Twenty-Five
“Can the patient have a cupcake?” I ask, swinging the bag in front of Rayne as she opens her door.
“Ooh, yes!” she says, grabbing it out of my hands. “The patient is so bored she’s about to go crazy. Peter was supposed to come over this afternoon, but he’s stuck in Berkeley.”
I follow her down the hallway and into the kitchen. “So how are you feeling? Besides bored.”
“Pretty good. Tired, mostly.”
“Is that it? No other symptoms?” I search her face, trying to see if she’s been having any memories.
“Not really. Just taking lots of naps. By the way,” she continues, “where were you last night? I was texting but you never answered.”
I take a deep breath. I can keep lying to her, or I can finally tell her the truth. “I was at a party. At Drew’s house.”
Her eyes grow wide. “Drew? From the Marina party?”
“Yes.” I look down. “Nothing’s happened,” I say quickly. “It was just a party with some other Akhet people.”
“But what about Griffon?”
I think about what he said to me in the hallway of Janine’s office that day and feel my anger rise. “What about him? He’s gone, Rayne, and he’s not coming back. Not to me, anyway. I have to move on.” I think about the easy way he has with Giselle. “I’m sure he will.”
“I thought you loved him.” She looks almost like I’ve broken up with her instead of Griffon.
“I do—I did. But I also have a history with Drew. We were married once, remember? I need to find out if we’re meant to go back to that place, to be those people again.”
“But you haven’t even kissed him? This time, I mean.”
I shake my head. “Not even close.” It’s not a total lie.
“This whole thing is so insane,” Rayne says. “How was the party?”
“Interesting,” I say. I look at her eager face, and wish I could tell her everything. But I can’t, not yet. Rayne doesn’t know she’s Akhet, and telling her now would ruin the whole night. “You should see Drew’s apartment. It’s on the top of the tallest building downtown and decorated by a designer. Looks like it belongs in a magazine. It’s crazy.”
“So, are you going to go out with him again? What is he, like, twenty-five? Your parents are going to freak out.”
“He’s only twenty,” I say. “And they already did. He came by the house the other day to ask me out and they saw him on the porch. Luckily Mom was asleep on the couch by the time I got home last night, and I snuck into my room without her having a clue.”
“I take it back,” Rayne says. “I thought nothing you could do would top Kat’s leaving, but this might do it.”
“Which is why we’re not going to tell them. I have a bribe for you if you cover for me.”
“You know you don’t have to bribe me. But I’m listening.”
“Remember Portia Martin is playing tonight at the Arena?”
“Yeah. I also know that the tickets sold out in minutes. I tried to win a pair on the radio for weeks.”
“What if I told you that not only can we go to the show, but we have backstage passes?”
“No freaking way!” Rayne pushes me on the shoulder. “How did you . . . ?” She’s quiet for a second. “Did Drew get them for you?”
“Indirectly,” I say. “I sort of sat next to Portia at dinner last night. I promised her we’d come, so you can’t say no.”
“Wait, wait—you sat next to Portia Martin? She knows who I am?”
“Yep. And she said that she’ll be personally hurt if we don’t come tonight, as long as you’re feeling up to it. Drew said that he’d pick us up, but I can’t do it at my place. Can he pick us up here?”
“Um, yeah.” Rayne licks some cupcake frosting from her fingers. “Hurry up! If we’re going backstage at Portia Martin’s show, we have to start getting ready now.”
“So I’m forgiven?”
Rayne smiles at me. “There was never any question. You don’t have to resort to bribery. Although I have to say, I kind of like it when you do.”
I’m trying not to be impressed, I really am. When Drew came to get us in a Mercedes so new it still had the dealer tags on it, I tried to pretend like it was no big deal, even when Rayne leaned over and whispered to me that he was possibly the most beautiful man she’d ever seen in real life. When we were ushered into the very back of the Arena and straight into Portia’s dressing room, I acted like I did this kind of thing every day. Even when Portia leaped up off the couch and gave us all big hugs, I shrugged it off like I was just visiting a friend at her house. But now, standing just a few feet off the main stage, watching Portia up front with the lights beating down and thousands of fans screaming at her feet, I know my smile has pretty much taken over my face.
“I got you some water,” Drew says into my ear as he hands each of us a bottle.
“Thanks!” Rayne just grins and waves her backstage pass at me like it’s all unreal. We found a stool for her to sit on while she watches, and other than looking a little tired, she’s doing okay.
As we wait in the wings, Drew stands behind me, not so close that we’re touching, but close enough so I can feel the Akhet vibrations between us. I check my phone again for anything from Janine. I feel so helpless, like I failed them all.
“Expecting a call?” Drew asks, nodding to the phone.
“No,” I say, tucking it back into my pocket. “Just habit.”
“Good,” he says. “Tonight you should forget about everything else and just enjoy yourself.”
He’s right. How often do I get to be backstage at an Arena show? Portia finishes her song and waves to the crowd as they pound on the floor and scream for more. Her backup dancers race by us for a costume change, their muscles glistening with sweat, grabbing water as they head deeper backstage. The stage lights dim and a hush comes over the Arena.
Drew’s been leaning against the wall, but as soon as Portia starts speaking into the microphone, he snaps to attention. “Crap! She’s not going to, is she?”
Because the speakers are pointed away from us, I don’t catch everything she says. “What?” I look over at Rayne, who just shrugs.
Drew runs his hand through his hair. “I helped her out on a couple of songs on the last album. But she promised she wasn’t going to make a thing out of it.”
I look up and see Portia turned away from the audience, her arm extended in our direction.
“Guess I don’t have a choice,” Drew says. “Will you ladies excuse me for just a minute?” Plastering a smile on his face, Drew strides confidently out onto the stage and grabs Portia’s hand. She says something to the audience and everyone cheers as Drew walks over to the grand piano that’s off to one side and sits down.
All I can see is the top of his head as he bends over the keys, and in seconds, the first bars of Portia’s newest hit come bursting through the speakers. Portia stands motionless next to the piano, one lone spotlight illuminating her figure, the rest of the stage bare. The crowd is silent as she begins singing about losing her love to someone else, the sense of loss and longing transmitted perfectly to every single heart in the massive space. She sings to the audience, who wave their arms in slow motion, and turns to Drew as she reaches the part of the song where she talks about finding someone just like the one she lost. Even though it’s just Portia and Drew and the piano, no flashing lights or glittering backup dancers, it’s the most beautiful moment of the whole night.
“What’s up with that?” Rayne leans over and whispers in my ear. “I didn’t know Drew could play.”