Free Things Lost In The Fire by Katie Jennings

caring that Tess was giggling at her from the dining table.
    Sadie pointed a butter knife at her friend and grinned. “Shut up and drink your margarita.”
    “No judgment here.” Tess toasted with her drink before taking a sip, licking salt from the rim. “Just don’t tempt me to sing back at you. Then we’ll both be embarrassed.”
    “You’re not allowed to have it all, Tess,” Sadie chided. She sliced the sandwiches then brought them to the table. “You can’t be hot, smart, and a good singer. That’s just not fair.”
    Tess snorted. “You’re right. How cruel of me to imagine the possibility.”
    Sadie sat down and took a long sip of her own margarita. “Hey, maybe you could be the face of Piper Gray. You could lip sync for me.”
    “You’re just trying to get out of what I told you earlier.”
    Sadie pouted, picking at her sandwich. “No…it was just a joke. I don’t know how I feel about that yet.”
    “So just say yes and fuck it.” Tess laughed, waving off Sadie’s concerns. “Life’s too short. Take a chance.”
    Sadie shot her a strained look. “Take a chance and perform in front of people under my alias? You know me better than anyone, does that sound like something I’d do? I’m too nervous to buy new shoes because they might give my feet blisters.”
    “Okay, now that’s just sad.”
    “Shut up.”
    Tess grinned. “Honey, do you honestly think I’d push you like this if I didn’t think you could do it?”
    Sadie wrung her hands together. “I don’t know.”
    “You’re tougher than you think. And trust me, you need this. You need this almost as bad as I need to get laid.”
    “What happened to Mr. Hot-Shot Lawyer from New York?”
    “Turns out he was married with two kids. Bastard.” Tess scowled, tossing back the last of her drink. “Whatever. Point is, The L.A. Rock Lounge has a cancelled show and they need a fill-in for next Saturday. I told Leon I’d get back to him by tomorrow morning if you’re willing to do it. He’s chomping at the bit to host the first Piper Gray show.”
    Sadie bit back a smile. “I can’t decide if I’m excited or terrified. Or nauseous. Maybe I’m a little of all three.”
    “So you’ll do it?”
    “I don’t know.” Sadie took a few deep breaths to try and settle her heart rate, warring internally. “Should I? Oh God. Don’t answer that. Okay. I’ll do it.”
    “Good girl. Now let me give Leon a quick call to lock it in and then we’ll figure out your wardrobe. You did bring your wigs, right?”
    “As a precaution, yeah,” Sadie admitted. She felt dizzy as she watched Tess wander off to seal the deal. Oh God, what had she just agreed to?
    Unable to sit still, she shoved aside her uneaten sandwich and went into her bedroom. She’d placed most of her clothing into the cherry-wood dresser, neatly folded and organized by color. The costume elements she’d stored in the bottom drawer. Wigs, stage makeup, fake eyelashes—she had it all just in case she needed a disguise at any point while in L.A. Maybe it was paranoid of her, but she felt better being prepared. And now with the show Tess had booked, she was even more relieved to have packed it all.
    When Tess came into the room a few minutes later, Sadie was admiring a jet black, shoulder length wig in the mirror. It had a razor sharp line of bangs and a faint bluish tint to it, giving her the appearance of a gothic doll.
    Their eyes met in the mirror and Sadie smiled awkwardly. “What do you think?”
    Tess began to slow clap, beaming with pride. “Now that’s Piper Gray.”
    “Yeah? I just need to darken my eyebrows and put on the makeup, but I think it’s a good disguise. It’s the one I liked using the most in the videos, though my full face was never really shown. I may need heavier makeup this time.”
    “Agreed. I think that wig paired with a shimmering silver dress…” Tess trailed off, walking into the closet to rifle through the clothes Sadie had brought.