Phoebe gasped, then started to cough, a sliver of smoked salmon going down the wrong way. ‘You did what?!’
‘Just the teensiest bit, no big deal. It was Gem’s idea; it can’t be traced back to me.’
I could see Blake getting itchier from across the room, scratching more vigorously. Benji had been stood next to him, but had gradually edged away, presumably to avoid the flakes or nits or whatever he thought was the problem.
‘We could be sued!’ Phoebe said, through clenched teeth. ‘Although, it is the very least he deserves, of course.’
Blake was starting to look around, angrily, and I watched as he marched over to Gem red-faced and said something. She shrugged and shook her head as he waved his hands about. He scanned the crowd while he scratched, and then I realised he was looking for me. I was staring straight at him from behind my mask, but he couldn’t see me – he’d never spot me from this distance, anyway.
‘We might be in trouble after all,’ I said, as he started going from group to group, staring into people’s faces, and looking increasingly stressed out. There wasn’t anywhere to hide, apart from under the table or in the loos. Unless we made a run for it.
‘You said he can’t trace it back to you,’ Phoebe said.
‘He can’t.’
‘Well then. Give him a nice big smile and deny it. I’d rather not have a court case on my hands for Christmas, if you don’t mind. Your standard cheese and port hamper will do me just fine.’
I watched in panic as he got closer and closer.
‘This is stressing me out andruiningmy celeb-spotting,’ Phoebe grumbled.
‘Blakeisa celeb! And one you were very keen to meet a couple of months ago if I remember correctly.’
‘They say you should never meet your heroes,’ she replied.
‘In which case, maybe we should go back to the hotel?’
Billie Eilish had taken to the stage and the lights had gone down, thank goodness, making it harder for Blake on his scratch-and-sniff treasure hunt. The opening bars toNo Time to Diekicked in and everyone stopped to watch. It was satisfying to get one over on Blake, even in this small way. And to feel like Gem had my back. It would have been easy for her to believe what he’d said and let me go. It made me realise how quickly my career could be snatched away, however hard I worked for it. I spotted Gem across the room talking to another fit guy in a suit and mask – she knew everyone. What a treat to have worked with her.
‘When the clapping starts, follow me,’ I whispered to Phoebe. This was our chance. Billie had the whole room in the palm of her hand, the only movement was Blake’s furious scratching across an otherwise still crowd. We doubled back to the other side of the room to stand near the wardrobe guys, where Blake’s search had started, as the applause died down.
‘Heads up – literally,’ Gem said, laughing. ‘Blake is on the warpath. He’s looking for you, but I denied all knowledge.’
‘Maybe we should leave, Phoebs,’ I said, my bravery waning as I spotted him talking to security. Chiara was nodding vigorously and trying to calm him down.
‘Absolutely not. I haven’t accidentally bumped into anyone yet,’ Phoebe said.
A waitress walked past with a tray of mini lasagnes and the smell was too delicious to resist. We all grabbed one and I put my mask on the side for thirty seconds while I ate it, turning my back to Blake. Ihadto eat something. But it was thirty seconds too long. He came storming over, Chiara in tow.
‘YOU did this,’ he shouted, clawing at his head, his butterfly mask fluttering beautifully.
I glanced behind me, innocently, where Gem and Phoebe were scoffing down lasagne.
‘Are you talking to me?’ I asked, in faux surprise as soon as he was close enough to hear.
‘Who else?’ he raged. ‘Is this because I got you fired?’
‘I’ve never been fired in my life,’ I said, as nice as pie, but inside I was furious. He’d admitted it, then. This selfish bastard had ruined my first ever film job, so as not to be caught with his dick hanging out.
‘I think you’ll find you have. FromMoonmen. Call it whatever you like but I strongly suggested you be re… assigned.’
‘On what grounds?’
Blake shrugged and smiled. ‘On the grounds that I get what I want and Karma’s a bitch.’
‘She sure is,’ I said.
‘What have you put in my hair? I can’t stop scratching.’
