Part 20 (1/2)
”Because I wanted to tell you something.” Scarlett paused and gazed into his eyes. ”I love you. And I'm so sorry about our fight.”
Liam's expression softened. ”I love you, too, Scarlett. I really, really love you. And I'm sorry, too.” He cradled her face in his hands and kissed her.
Scarlett leaned into the kiss. She was in love with Liam. And he was in love with her. How awesome was that?
But she had to tell him the rest of it. She broke away from the kiss and added, ”There's something else.”
”Hmm?” Liam caressed her hair.
”I'm leaving L.A.”
”Wait, what?”
”You know I've never been totally happy at USC, right?” Scarlett explained. ”Well, I sent in a bunch of applications in March, to Yale and Columbia and Harvard and a lot of other schools. I wasn't sure I wanted to transfer, but I wanted to keep my options open for this fall. Anyway . . . I got into all of them.”
”Seriously?”
Scarlett nodded. ”Yeah. So I've been thinking a lot about it, and I've finally made my decision. I want to leave the show. And I definitely want to transfer to one of these schools. I'm just not sure which one yet.”
”Wow.” Liam looked stunned.
”USC's fine, but you have to understand . . . I never considered going anywhere else because I wanted to live in L.A. with Jane. But I realize now that I can't plan my life around other people. Which is why I have to go.” Scarlett laced her fingers through his. ”I hope you're okay with this.”
Liam was silent for a long moment. Then he nodded slowly.
”I'm totally okay with this,” he said finally. ”No, not just okay. I'm really proud of you. You got into some of the best schools in the country. Congratulations!”
Scarlett beamed. ”Thanks!”
”And listen, Scarlett . . . I'll support whatever choice you make about school. If you decide to go to Yale or Columbia or wherever . . . well, we'll make it work out.”
”Really?”
”Really.”
Scarlett wrapped her arms around his neck, and they kissed some more. She had never believed in happy endings, but at that moment, she had one of her very own. She and Liam were in love. She was leaving L.A. Candy. And she was going to start a whole new chapter in her life. She wasn't sure where or when or how-but it was definitely going to be amazing.
Chapter 33.
Real Life
The PopTV offices were nearly deserted when Jane walked into the lobby on Monday night. The receptionist was putting on her jacket and packing up her bag, and a cleaning woman was vacuuming noisily in the corner.
”Hey, Maria. Is Trevor still here?” Jane asked the receptionist. She noticed that the flower arrangement on the front desk looked a little wilted.
Maria grinned. ”Trevor's always here. Go on back, I'll let him know you're coming.”
”Thanks.”
Jane went through the double doors and headed down the hall. She was surprised at how calm she felt, especially since she had tossed and turned all night, playing this encounter out in her mind over and over. Now, she wasn't nervous at all. In fact, she was almost looking forward to it.
Did this mean she was doing the right thing?
Trevor was waiting in the doorway when Jane reached his office. ”Jane. Good to see you. Come on in.”
”Thanks, Trevor.”
He sat down and indicated for her to do the same. ”Have you eaten? There's a new sus.h.i.+ place around the corner.”
”No, thanks. I've already got dinner plans. I just needed to tell you something.”
”Of course. What's on your mind?”
Jane reached into her bag, pulled out the brown Smythson notebook, and set it down on Trevor's desk. ”I quit,” she said simply. ”This will be my last season.”
”You're not serious.” Trevor didn't even glance down at the notebook.
”I'm totally serious.”
”Why?”
Jane pointed to the notebook. ”This. I'm tired of being a character in your story. I'm tired of having you arrange my life into scenes. And Sat.u.r.day night? Caleb and Gaby? That was pretty low.”
”I didn't force your boyfriend to kiss another girl. I can't make anyone do anything they don't want to do. I'm just there to record stuff as it happens.”
”Yeah, I'm sure that's what you tell yourself every day.”
Trevor frowned. ”Look. I get it. I'd be p.i.s.sed, too. But Caleb wasn't good enough for you, anyway. This frees you up to find another boyfriend, a better boyfriend.”
”You mean, it frees me up so you can find me a boyfriend? Like you did for Hannah?”
”Jane, I don't know what you're talking about.”
”You know exactly what I'm talking about, Trevor. And I'm done.”
Trevor leaned back in his chair and stared out the window. The first wisps of pink and purple and yellow streaked the evening sky, and the lights of Los Angeles glittered like jewels. Jane knew he had a lot on his mind already, especially with the big revelation about Madison. ”I have to admit, I didn't see this one coming,” he said finally. ”I knew you had some issues with the show. But quitting?”
”Yeah, well, every once in a while I do something that you didn't write down in your little notebook,” Jane said drily.
”Funny. You know that Scarlett wants to leave, too?”
Jane nodded. Scarlett had told Jane her news last night, including the fact that she had decided to transfer to another college in the fall. Talk about mixed emotions; Jane couldn't bear the idea of her best friend leaving L.A., but at the same time, she absolutely wanted Scar to follow her dreams.
”My decision has nothing to do with hers, though,” she explained to Trevor. ”I have enough reasons of my own. I've been thinking about this for a while-ever since I found your notebook at Coco de Ville.”