Chapter 3
The next day. Caroline lost the game on the show and had to take the punishment.
She was lying on the ground in a white off–shoulder dress, her eyes red.
A chubby male star was on top of her, doing push–ups.
Off to the side, Trevor was leaning casually against the railing and playing with the ring on his middle finger.
When the chubby guy finally keeled over, he couldn’t take it anymore.
He cursed under his breath and kicked the guy off.
With a stern look on his face, Trevor stepped in. He had Caroline sit on him instead, which made the fans go wild with gasps.
Caroline looked scared and clung to Trevor’s neck, where his veins were bulging.
Some people next to me were puzzled.
“It’s weird. What’s up with Trevor? He’s such a big shot. Why is he even on this show?”
“You know, he never puts up with anyone, but now he let Caroline sit on him!”
I gave a wry smile.
It was because Caroline was Trevor’s first love back in the day.
Chapter 1
The next game was picking random audience members to guess song titles.
When he saw me, Trevor froze while adjusting his carpiece and furrowed his brow.
But then he quickly bent down to help Caroline with the sound check.
When the backing track started, Trevor’s singing was on point, and he Jooked cool on stage.
The spotlight hit his amazing face, and everyone was screaming.
When asked, I said flatly, “Sorry, I can’t tell what it is.”
Everyone was shocked.
This was the song that Trevor had made famous recently and won all
those awards with.
The fans freaked out. “Is this girl even listening? How could she not know this popular song?!”
“Get someone else! Get her off! Get her off!”
Trevor was cold.
He stood there with one hand in his pocket, his eyes slanted up and giving me an icy look.
He was ticked off because I forgot I was his secret girlfriend, someone who wasn’t supposed to be in the spotlight.
He was even more upset that I, a stand–in, was showing up in front of the
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real deal.
Then a glow stick got thrown at me. The sharp plastic hit my eye and broke my skin, making me bleed.
Trevor frowned, and he started to walk over.
But Caroline grabbed the corner of his shirt.
She bit her lower lip without saying anything, and he stopped in his
tracks.
Trevor completely forgot about me, curled up in pain among the glow sticks.
He softly comforted Caroline, “Don’t be scared. I’m here.”
***
After the whole mess, Caroline came on stage and won the game.
As punishment, I had to get pushed into the pool.
By the pool, Caroline turned her back to the camera, a self–satisfied smirk on her face.
“Even with seven years, you still can’t get Trevor. He still has a thing for me. I heard he has been calling you by my name for seven years.”
I looked at her calmly, pulled out my phone, and typed.
“I did it like you said. Give me back what’s mine.
“I wrote the song you just sang back in high school. I don’t mind getting real about it.”
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Chapter 3
Caroline’s face darkened, and she sneered through gritted teeth.
Suddenly, she grabbed my hand, pushed me into the water, and we both fell into the pool.
The freezing water filled my nose, and I started flailing around in a panic.
Pretty soon, Trevor’s worried voice came through. “Get the hell out of the way! Damn it, why is the pool so deep?”
Caroline cried out, “Trevor, save Vanessa first!”
Then I felt a strong tug, and my hand was pulled off Caroline’s.
Trevor yelled, “Vanessa! Let go! Are you trying to drown Caroline with you?!”
The ice–cold water was piercing my skin, and I felt numb all over.
This time, Trevor got the name right.
***
I suddenly thought back to Trevor’s first show.
I lugged around all the fan supplies and was worn out.
So I sat down in a dark corner, trying to catch my breath.
On stage, Trevor was in the spotlight, and everyone was watching him.
Down below, the fans were waving their glow sticks and screaming their heads off.
I couldn’t hear the music or the cheering.
In that silent, lonely world, all I could see was Trevor.
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Chapter 3
He was like a ray of light that had lit up my dark, quiet teenage years, and he still shone just as bright now.
Suddenly, the crowd started to get rowdy.
I got pushed over and couldn’t get back up.
Trevor threw the mic, jumped off the stage, stumbled through the crowd, and squatted down to hold me tight.
Blood from his forehead dripped onto my lips.
“Trevor, you were worried Caroline’s stand–in would get damaged, right?
“So why did you keep patting my head, telling me not to be scared?
“And why did you do that when we were 17?”
