Chapter 30
thirty
Charlie
I f you’d have told me the day I walked across the makeshift stage at the Seddledowne High football field to receive my diploma, that five years later, I’d be on a similar stage, on that same field, singing a duet at Cash’s first ever album release party…I might’ve believed it. There’d never been any doubt Cash would end up here. And I wouldn’t have put it past him to wrangle me onto the stage with him, even back then.
But if you’d told me all of that and then tacked the word girlfriend to the end, I would’ve sweetly said, ‘bless your heart,’ and sent you on your way. Maybe Cash had always known we’d end up together, but for me, he’d been nothing more than a silly girl’s pipe dream. Yet, here I was, perched next to him on matching barstools, singing my heart out for a sold out crowd.
For the last two weeks, we’d spent every evening on his deck, the last fireflies of summer dancing in the grass, writing a mashup of ‘Hard to Love You’ and my reply song, ‘Hard to Leave You.’ Ford had liked it so much, we’d laid it down at the last minute and included it as a bonus cut. Which meant that as of midnight, Cash and I would have our first collab on Apple Music and Spotify.
Mind. Blown.
With the world premiere of our music video lighting up the screen behind us, Cash grinned at me as we crested the bridge, his guitar slung across his lap. He put his mouth to the microphone while I hummed his part.
I held on through silence, through every goodbye.
I replied with,
I let go, so you'd never have to lie.
I never stopped hoping you’d turn around.
But I was scared you’d break me somehow.
Then we slid into the final verse, him hitting the harmony while I took the melody.
It was hard to love you, hard to leave you too,
But the hardest part was not holding you.
Even apart, we were never through ? —
Maybe some hearts break just to tell the truth.
We hushed on the outro.
You loved a dream…
And I still do.
We finished together, our voices barely a whisper.
But I’d love the real you—if you wanted me to.
As the last chord faded into the night, the fans exploded at a level that made my ears hurt. It was incredible.
Cash beamed proudly like I was the one about to take the country music world by storm. “Ladies and gentlemen, Charlieeee Dupreeee!” He thrust his hand at me and they cheered louder.
“I’ll let y’all get back to the star of the show,” I gave him a wink. I hopped up and pressed a quick kiss to his lips. When I tried to pull back, he wouldn’t let me, really hamming it up, dipping me across his lap.
Catcalls and whistles pierced the air.
“There are children present!” Anna called from the first row with the rest of our family.
Cash smiled against my mouth. When he righted me again, I was a little tipsy.
The stands screamed as I walked across the stage. I gave them one last wave, shocked by how at ease I’d felt while performing. But I guess it wasn’t that surprising really. As long as I had Cash by my side, I felt at ease just about anywhere.
Coming down the stage stairs, I saw Theo waving for me to rejoin my family. As I ducked under the ropes, I was fully aware that cameras were filming me. Not just the cameras taping the concert, but news crews and fans.
“Great song, Charlie!” someone yelled as I darted in and out.
“Thanks!” I waved, no idea where the compliment came from. “Excuse me. Sorry. Excuse me,” I said, weaving my way through.
I was fifty feet from my family when suddenly, someone grabbed my braid—using it as a weapon against me—and yanked, snapping my head back. My breath caught and my eyes burned as pain shot through my scalp. I stumbled, falling against a random guy.
“Hey!” he barked.
I spun to see a harem of college-aged girls glaring me down—all wearing matching Cash Dupree: Hard to Love You T-shirts.
The ring leader—raven black hair and cat-green eyes—wore a smug smile on her overly lined lips. “Are you for real?” Her eyes flashed wickedly. “What in the world would Cash Dupree be doing with someone like you?” She snapped her fingers. “Oh, I’ve got it. It’s a PR stunt. He agreed to be a wish granter for Make-A-Wish—for the sad, little disfigured girl.” The verbal slap landed just like she wanted it to, stinging worse than any real slap I’d ever experienced. My mouth fell open but I couldn’t form words. Her eyes flashed to my scar and she shuddered. “Gross. I can’t believe you’d actually show that in public.”
