One Year to Live: I Traded My Toxic Family for Global Fame novel · Chapter 11 of 24

Chapter 11: On Air

The network booked Tegan on the live after-show that night.

It was called Trail Talk. The set was a wooden porch with two armchairs and a fake campfire, and the host was a cheerful man in a plaid shirt who loved a scandal.

"Tegan Stegman," he said, as the red light came on. "This afternoon the internet watched your mother hand you a cake."

"It was a lemon cake," Tegan said. "I'm allergic to lemon."

The audience laughed.

"And your sister posted a photo of that cake an hour ago." He held up a tablet. "Look at the caption."

It read: She'll come home. We never stop loving her.

Under it, Camille had added a smaller line.

Don't forget your promise, Birdie.

Tegan read it, and for a moment the studio was very quiet.

"Do you want to respond?" the host asked.

"I made a promise to nobody," Tegan said. "I said I'd think about a party. I didn't say yes."

"Fair. Let's talk about the rest of the show." The host grinned, and he leaned back. "The viral river rescue. The guide who pulled you out. The internet has been calling him Cal the Cure. How is he?"

"He's very good at his job."

"Come on. Everyone's asking."

"What are they asking?"

"Whether there's anything there," the host said. "Are you two together?"

Tegan thought about the rain hut.

She thought about his lopsided bandage, and the pulse in his throat, and a rule she had made about the finale.

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