Melinda’s Journal

Tuesday, March 6

When I first learned about tonight’s after party, I thought it would be just the cast and their families. I never expected to meet so many people tonight.

But even more weird is that my best friends know all these famous people.

Melinda’s Story

Pat spent a lot of time talking to people during the party, introducing me to everyone from the director to the assistant of an assistant. I loved the energy in the room of all the people enjoying themselves. I kept an eye out for Walter, but I had lost track of him once he had followed that girl outside.

As we were wandering around, a girl wrapped herself around Pat. When he could extract himself, he introduced her to me. “Natasha, this is Mae. Mae, this is Natasha.”

I smiled. “It’s nice to meet you.”

Natasha gave a small wave. “So, Mae, how do you know Patrick? Did you two work together?”

I had been cautiously avoiding this question all evening. School was a safe haven where Pat could be himself, not Patrick McGregor.

Thankfully, Pat managed to change the subject. “So, Natasha, what have you been up to?”

She shrugged. “I tried television a couple of months ago.”

I sent her a perplexed look. “Weren’t you on Everly Falls for a while?”

Natasha beamed. “Oh! Are you a fan?”

“Not really. But I’ve seen a few episodes.”

“Yeah. I thought doing it would show people I could do more than kid comedy. It must have worked because I have an audition this week for a dramatic role. If it pans out, then the Everly writers said they could have my character mysteriously disappear.”

I nodded knowingly. “Keep the door open in case you want to come back.”

“Exactly. You sound like you speak from experience.”

I giggled. “No. I just like to watch a lot of screen.”

Natasha turned back to Pat. “So, has your agent talked to you about GnomeWorld 2?”

I could see Pat’s surprise and confusion. “No. Has yours?”

“Yeah, I told them I’d be interested.”

In my opinion, Natasha looked more than interested. She looked ready to jump at the chance to make a sequel. There was something in her eyes as she looked at Pat, completely ignoring me.

“I mean, it might be a little awkward working with my ex, but we’re all professionals, right?”

I raised my eyebrows. “Your ex?”

Natasha giggled, taking Pat’s arm in both of hers. “Patrick was my first boyfriend.”

I tried to hide my surprise. When Pat and I first got together, we had discussed all our previous relationships. He had never mentioned Natasha.

The room started feeling too crowded. I had to get out of there. I glanced across the room, waved, and turned back to Pat. “Tony’s calling me. I’ll catch up with you later. It was nice to meet you.”

I gave a small smile to Natasha before heading toward the food table. But food was the last thing I wanted. I needed air. The balcony was too crowded. I made my way into the hallway.

I wasn’t exactly sure where I should go. I needed to be alone for a minute. I tried the bathroom, exiting it immediately when I realized it was nearly as crowded as the balcony. Without an actual destination in mind, I headed toward the elevator.

As the doors closed, Pat squeezed in. I focused on the dress of the woman standing in front of me. A moment later, the doors opened into the lobby. I pushed past the woman, trying to put some space between me and Pat. I glanced out the main doors, but I didn’t really think it would be wise for me to wander the streets of Los Angeles alone at night. Instead, I turned in the opposite direction and returned to the lounge where Pat and I had chatted earlier.

The room was still empty. I sat where we had earlier. Pat joined me a moment later, sitting as close as he could without actually sitting on me. I leaned against him with a sigh.

“You never told me about her.”

Pat ran his hand along my back. “Honestly? I had completely forgotten about her. She wasn’t even a real girlfriend.”

I sat up to look him in the eye. “How could she not be a real girlfriend? What does that even mean?”

Pat shrugged. “We were only together on the set. We’d do our work together in the school trailer. Eat together in the commissary.”

“You and I do schoolwork together and eat together. How is it any different?”

“Because it was a stupid middle school thing. We were thirteen. It didn’t mean anything.”

I could feel the angry tears getting ready to fall. I chose my words carefully. “I’m thirteen. Are you saying this,” I pointed between us, “doesn’t mean anything?”

“It’s different.”

“How?”

I could see Pat getting frustrated with me. That only made me more upset. The last thing I had wanted was to ruin this night for him. But I was struggling to understand why Pat had never mentioned Natasha before.

He swore. “I can’t explain it. It just is. We never spent time together off the lot. Never texted each other or spent time together on the weekends. Never went out to eat or to the movies or just hung out. I’m not sure I even held her hand.”

I was surprised I could understand what he was trying to say. Although I had never been with anyone in middle school, several of my classmates had been in relationships. Most of them without their parents’ knowledge. It was as if they were only together during school hours.

But Pat’s words still stung. “That doesn’t change the fact that I’m only thirteen. Does that mean what we have isn’t serious?”

He didn’t say anything, instead pulling me close for a kiss. It filled me with a warmth that chased away all the sadness and doubt. He rested his forehead against mine and spoke in a low voice.

“How could you even begin to think that?”

I smiled. “I guess I needed a little reminder?”

