Chapter 0416


    The next day at rehearsal, I couldn’t keep my eyes off of Julian, Nick, and Bridget, watching their


    interactions. I tried to see them in a new way, now with some more of their past acting like a lens.


    If Bridget had kissed Julian all night after his love confession, only to break up with him the next


    morning to be with Nichs, surely some of those lingering feelings would remain and shine through in


    their actions with each other.


    So far, what I was seeing was what I had been seeing since the start.


    Across the room, Bridget showed Nichs something in the script. She leaned very far into him,


    making certain that her chest touched his arm. Nichs didn’t seem to notice. He


    pointed at the script where Bridget must have been referring to.


    I wished I was closer, to hear the words, but I wasn’t sure how to move over there with any kind of


    subtly. Veronica and Tiffany were standing beside me as part of our own little group. People would


    notice if I suddenly broke off to go stand on my own.


    Instead, I continued to keep watch.


    Julian was on the other side of Bridget. Though he wasn’t a part of the conversation between Bridget


    and Nichs, he clearly wanted to be, as he followed along in his own script.


    Once, he tried nudging Bridget, to get her to pay attention to him, as if to ask her a question. She held


    up a finger, asking him to give her a minute, and then otherwise ignored him.


    For the life of me, I couldn’t understand why Julian continued to hold onto her. She clearly wasn’t


    interested. Was this simply a case of Julian needing to learn how to take no for an answer, no matter


    how abrupt? I was starting to suspect.


    Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org.


    But then I saw it.


    Bridget ced her hand on Julian’s arm and squeezed. While she was talking to Nichs, she turned


    to Julian and winked.


    It was subtle, barely–there flirting, but now that I was looking for it, I could see it in as


    day.


    While Nichs received most of Bridget’s attention, Julian was not ignored. It almost seemed like


    Julian was her little secret.


    Or like she was doing just enough to keep him on the hook while she primarily pursued


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    +15 B?NUS


    Nichs.


    Maybe I was looking too hard. Maybe it was innocent. But it sure as heck seemed like she was


    stringing Julian along. I wondered if that was how it had been in the past too.


    Watching it happen, seeing the hope in Julian’s eyes, made something ufortable churn in my gut.


    I also hated how openly Bridget was flirting with Nichs,ughing at whatever he said and looking up


    at him through her eyshes.


    “Piper?” Tiffany said, dragging my attention away.


    “Hm?”


    “They’re calling you on stage,” Tiffany said.


    “Oh!”


    I hurried toward the stage. Admittedly, I hadn’t been paying attention at all, so I had no idea even what


    scene we were supposed to be doing. I still hadn’t even finished reading the script. When I thought I


    had only one line, I didn’t bother. Now that I was doing Susie’s part, I really need to go back. I just


    hadn’t yet.


    As I took the stairs to reach the stage, I was surprised to find Nichs right behind me. Were we doing


    a scene together?


    My stomach sank. My new part was that of Nichs’s spurned lover. Any scene we shared together


    was unlikely to be a pleasant one.


    As we stepped onto the stage, Nichs touched the small of my back, guiding me toward the center


    where we would perform. I looked at him.


    “Which scene is this?” I whispered.


    He gave me a small, fond smile. “Scene 14.” Nodding, I flipped open the script to the correct scene.