us?”
Megan stared. What would he do? Her stomach tightened. Tell her no.
Chase left. Megan yanked at the ribbon, wanting to call him back for a million reasons, but she didn’t. She tied off the bow and peeped around the curtain. He had taken a seat in their box and accepted a glass of champagne. The toast tasted bitter from here.
The Director clapped her hands. “Curtains, everyone!”
Riley, in character, leaned against a fake front door. On the other side, Veronica stood in a fake living room. “I know she’s in there,” Riley sang in character.
At the first line, Megan had to cover her mouth to stop the giggle. They had to sing their lines.
“He loves me,” Veronica sang, making Megan wince.
“She betrayed me,” Riley sang, and Megan felt her eyebrows raise. Riley possessed a truly amazing voice.
“He loves me. I bet he brought me something shiny.”
Veronica, not so much.
Riley held a bottle of wine and a stage knife. “I have something to show her.”
Hand in the air, Veronica wiggled her left ring finger. “Something that sparkles.”
Riley flicked a gaze between the bottle of wine and the knife. “Or maybe poison, like she poisoned my love.”
Veronica put her hand to her lips. “I can’t wait to see him!” Riley rang the doorbell and tucked the knife into his pocket. Veronica opened the door. “May I pour you a glass?”
“Why yes.”
Veronica walked to a side table to open the wine. Riley removed his knife and stretched out his arm. The blade touched the back of her dress and sliced a ribbon. Veronica turned. “Why, thank you.” She took the knife and pried at the cork.
Riley, in character, looked confused and sang in an aside to the audience, “Why does she act so innocent?” The top of Veronica’s gown slipped over her shoulders and sagged down her arm.
Peep show imminent.
Chapter 25
PEEP
M egan hesitated, took off her navy jacket and ran on stage to cover Veronica. Six steps in, she froze. Bright lights, hundreds of staring eyes. Her hands fell to her sides and her blazer brushed her legs, reminding her of why she ran on stage in the middle of the performance. Megan improvised. “Uh. So you won’t get chilly, madam.” She bowed her way off the stage wearing her maroon camisole. She sucked in a breath, cheeks on fire. When she reached backstage, the director hit her with a script. Smack. The swat was well-deserved so she didn’t protest.
On stage, Riley grabbed the bottle of red wine. The wine splashed on Veronica and covered Megan’s jacket. Why are these horrible things happening to my clothes? A hand tugged on the hem of her camisole, and Megan turned.
Chase.
“I like this.”
Chase stepped close enough she could smell the champagne on his breath. Her focus narrowed to him, bright in the dark. The curtain fell and the darkness deepened, surrounding them.
Chapter 26
CAFETERIA
T he curtains opened, revealing their high school cafeteria. The daytime air smelled like fried food. Home. Relief washed over Megan and all her muscles relaxed. She hadn’t realized how tense she’d been until this moment, until she let go.
Veronica grabbed her in a hug. “We’re home! Thank God. My parents must’ve been so worried.”
“Mine too.”
Chase shrugged. “My Dad went out of town. I didn’t really need to come back until Monday. What’s--” He hesitated and looked around. “I don’t recognize any of these guys.”
“Who cares?” Veronica grinned.
One kid seated at a nearby table sprouted fairy wings, shrank in size, and flew over to another table.
Everything in her froze, a new tension locking her muscles, stilling the blood in her veins. Even her heart stopped. “Oh.”
The fairy flitted around the head of one of the students like a persistent gnat. The teen swung his hand at it. The fairy persisted, so the teen opened his mouth, sprouted vampire fangs, and snapped at the fairy. The fairy backed off.
“This isn’t home,” Riley said. He
Megan stared. What would he do? Her stomach tightened. Tell her no.
Chase left. Megan yanked at the ribbon, wanting to call him back for a million reasons, but she didn’t. She tied off the bow and peeped around the curtain. He had taken a seat in their box and accepted a glass of champagne. The toast tasted bitter from here.
The Director clapped her hands. “Curtains, everyone!”
Riley, in character, leaned against a fake front door. On the other side, Veronica stood in a fake living room. “I know she’s in there,” Riley sang in character.
At the first line, Megan had to cover her mouth to stop the giggle. They had to sing their lines.
“He loves me,” Veronica sang, making Megan wince.
“She betrayed me,” Riley sang, and Megan felt her eyebrows raise. Riley possessed a truly amazing voice.
“He loves me. I bet he brought me something shiny.”
Veronica, not so much.
Riley held a bottle of wine and a stage knife. “I have something to show her.”
Hand in the air, Veronica wiggled her left ring finger. “Something that sparkles.”
Riley flicked a gaze between the bottle of wine and the knife. “Or maybe poison, like she poisoned my love.”
Veronica put her hand to her lips. “I can’t wait to see him!” Riley rang the doorbell and tucked the knife into his pocket. Veronica opened the door. “May I pour you a glass?”
“Why yes.”
Veronica walked to a side table to open the wine. Riley removed his knife and stretched out his arm. The blade touched the back of her dress and sliced a ribbon. Veronica turned. “Why, thank you.” She took the knife and pried at the cork.
Riley, in character, looked confused and sang in an aside to the audience, “Why does she act so innocent?” The top of Veronica’s gown slipped over her shoulders and sagged down her arm.
Peep show imminent.
Chapter 25
PEEP
M egan hesitated, took off her navy jacket and ran on stage to cover Veronica. Six steps in, she froze. Bright lights, hundreds of staring eyes. Her hands fell to her sides and her blazer brushed her legs, reminding her of why she ran on stage in the middle of the performance. Megan improvised. “Uh. So you won’t get chilly, madam.” She bowed her way off the stage wearing her maroon camisole. She sucked in a breath, cheeks on fire. When she reached backstage, the director hit her with a script. Smack. The swat was well-deserved so she didn’t protest.
On stage, Riley grabbed the bottle of red wine. The wine splashed on Veronica and covered Megan’s jacket. Why are these horrible things happening to my clothes? A hand tugged on the hem of her camisole, and Megan turned.
Chase.
“I like this.”
Chase stepped close enough she could smell the champagne on his breath. Her focus narrowed to him, bright in the dark. The curtain fell and the darkness deepened, surrounding them.
Chapter 26
CAFETERIA
T he curtains opened, revealing their high school cafeteria. The daytime air smelled like fried food. Home. Relief washed over Megan and all her muscles relaxed. She hadn’t realized how tense she’d been until this moment, until she let go.
Veronica grabbed her in a hug. “We’re home! Thank God. My parents must’ve been so worried.”
“Mine too.”
Chase shrugged. “My Dad went out of town. I didn’t really need to come back until Monday. What’s--” He hesitated and looked around. “I don’t recognize any of these guys.”
“Who cares?” Veronica grinned.
One kid seated at a nearby table sprouted fairy wings, shrank in size, and flew over to another table.
Everything in her froze, a new tension locking her muscles, stilling the blood in her veins. Even her heart stopped. “Oh.”
The fairy flitted around the head of one of the students like a persistent gnat. The teen swung his hand at it. The fairy persisted, so the teen opened his mouth, sprouted vampire fangs, and snapped at the fairy. The fairy backed off.
“This isn’t home,” Riley said. He
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