Josh Cameron had called Liv at work several times in the days following her Girl Power moment, but Liv resisted his charms. On their final date, she had realized she didn’t like the person she was when she was with him, and she hated that she felt so powerless around him. Liv had avoided her gut instinct the first few times they had gone out, but now she realized the celeb lifestyle wasn’t for her, anyway—she wanted to feel comfortable being herself. And while Josh Cameron claimed to love her honesty and “all-American, real girl” ways, she just couldn’t get into being the novelty date.
The only bad thing about the breakup was that Liv had plenty of time to dwell on her now obvious—and depressingly unreciprocated—crush on Colin. She thought constantly about their run-in at the theater, disgusted by how rude Josh Cameron had been to him.
Liv was dying to know who Colin’s mystery date had been that night. She had been tempted to ask Rebecca, but figured that was probably not the nicest thing to do. Either Rebecca knew about Lucy and chose to ignore her, or Liv would be the bearer of really awkward news. In spite of her relationship with Rebecca, Liv felt sorry for her roommate—did she know about Lucy?
One night that week, after a particularly grueling day at work, Liv decided to stop off at Tully’s for a cup of tea. She had spent her day running around town looking for a particular brand of snack bar. One of Music Mix’s performers had brought his girlfriend to the set with him, and she was craving some special Australian snack bar that she missed from home… so Liv was sent out to fetch one for her. After checking every sandwich shop and market around Oxford Street, Liv had finally found the bar more than five hours later at an Australian sweater shop in Notting Hill. By the time she got back to the studio, the guest and his girl were gone. A day well spent, she mused.
She breezed into Tully’s and was greeted warmly by the woman behind the counter. As she waited for her tea, the frustrations of her day quickly fading, Liv was startled by someone tapping on her shoulder. Turning, she was pleased to see Colin. She had run into him at Tully’s a million times that summer—when she was on cappuccino runs for Green Room guests and he was satisfying Andrew Stone’s soy latte addiction—but seeing him startled her, considering how much she’d been thinking about him that week. “Oh, hi,” she said, noticing a flush creeping up her cheeks.
“Hi, Liv. All right?”
“Yeah, good. You?” This is awkward, Liv thought, cringing. Why? Before he could say anything more, she continued. “You know, I’ve been looking for you all week. I just wanted to apologize for my, um, date last weekend—he was a real jerk to you at As You Like It. I’m sorry.”
“Liv, you don’t need to apologize for him. Unless you were telling him what to say, it really wasn’t your fault.”
“Thanks. But it’s my fault he was there, so I guess I feel somehow responsible.” She paused. “So, ah, did you enjoy the play?”
“Yeah, it was great.” Colin turned to collect his order from the counter. Liv noticed two cups, and glanced quickly around the room. She spotted Lucy, the girl from the play, gazing out the window at a table across the room. Colin’s jacket was draped over the back of the chair next to hers. He continued, “We loved it.”
Liv grimaced. There it was—“we.” Liv knew it wasn’t any of her business, but she was just dying to know how this girl fit into Colin’s relationship with Rebecca. Liv suddenly felt oddly protective of her roommate, and didn’t want to see her get hurt. She couldn’t stop herself from blurting out, “So… how are things with you and Rebecca?”
Colin groaned. “Man, I knew you were going to ask me that.” Liv nodded, watching Lucy out of the corner of her eye. “Rebecca and I are not together, if that’s what you’re implying.”
Liv raised her eyebrows. “Really?”
“Definitely. Rebecca is very much not my type. But I do value her as a friend. I know that might sound crazy, but she’s really very sweet, and there’s something about her that just makes me laugh.”
“Yeah, something about her makes me laugh too,” Liv said sarcastically, setting her tea down on the nearest table. Colin hovered next to her table as Liv poured milk in her tea and stirred.
Colin continued, “The thing you should probably know is, in our first week in London, Rebecca really confided in me. She was worried she wasn’t fitting in, and felt like she couldn’t get along with you or Anna. She felt like an outsider, and I think she thought that spending time with me might give her credibility or something.” He paused. “I liked hanging out with her. It’s not a pity thing—she’s really funny, if you get past that petty, selfish exterior. I just don’t know if she’s that great with other girls, yeah?”
“Yeah,” Liv agreed. “I think that might be a fair assessment.” She didn’t know why she was being so rude, but she couldn’t stop herself. It’s not Rebecca’s fault I missed my chance with Colin, Liv mused. I’m the only one to blame for that.
Colin was still holding both cups of tea and had begun to fidget. He said quietly, “But I think she also sort of thought that if she and I spent time together, it might make you jealous.” Colin paused. “But that’s ridiculous, considering…”
“Considering what?” Liv asked, curious.
“Considering… other relationships.” Colin looked down at his feet, then glanced at Lucy. “Right…,” he said, suddenly awkward. “Well, our tea is getting cold.”
“Yeah, you should probably get back.” Liv couldn’t believe she’d been so wrong about Colin and Rebecca. “It was good to see you, Colin. Again, I’m sorry about the whole Josh Cameron thing last weekend.”
