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few seconds later Bella comes tearing through the door, mouth gaping. Her eyes skate around the room until she finds me in my bed. “What is it? A spider?” She’s wearing a Harkness Soccer T-shirt and nothing else except the flush of someone who was recently…
    Gah.
    I fall back onto my pillow. “There’s no spider, Bella. I wish that was the problem.”
    “What is it then? Hang on…” She darts into the bathroom and reappears a second later wearing her bathrobe.
    Words can’t do the problem justice, so I hand the script over. Her eyes scan the page, and I know exactly when she’s found the object of my horror. Because she bursts out laughing.
    “Stop,” I whine. “It wouldn’t be funny if it was you.”
    “Oh, honey,” she giggles. “I’m sorry. Do you really have a velvet breast?”
    I throw my stuffed bear at her. “You mock my pain. I can’t shoot a sex scene. And I really can’t shoot a sex scene with Kevin Mung.”
    She cocks an eyebrow. “Why doesn’t that boy take a screen name? He’s pretty to look at. But I always think of mung beans.”
    “Stay on topic.” I grab the script from Bella. “This is ten times worse than I thought it could be.” I feel sick just imagining a roomful of leering cameramen and me with no clothes.
    And Kevin . Shoot me.
    “Let’s break down the problem.” Bella sits on the bed. “Is it the boob shot? Is it the scream upon consummation? Is it the mounting? Is it the awful, awful writing?”
    “It’s…all of the above. And…” I shudder. “Kevin. He happens to be, um, the only one I ever…” I can’t finish the sentence. I just look up into Bella’s blue eyes and pray she’ll understand.
    Her mouth falls open. “You’ve tasted the mung bean?”
    There’s a snort from the bathroom where Rafe is brushing his teeth, and I want to die .
    Bella flicks my door shut and frowns at me. “So, not only do you have to shoot this awful scene. But it’s with a guy you’ve doodled? Was this recently? I thought he was dating that singer.”
    I protest with a violent shake of my head. “We were fifteen. We did it because…” I bite my lip and realize that I really don’t know why. “Because on a movie shoot, there’s a lot of doodling. And I was young and socially inept.” Still am . “And I thought it would make me cool. Instead, it just made people talk about us behind our backs.”
    Bella cringes. “That sucks, honey. Is it awkward with him now?”
    “No, actually. We’re good friends—good friends who never ever talk about that night. But this would make it awkward.”
    “So put your foot down,” Bella suggested, wrapping her arms around her knees. “I’ve seen you in action. You’re like a very small lion tamer. Just crack that whip and tell them you won’t do the scene.”
    “I’m going to have to.”
    “Wait…” Bella frowned at me. “Did you say the only guy you’d ever…?”
    Ugh. “Unfortunately. I don’t meet a lot of guys. Or—I meet them, but it’s always on a set, where everyone knows everyone else’s business. I learned that lesson the hard way. Or I thought I did. Last year I kissed a model at an Oscars after-party. And he sold the story to a British tabloid.”
    Bella’s face was all shock. “Seriously? I mean, don’t take this the wrong way. But why did they give him cash? I mean, I’m not paying DJ to find out what happened when you ducked out the back door of Capri’s last night. I’m curious. But it’s not worth money…” She waits.
    I say nothing.
    “Okay,” Bella tries. “It’s not worth much money. Perhaps a small bribe. And I’ll beg if necessary. Or you could just spill already. Did you or didn’t you fool around with DJ?”
    My room door opens a crack to reveal Rafe’s face. “Wait. Lianne hooked up with DJ?” His smile is about a mile wide.
    “I didn’t,” I say quickly. Protecting myself is a reflex. These are my friends, though, who only want me to be happy. “But there might