I’d almost forgotten it was partially visible—thanks to the outfit Aunt Peyton had bought me just for the occasion. A deep V-neck sleeveless crop top, in mocha and cream toile, with its matching flowy skirt, left two inches of skin visible. ‘You just have to show the world you’re not ashamed,’ she'd said so confidently, I’d believed her.
What a delusional fool I’d been.
“She’s probably frightening little children everywhere she goes,” another girl seethed.
“Charlie!” Theo called somewhere behind me.
Leave , one half of my brain screamed. But the other half locked up. Believe it or not, when fight, flight, or freeze kicked in, sassy, strong-willed Charlie Dupree was a freezer. Not only could I not make my legs move, I couldn’t even turn to look at my brother.
The girl to Miss Delta Gamma’s left sported a short blond bob like Maggie’s. But she was nothing like Griffin’s spunky but kind girlfriend. She tipped forward, bursting straight through my personal space barrier, and with eyes like poison-tipped darts, snarled, “It’s cute that you think you can actually compete. You might have a real shot at keeping a man like that if you weren’t so…” She eyed my scar, her lip curling. “Disgusting.”
Delta Gamma herself took back over. “Anyone wanna make bets on how long it takes Cash to realize his mistake and move on to someone better?”
“He can move onto me right now,” another snickered.
Say something . But I couldn’t. I could barely breathe.
“Dad!” Cash called into the microphone mid-song. “Charlie needs some help.”
My head snapped around, like his voice was a beacon and I was locked into it. He stood center stage, eyes frantic like he was thinking about crowd surfing to get to me. I’m so sorry , he mouthed. There was no way he heard what they were saying but he didn’t need to. The tears streaming down my face said it all.
I appreciated the save but the damage was already done. If my self-esteem hadn’t already been bleeding out onto the ground, the dozen people and two news crews who’d caught the whole thing on camera would finish it off.
Jeff slid into place next to me. “Back off,” he said in a tone like thunder.
Theo arrived right behind him. Followed by all my guy cousins, uncles, Blue, and my Dad. The sorority of pit bulls was shrinking back. Dad wrapped an arm around my shoulders.
Ford snapped his fingers at security. “These ladies need an escort to their vehicles! And make a copy of their IDs. They won’t be coming to any Clean Slate Production concerts ever again.”
“What?” The ringleader shrieked. “You can’t do that!”
“Just did,” Ford said.
“You don’t even know what went down!” she shrieked again.
“Don’t need to,” Uncle Holden said. “You don’t mess with our Charlie.” She started to protest yet again and he cut her off. “Say another word and we’ll sue for slander and harassment. I’m the commonwealth’s attorney for the county of Seddledowne and I will make sure it happens.” The girl was stupidly stubborn and opened her mouth like she couldn’t help herself. “One more. I dare you,” he hissed, glancing around at all the people filming. “I’m sure these lovely folks will let us look at their footage and use it as proof.”
One guy handed his phone over on the spot.
Delta Gamma turned pale and her friends shrank away from her like she’d suddenly caught leprosy. But every other bystander was staring at me and my stomach, wearing varying expressions of pity.
Then, finally, my body and my mind connected. I choked on a sob, determined not to cry one more tear with all of these people watching, slithered out of my dad’s grasp, and looked at Theo.
He put an arm around my shoulder and we took off.
I lifted my skirt, jogging next to him, tears blurring my vision. I didn’t know what I hated more: that they’d done that, or that I’d cowered, locked up, and not defended myself. I just stood there like a terrified little girl until Cash stepped in and saved me.
But mostly, why did hurtful things keep happening to me?
It was a stupid question when I already knew the answer: God would not relent until I let go of my very last secret.
They say the truth will set you free, but I didn’t see how that was possible. Not when that truth was so heavy that I felt myself stumbling under its weight every day.
There was no amount of confessing that would change that.