We did. It felt strange being herded like sheep, but that was probably the normal condition of a celebrity on a red carpet.
“What an entrance,” she said as Lake stood closest to her. “A limo. Very classy. You girls seem to have gotten used to luxury!”
“Well, Kacey, they don’t call us warrior princesses for nothing,” Lake said into the mic, and I was sure the camera caught my cringe. I tried quickly to warp it into a mangled smile.
“Absolutely! Who else could make world security look so glamorous?” There was something so glassy and cheesy about Kacey’s grin; she probably wasn’t even half as excited to see us as she looked. “Awesome, awesome. Now, you guys are not only presenting today, but you’ve been nominated for Favorite Badass Role Model, and with all that fighting evil you guys do, I bet you’re not surprised.”
“Oh, we were surprised!” Lake said genuinely. “I mean, it’s really an honor to be recognized by people who look up to you—right, girls?”
“Yes! Absolutely! It’s so exciting!” I bobbed my head up and down, my eyes wide-open with that deer-in-headlights look that made me wonder suddenly why I had any fans at all. Belle and Chae Rin already looked over it, but they smiled serenely for the sake of the cameras.
“And, Maia, how’s your training going?”
“Good.” I tried not to make my fidgeting too noticeable. “It’s being put to good use.”
“Yeah? You were just at a fund-raiser over in the UK and now you’ve been whisked off to Canada for the TVCAs—where do you have the time to do any actual battling these days?”
That was a strange jab. The quiver in Lake’s expression told me she thought so too. Was it a trap?
“Well,” Lake said, recuperating, “we’ve just gotten back from a mission outside Glasgow. And we’ve been hard at work doing other stuff that unfortunately the cameras aren’t always privy to. But we’re always happy to come to events like these for the sake of anyone who looks up to us. You know, we want to show girls that anyone can be heroes, and—”
“Wait!” The interviewer was already looking past us. “Is that—is that who I think it is?”
We turned. Four of the biggest, loudest Harley-Davidsons, each painted pure neon pink, drove up to the red carpet like a motorcade. Each driver was muscled and topless as if they’d been dragged out of a bachelorette party in the middle of performing. And behind each man was a member of Britain’s current top girl group, GBD.
Kacey was beside herself. “What an entrance! Cameras, can we get a closer look at those motorcycles?”
Lake looked furious as the crowd went wild and Kacey started calling the girls over. Joanna, Hailey, Misha, and Cara. Their latest brand change had finally taken off when they started this latest “Scandalous” era with their heavy chola makeup, tank tops, high-waisted jeans, high ponytails, and the heavy spray tans concealing their originally pale skin. It was certainly a far cry from the cutesy, teenybopper, kids-next-door image they’d originally been given by their label back when Lake was part of the group. I guess some music exec figured Girls by Day was more fit for made-for-TV movies targeting the middle school market. Well, the rebranding had done wonders. “Scandalous” was now number one on the Billboard Hot 100—a point Kacey would surely bring up when she invited them to join our interview.
“Kacey, hi!” Jo was as tall as Lake, but built like a linebacker. She bumped her broad shoulders into Lake, maybe purposefully, as we all shuffled to make room for one another and yet still catch the camera. Chae Rin and Belle certainly didn’t mind stepping out of the frame. “Oh, Victoria, how are you, love? When’s that single dropping? Any day now?”
Lake’s lips thinned into a straight line, her brown eyes dripping with malice as she laughed cutely enough for the cameras to believe it. She tapped Jo a bit too hard on the shoulder.
“Wow, look at this: ex-groupmates meeting again for the first time in years—are you getting this, guys?” Kacey needn’t have worried; two more cameras swarmed us. “Lake, how does it feel seeing your old group again after so long?”
“I’m shocked, to be quite honest.” Lake tilted her head and made a show of staring at Jo’s outfit. “So much has changed. You’re almost as dark as I am now. Bit too long in the tanning bed, then? Strange, considering how you always used to manage your real skin tone by avoiding the sun.” Lake giggled into her hand. “Like a vampire.”
“Yes, love, I avoided the sun like your singles avoided the charts. But anyway!” Jo said as Lake bristled. “So excited to be here.”
“Yes, I know, so you’ve got several nominations,” Kacey said, and I could see Lake flinching at her emphasis. “And you’re performing ‘Scandalous,’ which has been number one on Billboard for, like, three weeks straight.”
“They’re saying it’s totally going to be the song of the summer!” chimed one short, stalky member, her black hair tied in a huge bun with a blue ribbon. Misha? Maybe Cara. One of them.
“And since you two are finally here, together on the red carpet for the first time in years, Jo, what do you think of your old group member getting nominated for Favorite Badass Role Model?”
Another trap—a barely concealed one. Lake kept her smile plastered on her face as she waited for the attack.
Jo’s light brown ponytail swished as she tilted her neck and considered it. “Well,” she said, “personally, I’m just excited for her. And to be honest, I’m a bit surprised, too. I mean, little Vicky being nominated as a role model?” Her “friendly” laughter had a knife-sharp edge to it. “She’s really come a long way from faking injuries and illnesses to get out of fighting as an Effigy. I like to think of her as a little butterfly that finally spread her wings after years of being . . . well, whatever butterflies are first. Worms?” She smiled.
“Lake,” Kacey said, “we all know you had some kind of breakdown in Milan. Is it true you faked all that just to get put on leave?”
The veil fell. Lake looked terrified. Even with all the constant screaming, there were some members of the crowd watching the interview intently. Kacey must have gotten word from her producer through her earpiece, because she suddenly shifted.
“Okay, I see I’ve kept you for too long—well, enjoy the night, ladies! And, GBD, I have a few more questions to ask about your hit single!”
Lake composed herself as we continued down the red carpet, but I could tell from the creeping redness in her eyes that she hadn’t been prepared for that particular attack. Showbiz cattiness was all about the dog whistles and low-key shady remarks. But this was live, and regardless of what the truth was, the idea that Lake had purposefully wrangled herself out of her cosmic duty in favor of embracing what many called a failed celebrity life had now been televised.