My Secret to Keep

Homecoming

Starling

Starling Anderson hated going to school the day after a Griffin Anders film released. Hallways, which already felt suffocating, seemed to shrink as giddy teenage girls gossipped next to their lockers. The conversations were the same. Did you see the way he wore his hair? Didn't you just die during the shirtless scene? I wish he'd kiss me like he kissed Gillian Shaw right after he rescued her.

She stopped in front of her locker and yanked it open. The mirror on the door caught a glimpse of disgruntled hazel eyes and medium brown hair frizzing from the misting rain outside, but that was all she allowed herself to see. She was no Gillian Shaw, girl of the golden hair and skin, goddess of the silver screen. No amount of staring at herself and wishing would make it so.

"How you holding up?"

Starling slammed the metal door and turned to smile at her best friend. Hot pink frames sat on the end of Hanna Cho's nose as she peered over them, judging every student who wandered by. The glasses had no prescription; they were merely an accessory for today's outfit.

"Ugh, I knew it was going to be worse this time, but I never imagined it would be this bad."

They stepped into the stream of students and made their way to College Algebra. A few people shouted hellos or nodded their chins in passing, but most of these were directed at Hana. She flitted between social groups, charming everyone, while Starling kept only a close friend or two. Too many friends made it hard to keep her secret.

Dropping her book bag to the floor and sliding into her seat, Hanna patted her shoulder. "I mean, the boy is the male lead in the adaptation of Without the Stars. You knew that was gonna be a smash."

"All his movies are a smash," she griped. A well-loved copy of the novel rested in the front pocket of her backpack, waiting for her to return to its pages, but she'd been unable to stomach a read through since Griffin had been cast. How could they pick him to portray the most well-written romantic lead of her generation? She could never watch him spout lines that had spoken to her soul, brought laughter to her lips, and drew tears from her eyes. It would kill the novel's beauty.

"Oh my god, did you two see the movie yet?" Jennifer Martinez asked, spinning around in her chair. The girl practically bounced, her tan fingers gripping the edge of their desk.

"No, I'll probably wait for the digital release," Starling replied while Hanna snickered.

Jennifer gaped. "I saw it last night, and we've already got a crew going Friday and Saturday. Rumor has it that a sequel will be made if the movie makes enough money!"

"You do know that Merritt was left to die on earth at the end of the book. A sequel would completely undermine the message."

"The only message I got was that Griffin Anders should walk around shirtless for the rest of his life." The girls around them cheered, but Mr. Abernathy entered the room and shushed them. Thankfully, solving for x required most of their brain function, and no one spoke of the movie or its actor for the rest of the period.

The rest of the day went by on repeat. From class to class STarling trudged, cringing any time she saw girls huddled together. Even some of the teachers brought it up, though they mostly gushed that the film stayed true to the book's best parts. When the final bell rang, she packed up and fled to her car, grateful that she she could go straight home.

Cranking the engine, she stifled the scream that rose up when a fist wrapped on her window. "Good lord, Hanna! You scared the bejeezus outta me. Why didn't you text me?"

"I thought I could catch you before you got to the car, but you must've had your earbuds in cause you didn't even look up when I said your name."

"Sorry, today has pretty much sucked. What's up?"