Now That I've Found You - Kristina Forest Page 0,5

that accent is pretty great. Maybe he’ll cast you in the next movie he films in the UK.”

I snort. “Yeah, right.”

I lean my head on Simone’s shoulder. After a moment, I say, “Thanks for being here for me. I’ll be right there with you when it’s your turn.”

She doesn’t say anything in response, just wraps her arm around me and gives me a sideways hug.

As I watch the sunset in my backyard, I figure today has probably been the best day of my life.

Article from TMZ.com—May 16, 2020, 11:45 A.M. PST

EVIE JONES, WOULD-BE HOLLYWOOD STARLET, HIRED THEN FIRED!!!

Just a month ago, it was announced that Evie Jones, granddaughter of the great Evelyn Conaway, would star in the next Paul Christopher thriller, Deep Within, alongside a slew of other A-list actors. But that excitement was short-lived to say the least. This morning, footage leaked of Evie mocking Paul himself!

In the video, she’s visibly drunk, swaying side to side as she makes fun of Paul’s accent in a surprisingly good impression.

Apparently, Paul was so offended by the video, he fired her on the spot! He’s already hired another newbie, Simone Davis, as Evie’s replacement. And get this, Simone went to the same high school as Evie. Apparently they were best friends. Can you say awkward? We doubt that friendship is gonna last …

A petition (most likely created by Paul Christopher superfans) went around online, begging directors and producers not to work with Evie. Our sources tell us that some big-deal people in Hollywood are already way ahead of them and Evie’s name has made it onto a blacklist.

Evie has yet to make a statement, and she hasn’t been seen out in public. Sounds like a certain grandmother of hers …

AUGUST

Chapter Two

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 12

This has been the worst summer of my life.

I think it’s safe to say that this has been the worst summer of my parents’ lives too. Because here they are back at home, nowhere near Botswana, their film nowhere near finished. And it’s all my fault.

They sit across from me at the dining room table, silently watching as I push scrambled eggs around my plate. My mom went through the trouble of cooking breakfast this morning. She clears her throat, and I glance up, but she doesn’t say anything. I look at my dad and wonder if I’m the reason he has new gray hairs sprouting in his low-cut afro. He takes a sip of his orange juice and steeples his fingers, like he’s thinking hard about a way to start conversation. But he doesn’t say anything either. Instead, they both look at me with matching frowns—a mixture of disappointment and confusion. This is how it’s been between us all summer.

“Kerri will be here soon,” I say, breaking the silence.

My mom nods, rubbing her eyes. Her usual light-brown skin is a few shades darker from all the time she’s spent in Botswana. “Are you all packed?” she asks. I nod. “Well, you should finish your food before Kerri gets here.”

I look down at my eggs, which have gone cold. It’s weird to try to eat food with actual protein or vitamins. For weeks I’ve survived on nothing but Cheetos and Sour Patch Kids as I lay in bed, bingeing cartoon shows from my childhood. Total Drama Island was the only thing that could keep my mind off the disaster that is my life. “I’m not that hungry.”

Dad gets up and starts stacking plates. “Do you need help bringing down your luggage?”

“No, I’ve got it.” I take this as an out to excuse myself from the table. “I’ll be back down in a few minutes.”

My parents share a look and only nod in response.

They came back from Botswana the day after the video leaked. All it took was my life blowing up for them to finally come home. First, there was a lot of yelling. What were you thinking, sneaking into our bar and drinking? Didn’t we teach you better than that?

After the anger, there was embarrassment. Not that they’d say so. But I could tell. Usually, when my parents get back from a documentary trip, our house is bustling with their friends who haven’t seen them in so long. This summer, the house has been a dead zone. It’s just been me wandering to the bathroom at 2:00 A.M. while my parents act like I killed their real daughter along with my career.

Now they’re just coming to terms with the fact that I’m not as exemplary as they thought I