One Year to Live: I Traded My Toxic Family for Global Fame novel · Chapter 5 of 24

Chapter 5: The River

The first leg of The Long Trail began at a canyon river in the Sierra foothills, in front of eleven cameras.

Tegan stood on the gravel bank in a green tank top and canvas pants, with a pack that weighed thirty-eight pounds.

She had clipped its chest strap herself, twice, before they went live.

Cal walked the line of the cast, checking buckles.

When he got to her, he looked at the water and then at her face.

"Cold," he said. "Take it slow. Feet flat. Don't fight the current."

"Got it."

Beyond him, a white SUV rolled down the access road and stopped at the edge of the staging area.

The door opened, and Camille stepped out in a cream linen jumpsuit and clean white sneakers.

A second van unloaded three people with cameras.

"Guest day," a producer muttered, and hurried over.

Camille crossed the gravel with both hands out.

"Birdie! I'm so happy to see you." She hugged Tegan hard, with her cheek against Tegan's ear, and she kept her voice low. "Mind the water, Birdie."

Then she stepped back and turned to the nearest lens.

"Hi, everyone. Before we start, I want to fix something I said." She pressed a hand to her heart. "I said my sister wasn't well. That was unfair. Tegan is perfectly well, and she is just so, so stubborn, and I love her for it."

It was in the rider, and she said it on the stream, as promised.

She had also called Tegan stubborn on air, and Tegan heard that too.

"Thank you," Tegan said, to the lens. "That's the only thing I asked for."

← Chapter 4 · All chapters · Chapter 6 →

Want to keep talking to characters like these? Chat with AI romance characters: AI Boyfriend · AI Girlfriend · Dark Romance · Fantasy Romance · BL (Boys’ Love) · Billionaire Boyfriend · Mafia Boyfriend · Possessive Boyfriend · Hockey Boyfriend · Older Boyfriend · K-Drama Boyfriend · Anime Boyfriend · Vampire Boyfriend · Werewolf Boyfriend · Demon Boyfriend · Fae Romance · GL (Girls’ Love) · Anime Girlfriend · Goth & Alt Girlfriend · Gamer Girlfriend · Tsundere Girlfriend · Fantasy Girlfriend