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the other starlets and her fast downward spiral. It was a pity. I knew the girl in question and she was a really great actress with a blazingly bright future ahead of her. Until she burnt out and turned to drugs. She was only twenty years old and nobody could get through to her. She was now the favorite car wreck case on all the tabloid television shows. I made a mental note to give her a call. I probably couldn’t do much, but I had to try.
    “You’re eating really well,” Sierra commented, louder than was necessary. She was like that, if she wasn’t the center of attention then she would make sure she was. Even if that meant embarrassing someone.
    Every head at the table turned to face me. My cheeks started to burn. I thought people had stopped analyzing my eating habits. At least I had hoped they did. My eating disorder was old news.
    “Yeah, the food’s good here,” I replied, trying to sound as casual as possible. “How’s your dinner?”
    “Oh, it’s fine. It’s so great to see you doing so well.” She said it like I was a child, patting me on the back just to make sure she was as condescending as hell. Slapping her would have made a terrible front cover for the magazines, I kept reminding myself. Smiles and laughter, that was all that was allowed to be photographed. Especially when you were just about to embark on a comeback tour.
    I plastered on a smile. “Thanks, Sierra. I appreciate your support.”
    She made a show of putting her hand over mine, exaggerating her words. “We are all here to support you. Remember that. We’re a team.”
    There was nothing real in her words. Sierra might have talked a good talk, but she never walked the walk. If we were in a more private setting, I might have called her out on it but there were too many eyes on us. Not only were the photographers outside but everyone in the restaurant was also acutely aware of who we were – and our past problems. I didn’t need that kind of attention. Right now, I just wished she would let it drop.
    I gave her a quick smile and pointedly took my hand back, hoping she got the hint. When I looked at my half eaten meal, I suddenly lost my appetite. I couldn’t stand putting another bite into my mouth. I excused myself to go to the bathroom. Except I had no intention of using the facilities.
    Just beside the bathrooms was the door to the kitchen. I slipped through, ignoring the stares I received for my efforts. I kept going, refusing to stop.
    “Can I help you, Miss?” One of the chefs asked. I strode on by without answering. That was one trick I had learnt since becoming famous. If you looked like you were supposed to be somewhere, people just let you be there. I don’t know how many times I had been in places I shouldn’t have been and got away with it. Too many times to count.
    I kept going until I reached the exit, it wasn’t the first time I had slipped out the back of that restaurant. The regular staff would have known me by now. Obviously the chef was new.
    Outside, I hailed a cab and went home. My adventures and publicity were done for the day. Demi would probably be mad at me in the morning and Mikayla might have a few choice words to say but that would all have to wait. Right now, if I didn’t have some peace and quiet , I would go crazy – literally.
    I had a shower and went to bed, trying to block out Sierra and the faces of everyone else watching me. It was stupid to get so upset about it but I couldn’t help it. The memories of the past year were too much to just shut out, as much as I wanted to.
    Sierra didn’t realize how hard every day still was for me. It wasn’t like you just got over an eating disorder like you did the flu. It was with you forever, a battle that never ended. And some days it was easier than others to win.
    Before I knew it, I was crying. The damn tears that I had kept away all evening were now freely running down my cheeks. I hated crying. I was completely over the useless act but yet they