“No problem,” Colin said. “I’m sure he’s a really great guy once you get to know him.” And then he lifted one of the teacups in a little wave and strolled back to his table.
“Ah was talking to some of the producers from the events team, and they are just pos-ah-ti-uhv that I will win this little VJ for a Day contest.” Rebecca delicately sipped her coffee, and studied Liv’s reaction.
“That’s great, Rebecca,” Liv said blandly, for what felt like the thousandth time that night. “I’m really happy for you.”
Earlier that evening Liv and Anna had decided they needed a girls’ night out. Feeling generous, they had invited Rebecca to join them. Liv had thought a lot about what Colin had told her about Rebecca, and felt guilty that Rebecca hadn’t made many friends in London. She really didn’t want to be part of the reason someone was so unhappy, and she had vowed to try to give her roommate another chance.
About ten minutes after they left the office, Liv had regretted her generosity. Rebecca hadn’t stopped talking, and most of their conversations for the past two hours had centered on Rebecca’s brilliance. And, much to Liv’s dismay, Rebecca refused to stop talking about the VJ for a Day contest. The good thing about Liv’s breakup with Josh Cameron was that it had freed up plenty of time for her and Anna to focus on their audition material. They had finally formulated the beginning of a plan, and had been working almost nonstop to perfect it. Liv was confident that they would have a great segment ready in time for the auditions in a few weeks, but that didn’t mean she was any more excited about listening to Rebecca’s take on the auditions.
As Rebecca chattered on, bragging about her “fab-u-lous” ideas for her audition, Liv and Anna finished their drinks and stood up to leave. Rebecca didn’t miss a beat. She continued to talk while sweeping My Rover into her arms (she had somehow gotten away with bringing Hell Dog to work for “show and teh-ull” that day).
Then she drained her coffee and dropped her Gucci sunglasses back into place on her perky little nose. Liv couldn’t figure out why Rebecca was wearing sunglasses at night, but, considering Liv’s own fashion expertise, figured she really wasn’t the best person to criticize someone else’s style.
The three flatmates made their way outside and headed for the tube at Piccadilly Circus. “Ah don’t know if you know this, but I actually won the Junior Miss contest in Texas.” Rebecca fixed Anna and Liv with a serious stare through her Guccis.
“I never would have guessed,” Liv muttered to herself. Anna heard her and started giggling.
“They told me I was a natural onstage.” Rebecca held My Rover up to her face and pushed her lips out to give him a kiss. She continued in a baby voice, addressing My Rover. “So I just know I’m going to be the very best VJ that Music Mix has ever seen. Look out England—Miss Texas is here!” Rebecca smiled widely, revealing her perfect white teeth. Liv wondered if Rebecca put Vaseline on her teeth in real life, like they do in pageants. They were unnaturally shiny.
“You know, Li-uhv,” Rebecca said sweetly, pausing as they passed the Piccadilly Circus fountain. “Maybe you could just help me with my audition. Work behind the scenes or something? Ah mean, I just don’t want it to be uncomfortable for y’all when I win.” Rebecca pulled a coin out of her clutch. “Lucky penny. Here’s to my win!” she said, lowering her ridiculous sunglasses to wink as she tossed the coin over her shoulder into the fountain. Then she walked up the steps to the fountain base platform and started strutting around the edge.
As she listened to Rebecca ramble on, Liv considered the question she had been asking herself all night. Was Colin right about Rebecca? Why would she come out with us unless she actually likes us better than she lets on?
Liv was jolted out of her head by a high-pitched squeal. She turned back toward the fountain just in time to see Rebecca teetering madly, her high heel stuck in a crack in the concrete. Flailing her arms, Rebecca buckled sideways and landed right in the Piccadilly Circus fountain. Several groups of tourists, out for a late-night stroll, quickly grabbed their cameras and snapped pictures. “Ah’m okay!” Rebecca said, flashing her pearly whites just before her hair hit the water. “Ah’ve got My Rover and my Guccis—I’m okay!”
Liv watched, horrified, as Rebecca floundered in the fountain. She was trying to keep her sunglasses and My Rover in the air. As Liv moved to help her out of the fountain, she could see tears of humiliation welling up in Rebecca’s eyes.
For once, Liv felt genuine empathy for her flatmate. She is normal, Liv thought. She’s desperate for attention and doesn’t know how to treat people, but she’s not immune to humiliation. In that moment Liv suddenly realized that under Rebecca’s thick veneer of I Love Myself-itis, she was just as self-conscious and awkward as anyone else. Rebecca just hadn’t figured out a normal way of dealing with it.
She may be annoying and weird and talk about herself way too much, Liv thought, but maybe she just needs people to be nice to her so she can realize she’s safe being herself. Looking at her soaked and tear-drenched flatmate floundering in the fountain, Liv vowed to give Rebecca another chance—for real, this time. Reaching out her hand to take My Rover from Rebecca’s slippery, wet arm, Liv smiled. “Are you okay?” she asked, true concern ringing in her voice.
Rebecca looked up at Liv as a tear rolled down her face. “Ah’m fine. Thank you,” she smiled. “Li-uhv, can you please dry My Rover’s ears? He’s prone to infection.”