The train pulls up and I slide into a window seat for the ride to North Station. I open Spotify on my phone and begin to play The Lion King. Of course I know the music, but I want to listen to the Broadway version to get pumped up.

“What are you doing?” Reid asks. He takes my phone out of my hand and presses pause before the opening number even starts. “Natalie. Listening to the OBC album right before seeing a show will ruin the live theater experience. This is basic!”

I frown. “OBC?”

“Original Broadway Cast? Come on, Nat.”

His expression is so stern, so serious, I can’t help but laugh. “Reid, it’s The Lion King.”

My phone buzzes in Reid’s hand. It’s just a spam email. Not a text from Henry. I grab my phone and drop it in my purse, disappointed. Henry and I have been in a standoff since my birthday. I’m not texting first. No way. Henry blew up at me, out of nowhere, on my birthday! Acted as if I haven’t been doing everything I can to protect our vision of Melted. All on my own. Since he walked away.

Ugh.

I push away my Henry feelings because I want today to be good. I want to get lost in research. I want to be inspired to go home and write. I want to emerge from this experience as someone qualified to direct a musical.

Codirect. Whatever.

Henry Chao ruined my birthday. He doesn’t get to ruin this day too.

Reid slides into the seat next to me. “What’s the deal with you and Chao?”

I frown. Is Reid a mind reader now?

“It’s none of your business,” I snap.

“Right.”

Of course, Reid backing off makes me want to talk about it.

“It’s just… Melted was supposed to be ours. Henry’s and mine. One last thing we made together before he left for college. And now I don’t know what it is, or whose it is, but it definitely doesn’t feel like ours. He doesn’t come to our writing sessions. He trashes the songs. And then he has the audacity to comment about how much time we spend together, as if we have a choice.”

Reid frowns. “He doesn’t like the songs?”

“He said I’m directing Melted into the ground.”

“Wow,” Reid says. “I know it’s been a rough start… but that’s not true.”

I shrug. “I don’t know. Maybe it’s all too jazzy.”

Reid’s eyebrows rise. “Everyone at your party loved the music.”

“I know. I just… feel kind of like Delia and Hannah right now.”