Debbie settles in the chair next to Damon Van Schwartz and looks at her phone. I watch him dunk the teabag around the cup, then clear my throat.
“Ask away, Eliza,” he says.
“How’d you know I wanted to ask something?”
“Told you. I listen fromhere,” he says, pointing to his chest again.
“Um, did Charlie really talk about me?”
“He did,” he confirms.
“What did he say?” I ask, the tips of my ears getting hot.
“Usual stuff. Complaining about you. How annoying you are,” he says, his blue eyes twinkling.
“Oh. That’s not very encouraging.”
“Oh, but don’t you see, Eliza. It is. It’s more than encouraging.”
I cross my arms, not really sure how Charlie grumbling about how irritating he finds me can be a positive thing.
“Sorry, I shouldn’t pry in your personal business, I just love to see people connect.” He leans forward, putting his elbows on the table. “What else would you like to ask me?”
“Is it true the karaoke party isn’t happening tonight?”
He glances at Debbie then takes a sip of his tea.
“I kind of meant something about me or my process, but OK,” he says. “Yes, I’m afraid it is. Poor Felix. That guy loves all of you nearly as much as I do.”
He puts his tea down, and ordinarily I’d be thinking of ways to steal his used teabag, but all I can think of is poor Sadie. I look down at my hoodie; there’s still a little wet patch of Sadie tears. I can’t believe thefinalparty of thefinalconvention isn’t happening, and we’re all going to be left sort of . . . hanging.
“I can’t believe it’s coming to an end like this,” I say, shaking my head and blinking back tears.
Damon Van Schwartz frowns and sits back in his chair.
“What?” he says, looking round at Debbie, who’s still smiling but also raising her eyebrows. “Who told you it’s ending?”
“You just told me,” I say, frowning at him and Debbie.
“Idid not just tell youVampire Fallsis ending,” he says, putting both his hands up.
“What?!” Apparently, I’ve just jumped up and knocked my chair back. The room spins and my throat feels like it’s closing. “Vampire Fallsisending?”
“Mr Van Schwartz didnotsay that,” says Debbie, putting her hands on her hips. “You’re putting words in his mouth.”
“That’s exactly what he said,” I say. “He’s putting words in his own mouth.”
“Guys, guys, please,” Damon Van Schwartz says, trying to blind me with his perfect smile. “Whatever you think you might have heard . . .”
“Youjustsaid it,” I repeat.
“Whatever you think Imayhave said, ispossiblyclassified information only to be officially shared at a time when the network sees fit.”
I stare at him, a bit of worry tilting those perfectly threaded eyebrows upwards, and I sigh, exhausted. I lift my chair back up and slump onto it, my legs unable to take the weight of any more bad news or breakups or arguments.
“Why?” I ask, imagining Sadie’s face when she hears that her new favourite thing is coming to an end.
He shrugs and shakes his head, wistfulness glistening in his eyes.
