you about a bajillion times . . .â
âIâm so sorry, Noah. I canât believe I missed your set. I was so excited it just completely went out of my head toeven check that I had my ticket with me. Then someone in the crowd knocked my phone out of my hand and it all became way too much for me. Thankfully Megan was there to help me out.â
âI wish it could have been me. If Iâd known what was going on . . .â
âYou would have leapt off the stage?â I say, laughing. âThere was nothing you could do. Besides, itâs OK now.â He hands me back everything I left backstage and I smile gratefully. Now itâs only my phone that is missing.
âHey, Noah.â I look up at the unfamiliar voice and Iâm surprised to see Blake standing there. âNow that youâve found her, Iâm going to get back to the hotel.â
âSure, man, thanks for helping me out. Can you let Dean know everythingâs OK? And get him to check with security to see if anyoneâs handed in Pennyâs phone. Itâs got a pink case with PP doodled in black Sharpie on the back,â Noah says.
âUh, Penny, Iâd better go too.â Megan stands up from her seat and gives me a little wave, but I can tell her attention is all on Blake, despite this being the first time sheâs met Noah. Slouched against the doorway, Blake strikes an edgier, grungier vibe than Noah, and possesses that rock-star confidence that can only come from being onstage in front of a huge, screaming audience. Megan casually takes her hair out of her bun, shaking it out around her shoulders, and I can see Blake stand up and take notice too. âThanks for the tea, Dahlia.â
âOf course, Megan,â says my mum. âThank you for being there for Penny today. Itâs nice to see the two of you together again.â
âMy pleasure. Any time. See you later, Penny.â Megan flashes me a wide smile, tossing her hair and rolling her shoulders back to showcase her outfitâmy dress somehow looks completely different on her. At least I know the world hasnât completely turned upside down; this is the Megan Iâm used to.
âMegan . . . thanks. A lot,â I say. âIâll see you around.â
She nods and disappears down the hall towards the front door. Blake follows a step behind.
âWhat are you doing here?â comes a high-pitched voice from the hallway. I cringe as I realize Elliot must have come into the house just as Megan was leaving. Talk about bad timing.
âI was helping out my friend , which is more than I can say for you.â
I let out a noise that is somewhere between strangled cat and deranged weasel, then jump up and run into the hallway. A battle between Megan and Elliot is not what I need right now.
âElliot,â I say, and I give him a look I hope says, Itâs OK. Megan might have redeemed herself but Iâm not sure yet. Can a single look convey that entire message? Iâm not too sure.
He seems to get it though, in the way that only best friends can.
âSee you later, Megan,â he says through gritted teeth.
âBye,â she says, before finally leaving, followed closely by Blake.
âDonât let the door hit your giant head on the way out!â he shouts at the closed door. He looks up and takes in my appearance, which I imagine can be summed up in oneword: disaster. Iâve changed into my favourite onesie, my hair is a bedraggled mess, and my eyes are still swollen from crying.
We all regroup in the living room. âPrincess Penny, what happened?â asks Elliot.
I decide to tell him the condensed version of the storyâI can always fill in the details later, in private, and heâll also read the blog I wrote. Itâs not just my feelings that I have to consider right nowâIâm also aware of the look on my mumâs face, the frown that deepens
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