Fame's Revenge

Chapter 22: Then

"There's something I have to tell you," Liz told Shay. In the beat of silence that followed Liz took a deep breath and turned her swing so they were facing each other. Guilt was simmering inside of her stomach and she felt herself get choked up, but she knew she had to force these words out. "It's about how I've been acting lately."

Shay sighed. "Let me guess. You're about to cover up your actions with some crap about how they're making you break ties with me or something like that."

Liz's eyes widened. "They really are! It was in the contract I signed."

Shay stared at Liz in shock. "You signed away your best friend? Just like that?"

As she realized how she'd put it, words abandoned Liz for a moment. "That's not what happened! At all!"

"Then please explain it to me because I can't believe you right now."

Liz took a deep breath. "In my contract it said that my manager has the right to advise me about my appearance, my friends, and my image. I thought when I signed that I could take or leave any of it, but now they're saying that if I don't take her advice they're going to drop me."

"So they're more important than me. Gotcha." Shay turned and stood. "Goodbye, Liz." She began walking away.

Liz felt a stab go through her heart. She stood and tried to grab Shay's arm, but Shay kept walking towards the exit. "Wait! That's not it! I thought you wanted this for me!"

Shay turned to her. Her face was blank. "I want my best friend." Liz's arms dropped and Shay continued to walk away.

"You're still my best friend," Liz said.

Shay scoffed. "Yeah. Right." She stopped at the gate and turned to Liz. "If I really was your best friend, you would have fought for me. But you didn't. You're becoming just like the rest of them. My cousin's boyfriend wrote a song for her. It's what made them popular, but once they got just a little taste of the big time, he dropped her like dead weight. He's married to some other singer now. My cousin was mad for him, but fame got to him. I guess it's getting to you, too."

Liz couldn't help but stare at Shay as she walked through the gate. She knew there likely wasn't anything she could do at this point, but she couldn't give up. She followed Shay to the sidewalk. "I'm not giving up," she said. Shay stopped. Maybe there was still something she could do. "I'm not giving up on our friendship. I've lost one best friend and I don't think I can stand losing another one."

"You think? You don't think you can? Maybe you should have thought about that a little sooner."

Liz looked down at her feet. "Shay, I know I've done wrong. I hate myself for it, but I can't change it. I can't rewrite my contract and I can't keep hanging out with you. I promise I'll call you all the time and I promise-"

"You do realize none of your promises mean anything to me anymore, right? You've already broken so many," Shay said as she turned around.

Liz furrowed her brow. "I know I have. I'm ashamed of myself for doing any of this. I didn't have a choice though."

Shay was silently crying, tears slowly making their way down the chiseled stone that was her face. "Traitor," she hissed.

Liz couldn't bring herself to raise her eyes, even though she was confused as to why Shay was using such a strong word. "I know I should-"

"No." Shay shook her head firmly. "You are a user. You used me to get here. Don't ever come find me again."

With those words, Shay turned around and walked away, and, Liz knew, out of her life. She couldn't take it anymore. Her knees buckled and she slumped onto the pavement. What had she done?