You and Me (Plus Everyone In Between Us)

Locked Out

Ray came out after in her altered outfit. It looked incredibly tight on her, digging into her flesh like it was trying to eat her. She walked funnily like it was constricting her. There was no way she would be able to dance in that.

Martha looked at her with curiosity. "I think we need to go with the bigger size."

"No!" Ray snapped. "It fits me perfectly. It's the right size."

"I'm just worried that you're going to be dancing in that," Martha said. "It's not ideal for you to do big movements, you might rip it."

"It's fine," she insisted, silently.

Ray caught me observing their exchange and I promptly looked away before she could burn a hole in me with her stares.

Honestly, I deserved it. I wanted to apologize, but she wouldn't talk to me.

My phone buzzed again and I sucked in a breath as I opened the familiar contact. Ray was still being examined by one of Martha's stylists. She couldn't have texted me right now.

I was definitely wrong.

STAN sent me another photo. This time it was of me, clearly walking somewhere on the street. I recognized it immediately. It was outside of Solstice Records the night Andre and I almost kissed. It was closer by, right by the coffee shop I visited that one time.

It couldn't be used as evidence. It was too vague. I shoved my phone away and undressed before heading back to the house.

It would be easiest to walk through the building, but it took an obnoxiously long time for me to walk over there. I found this exit through Grace being smart and reading the building plan.

I wasn't the only one who knew about it. Ray followed me soon after, presumably on her way to exit. When I pushed open the double doors into the infectious LA sun, the door stayed shut. I wrapped my fingers and pulled against the doors, only for it to stay closed. I raised an eyebrow and pulled harder. Only it didn't budge.

"It's locked," Ray said from behind me. "I guess you're going to have to go the long way."

"Oh," was all I said.

I walked back to the other door, wrapping my fingers around the doorknob, only to find that it was once again locked.

"Oh!" I loudly grumbled. "We've been locked out!"

"Someone's going to have to get us," Ray mumbled.

I quickly texted Grace and Janelle asking if they could help. No response yet. Knowing them, they were still in practice. They probably couldn't just leave.

Me and Ray stood in the awkwardest silence. I felt the urge to talk. I hated silence. It was one of my most uncomfortable situations. My brain was always loud, and now I would have to hear it. I hated it when all my friends went silent back in Toronto after I would contribute to the conversation. I hated I couldn't talk to them without assessing the situation first.

It felt so uncomfortable. So I vowed to change it.

"I'm sorry," I finally admitted. "I just got a bit freaked out yesterday and accused you."

She stared at the ground in a thick veil of silence.

I continued. "I've just been so paranoid. This STAN person is never wrong about stuff. I didn't want them to ruin my career."

"Is it true?" Ray finally spoke, stunning me. I almost forgot what she sounded like.

"What?"

"You and Andre."