When a Star Falls by Rachael Eliker

Author:Rachael Eliker [Eliker, Rachael]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Pangur Ban Books
Published: 2018-04-08T05:00:00+00:00

“Where’s the TV remote?” I asked, opening cabinets and drawers in a desperate frenzy.

“Upper left cabinet,” Kiki said, pointing.

I flung the door open and was bombarded by an avalanche of equipment falling out. Sorting through the cords and microphones and tuners, I found the remote and left the mess to clean up later. Turning on a large flat screen on the wall, I flipped through the channels just in time to see a clip of Collin walking out onto a stage with the StarTech logo plastered on the back. This filled the screen while other news headlines flashed along the bottom. He stood confidently behind a small podium and began addressing the audience, who I assume were mostly reporters. My heart swelled with pride. My boyfriend was on national television. I hated to admit it, but Jill had excellent taste and had him looking like he belonged in a menswear ad in a tailored three-piece suit.

He answered questions from the audience professionally, occasionally interjecting some humor to keep things light. When someone asked him a question about the schematics of a rocket that was projected onto a large screen nearby, Collin’s eyes lit up at the chance to talk about the engineering behind the company. Eagerly, he unbuttoned his suit coat and draped it over the podium, quipping with the audience that he needed to roll up his sleeves to properly answer. He grabbed a model component of the rocket and stepped out from behind the podium to explain. Almost immediately, a swell of laughter in the audience began, and my embarrassment on his behalf spread like a rash. Squinting, I strained to see his pants.

“Is his zipper undone?” Kiki snickered.

I groaned and dropped my head into my hands. Before I could curse Jill for not catching his undone zipper—seriously, what good was a personal assistant if they didn’t make sure you didn’t look like an idiot when you were in front of live cameras?—she scampered out onto the stage, to a very confused looking Collin. My eyes narrowed and a twinge of anger flickered in my gut when I saw how closely she pressed her body to his, whispering in his ear. Then, in a very unmistakable move, she reached down and zipped Collin’s pants for him.

Collin’s eyes widened slightly. The audience roared with laughter, and the resentment I’d been feeling toward Jill exploded into full-fledged fury, erupting from my pores the way lava oozes out of a volcano. I couldn’t hear anything around the ringing in my ears, and I watched Collin compose himself and deliver what I’m sure was a very informative press conference.

The news moved on to something else, and I flicked off the television. If I could have, I would’ve leapt through the screen to strangle Jill where she stood, poised and clapping happily after she’d groped my boyfriend for the whole world to see.

“That Jill’s a snake in the grass,” Kiki said, with a grin still on her lips.

My body trembled with anger, and I needed to hit something.

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