skirt and started for the restroom.

Then I heard two voices I knew.

One was April. The other, somehow, was Bradley.

"Did you give it to her? Is she suspicious?"

"Of course not. She toddled off to touch up her makeup."

April's voice was thick with satisfaction.

"Are you ready? A lot of people are watching. It has to be good."

"Don't worry. I got the meanest one from back home, starved it three days, it's in heat and out of its mind."

There was something vicious in Bradley's tone.

Nothing like the boy who'd cheered me on that morning.

"Once she's done performing, I'd like to see her strut around in front of me then."

"Right. Once she's humiliated in front of everyone, she can't hold that little scrap of gratitude over me anymore."

Scrap of gratitude? Hold it over him?

My father treated his mother for twenty years and never charged a cent.

My mother had been paying his tuition since middle school.

And in his eyes it had shrunk down to a scrap of gratitude.

"Brad, I get how hard it's been for you. Once the show's over, we'll see how those sanctimonious parents of hers face everyone."

"Exactly. Those two care so much about appearances. Once they see Myra looking like that with their own eyes, I really don't know if they'll drop dead from the shock. I can't wait."

Listening to them, my fist closed without my telling it to.

One was the roommate I lived beside day and night, the one I'd taken for my closest friend.

The other was the boyfriend I'd grown up with, the one my family had all but raised like their own son.

I never thought the two of them would come together to set up something like this.

"The next number's mine to emcee. I have to go."

A second later came the soft sound of movement.

April's voice went shy. "Stop it, you're in such a hurry you've smudged my makeup."

"What's there to worry about? The dressing room's right here. Go fix it."

Hearing the two of them move, I ducked out of sight fast.

I'd heard right after all.

It was April and Bradley.

I watched with my own eyes as April went into the dressing room, and I followed her right in.

"Myra, why aren't you backstage waiting?"

I wiped the sweat off my face.

"It's too hot out there. I came to touch up my makeup."

I took out the sunscreen spray she'd given me from my pocket.

In an instant her eyes lit up.

"Want me to help you?"

She set down her eyeliner and came over to me.

I handed it to her. "Sure. Give it a good, heavy coat. The sun's brutal out there."

When the fine mist settled on my face, I narrowed my eyes.

April couldn't keep the smile off her face.

She sprayed my face and my arms and legs until they were coated.

"Myra, are your parents coming to watch you perform today?"

I looked in the mirror as I spoke. "No, they're busy."

She said lightly, "That's okay. Bradley will stream it live for them."

"A moment this good, Bradley wouldn't let them miss it."

She finished the last stroke of eyeliner.

Then she dug the sunscreen spray out of her makeup bag.

She checked the glitter along the seal carefully.

Once she was sure it was right, she aimed it at her own face and sprayed.

"Myra, I'm up next to emcee. You should get backstage."

She picked up the hem of her gown and started for the door.

"See you on stage."

I watched that radiant smile of hers.

I picked up that bottle of spray and slipped it into my pocket.

"Sure! See you on stage."