Jillian Dodd - Hate Me

“And you’re not to tell anyone who you get,” Riley emphasizes. “We want it to be a complete surprise.”

“All right. I’m writing down the girls’ names,” Dallas says. “We’ve got Maggie, Keatyn, Annie, Kassidy, Ariela, and Katie.” He tears each name apart, folds it in half, and drops it into the stocking hat Riley holds out.

He takes it around the room, letting the guys draw.

Then they do the same with the boys.

I smile when I draw Riley. He’ll be fun to shop for.

Dallas hands out shots then says seriously, “Memorize your names. Down your shots. Put the names back into the hat.”

We all sit on the beanbags, smoke a little, and I ask Aiden to tell me more about his game. He texted me some, but was busy studying for French.

“They were a really good team. Won state last year. But I don’t want to talk about that. I think you owe me a whole bunch of dances.”

He pops his phone into a speaker, hits a dance mix, pulls me close, and grinds against me.

Eager to sell.

9am

The dance team is up early once again, only this time we’re taking the train into the city for our competition.

I check my email, finding a message from Grandpa.

-All is well. We have representatives meeting with two of the investors this week. Both seem eager to sell.

I write back:

-That’s so awesome! I hope they do! Thank you, Grandpa. You’re amazing!

Then I email Tommy, giving him the idea that I’ve been kicking around for his proposal.

He replies immediately.

-That’s perfect. She’ll love it! Love having the girls involved. Hey, any chance you could do a screen test this Friday in NYC at 2:30?

-I’m headed to NYC right now for a dance competition. I absolutely will be there. Text me the address on Friday.

-Will do.

Naughty puppy.

Noon

My mom calls me as I’m getting settled in my hotel room. Maggie went to get downstairs to get some snacks, so she couldn’t have called at a better time.

“Mom! Hi! How are you? Are you all settled?”

“We are. Besides Malibu, this is my favorite place in the world. Plenty of room for the girls to play and no cameras anywhere. We've been to the beach, the market, everywhere, and no one even notices us. And the food is to die for. I've had croissants and coffee every morning and not once thought about the calories.”

I want to cry, I’m so happy.

“I’m so glad, Mom.”

“How are you?”

“I’m good.”

“Remember that game we used to play at dinner after your dad died. We were both so sad, but we tried to find something good that happened each day?”

“The sweet and the suck?”

“Yeah. If I was there with you now, what would you tell me?”

“The sweet is that Aiden asked me to Winter Formal. The suck is that I’m lying to him, and I feel bad about it.”

“Sweetie, you can’t help it.”

“I trust him. I would tell him in a heartbeat. I’m just afraid of putting him in danger. Did you hear about what B got?”

“Yes. It sounds just like the photo I got of Tommy. It was horrific.”

“Mom, when you met Tommy, how was your personal life?”

“Hmm. My career was great. You and I were doing well. But . . . I missed being with someone. Having someone take care of me sometimes. Being a single parent isn’t easy.”

“I was kind of a brat, wasn’t I?”

“You were never a brat. You’ve just always known exactly what you want.”

“What happened to me?”

“What do you mean?”

“I think it was high school. I got sucked into fitting in.”

“When you were used to standing out.”

“Yeah. I’m doing better with all that. I feel like I’m me again, if that makes sense. Oh, and guess what? Grandpa is helping me with the hostile takeover.”

“He told me. He’s pretty excited about it.”

“Me too. I can’t wait to walk into Vincent’s board room and fire him.”

“You're not going to do that, Keatyn Elizabeth.”

“Oooh, pulling out the middle name,” I laugh. “I don’t mean me. I just can’t wait for someone to do it.” Actually, that’s I lie. I totally want to be the one to do it.

I hear Gracie yell, “Mommy!”

Mom says, “Gracie, do you want to talk to Kiki?”

Gracie screams, “Yes!”

She does a little cough then says, “Ruff ruff. Has Kiki been a naughty puppy for Daddy?”

“Gracie, it’s Keatyn, not Bad Kiki.”

“Oh! Good Kiki! We got a tree for Santa and made cookies! Is Kiki going to open presents with us?”

“I can’t. I have to stay at school.”

“School dumb. I hate school.”

“I’m going to send you a lot of presents.”

“Can Kiki open presents on the ’puter?”

“That’s a great idea, Gracie. We’ll open presents together over the computer. Can I talk to Mommy now?”

“No! My Kiki!”

Mom says to Gracie, “Give Mommy her phone if you want to go to the beach tomorrow.” That must have worked because then she says to me. “I think you should come to France for Christmas. We have a lot of security.”

“I’ll have to think about it. I don’t want to put you at risk.”

“You can fly from New York with Tommy.”

“That sounds good, Mom. I’ll talk to Garrett about it,” I lie again. I’m not going anywhere near them. “I love you.”

“I love you too.”

Are you afraid?

2pm

After the dance competition is over, I grab a cab to the screen test.

Once inside, I quickly recognize Knox Daniel. Not because I know him, but because I loved the sweet roles he played in some of my favorite teen movies. I’ll even admit to having a teensy crush on him back then. From what I’ve seen in Annie’s tabloids, he’s recently single after a lengthy-for-him two-month relationship with a pop star.

He used to play the good guy. The pretty boy. Now, his hair is a little darker and it's way sexy on him.

The casting of him in this role is great. He’s the hot bad guy. The guy who you wouldn’t mind kidnapping you.

I close my eyes.

I can’t believe I just thought that.

I’ve been going back and forth about how this character should be. Based on the lines I memorized, I know they want her to be weak, crying, and wrecked about being kidnapped, but with a little bit of my-dad-will-make-you-pay spunkiness.

And if I’d tried out for the part when Tommy wanted me to last spring, I would have acted just that way.

But not any more.

Knox struts up to me and gives me a once-over. “Who are you?”

“I’m Keatyn. Nice to meet you,” I say with a big smile, wanting to make a good first impression.

He scowls at me. “Why did they make me come in for you?”

“What do you mean?”

“I thought they were bringing in someone famous. You look sorta familiar, though. What have you been in?”

“This is actually my first screen test. First audition, really. I mean, unless you count my school play.”

“What the hell? Whose dick did you suck?”

I narrow my eyes at him, totally ready to blast this idiot when I hear a loud female voice.

“All right, let's get started.”

He turns to me. “Don't screw up—actually, do screw up so I can get the hell out of here.”

Other than the girl who brought me in here, no one’s really said anything to me.

And I’m disappointed that neither Tommy or Matt are here.

Oh well.

They can see it on tape later, I guess.

I walk out onto the well-lit set. There are people behind the cameras but the off-set area is dark, so I can’t make anyone out.