Relentless

Chapter 36

Juliet

Two weeks later

It's closing night of Mamma Mia and I don't want it to end. I love my character and being on stage, doing what I love. I feel so energetic and happy when I'm on stage. Then when I go home, it's time to go back to normal.

As the curtain closes, I run backstage and hug all of my fellow cast members. I'm going to a cast party right after I get out of costume. I give my costumes back to the designer and then grab my belongings.

In order to get to our vehicles, we need to walk through the crowd that is forming in the hallway. People are waiting to congratulate their friends and family on a great show. As I walk through the crowd, I hear people telling me how talented I am and that I did a phenomenal job. But then, I felt someone grab my arm and pull me to the side.

"Great job, Sophie." My friend Derek says. I met Derek last week and he's been helping me through the entire Ashton incident. He's eighteen and is on the baseball team with straight Bs.

Way better than a nineteen-year-old with straight Ds.

That's a lie.

"Thanks. I didn't think you would actually come."

"Of course I would! Anything for my new best friend."

"Well, thank you for coming. And I will make sure I'm at your game next weekend."

"You don't have to go to that. It's just a bunch of guys running bases and hitting balls."

"You came to my production so I am going to your game. It's only fair." He chuckles and then pulls something out of his back pocket, a long stemmed rose.

"I was going to send it backstage but I'm not sure how to do that kind of thing."

"Derek, it's beautiful. Thank you."

"Don't mention it. I don't want to keep you from your friends. I'll call you later." I smile at him and then move back with my theatre friends. When we finally get outside, a car speeds past us and out of the school parking lot. I look in the direction that the car came from and see a guy standing against the wall of the school. He looks familiar. When I start to walk over to him, he takes out his phone, causing me to stop, and I hear him leave a message.

"Ashton, you were my ride. Come back and get me and stop acting like a jealous asshole." The guy says, hanging up the phone. It's Ashton's friend.

I quickly turn around and walk with my friends to the car.

"Who was that?" My friend Kelsey asks.

"Someone I thought I knew." I say, getting in the car with her. As she drives to the party, my brain starts to work.

Ashton came to the show.

He watched me perform and then ran off.

What a coward.

I have so much hatred and betrayal lodged in my heart and I just want to punch something. I hate him! I hate him so much!

When we arrive at the party, I walk inside to hear cheering and loud music. We all start dancing to the beat and I feel like I have friends who care about me. They make me laugh and they let me forget.

A few hours pass and I'm sitting at a table texting Maris. I tell her about the show and how the last night ran. But just as in about to press send, I get a call from a number I don't know.

What if it's Jackson?

What if it's Daniel?

I take a deep breath and answer the phone.