My necklace is devoid of any color. There is no gust of wind spontaneously throwing itself at me. Not even a jolt of pain—at least from the necklace, there isn’t.
Ever since the vigil, I came home to this dull, persistent pain pressing at my sternum. Even my lousy attempt to go for a run doesn’t shake the feeling. Running makes people happy, they say…
Fun fact, it does not. Especially when you tend to trip on air and failed gym class in ninth grade. Running is just a time to get shin splints and a wedgie.
Now, I’m just sad, sweating and SORE.
When I turn the shower knob to start the hot water, my phone buzzes. A thumping picks up in my chest as I scan the first few sentences, my stomach twists as her name jumps out at me.
“I saw your interview with Sloane the other day. I’ve never seen anything go off the rails quite like that…”
Before I could read more, I slip on the water splashed onto the tile, landing abruptly on my back. The ache spreads to my spine, knocking the air out of my lungs.
Even that doesn’t stop me from unlocking my phone and reading the rest of the message.
“I love how you put them in their place. Are you free for lunch today?” Something flutters low in my stomach as I reread it again. Nerves of all kinds—good, bad and queasy—tug at me.
Two hours and several outfit changes later, I am at a café, staring at the entrance, bracing for her arrival. I only notice her presence when another stranger reaches for her hand, joyfully.
“Audrey!!”
“Girl, I miss you.”
They double air kiss on both sides of their cheeks and tell each other they need to catch up before she locks eyes on me. Her freshly bronzed skin and blue eyes are walking toward me as her friend walks away.
A lump forms in my throat when she calls my name.
“Charlotte.”
She opens her arms for a hug and I take this as a hint to stand up to greet her. She’s taller than I remembered. More casual in blue jeans and a red tank top.
Nothing about the outfit gives any indication what my purpose is for being here today.
“Do you want to get food first?”
“To be honest, Audrey, I’d rather get to the point of why I am here,” I say nervously.
“That’s fair. I’d be wondering the same thing.”
Instead of answering my question, she pulls an iPad with a black cover wrapped around it out of her bag, tapping a few things before she slides the screen to me to show me a bunch of words.
“What’s this?”
“It’s this new movie I was talking about at the party. I just got the rights to it. A potential director is attached, but we’re sorting out the details of everything so we can start preproduction. A movie like this is going to take some time to be made if it’s done the right way.”
“Okay?”
“After I met you at the party, I asked around about who you were. Turns out, you are known for getting shit done. Seeing that interview, that blew me away.”
“It did?”
“Yeah, of course. Anyone that has balls to stick up for anyone like that and speaks their mind is someone I want on my team.”
“Your team?”
“Do you always answer people by repeating their words back to them?”
My whole body locks up, letting out a short, wheezing breath. “Only when I am trying to see if the other person is serious.”
