Page 2

The car pulled up. ‘Are you coming or not?’ Ashley asked, past caring.

Reva swallowed. ‘Fine.’

They got out of the car, Ashley pushing her face into a smile. People started yelling at her immediately. Paps, fans, talent wranglers. It was a wall of noise.

Ashley went to the first fan she saw, a girl in her early twenties. ‘I love you, Ashley,’ the girl warbled nervously, barely managing eye contact. She had oversized glasses, messy curls, and an earnest smile.

Ashley smiled at the girl, took her hand, and kissed the back of it softly.

The girl looked faint. ‘Oh my god,’ she whispered to herself. ‘Oh my god.’

‘See you around,’ Ashley said to the delirious girl and moved on down the line.

Fifteen fans later, Reva, who Ashley had sort of forgotten about, hissed in her ear, ‘I saw that.’

‘Saw what?’

‘You’re gonna pretend that wasn’t to get under my skin?’

Did she mean the fan? Ashley was just being nice to her because she looked like a sweet kid. Why was Reva making it weird?

‘Can we talk about this later?’ she muttered.

Ashley thought it might be their final conversation, the way it was going. But she was determined to have it be after the ceremony.

They moved further down the carpet.

‘Did you slip her your number?’ Reva asked as they posed for photos together.

Ashley kept smiling. ‘You’re insane,’ she muttered to Reva. She meant it.

What the hell was Reva doing?

‘You won’t humiliate me,’ Reva vowed, glaring at her now.

‘The fuck does that mean?’ Ashley said, her smile wobbling.

‘You need me more than I need you,’ Reva said. ‘I’m gonna teach you that.’

Ashley hadn’t seen Reva like this. She knew she was far from perfect. But tonight was another level.

Yet Ashley knew, somehow, that this was the real Reva. A petulant, insecure child. It wasn’t really a shock, nor a major disappointment. But Christ, did her mask have to slip tonight? Couldn’t she have thrown a wobbly in private? What the hell had prompted this tantrum?

Ashley suddenly realised that Reva’s pupils were enormous.

‘Let’s get inside,’ Ashley said.

It was too exposed out here. The world, it seemed, was watching Ashley bicker with what she was rapidly realising was her high-as-balls girlfriend.

‘No,’ Reva said.

Uh oh.

Ashley turned, still smiling for the cameras. ‘Reva,’ she warned quietly.

‘I’m the talent,’ Reva said louder. ‘Not you.’

A few photographers looked over. Ashley felt her stomach drop.