Queens of Geek

CHAPTER TWENTY: CHARLIE

We find a door that leads out of the maze and walk into a fake suburban street, complete with houses and gardens.

We slow to a walk and Candice continues the interview.

"So, Jason, is there a special girl in your life right now?"

"No," he says, matter of factly.

"What about you, Charlie? Any special guys?"

I smirk. "No. No special guys."

But one very special girl.

"Well I'm sure the Chase fans will be very excited to hear that you're both single, and here together no less!"

"We're not here together," I say. "I mean, we're here, but we're not together." I laugh awkwardly.

A gurgling sound rumbles from our left.

Saved by the zombie.

Dozens shuffle out from behind the houses, forcing us to run down the street and take shelter in an RV.

"Hey," Jase says once we're inside. "Is that a door?" He shoulders it open and we jump out.

"Oh sweet!" he says. "Library scene!"

"Wow," I say as we enter the library. "This is almost an exact replica of the movie set."

Jase and I creep forward, with Candice and the cameramen following closely behind.

I think of the last time we were on a set like this, filming the movie.

Jase and I were fighting about something stupid, I don't even remember what, but I know I was hurting.

I had been hearing rumours about him with other girls, and instead of confronting him about it, I started petty fights over nothing.

Up until that time, insecurity had never been a huge problem for me. I had my moments, sure. I never quite felt like I fit in anywhere, but my parents and sisters taught me to be proud of who I am.

I learned early on that I would choose being different over being part of the boring crowd any day.

But when I started dating Jase, something changed.

I began doubting myself.

For the first time in my life, I started to wonder if I was good enough.

The days we spent in this eerie library set was when the cracks started to show.

Weeks after, everything started to unravel.

My bottom lip starts to tremble as all those painful emotions come flooding back to me. "I have to get out of here."

A chorus of groans erupt and we turn to see a horde following us. I go full steam ahead, choosing the middle aisle and not waiting for Jase to catch up. If those cameras weren't on me right now, I'd lock him in here and throw away the key.

Pretending to be friends with him for the sake of the studio and the fandom has been much harder than I expected.

He's just a living, breathing, smiling reminder of how much I lost myself while I was with him—and how hard it was to find myself again after we broke up.

That's why I need to keep my relationship with Alyssa away from the media until I'm ready.

My heart can't take a beating like that again—especially such a public beating.

I reach the door and push it open, and the temperature rises about ten degrees.

We're in a small classroom, from the scene with Jase and I making out after school. It was one of the first scenes in the movie, but one of the last we filmed.

I squeeze my eyes shut, wishing I was anywhere but here.

"What is this? Ghosts of Heartbreaks Past?" I mumble.

"What was that, Charlie?" Candice asks, sticking the microphone in my face.

"Nothing."

Jase stands next to me. "I remember this day."

He looks down at me, and I can see the guilt in his eyes.

That was the day the first photo was leaked of Jase kissing another girl.

I'd seen it online—someone tweeted it to me—that morning, and then had to spend the rest of the day making out with him.

If that happened now, I wouldn't do it.

But I was broken down then.

I couldn't find my voice to say no.

I'm not sure I even knew I could say no, that I didn't have to do anything that would make me uncomfortable.

I've been running from that day ever since.

Running from Chase.

And now, I'm going to run again.

I keep my eyes forward and force myself to move, heading straight for the exit.

I burst through, shielding my eyes from the bright sunlight washing over us.

I'm surrounded by the sound of screams and people calling my name. My sight adjusts, and I see that we're back outside. "Whoa!"

Word must have spread that we were in The Rising maze. Hundreds of people are waiting for us, squished behind a row of barricades. "How did they know we were here?"

Jase stands next to me, his chest out and hands on his hips like Superman. "I Snapchatted, remember?"

"Oh, right." I grin at all the excited faces. "I'll take the left, you take the right. We'll cover more ground that way."

And I won't have to spend another second with you.

We split up. I start talking to the crowd, posing for selfies with my most favourite people in the world: fangirls.

"You are my people," I say as I pose for a group selfie.

Candice rushes over. "Charlie, what's it like to have all these people screaming your name?"

I laugh. "It's really flattering. This is one of my favourite parts of my job. I feel like everyone here is my best friend. They all know me so well from my vlogs, and to see them here supporting my movie and my book is just so amazing. I'm eternally grateful."

The crowd on Jase's side starts cheering, and I look over to see he has taken his shirt off.

Candice is gone so fast I can almost see dust swirling up behind her.

I laugh and roll my eyes. "Typical Jase."

"Are you guys back together?" a voice asks from behind me.

I turn around to keep posing for pics and shake my head. "Nope, just friends."

"But everyone online is saying you're together." He looks behind me, towards Jase. "You are here together."

"We're here, but not together."

It occurs to me that scrawling 'Chase is dead' on my t-shirt would make my life so much easier.

He frowns, and I give him a hug. "It's okay. I'm happy. Jase and I aren't good together, anyway."

"You are!" he insists, nodding. "You're the best together."

I know he means well, so I smile.

Another fan holds her selfie stick out and I get into position.

"I'm glad you're not together anymore," she says. I glance at her, surprised, and she laughs. "Not in a mean way. You just didn't seem very happy then. You seem much happier now in all your videos."

Her words sting because I know they're true.

I nod. "Thanks. I am."