Part 16 (1/2)
”I want a copy of our contract with Aidan. I just need to get clear on some stuff,” Zach says.
Rick looks him up and down. ”Why would I have a copy of that?”
”Well, who would?”
”Ask Aidan.”
”Okay, fine,” says Zach.
It's shocking to see how quickly he backs down. This is not the hyper-confident Zach Wechsler I know. This is a whole new side to him.
Rick slams his door and leaves us standing in the hallway. Zach heads over to me, his head down.
”Ask Amy,” I suggest.
”I guess I could. She's back downstairs.”
Well, at least I'm getting good exercise tonight.
AMY OPENS her door in a nightgown, looking bewildered. She sees Zach and then cranes her neck and sees me. I wave, unsure how to react.
”Hey,” says Zach. ”Do you have a copy of our contract with Aidan?”
”Mmm? Yeah. I have a scan of it.”
My heart lifts.
”You do?” says Zach. ”Can you email it to Mark Wilc.o.x?”
”Mmm-hmm. You want me to do that now?”
”Please. You are the best. Thanks for keeping a copy of that.”
She blinks, shrugs, and says, ”Okay, I'll go do that.” Unlike Rick, she waits until Zach turns away before she shuts the door.
By now, it's past two in the morning and even the floor is looking like a comfortable place to crash. All the drama has worn me out. ”So, that's about all we can do tonight, right?” I say.
Zach nods and I turn to head for my room. I'm glad he found the contract and all that, but now that that's all cleared up, I'm still mad at him.
He jogs to catch up with me. ”Hey,” he says, touching my wrist. ”Thanks.”
”Yeah, sure.”
”Kyra, wait.”
I stop and turn, and hope this isn't the start of another confrontation.
He catches me under the chin with his crooked finger and makes me look him in the eye. ”What's wrong?”
”Insulting Chloe is off limits, okay? Doesn't matter who you are. She's one of the best friends I've ever had.”
”What's she like?”
I fold my arms. I should have known better than to bring up this argument again. While I do want to make my position on Chloe clear, I also want to get some sleep tonight. ”She doesn't have to smile for the cameras. She doesn't owe it to the world to be photogenic. Seriously. You try saving the life of a child, failing, and then explaining to the rest of the planet how this happened. You're all stressed out over one contract over one film depicting one stinking band. It isn't a life or death situation.”
His eyes, looking into mine, widen slightly.
”Yeah,” I dig. ”You were mocking someone who's just dealt with a death. A traumatic death. Of an innocent child. She felt responsible. You have no idea what that's like.”
”Okay, okay. Yes. You've made me feel completely shallow.”
I shrug, not backing down. It's what Chloe would do. If the choice is her or Zach, it's no choice at all.
”Kyra, I'm sorry.”
Not what I expected. ”Now you're sorry?”
”Yes.”
”But earlier you were showing me videos of her and mocking her and when I defend her-”
”I was out of line.”
Huh? I press the heel of my hand to my forehead. ”Listen... Okay. Thanks for saying that. I'm gonna go to bed.”
”Hey, no.” He grabs my wrist. ”Really, I'm sorry.”
”I heard you.”
”Don't be mad at me.”
”I'm just tired. I'm going to bed now.”
”Can I walk you to your door?”
I'm far too tired and fed up to argue.
ONCE BACK in my room, I shut myself in the bathroom without even bothering to tell Zach goodbye. I slide my clothes off and hose myself down in the shower. The warm water is liquid comfort, sluicing over me.
I towel my hair dry, give my body a once-over, and then clutch the towel to my front as I open the door. I'm too tired to put on pajamas tonight.
Zach is seated on my bed, fully clothed, his shoes still on, and when he looks up and sees me, he's startled. ”Oh, sorry. I, uh, I should've let you know I was still here. I...”
I hastily wrap the towel around myself. ”No, it's my fault.” Why is he still here?
”Well, okay, I'm not actually sorry. But I'm pretending to be sorry that I saw that much skin.” He's trying to lighten the mood.
Not. Funny. At. All. I am in no mood for stupid games, or jokes, or whatever it is he's doing.
”My pajamas are under the pill-”