Page 37 of Love on the Main Stage
It didn’t register. She cocked her head.
“We hung out once at a bar,” I said. “So, yeah. I guess, it’s alittleawkward,” I filled the silence. “Surprise?”
“Is this a Norway-Sweden sabotage thing?” Barry asked.
“No! Oh, God, no! I’m a genuine fan,” I said.
Mary crossed her arms but remained silent.
“Uh-huh,” Alicia said. “Yeah, sure.”
My attention turned to Mary.Please say something. I longed for this to be over and awaited her apology. I knew she couldn’t saytoomuch, but maybe she would soften a little? Instead, she remained professional and extended her hand. It didn’t matter. Even rage would have hurt less.
“Well, it’s really nice to meet you, Your Highness. I was wondering when that might come out. Officially, I mean.”
Come out. Officially. I noted her emphasis on those words.
“Of course,” I said brightly, fighting the urge to cry.
Brita nodded at me. It was the signal to move along.
“So nice to have you all and best of luck!” I walked on with a smile.
I prayed that was the worst of it but couldn’t turn off my brain. I realized I hadn’t feared her rage. It was her silence that broke me. Her indifference showed how little I mattered, but it was the statement about “coming out officially” that struck me. I initially suspected Mary was a bitch who wrote me off, but she made it clear she learned who I was before now. Had it been my status that caused her to ghost me? And if so, why didn’t she just ask me? Why hadn’t she reached out? Didn’t I deserve that much?
Chapter 15
This Isn’t It
MARY
“Okay, so what the actual fuck?” Alicia demanded as Betty departed to speak with another group.
I was so focused on the sway of Betty’s hips I barely registered what Alicia said. The dress looked great on her. It made sense how she always navigated life in heels like a pro. She probably had to go to princess school.
“What?” I played dumb.
“So, are we going to talk about how you two are shooting daggers or what the fuck happened with Princess Betty?” Alicia followed up. “Babes, this isn’t it. You need to come clean.”
“I have nothing to say.”
In truth, I hadeverythingto say but saying it would make it feel worse. Seeing Betty looking so composed and good drove home the fact that we could never have been. It emboldened my thinking this was for the best. But if so, why did it still pain me to see her?
“Nothing you didn’t already write in “Balcony”, you mean?” Clarice asked. “Giiiiirl. What the actual fuck indeed?”
I shook my head. “Look, I found out who she was the morning after. I looked her up. And… I mean… clearly. She fucking lied?—”
“She neverlied.”
“A lie through omission is still a lie, Alicia,” I grumbled.
“Personally, when I was single, I would have been glad to look the other way to hit that,” Barry said.
Clarice smacked him upside the head. “Don’t be a fucking pig.”
“What? I would have, too,” Alicia said.
“To my knowledge, she’s never dated women,” I kept my voice low. “I am not interested in navigating her experimentation phase.”
