Prologue
Cold air smacked Rose Parson in the face as she swung open the door to the blissfully air-conditioned Emerson Performing Arts Center. Blinking a few times, she let the door click shut behind her as she waited for her eyes to adjust to the dim lighting of the foyer, the sticky humidity drying on her skin.
New York in August was no place to be.
But Rose had driven hours to get here and today, this auditorium was the only place to be.
Rose had watched all of her upperclassmen friends rehearse for this scholarship competition, just waiting for her time to come—waiting for the day when she was finally a high school senior.
Well, almost. School would start up in a few weeks, and then it would be official. The countdown to graduation would begin.
Taking a deep breath, Rose took another step into the crowded foyer. Voices echoed off the tiles as seniors from all over the Northeast mingled and talked.
Rose scanned the crowd for someone she knew. There were a few familiar faces here and there, but none she felt comfortable going up to.
She shifted, trying to casually lift her black leather skirt from where it stuck to her thighs. Leather was definitely the wrong choice for a hot August afternoon. But in her defense, she was rocking purple hair these days and black leather was just too perfect to pass up.
Besides, she wasn’t here to be comfortable. She was here to make an impression. And that was exactly what she meant to do. Rose tossed her hair back over her shoulder, untangling some strands that clung to her neck as she did, wondering if her new look had what it took to stand out in this crowd.
“If you’ll all take your seats . . . ” An older woman with a clipboard and rigid smile gestured to the open doors of the auditorium. Rose headed toward her along with the others who were forming a quasi-line to get in and take their seats. She’d almost reached the open double doors when she heard her name.
“Rose!” Lola called out. “Over here!”
Layne smiled as her best friend waved wildly to Rose, who would have stuck out in any crowd with that bright purple hair. They shuffled forward along with the rest of the students until they’d reached her side.
From the hug Lola gave Rose, you’d think they’d been best friends since birth.
They hadn’t.
Layne Hall, Lola Rey, and Rose Parson had just competed in enough regional performances that they were friendly acquaintances. And right now, Layne was glad to see a familiar face amidst the sea of competition.
So many people vying for the same scholarship money.
“Hey Layne, good to see you again,” Rose said over her shoulder before stepping up to the organizer by the door and snagging one of the leaflets the woman was handing out to every student.
Layne said ‘hi’ back but it was so quiet, no one seemed to hear her.
That was fine. Lola was the one who liked the spotlight. Layne was totally content living in her best friend’s shadow. She actually preferred it that way, which yes, made it ironic that she was there to sign up for a competition. But she never passed up a chance to compete when there was a scholarship involved, no matter how nerve wracking it was.
Once they were all through the check-in process, they entered the auditorium, which was buzzing with gossip and laughter. Half the seats were already filled.
“Let’s grab those seats over there,” Rose said. She was already leading the way, a tall purple beacon in the crowd.
“Which category are you competing in?” Lola asked.
“Acting,” Rose said. “You?”
“Singing.”
Layne held back a laugh as her two friends noticeably relaxed. It was one thing to be friendly with the competition, but it would be another matter entirely if they were rivals for the same scholarship.
No one asked Layne what she was competing for, but she assumed it was understood. Songwriting was her one and only talent. Unlike every other senior in this room, she had no desire to be a star.
“Check it out,” Rose said, her voice a murmur as she shifted toward Lola. “The Fenley twins. Do you think they’re competing against each other?”
“I don’t know,” Lola said with a shake of her head. “All I know is, I wouldn’t want to share a bedroom with my arch rival.”
“There’s Louisa from that show you did last summer,” Layne pointed out.
The three of them passed the time trying to spot their friends and suss out who would be their primary competition. That kept them busy until a tall blonde in the aisle next to them hovered a little too long.
Layne nudged Lola who looked to Rose.
“Poor thing,” Rose said. “She looks lost.”
“I can fix that.” Lola turned toward the blonde. “Hey, you!” she called out.
When the blonde looked over, brows arched in alarm, Rose chimed in with a big welcoming smile. “Come sit with us.”
“Oh. Are you . . . Um, are you sure?” She smoothed a hand over her perfect bun.
“Of course. We’re not gonna bite. I’m Lola Rey,” she said before sticking out her hand.
“Lillian Preston,” the girl murmured.
Layne moved her bag so the girl could sit and the three of them watched her fidget with the hem of her skirt before tipping her head down to read the rules and guidelines on the handout.
“What’s your talent?” Rose asked.
Lillian’s head snapped up. “I’m a prima ballerina.”
Layne laughed to herself as once again Rose and Lola seemed to soften, their smiles became even more welcoming. “Are you new to the competition circuit?” Lola asked. “I haven’t seen you around before.”
“I don’t compete much,” she said.
“Well, you’re in luck, because between the three of us, we can fill you in on your competition,” Rose said.
Lola gestured around the auditorium like a tour director as she pointed people out. “Everyone in this room has some level of talent and definitely a lot of drive. But some are more of a threat than others.”
Rose’s gaze fixed on a familiar brunette who slid into a seat in the row ahead, not deigning to glance around her, as though she were totally alone in the crowded room. Rose’s voice was a little too loud as she spoke. “And then there are some who you need to watch out for. They’re so competitive they make Tonya Harding look like an angel.”
Layne sank down in her seat as Jenna turned around to stare them down. Clearly she’d recognized herself in that description and didn’t see the need to deny it. If anything, she was probably proud. The girl had a reputation as the ice queen for a reason.
Jenna’s sneer was halfhearted when she saw Rose, but it intensified to a glare when she spotted Lola. “Oh, it’s you.” Jenna sniffed. “I suppose you think you actually stand a shot at taking first in singing, right?” Her smile was cold as ice. “How cute.”
“Good to see you again, too, Jenna,” Lola said in an obnoxiously chipper voice.
Jenna didn’t reply, her gaze shifting to Layne, then dismissing her in a heartbeat. She paused on Lillian. “Who’s this?”
Rose glanced over and saw Lillian staring back with wide eyes, clearly not used to dealing with witches like Jenna on a regular basis.
“Leave her be, Jenna. She’s a dancer,” Rose said.