Page 60 of Movers and Shakers

“It’s not what?” Mia asked, crossing her arms. Juno came in behind me, the door shutting. “Great. The mountain is here.”

“Why are you in Lila’s house?” Juno boomed. “Last I checked, neither of you are on the deed.”

Mia rolled her eyes before she settled on me. “Aren’t you supposed to be working?”

I wanted to scream. Maybe throw up. She was just caught fucking my boyfriend and she was asking why I wasn’tworking?

“Fuck you,” I snapped.

“You two need to get out,” Juno instructed.

“Lila,” Mia said, ignoring Juno, “it’s not that huge of a deal.”

My eyes widened.

“Mia,” Blaze said. “Maybe that’s not what we should say.”

“Who are you to lecture me on what to say?” Mia snapped. “I let you handle her and she wound up in Nashville with some other guy!”

“How long?” I croaked out.

“Not long,” Blaze said.

“Oh myGod!”Mia snapped. “Lila, it’s always been a thing, okay? We’ve always been together.”

“S-since . . .‍”

“Since the beginning, yes.”

“What? But—‍”

“Your first song about him made you a mainstream pop star and then Dad told me you two were the selling point.”

“So, it was all ascheme?”I asked.

“I mean, like the sex parts were good,” Blaze said.

“And it worked,” Mia added. “How do you think I feel seeing you two together all the time?”

“Don’t make this sound like asacrifice.”I felt like I couldn’t breathe.“How dare you?”

“You wanted fame. I made it happen and let you fuck around with my boyfriend.”

“He’smy—‍”I stopped, realizing how petty I sounded. He was my boyfriend, but I didn’t want him to be.

My rage turned into conviction. Sweet, sweet conviction.

Suddenly, telling them I wasn’t changing my damn album wasn’t enough. I was done withallof it.

“You can have him, then,” I said. “Juno, get them out.”

“Gladly.”

“Wait, what?” Blaze asked, sounding panicked.

“You’re not coming anywhere near me again.”

“Wehaveto.”

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