Page 99 of Tell Me When It's Over

I’m going to maim her. After the kid is born, of course. My nephew. Come to think of it, spilling her secret to Dylan might do the trick.

I can feel Lenny’s eyes on me when I murmur, “Let’s do the scene before she goes Ted Bundy on our asses.”

Standing, I crack my neck and release a heavy sigh before asking where I’m supposed to start. Mia tells me which line to begin at, and I look at Leighton once, just a quick glance, before dipping my head.

It’s a script. Acting. It’s no big deal. That’s what I want my eyes to tell her, even if my chest is tightening over the disbelief in my own thoughts. Clearing my throat, I wet my lips with a swipe of my tongue and focus my gaze on the highlighted yellow line my sister directed me to.

“You should leave Maybrook,” my character tells Mia’s, apparently directing a pointed gaze in her direction.

“But that would mean leaving…” Her words trail off as she looks at me, shrugging with a sheepish look on her face.

There’s silence. I glance down at the script to make sure I’m not supposed to go next when Mia clears her throat. “Lenny Lou, it’s you.”

The girl in question blushes, shaking herself out of whatever thought is trapping her attention and moving an ebony piece of hair behind her ear. “Sorry,” she murmurs, skimming over the sheet. “Maybe I should go,” her character chimes in.

“Stay,” I say, eyes piercing her, even though she’s not looking up. “Alex was planning on going anyway.”

Mia lets out a quiet breath. “It’s that easy, huh?”

“Supporting my best friend?”

“Best friend,” she almost whispers.

I know where this script is going almost instantly without needing to read further past the highlighted scene. Unrequited love. I’ve been stung by it a time or two myself, not that I knew it at the time. “I’ve always supported you. You’ve wanted to leave this town for forever.”

“You used to tell me you’d go with me.” Mia’s eyes find Lenny for a moment before they trail over to me. “But I can see why that’s changed. Will you at least miss me?”

“Every day.”

“Promise?”

Lenny clears her throat. “I can give you two a—”

“There’s no reason to,” I inform her, sidling up to her side, but not touching her like the script gives direction to.

“Ky,” she whispers.

Mia says, “His character’s name is Sam.”

Leighton blushes. “Sam,” she corrects. “Er…” She’s distracted, her eyes struggling to flit over the words. “I really think that you two should talk alone.”

“And I think you should stay here.” This time, I take her hand, threading our fingers together, and squeezing our palms together. My eyes go back to the script for a moment before lifting to Mia. “We’ve known each other our whole lives, but there’s another life out there for you that doesn’t involve me. You should find it. Live it.”

“And you’ll stay here with her?”

Lenny shifts on her feet, hand twitching in mine like she’s debating on letting it go.

“I’m staying where I’m happiest.”

A small smile curls Mia’s lips. “Then I guess there really isn’t anything left to say, is there?”

Lowering the script, I clear my throat. “I think you’re going to kill it, Mia. They’d be idiots not to cast you.”

Leighton nods. “He’s right.”

My sister stares between us. “You have to finish the scene.”

We both stare at her, our hands still locked palm to palm.

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