Anna smiled at Dustin, who was crouching next to her seat in the aisle. She stood up to hug him, and when she pulled back, she saw Kimmie standing behind him. It was the first time Anna and Kimmie had come face-to-face since the night at the club so many months ago. Anna was scared, unsure if her fragile ego could take another hit, but her fear faded immediately when Kimmie stepped forward and embraced Anna warmly.

“Always the most beautiful girl in the room,” Kimmie said. “No wonder everyone hates you.”

Anna could have laughed or cried, but laughter won out, because she could tell Kimmie was joking even if it was true. “Kimmie, I really want to apologize for…”

Kimmie interrupted Anna. “Please don’t. I knew the risks. I didn’t have to be there. If it rains, you get wet.”

Dustin explained, “It’s a quote from Heat. We watched it this weekend.”

The lights flickered on and off, indicating the show was about to start. Kimmie and Dustin rushed off to their seats, excited for Lolly’s performance. When the lights went down, Anna felt better, relieved for a short reprieve from everyone staring at her with disdain. She was trying to steer clear of negative thoughts these days, but she couldn’t help her growing anger at the unfairness of everything that was happening. Yes, she was in a sex tape. It happened, so what? Everyone knew it was Vronsky with her, but that didn’t seem to matter. How was it that he could still walk around while no one blinked an eye?

Lolly’s song was the closing number of the first act before the intermission. She came out onstage, wearing a gorgeous lavender Monique Lhuillier dress she’d gotten from Rent the Runway, which Steven later purchased for her, because she had never looked more beautiful to him. She stepped forward to the microphone, introducing herself and the school she was representing. She then looked down, about to begin her song, but instead leaned forward into the mic and said, “I’d like to dedicate my song tonight to my boyfriend’s sister, and my very good friend, Anna K. I picked this song for you.” The crowd murmured in the dark, but Lolly didn’t care. She’d spoken from her heart and wanted to do this for Anna, because, in her eyes, no one needed this song more.