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doing, hiding away here?” She put her hands on Tyler’s shoulders and cooed, “Everyone is looking for you, honey. They sent me to scout. I’m supposed to bring you back. Alive.”
    “Then let’s go,” he said, following her out of the room. He turned and winked at me. “Thanks, Maggie. For showing me the turtles.”
    “Turtles!” exclaimed Felicia. “How quaint.”
    Turtles?
    Is that what the last fifteen minutes had been about for him?
    Was I imagining that the time had been about something more than turtles?
    I just don’t know.
    I looked around Zeke’s empty room, like the walls could give me answers. But the walls weren’t talking, so I went back downstairs myself. By the time I reached the living room, Tyler was the center of a small circle of guests. He was Total Movie Star again.
    Maura Davis, the assistant director of the film, started talking to me. She likes a lto of the same music that I like. I told her about Vanish and she told me all about a rock band she was in when she was my age.
    I feel awful admitting this, but even as I was talking to Maura, I was thinking about Tyler. He’s an actor , I told myself. He turned on the charm. He isn’t really glad he met me.
    People started to leave. The party was finally winding down. Maura asked for a tape of the band. I ran upstairs for it.
    When I returned I noticed that Tyler was looking around the room. He spotted me and smiled.
    “Maggie, thanks for rehearsing with me,” he said. “It helped. I’m not so nervous anymore.”
    “Really? You’re cured?”
    “For now. Anyway, I’m really glad I met you.” He smiled again.
    It was like there was a current of energy running between us.
    This is ridiculous.
    He’s a movie star.
    I hate movie stars.
    TO THE LAST STAR
    Star light, star bright,
    The last star I see tonight.
    I wish I may, I wish I might
    Forget the star I saw tonight.
    Your light isn’t real
    And neither is the feel
    Of your hand on my shoulder.
    You don’t mean
    What you say.
    They’re lines from the script
    You have to learn
    So you can earn
    A zillion dollars
    Like my dad.
    Star light, star bright,
    The last star I see you tonight.
    I wish I may, I wish I might
    Forget the star I saw tonight.
    I want to forget Tyler. Did I ever have that buzzy, connected feeling with Justin?
    Not like that.
    Well, forget Tyler, Maggie. Every girl in America thinks she’s in love with him.
    YOU ARE NOT GOING TO BE ONE OF THEM.
    Saturday 5/1
    10:00 P.M.
    Spent the day at the beach with Ducky, Sunny, Dawn, Amalia, and Brendan. We had a blast. It was so good to see Sunny surfing again. Sunny and Dawn wanted to know all about the party. I told them everything — except for the business with Tyler.
    Had this weird moment at the beach today. This real cute surfer guy waved in my direction. I thought that it was J.B. Surfer Boy. So weird. That’s the character Tyler plays, not Tyler. The guy waving wasn’t J.B. or Tyler. It was a guy waving to someone walking along the beach
    behind me. What would have happened if it was Tyler? Would he have liked my friends?
    Would they like him? Does he like me?
    I have to stop thinking about Tyler.
    Sunday 5/2
    6:00 P.M.
    THERE WAS A MESSAGE ON MY MACHINE FROM TYLER. Couldn’t believe it. Here it
    is:
    Maggie. It’s Tyler. Listen, it was so great to meet you. I’ve been wondering if you’d come around the set sometime this week. We’re shooting in Sound Studio 4. There’s a lot of downtime on a movie. But of course you know that. Anyway, I thought it’d be a chance for us to talk. So I’ll see you. I hope.
    Guess I’ll go. Of course I’ll go. Tomorrow I’m working at the shelter after school. I’ll go on Tuesday.
    I’m crazy.
    This is crazy.
    Well, it’s no big deal that he invited me.
    But I’ll just drop by to see the set. After all, it’s my father’s movie. Dad’ll love it if I show some interest.
    Tuesday 5/4
    4:00 P.M.
    Here I am on the set of Love Conquers All . I’m writing this while