Page 29 of A Ballad of Betrayal and Beauty

Her words are like ice cream on a hot day. Sweet and soothing. No one’s ever made me feel good about myself before. “I listen to the radio a lot,” I admit. “The National Radio Theater,NPRand stuff. It’s easier for me to learn when I can listen.”

She smiles. “Maybe I need to start listening to the radio too. I don’t want to fall behind you.”

Our hands linger for as long as I dare until I awkwardly pull mine away, my palm suddenly sweaty. She picks up the page and holds it out for me.

“Here. You can have it back if you really want it.”

I bite my lip and make a choice. “No. No, you can have it.”

“I can?” She holds it to her chest and smiles. “Thank you. I’ll keep it safe.” She tucks it into her pocket and it feels as if she’s tucked away a piece of my heart too.

“Okay,” I start. “Your turn now.”

Her eyes widen. “What?”

“I told you my secret. Now you need to tell me one of yours. It has to be even.”

“I don’t have any secrets.”

As my head tilts, I pull my legs up, my toes pointing toward her. “Come on, you must have one.”

A pretty blush spreads across her cheeks. “Well, thereissomething.”

I clap my hands. “Tell me.”

“But you have to promise you won’t tell anyone, okay?”

Holding out her hand, her pinky finger lifts and she waits, eyes serious. I hook my pinky with hers and nod. “I swear to never tell another living soul.”

She sighs. “I want to be an actress.”

“An actress?”

“Like Grace Kelly. She’s so beautiful and talented. Do you know she married a prince? She’s like a real life Cinderella.”

I stare at her beautiful face. Her freckles and her button nose. Her red hair that seems as untamable as the wind.

“Actually,” she adds. “Just anything to do with movies. They’re my favorite thing in the world.”

“You could do it,” I say.

She shakes her head. “No, I couldn’t.”

“Why not?”

“Daddy would never let me. He hates Hollywood.”

I shrug. “Maybe when you’re older you can go.”

“Go where?”

“To Hollywood! Run away and be an actress and marry a prince.”

She grins. “Would you come with me?”

My eyebrows lift. “Me?”

“You can sing your music and I’ll be in movies and we can live happily ever after.”

---