Page 34 of The Man I Once Hated

That last bit sounds a little better. I let out a slow breath, careful to not make it seem too much like a sigh of relief. Worse than lying to my best friend, is that I’m lying to myself. Things with Edward are still very much up in the air. I want him so badly, even though I know he’s the kind of person I need to steer clear of.

She narrows her eyes. “And you’re sure that he knows this bit of information? Because he’s a powerful man, Cara. He can take this all away with a snap of his fingers, just as easily as he gave it to us.”

“No, he wouldn’t do that,” I reply without hesitation.

I may not know Edward all that well, or at all, in fact. But I do know that he respects the rules of the game. Especially a game he’s designed. In the wake of my defense, I realize what I must sound like to Zoey, and it shows all over her face.

“You’ve got it bad for him,” she says, not even trying to mask her disappointment. “Of all people. You pick Edward Spencer?”

“Cara!” It’s Elise, a bright smile on her face as she gallops across the stage toward me.

There are about six more kids in her wake, having heard her exclamation. I haven’t had a chance to visit much since we started shooting, and the kids have all missed me.

I give Zoey a look that tells her to put the conversation on ice just as Elise comes up and throws her arms around my waist.

The other kids bury us in a suffocating group hug, all talking at the same time.

“Okay, okay,” I laugh, straining under the weight of them all. “You guys are going to have to back up just a smidge.”

The kids fall back, laughing and still talking. Questions fly at me about what it’s like being in a real movie, whether I’ve met any famous people, can they come visit… During all of this, Elise still has me wrapped in a bear hug.

“I tell you what,” I raise my voice over the throng of chatter. “You all go back out there and warm up, and I’ll stop by in a bit to have a proper Q&A with you.”

They’re disappointed, but do as they’re told, shuffling back to the middle of the stage where one of the older kids leads them through the vocal exercises I taught them.

“Are you here for the rehearsal?” Elise asks, speaking into my chest. “I’ve been running lines with Zoey, but it’s just not the same.”

“Ah, so that’s the thanks I get,” Zoey says, hands on her hips.

Elise straightens and looks at her apologetically, missing the playfulness in Zoey’s tone. “I mean, you’re great and everything. I just miss working with Cara.”

A pang of sadness stabs my heart, creating an uncomfortable combination with the guilt I have over walking away from the theater. I feel like I’ve abandoned Zoey and the others, the kids, all of it.

“Zoey’s been filling me in on your progress every day.” I ruffle Elise’s hair and force a smile. “She tells me you’ve nailed the monologue.”

“It was easy once I got the hang of the character.” Elise stands proudly, no sign of that timid girl I knew just a few weeks ago.

My heart swells at the reminder - why I agreed to the wager with Edward in the first place. This makes it all worth it. It’s an even better feeling than when I walked onto set on my first day on Aliens Out West.

“Well, I can’t stick around for rehearsal because I have to be on set in a little while,” I say, giving her arm an encouraging squeeze. “But I promise I’ll visit another time. Soon.”

She gives me a nod, throwing her arms around me one last time before running back to join the others.

“She’s a great kid,” Zoey says, coming up beside me.

“They all are. And I’m so relieved we pulled this off for them.” I turn to face her, feeling a little overcome with emotion.

I was doing so well until I saw Elise. Until she made my conflicting feelings about Edward straighten out into nothing but gratitude. It’s a lot. But I say none of this to Zoey. I’m not ready to deal with her cross-questioning just yet.

“I wish I could agree with you,” she says. “But we didn’t pull this off, and you know it. You’re the one who saved the theater, Cara. This is all you.”

I shake my head, fighting off the warmth rising on the back of my neck. I was a pawn in a game, nothing more. Under someone else’s control the whole way.

“Yeah, well, just because you guys didn’t have the same luck doesn’t mean the work you’ve all been putting in over the years counts for nothing,” I reply with all the sincerity I can muster. I can’t bear the role of sole savior when out of everyone, I’m the one who’s walked away from it all.

Zoey nods her understanding. “True, but you’ve always been the soul of this place, Cara. Even Edward knows that and he just got on the scene.”

“What do you mean?” I ask, suddenly confused.

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