I take in the sights and smells of the vendors—fair food, mostly, but there’s also a few sushi and charcuterie options.
“Lila!” I spin around as her voice reaches me, searching the crowd for her face. When I finally land on it, it’s like coming home.
Something warm blooms in my chest, spilling out under my skin.
“Stella, there you are.”
She picks up speed, moving forward with both arms outstretched. We meet in the middle, and she drags me into an embrace. When she pulls back, her gaze scans my face.
She hasn’t dropped her hands from where they hold my arms, and it’s as if I’m the only thing anchoring her to this place, this moment. As if I’m the only thing keeping her from floating away, either from pure elation or fear.
Still undecided.
There’s no coming back from this, and I can see it on both our faces. We’ve gone over all the legal aspects, protected ourselves every way we’ve been advised, but in twenty minutes, none of it matters.
We both know the court of public opinion can be so much worse than any legal proceeding.
“Did you eat anything?” I ask, nodding toward a taco truck to our left.
“Can’t,” she says without even looking. It’s enough of an answer.
“Me either.” I bounce nervously on my feet, glancing toward the screen up ahead. I want to ask her if she’s sure about this, butI can’t. I know she is. I know we’re in this together, but trust still isn’t the most comfortable resting place for me.
She squeezes my arms once before releasing them. “It’s going to be great,” she says, and it sounds as if it’s as much for her benefit as mine. She brushes a bit of her silver bob back from her eyes. “It has to be.”
Something rattles deep in my core, a familiar sort of worry I haven’t felt since that night at Ralston’s award ceremony. It’s as if I’m standing on a precipice, just waiting for someone else to push me forward.
“Well, if it isn’t the debut director herself.” The familiar voice hits me square in the chest.
I squint, searching, and my eyes land on her with relief like mercy. A balm for my weary soul.
Hayden.
She moves through the crowd with ease, never in any hurry, and when she finally clears the last of the people between us, I spot Jade there too, their hands locked together between them. Hayden releases Jade’s hand for only moments to slap me on the back and shake Stella’s hand.
My eyes well with tears with no warning. “I didn’t know you’d be here.”
“Always surprised.” Hayden meets my gaze, then looks around. “I heard you’re taking ’em all down. Figured we’d better stick around to help with the wreckage.”
“Because there will be,” Jade points out, eyeing me, though it’s playful. Almost a dare. “But Lila’s never been afraid of a little wreckage.”
“I was young,” I say, my voice light and buzzing with nerves. “This Lila feels very afraid.”
Stella bumps my arm. “Feel it and persist anyway.”
“She will,” Jade says, leveling me with a stare that straightens my spine. Like she expects more from me than I’m sure I can give.
For the past year, Stella and I have been working on this documentary. With Ralston gone, we turned our attention to the other stories. The professors, bosses, and mentors who’ve taken advantage of their positions of trust and power. This is no longer about me, no longer about my revenge.
It’s a risk we’ve both accepted, but being here brings me right back to that campus. Alone. Terrified. Lost.
It’s like they knew I’d need the reminder of who I was. Who I still want to be.
Ahead, the screen flashes to life and all heads in the vicinity turn. A countdown flashes.
“Is that you?” Hayden asks, eyes bouncing between us.
“It is,” Stella confirms, inhaling deeply. She locks hands with me.
