Chapter 3

"Emilia's Rashad's wife now. Tonight's all about her. Just sitting here all quiet and stone-faced—aren't you making things awkward for everyone?" Kayla said. "Either blend in, or just head out early, alright?"

I looked up at her. "Who decided Emilia gets to be the center of attention tonight?"

Kayla was caught off guard for a moment and then let out a laugh. "Oh? So you think you're the main character here?"

She didn't wait for my answer. She turned and walked off, leaving me staring at her back, not sure what to make of it.

Sofia couldn't hold back anymore. She leaned in and whispered, "Galilea, they came here with a plan. Kayla and Emilia are really tight these days. Word is, Emilia helped Kayla land a job at Rashad's company."

I nodded, not surprised at all.

Emilia had always been good at this, turning everyone around her into her pawns.

She was always like that, even back in college.

My phone buzzed.

It was a message from someone saved as "Mr. Johnson."

He said: [Are you there? Shannon's running late, stuck in traffic.]

I replied with a simple "Okay" and set my phone face down on the table.

Sofia glanced at my screen, but there was nothing to see.

"Seriously, what's up with you lately? You don't even post about the reunion anymore, and I can't get in touch with you," Sofia said.

"I'm doing fine," I replied.

She clearly didn't buy it, but she didn't press me.

Once everyone had a few drinks in them, the conversation shifted to old college memories.

Kiera Knapp, sitting to Emilia's left, was the one who brought it up.

"Does anyone remember that talent show back in our junior year?" Kiera asked.

Someone chimed in, "Oh, you mean that time something happened to Emilia—"

They stopped halfway, glancing over at me.

Emilia lowered her head right on cue, her voice barely above a whisper.

"It's all in the past. Let's just leave it alone," she murmured.

The more she tried to brush it off, the more everyone's curiosity was piqued.

Kayla picked up the story, her voice just loud enough for everyone at the table to hear.

She said, "Emilia signed up for a solo performance and spent a whole month rehearsing. But just ten minutes before she was supposed to go on stage, her costume disappeared. She was backstage, so anxious she started crying.

"They found it later in the trash, cut to shreds."

Kayla paused and then gave me a quick, unreadable glance.

She continued, "Backstage, only Emilia and Galilea had keys to the dressing room."

Sofia turned to me suddenly, her mouth open, but she couldn't get the words out.

I leaned back in my chair, my face giving nothing away.

I had heard this story a million times.

Back then, Emilia showed up to the counselor bawling her eyes out, holding the torn-up costume in her hands. She said she wasn't blaming anyone, maybe she just misplaced it herself.

But when the counselor kept pushing, she acted all hesitant for ages before finally letting slip that only she and I had keys to the dressing room.

And then she rushed to add, "But I don't think Galilea would ever do something like that."

Each line she said was more cunning than the last.

I combed through all the security footage, desperate to clear my name, but the cameras in that hallway had conveniently "broken" just the day before it all went down.

Rashad believed Emilia.

He never confronted me, but after that, there was a new, indescribable layer in his gaze whenever he looked at me.

I tried to explain, but Rashad stopped me with a single sentence.

"You don't have to explain. I believe you," Rashad said.

But his expression made it clear that he just wanted to avoid a fight.

After that, it felt like something invisible had come between us.

He still treated me well, but it was like he was walking on eggshells around me, like he thought I might bite if he got too close.

And Emilia kept playing the victim.

She'd shoot me those puppy-dog eyes, and then smirk when she thought nobody was watching.

"After that, Emilia was too scared to be backstage alone. For the whole semester, she wouldn't even go to the rehearsal room unless someone was with her." Kayla's voice snapped me back to reality.

I realized most people at the table were staring at me.

Some were judging me; some were just curious, and some were clearly relishing my embarrassment.

Emilia nervously bit her lip and gave Kayla's sleeve a gentle tug. "Kayla, seriously, drop it. I don't want Galilea to feel awkward."

Kayla slung an arm around Emilia, acting all sympathetic. "You're way too nice. If it were me, I would've gone straight to the police."

I finished the last sip of water and set my glass down, my voice low.

"What for?" I asked.

Kayla raised an eyebrow at me. "For destroying someone else's property."

"Which property? You mean the costume?" I asked.

"What else?" Kayla replied.

I gave a little laugh. "That costume? I helped her pick it out myself. I went to the fabric market to choose the material, and even had my mom find a tailor for her."

Kayla's expression flickered for a moment.