"Laney, no one is going to find out." I stare into her eyes, which are wide with horror. "I'm not dropping off the face of the earth. I just want to do what I want for a change this hiatus. I promise I'm going to do my press as well, and be seen, and do everything."

Laney raises one razor-thin eyebrow doubtfully. "Well, how do you expect to do that?"

I look at Liz again, and then launch into my foolproof plan. My words tumble out so quickly that they don't even interrupt me, almost. How I'll only be going to class in March and April, all the while keeping my press commitments, which would be scheduled around classes. How I'll be enrolling as a sophomore at Liz's school, so I won't be going alone. How I plan on staying in the public eye and going to select events. Dad gets a little crazy about the security issue, but I reassure him by promising that Rodney will chap-erone my trips to and from school. Laney's big concern is the disguise itself, so I tell her that she can have approval over it. That seems to calm her down. A little.

"I want Paul and Shelly to come on board and supervise your look," she demands. She runs her long fingers through her hair. "I can't believe I'm even entertaining this."

"You have to." Liz slurps her kola. "You work for her." I kick her under the table.

Laney purses her plump lips. The table is silent for a minute. "I'm going to be watching you like a hawk, Kaitlin," Laney finally mutters. "Remember that. But I'll support you as long as you promise you won't tell anyone who you really are."

"Why would I do that?" I ask. "Liz is the only one who will know."

"Who can guess why?" Laney says, narrowing her black eyes at Liz. "You could meet some guy and want to spill your life story, but I'm warning you, don't do it."

"I won't. I'll be too busy for guys anyway." I try to suppress a grin. Once Laney caves, Dad and Matt aren't far behind. I can't believe it. They're all actually listening to me! Everyone looks somewhat placated, except for Mom. "Mom?" I reach for her hand. "Say something."

She sighs and pulls her arm away. "I don't understand this, Kaitlin. I just don't. We do everything for this career and now you're ... I don't know what you're doing."

"We'll keep up my social calendar," I reassure her. "You can talk to everyone in town about what parties I need to attend while I'm off, okay?"

She takes a big gulp of her martini. "I guess I do know about all the best events," she murmurs almost to herself. She says, playing with the olive in the bottom of her glass, "Okay. I'll say yes to this school diversion on one condition only -- that you audition for the Hutch Adams movie."