Chapter 6: The Charity Show

My heart tightened.

Why... why is he looking at me like that?

I felt suddenly exposed, as if all my secrets were shining right through my mask.

“Mr. Carter?” He was holding on too tightly, so I had to remind him.

He snapped out of it, let go, and smiled apologetically. “Sorry, I’ve been tired lately. Zoned out for a second.”

He tried to play it off, running a hand through his hair, but the blush climbing his cheeks was unmistakable.

So that’s it.

Big stars, after all, are always rushing around. It must be exhausting.

He finished and looked at the staff. “Let’s go.”

I adjusted my camera, but my mind was spinning. I was seeing cracks in the cool facade I remembered.

After the solo interview, the show began.

This time, it was a live broadcast. Eight guests drew lots for their roles and had to hunt for secret treasures on the school campus.

The school gym had been transformed into a set, streamers hanging from the rafters, spotlights crisscrossing the scuffed hardwood floor.

The production team announced that the final winner’s name would be used for a new adult school for autistic patients.

A few crew members teared up at that—it was a cause close to home for a lot of folks.

As soon as Ryan Carter appeared, the live chat exploded:

[Ryan looks so young, lol]

[Ryan never does reality TV. Only a charity show like this could get him.]

[Ryan is so kind—he donates to leukemia patients every year and even wrote songs for them. That’s a real idol.]

[Is it because his first love died of leukemia? He’s probably doing this show for her, too. He’s so devoted. I want to give him a hug.]

[Is that true? Who was Ryan Carter’s first love?]

[I think it was a high school classmate? He mentioned it on Instagram when he first debuted, but now his Instagram only shows posts from the last six months. You can’t see it anymore.]

The chat window scrolled by in a blur—emojis, exclamation marks, hearts flooding the screen.

Sitting in the studio, I stared at the small monitor, dazed.

His first love... a high school classmate? Died of leukemia?

I searched my memory, but couldn’t think of anyone who fit.

Had I missed something big? Or was I just another forgotten face in his crowd?

But I transferred schools senior year, so I didn’t know what happened after that.

Maybe he met the girl he liked after I left.

I looked at Ryan and felt an emptiness inside.

He’d been cold and distant in high school, never caring about anyone. I used to think nobody could ever get close to him.

Turns out, someone did.

I shook my head with a small smile.

Now I was curious about that girl. To make Ryan Carter change and remember her for so many years, she must have been truly special.

After the guests introduced themselves, the host warmed up the crowd and began the draw.

The host was a local celebrity herself, her voice full of practiced enthusiasm as she read out the cards.

Lillian Brooks was lucky—she drew the “valedictorian” card, which gave her high authority to enter most areas of the school at will.

She flashed a perfect smile for the cameras, riding her luck all the way.

Ryan Carter, on the other hand, drew the “slacker” card, the lowest rank. He would have to complete a task to enter any area.

A couple of the younger guests snickered. It was all good TV.

Ryan looked at his card and gave a helpless smile.

Back in high school, he was always last or second to last in the class, famous for being a slacker. So the role fit perfectly.

The old teachers would have loved this little in-joke.

Fortunately, the competition was at Maple Heights High—his old stomping grounds.

You could see a flicker of nostalgia cross his face. Or maybe I was just imagining it.

During the Q&A, the host asked everyone to share their most memorable school moments.

She leaned in with her cue cards, coaxing stories out of each guest.

Lillian tucked her hair behind her ear and gave a bittersweet smile. “I don’t have many good memories of middle school. Maybe because of my looks, the girls weren’t very nice to me, so I never had any friends. Later, in college, I finally made a good friend and trusted her completely, but when I was at my lowest, she kicked me while I was down... But it’s all in the past. I’ve forgiven her.”

Her voice trembled at just the right moments. Some folks are natural performers.

The comments were full of sympathy for Lillian:

[I’m so mad! Lillian is so cute—how could anyone bully her?]

[I get it. I look decent, too, and the girls in my class always give me dirty looks. It’s not my fault for being pretty.]

[Lillian is so kind. She actually forgave them. If it were me, I wouldn’t let anyone who stabbed me in the back off so easily.]

Standing offstage, I actually admired her a little.

Turning black into white, and keeping everything vague—no names, no details, nothing you could check. That, too, is a kind of talent.

I’d never been that smooth, not even on my best day.

“Enough about me. Ryan, your student days must have been much more interesting, right?”

Having achieved her goal, she moved on and brought Ryan Carter into the conversation.

Everyone looked at him.

He glanced my way and gave a faint smile.

“It was a long time ago. I don’t remember much.”

He said it softly, but I could hear something unspoken in his tone—regret, maybe, or just the ache of growing up.

For a moment, I felt a little lost.

I couldn’t tell if he was looking at the camera or at me.

My fingers went numb on the controls.