Page 98 of Musical Games
They walkedthrough the galleries in silence. Sam didn’t like the quiet or having her sister by her side. It felt like real life was invading her fantasy. Esther was the uninvited party guest telling everyone about the time you pooped your pants on a school trip. Sam’s anxiety was building, her real feelings and emotions banging on the doors and demanding to be let in.
She focused on a Picasso painting in front of her, the person all disjointed. The woman’s nose was on the side of her head, her eyes crude ovals. It was like looking at an out-of-tune piece of music. Everything was there, but it was off-key and out of place. This was how she felt every day, a niggling sense of unease that the picture she’d put herself in wasn’t right.
‘Esther.’
‘Yes?’
‘Do you want to go to a party tonight?’
‘Where?’
‘Up in the hills.’
‘Will it be late?’
‘Only if you want it to be.’
‘To be honest, I’d rather just spend the evening with you. Is it in some swanky mansion?’
Sam nodded.
‘Okay, go on then, whose house is it?’
‘Brad’s.’
‘Brad as in Brad Bauer? Your new BFF?’
Sam laughed. ‘I didn’t think you even knew what a BFF was.’
‘I’m not that old and out of touch.’
Sam felt a sudden rush of love for her sister. She hugged her tightly. ‘It’s really lovely you’re here.’
Esther kissed her on the top of the head. ‘I’m glad I’m here too.’
Despite Sam assuringher that Brad’s party would be catered, Esther insisted on taking her to an all-you-can-eat Brazilian steakhouse first and making her eat more than she’d eaten in the last few days. Sam’s stomach was grateful, and for the first time since she’d arrived in LA, she actually felt full. A glass of wine had taken the edge off her anxiety and she smiled at her sister. Everything was going to be alright.
‘So, what happened with Jamie?’
Sam flinched and dug her nails into the skin of her thighs. She made an effort to shrug nonchalantly.
‘Nothing much. He didn’t want to come to LA, so, er, he didn’t.’
She fiddled with a pot of toothpicks as she felt Esther staring at her.
‘I’m sorry. He was really nice.’
This time Sam’s shrug only reached one shoulder.
‘He, er.’ Esther cleared her throat. ‘It was clear how much you meant to him.’
Sam focused on peeling the paper wrapper away from a toothpick.
‘We all hoped—’
Sam’s eyes shot up and Esther coloured.
‘I mean, ahem,Ihoped that you felt the same way about him.’