“Well, we can come back here for more reminders later. Right now, we should probably head back up to the party.”

Pat stood, reaching out a hand for me. I held it all the way back to the ballroom.

Pat’s Story

Melinda and I ambled through the crowd, greeting nearly everyone we passed. I knew many people. Most were associated with the movie, but not all. Some were just Hollywood regulars who had scored passes to the afterparty. Such as Natasha Winters.

As soon as I saw her, I tried to move in the opposite direction, but it was too late. She had seen me. Before I knew it, her arms were around me.

“Patrick! You were so fantastic!”

I gave her a quick kiss on the cheek as I pulled her off me. “Thanks. Natasha, this is Mae. Mae, this is Natasha.”

Melinda smiled. “It’s nice to meet you.”

Natasha gave a small wave. “So, Mae, how do you know Patrick? Did you two work together?”

When Melinda turned to me to answer, I realized I had avoided this question all evening. I turned back to Natasha and tried to change the subject. “So, what have you been up to?”

Natasha and Melinda got into a conversation about the soap opera Natasha was currently working. I was trying to come up with an excuse for me and Melinda to leave when Natasha turned to me.

“So, has your agent talked to you about GnomeWorld 2?”

I didn’t have to feign my surprise. I shook my head. “No. Has yours?”

Natasha nodded. “Yeah. I told them I’d be interested. I mean, it might be a little awkward working with my ex, but we’re all professionals, right?”

“Your ex?” There was something in Melinda’s tone that made me think I might be in trouble.

Natasha giggled. “Patrick was my first boyfriend.”

I didn’t like the look in Melinda’s eye. I wasn’t sure if she wanted to hurt me or cry. She glanced all around and waved to someone. “Tony’s calling me. I’ll catch up with you later.” She turned to Natasha. “It was nice to meet you.”

As Melinda disappeared into the crowd, Natasha rolled her eyes. I had no idea what she was saying about me, and I really wanted to go chase my girlfriend. Who was this mysterious Tony? But my mind had gone blank. I couldn’t figure out how to escape.

Thankfully, some random woman saved me. “Natasha Winters? Ohmigod! I am such a huge fan. Everly Falls is my favorite soap. I’ve been watching it since I was your age!”

While this woman gushed, I snuck away. I saw Melinda leaving the ballroom. I rushed after her, hoping she wasn’t heading for the ladies’ room.

I found her stepping into the elevator. I hustled over, squeezing in just before the doors closed. I wasn’t even sure if it was going up or down. I wasn’t sure if Melinda knew.

We weren’t the only ones in the car, so I didn’t try to talk to her. She ignored me during the short ride. When we reached the lobby, she pushed her way off first. I waited my turn but made sure Melinda didn’t leave my sight. She was heading back to that abandoned lounge.

I found her sitting where we had sat before. When I slid in beside her, I expected her to move away. Or maybe yell at me. I didn’t expect her to rest her head on my shoulder.

“You never told me about her.”

I pulled her close. “Honestly? I had completely forgotten about her. She wasn’t even a real girlfriend.”

Melinda moved away from me. I could see the pain in her eyes. “How could she not be a real girlfriend? What does that even mean?”

I sighed. “We were only together on the set. We’d do our work together in the school trailer. Eat together in the commissary.”

“You and I do schoolwork together and eat together. How is it any different?”

“Because it was a stupid middle school thing. We were thirteen. It didn’t mean anything.”

I could tell right away I had said something wrong. Melinda looked ready to hurt me and cry concurrently. When she spoke, it was very slowly, as if it took effort for her to find each word.

“I’m thirteen. Are you saying this doesn’t mean anything?”

She pointed between us, and it took me a minute to register what she was saying. Technically, yes. She was only thirteen. But she was a freshman. She wasn’t in middle school anymore.

“It’s different.”

“How?”

I swore. “I can’t explain it. It just is. We never spent time together off the lot. Never texted each other or spent time together on the weekends. Never went out to eat or to the movies or just hung out. I’m not sure I even held her hand.”

I could see Melinda processing what I said, and slowly the anger seemed to fade. Unfortunately, she looked ready to cry instead. When she spoke, I could hear the hint of a tremble in her voice.

“That doesn’t change the fact that I’m only thirteen. Does that mean what we have isn’t serious?”

I knew nothing I could say would convince her. So I didn’t even try. I kissed her, pulling her close. When she kissed me back, I thought my heart might explode out of my chest. I rested my forehead against hers, keeping my voice soft.

“How could you even begin to think that?”

Melinda sent me an adorable little smile. “I guess I needed a little reminder?”

I wanted to remind her again and maybe for the rest of the night. But I knew we couldn’t stay where we were. “Well, we can come back here for more reminders later. Right now, we should probably head back up to the party.”

I stood and helped Melinda to her feet. She didn’t let go of my hand until we returned to the ballroom.

Attention Hammerheads

Melinda is always trying to build her vocabulary. What were some words in this episode that were new to you? She will add them to her vocabulary journal.