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“A high school prank gone wrong,” I tell hi atone night over too e watch of Buffy The Va story and it happened a really long ti about that period of ht irl I used to be Other than faint scars on my arms and familiar blue eyes, I could barely find her

“How long a to be in this chair?” RJ asked

His assistant looked at the clock “Two hours”

His bright eyes ot time, Heaven Reeves, I want to hear that story”

Two hours later, RJ no longer looked like a handsome TV star but like a creature from a demonic dimension He was on a weekly TV show, Creature Feature, which was about a group of best friends that ju de the world Part X-Files, part Supernatural, it unsurprisingly became the breakout hit of the season And by some crazy mixture of fate and luck, I’d secured the job of head makeup person

I couldn’t see RJ’s actual expression under the gobs of liquid latex and paint, but his assistant stopped typing on her phone about fifteen minutes into my story Lea, with her non-committal expression and purple-streaked hair, patiently handedJustin and the favor gone tragically, socially, wrong Spencer and his harasset the Allendale Four How could I?

“This sounds like a TV show,” RJ said “Why haven’t they uys, all in love with one another There’s danger, social commentary, mental health issues, and an incredible romance”

“It’s not a story anyone would ever want to put on TV,” I said, fussing with a scale on RJ’s forehead that wouldn’t stay down the way I wanted I reached for lue

“Why? Because of the polyandry lifestyle?” Lea asked “It’s not so taboo anymore”

“There’s that, although in my experience it’s hard for people to understand the complexity of that relationship, but also—” I was interrupted by a bang on the door, announcing that it was ti his clothes and pushed down the scale one more time

“Also, what?” he said, facingand I couldn’t help but smile

“My story doesn’t have a happy ending, and ants to watch a show like that?”

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