I’m shocked.
Mom frowns, impatient. “Of course. What else could I be talking about?”
“ I’ve got no intentions of being an actress!” I exclaim. “Being in front of millions of people? No thanks. Maybe I did before, but I sure don’t want to now. Let’s forget about that.”
At that moment, we could have heard a pin drop.
My mother’s mouth hangs half open. “Uh . . . I see. I’ll speak with your father tonight, then.”
“ Great. Thanks.” I put my head down and finish the rest of my meal in silence. A part of me feels slightly guilty; I should be grateful to my parents for trying to help me follow a dream, but it isn’t a dream I have anymore. Thing have changed, and the idea of acting terrifies me.
When we’re finished with lunch, Beatriz magically appears to take our dishes.
I smile up at her. “That was delicious, Beatriz. Thank you so much. I don’t think I’ve ever tasted anything quite so yummy.”
Both my mother and Beatriz watch me, looking unsure.
“ Yes, you have,” Mom informs me. “I mean, well, we don’t eat as much red meat anymore, but I thought this was somewhat of a special occasion.”
Huh. This was pretty standard? I could get used to that. “Well, I loved it. Thank you both so much.”
“ You’re . . . welcome, Miss Holloway,” Beatriz finally says, then leaves the room wearing a small smile.
I can see my mother—I’m really having a hard time remembering her first name—watching me, confused. I feel bad. This has to be hard for her. Seeing so much change all at once. Then again, it’s even harder for me, and she’s not making it any easier. I need my mother’s help, not her disapproval.
“ I’d like to go to school tomorrow,” I tell her.
“ Really? Tomorrow’s Wednesday. I thought you’d like to take a few more days off to relax, maybe see if your memory comes back. You can go back on Monday.”
“ The doctor says the best way to get that happening is for me to resume my normal routine. I think I should start with school.”
She nods. “Okay. If that’s what you want.”
The kitchen door opens again. Beatriz pops her head through. “Miss Holloway? You have some visitors waiting in the great room.”
CHAPTER TEN
“ Sia? Oh my God!”
“ Sia! Are you all right? Oh. My. God!”
Before I have a chance to say anything, I’m hugged fiercely by the two girls from the photos in my room. They’re both dressed as if they’ve just stepped out of my own closet.
“ Oh my God!” the blonde squeals again, as if they are the only three words in her vocabulary. She steps back and tucks her long, shiny hair behind one ear. A diamond glints, sparking off the light in the room. “I can’t even believe what happened to you! Are you all right?”
“ Yeah, sort of.”
“ We were so worried , Sia!” gushes the other girl, her big brown eyes looking imploringly into mine. “Everyone’s been talking about it. The rumors were crazy. Some people thought your disappearance was a publicity stunt for a show or movie.”
My mother steps into the room behind me. “Girls, remember what I told you?”
“ Yeah,” says the blonde, and I can’t help noticing the snide tone of her voice. “So?”
The click-clacking of my mother’s heels on the marble floor saves me from saying something that might have gotten me into trouble. She hooks her arm around my waist. “ So ,” she replies, using the same tone as the girl’s, “she has no idea who you are.”
The girls’ eyes pop open, as do their mouths, and they look me over in an entirely new way.
“ So that’s why you look so different,” the smaller girl mutters. “You forgot how to use makeup.”
“ Get out! ” says the blonde, ignoring her friend, then giggling a little. Her blue cat eyes crinkle at the sides. “Well, I’m Amber Van de Camp, your best friend. Surely you remember me, right?”
The question is rhetorical, which is good, because I have no idea how to
Mom frowns, impatient. “Of course. What else could I be talking about?”
“ I’ve got no intentions of being an actress!” I exclaim. “Being in front of millions of people? No thanks. Maybe I did before, but I sure don’t want to now. Let’s forget about that.”
At that moment, we could have heard a pin drop.
My mother’s mouth hangs half open. “Uh . . . I see. I’ll speak with your father tonight, then.”
“ Great. Thanks.” I put my head down and finish the rest of my meal in silence. A part of me feels slightly guilty; I should be grateful to my parents for trying to help me follow a dream, but it isn’t a dream I have anymore. Thing have changed, and the idea of acting terrifies me.
When we’re finished with lunch, Beatriz magically appears to take our dishes.
I smile up at her. “That was delicious, Beatriz. Thank you so much. I don’t think I’ve ever tasted anything quite so yummy.”
Both my mother and Beatriz watch me, looking unsure.
“ Yes, you have,” Mom informs me. “I mean, well, we don’t eat as much red meat anymore, but I thought this was somewhat of a special occasion.”
Huh. This was pretty standard? I could get used to that. “Well, I loved it. Thank you both so much.”
“ You’re . . . welcome, Miss Holloway,” Beatriz finally says, then leaves the room wearing a small smile.
I can see my mother—I’m really having a hard time remembering her first name—watching me, confused. I feel bad. This has to be hard for her. Seeing so much change all at once. Then again, it’s even harder for me, and she’s not making it any easier. I need my mother’s help, not her disapproval.
“ I’d like to go to school tomorrow,” I tell her.
“ Really? Tomorrow’s Wednesday. I thought you’d like to take a few more days off to relax, maybe see if your memory comes back. You can go back on Monday.”
“ The doctor says the best way to get that happening is for me to resume my normal routine. I think I should start with school.”
She nods. “Okay. If that’s what you want.”
The kitchen door opens again. Beatriz pops her head through. “Miss Holloway? You have some visitors waiting in the great room.”
CHAPTER TEN
“ Sia? Oh my God!”
“ Sia! Are you all right? Oh. My. God!”
Before I have a chance to say anything, I’m hugged fiercely by the two girls from the photos in my room. They’re both dressed as if they’ve just stepped out of my own closet.
“ Oh my God!” the blonde squeals again, as if they are the only three words in her vocabulary. She steps back and tucks her long, shiny hair behind one ear. A diamond glints, sparking off the light in the room. “I can’t even believe what happened to you! Are you all right?”
“ Yeah, sort of.”
“ We were so worried , Sia!” gushes the other girl, her big brown eyes looking imploringly into mine. “Everyone’s been talking about it. The rumors were crazy. Some people thought your disappearance was a publicity stunt for a show or movie.”
My mother steps into the room behind me. “Girls, remember what I told you?”
“ Yeah,” says the blonde, and I can’t help noticing the snide tone of her voice. “So?”
The click-clacking of my mother’s heels on the marble floor saves me from saying something that might have gotten me into trouble. She hooks her arm around my waist. “ So ,” she replies, using the same tone as the girl’s, “she has no idea who you are.”
The girls’ eyes pop open, as do their mouths, and they look me over in an entirely new way.
“ So that’s why you look so different,” the smaller girl mutters. “You forgot how to use makeup.”
“ Get out! ” says the blonde, ignoring her friend, then giggling a little. Her blue cat eyes crinkle at the sides. “Well, I’m Amber Van de Camp, your best friend. Surely you remember me, right?”
The question is rhetorical, which is good, because I have no idea how to
Similar Books
