Page 80 of The Pretender

“I knew the internet would be honest, unlike my family. I’d know for sure if I should get up on stage.”

“And did you, sing on stage?”

I can feel her exhale. “No. I didn’t.”

And now I feel like the biggest asshole on the planet. “I’m sorry. I never meant for that to happen.”

She waves her hand in front of the screen. “Don’t worry about it. I was glad that someone finally told me the truth. My entire family is musically inclined, except for me. For some reason, I felt like in order to fit in with them, I had to be musical too. In your own stupid way, you taught me that I didn’t have to.”

“What do you mean?”

I appreciate her trying to make me feel better, but honestly, I can’t see how me mouthing ‘watermelon’ and pretending to be Jack fromTitanichelped her in any other way than getting us subscribers and sponsors.

“I figured if I couldn’t sing like Céline then I’d look like her. I learned how to do makeup and my uncle Pe had the best time taking selfies with me.”

I smile into the darkness. “So that’s where the wig idea came from?”

She wiggles in my arms. “Yep. You brought it on yourself. You created the monster.”

I take a second and absorb everything. This fiery neighbor literally turns everything in her life around. She’s the ‘make lemonade out of lemons’ person.

“I can’t say I regret it,” I whisper.

I don’t care one bit that I created the so-called monster because, somehow, I’ve fallen for the monster in my arms.

Vee leans back and tips her head up. I meet her in the middle and kiss her lips. “You’re crazy.”

“Ditto,” she returns.

We lay in silence for a little while, watching the girl on the screen navigate the woods and avoid getting stabbed to death, when Vee finally breaks the silence.

“Bash?”

“Yeah.”

“Can I ask you something?”

I already know I’m not going to like what she’s going to ask me. Any time you start off a question with a question, you know it’s going to go badly. But I owe her that much.

“Yeah.”

She doesn’t even hesitate. “What’s up with you and your family? Before—you know—”

Before the prank she means. “You would always avoid your mom’s calls. Why don’t you ever want to see your family?”

Only Maverick knows this answer, and to be honest, I almost told Vee, but then she kissed me and ruined everything. But she shared an insecurity with me, so I guess opening up even more than I already have with her wouldn’t be that terrible.

“You said your family is all musically talented,” I start. “Well, mine are all successful.”

She turns to face me. “Are you saying you aren’t successful?”

I don’t ever discuss this. Ever. “I’m only good at one thing. Making people laugh.”

Vee’s brows dip. “You’re good at a lot of things.”

I match her stare. “Oh yeah? Name them.”

“Poker.”

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