I congratulated them, showered, and then got food with them. In that order. My life was just really great at that moment. Jess was four months along. She kept reminding me that just because she was adding a baby to the family, she promised I was always welcome to come live with them. She had caught on to the abusing my step father had delivered when my shirt fell up and she saw the bruises. I told him that he had stopped, if I told her the truth I don't even know what he would do.

I was lucky with the life I had. The real problem was Claire. "Charlotte!" She yelled at me as she stomped into the scene shop. I turned, "What's up?" I tried to be casual.

She grabbed my wrist. "We need to talk." I put down the brush and followed her around the corner.

"What happened?"

She sighed loudly. "I don't want you to talk to Aaron anymore." I just looked at her questioningly. "Why?"

She rolled her eyes over dramatically. She fumbled over her words. "He's my boyfriend. I don't have to explain why. This is so stupid."

"Look, there's nothing between me and Aaron." Only half her face was smeared with green and she just looked very stressed; very, witch-like.

"I know he doesn't feel anything for you. I can tell you have a thing for him. so stop. You're embarrassing him, he told me himself."

My eyes widened, and I became very angry. "See, you have nothing to worry about. What would your perfect actor boyfriend want with me? I'm just in crew, right?" I slowly turned around and walked back to the black wall I was painting.

************************************************** ****************LATER THAT DAY*********************************************** *******************************************

"Need a ride home?" was the text i had recieved from Aaron. I ignored it, hoping he would assume i didn't want one. This was the first day of dress rehearsals, which was also the first day i didn't have a lesson with Aaron.

Mrs. Grey sat next to me on the couch i was doing my homework on in the green room. "Thank you," She said.

I smiled. "For what?" She gave me the dont-make-me-say-it look. "It was really Aaron behind the whole thing. He was holding back on you."

"He's a talented boy." i bit the bottom of my lip, remembering i was mad at him. "Mmhm." I went back to my work. I haven't had time to do any type of studying before now.

She patted my back. "I owe you," I nodded, trying to get her to leave.

Aaron came running in not too long afterwards. He was still in his costume. "Why didn't you text me back?" he asked.

I closed my book and stood up to walk away. "No," I mumbled. He walked behind me.

"What's wrong?"

"Your girlfriend!" I was quiet, but stern. "That's what's wrong!" I started walking again.

"What did she say to you?" I ignored him. "What did she say?" this was the angriest I had ever heard his voice.

I turned around. We both just stood there, people running around us, trying to get home on this late night. "That I embarrass you."

His face fell. "Charlotte,"

I shook my head. "It's okay, really it's fine." I got my bag and caught the latest bus just in time. I waited for a phone call or something, but it never came. I knew somewhere that he didn't actually care. It was all too good to be true