Page 92 of Claim to Fame

Christ, he just wanted to fix it.

“No, but it’s…whatever. I’m going to stay away from the school,” Hannah said, turning to Molly.

“You don’t need to do that,” Molly protested.

“I’m a distraction. My being there isn’t helping anyone.”

“I’m sure that’s not true,” Kyla said. “Those kids are learning so much from you.”

Hannah barked out a bitter laugh. “Sure. How to be the center of a celebrity scandal without even being a celebrity 101.” She rolled her head on her shoulders, like she was trying to physically shake off the frustration. “It’s fine. I won’t be here much longer anyway.”

Ethan’s lungs stopped working, blood whooshing past his ears. “I thought we talked about this. You don’t need to go anywhere.”

Kyla and Molly glanced anxiously between them, but he couldn’t care that he had made the whole thing awkward. He’d only just convinced her to stay with him in Aster Bay for a while. He’d thought they’d have a little time before she started making plans to leave again. Time to sort out how to make their relationship work long term.

“I think Tessa and Sabrina need some help setting up,” Kyla said, leading Molly back up the steps and into the house.

Ethan and Hannah stood alone in his backyard staring at each other. The few feet between them suddenly felt like a chasm.

“You can’t deny your life would be easier if I wasn’t here right now,” Hannah said.

“I do. I deny it.”

“Micah is lining up some auditions,” she admitted softly, “for the week after next. I’ll need to be back in the City at least a few days before to prepare. I haven’t sung through any of my audition rep in weeks—”

“You can do that here.” He crossed his arms over his chest, widening his stance.

“It’s not the same.”

“I thought you said you didn’t want to be an actress anymore.”

“I said I don’t know.”

“Same thing.”

“It’s not.” She searched his face, and for a moment, he thought he saw a softening, a bending towards the idea of leaving it behind, of choosing something else.

Or someone.

She shook her head as though he was being unreasonable. “I’ve spent my entire life working towards being where I am now.”

“Hunted by the paparazzi? Afraid to be in your own apartment?”

“You don’t give up on a career because it loses its luster. Not everybody loves their job all of the time. And it’s not just the job. It’s the City, and my friends.”

“You have friends here now too.”

“I didn’t realize I had to choose.”

He scrubbed a hand over his jaw, his chest aching as muscle and sinew and bone twisted and cracked.

“I’m not asking you to choose,” he said, his throat burning with the words.

She crossed her arms, closing herself off from him. “You kind of are, though.”

“If you want to go back to New York, go. I’m not stopping you. But don’t run away.”

“I’m not running away. I’m trying to keep my mess from invading your life.”

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