Scarlett had been avoiding approaching Spencer directly, but as he sat by himself, removing his makeup with some tissues, she saw a good chance to get a natural conversation going.

“Are you okay?” she asked. “The thing with the ramp…”

“I’m fine. I didn’t even fall.”

“I know, but…”

But nothing. He hadn’t actually fallen.

“The offer for dinner still stands,” she said.

“What?” he asked, rubbing hard at the white coating on his forehead.

“No plans?”

“No,” she said. “Come on.”

“Can’t. We’re all going to Leroy’s apartment tonight. It’s a cast-bonding thing. Can you tell Mom and Dad I’ll be home late?”

As soon as he said this, Scarlett became aware of the fact that everyone was zipping up their bags and congregating as if about to depart collectively. How she had missed this all day—not been aware of the event—was a little disturbing. Sure, she wasn’t exactly part of the cast, but she practically was. She had helped dress them. She had taken their skanky clothes when they were done.

“Sure,” she said. There was an audible droop in her voice that he had to have noticed. Either he was still angry, or he was feeling guilty, but he packed up and left even though he hadn’t completely removed his makeup.

This wasn’t okay. It really couldn’t go on. Scarlett followed right on his heels, all the way outside, where he had stopped to talk to Claudius.

“We need to talk,” she said, catching him by the arm. He put up no resistance and let her drag him a few doorways over, to a quiet spot in front of a nail salon.

“What am I supposed to do?” she asked. “When do we get normal again?”

He didn’t answer for a moment.

“I don’t know,” he said.

“I don’t get it. You like Eric. He’s your friend.”

“I work with him,” Spencer clarified.

“He’s not your friend?”

“I’m just clarifying. I have to get along with Eric no matter what in order to do my job.”

“That’s why he just thought it would be better if we didn’t…”

“He thought?” Spencer said. “He said not to tell me?”

“You can’t blame him. I’m the one who didn’t tell you. I’m sorry. I’ve been sorry every single second since I did it.”

Spencer was shaking his head and almost laughing, a grim laugh.

“What?” she said.

“Nothing,” he said, still smiling the rueful smile. He rubbed the remnants of white makeup off his eyelids with his hand. “There’s nothing I can say.”

This was infuriating. For one second, she understood some of the frustration that Lola felt when dealing with Spencer. It had never made sense to her before.

“He likes me,” she said. “Can you just get over the fact that it’s someone you know? I won’t hurt your show. Just let me be happy, please?”

This got rid of the smirk.

“You don’t really look happy,” he said.

Which was true—she wasn’t at the moment. Not with Eric, and not with life in general. And really not with Spencer. She would have started screaming at him except the other cast members were coming out, so she just turned and walked away from him, back to the theater.