She'd just found it—draped over her bedside lamp, right where she'd left it—when her phone started ringing.
She picked it up without even checking the screen, already fumbling with the necklace clasp behind her neck. "Hello?"
"May I speak with Emma, please?"
It was a different voice than the one Lia had described, but it had that same vibe—calm, professional, and totally in control. Emma's fingers went still at the back of her neck, and she frowned slightly.
"This is she," she said. "Who's calling?"
"Of course. This is Chase Lopez, from Superstar Entertainment."
The necklace clicked shut. Emma's hands dropped, and she stood frozen in the middle of her room. "Superstar Entertainment," she repeated, her voice barely a breath.
"That's right. I've had a look at your resume, Emma, and I'd like to bring you into the office to record an audition tape. We're expanding our roster, and your profile really caught our eye."
Emma sat down on the edge of her bed because her legs had pretty much given out. She pressed a hand against her knee to stop it from shaking. Chase Lopez. The same guy who just called Lia had her resume. He'd actually looked at it. He liked it enough to call her on a random Tuesday night.
"Really?" she asked. She hated how young and unguarded she sounded, but there was no way to act cool when her heart was hammering against her ribs like this.
"Really," Mr. Lopez said, sounding a little warmer. "Please be at our office tomorrow morning at nine. We'll get you set up with the team."
"Yes," Emma said, finally catching her breath. "Absolutely. Thank you so much, Mr. Lopez. I'll be there." She paused, then added, "I'll be there at eight-forty-five."
She could hear the smile in his voice. "We'll see you then. Have a good night."
She hung up and just stared at the wall—at the framed print she'd bought from a street vendor when she first moved here. It was just a black-and-white photo of the skyline at dawn. She used to look at it on her worst days and tell herself it meant something. Possibility. The city before the day had a chance to go wrong.
She walked back into the living room, her legs feeling steady again. Lia was in the hallway, mid-prep for her night out—earrings in, fresh lipstick, looking totally electrified and ready to go.
"Lia," Emma said.
Lia looked up. She read Emma's face instantly—a skill she'd picked up way faster than anyone else ever had. "What happened?"
"That was Chase Lopez." Emma blinked, still processing. "He wants me to come in tomorrow for an audition tape at Superstar."
For a split second, Lia didn't move. Then they were both squealing—a sound that was way less professional than they'd ever admit to, but totally necessary. They grabbed each other's hands and started bouncing in the hallway like two girls who had just remembered they were exactly where they were supposed to be.
Kira appeared in her doorway, hair down and toothbrush in hand, blinking at them with sleepy eyes. She looked at the two of them—Lia glowing and ready to head out, Emma clutching her phone like a trophy—both of them lit up in a way they hadn't been a few hours ago at the bar.
"What's going on?" she asked, her voice gentle as always, leaving room for whatever the news was.
They told her. She listened without saying a word, her toothbrush forgotten at her side. When they finished, she gave them a real, huge smile that actually reached her eyes. "That's amazing," she said softly. "Seriously. That is so wonderful."
Nobody mentioned the elephant in the room. The night had started with three girls coming home to closed doors and ended with two of them getting invited in. Kira's smile didn't slip, and the other two didn't let their excitement fade. That was the unwritten rule of the house. You celebrated each other's wins, because the alternative—letting jealousy ruin things—wasn't an option. Not yet. Maybe not ever.
Lia left for the set at seven-fifteen, determined not to be even a second late. Emma watched from the window until Lia disappeared down the street, then she got ready for bed. She set her alarm for seven, mentally picking out her outfit and rehearsing what she'd say when she walked into that office.
She fell asleep with her resume on the nightstand and the skyline photo glowing faintly in the streetlights.
A few days later, the front door swung open with so much force you knew it was big news.
"Kira! Kira!" Emma's voice practically flew into the room ahead of her, loud and excited. "Are you home?"