“Mr. Walsh is a former child star. He was on this super popular show called The Lockharts for a decade!”
“No way! We never got that show on Italian TV.”
“Way! Let’s grab some coffee and deep fried sugar treats and I’ll show you. You’re going to lose your shit.”
We go inside and place our orders while I’m bouncing on the balls of my feet. Alistair used to be an actor? That’s crazy.
With our coffees and donuts in hand, Robbie pulls his laptop out and brings up Alistair’s profile. I almost choke on my donut when the picture of little Alistair fills the screen. So darn cute.
“Dio Santo. How old was he there?”
“I think he was eight at the time, but his character was six years old on the show. So yeah, he totally grew up in front of millions.”
“Did he work in anything else after the show ended?”
“Nope. During the last season, Alistair turned wild.”
“What do you mean?”
“Oh, you know. The usual. He was partying too hard, probably doing drugs. The standard behavior for children who grow up in the limelight. But I think what triggered Alistair’s reckless side was the death of his best friend.”
Robbie types in another name on the Google search bar, Jamie Lewis, and the image of a cute dark-haired kid pops up. In the description, it says he died when he was only seventeen.
“What happened to him?” I ask.
“Suicide.”
“That’s awful.”
“Yeah. Alistair was really tight with him. Anyway, after the show ended, he just disappeared.”
My chest feels heavy now. Alistair is still a very good actor. He never gave any indication he’d carried that heavy burden with him. Unlike me, who had the woe-is-me sign flashing above my head the whole time we were together.
Robbie keeps scrolling through the pictures of Alistair until we get to a much more recent one. He has a beautiful brunette in his arms. My heart clenches so painfully, I almost can’t breathe.
“Who is that?” I choke out.
“Oh, that’s Alistair soon-to-be ex-wife.”
“Wait. He’s still married?” The donut I just ate burns in my stomach, and bitterness pools in my mouth.
“Uh, technically yes. Word on the street is that she cheated on him with one of his friends.”
I keep staring at the photo while my pulse drums in my ears, drowning out all the other sounds. A huge sense of betrayal makes my cheeks turn hot. Alistair didn’t make any sort of commitment to me. Still, I hate the fact that while he was screwing me in Italy, he had a wife back home.
“When did that happen?” I ask after a moment.
“Around eight months ago. He was a mess. Stopped shaving regularly, got grumpier than ever, and took a leave of absence. I was surprised to see him back at school. I thought he was going to be away longer. It’s not like he needs his teaching salary to survive.”
“And he’s still married to her? Why?”
Robbie watches me through narrowed eyes. “Look who’s interested in the teacher all of a sudden.”
“What? It’s good gossip.” The lie is weak, and I think Robbie can totally see through my bullshit.
“I don’t know why they haven’t divorced yet. My guess is that she wants more money than is due to her. I met her once at a school function. She’s a snobby bitch. I don’t know what Alistair ever saw in her.”
“She’s gorgeous,” I say with a pitiful tone, knowing I can’t compete.
“Nah, she’s not that pretty in person. Trust me. You’re way hotter than her.”
I lean back, crossing my arms. “Why would it matter if I’m hotter than her or not?”
Robbie smiles knowingly at me. “Maybe because you’re hot for teacher?”
“You’re crazy. I’m not into Mr. Walsh. At all.”
A bigger lie has never been told.
18
Chiara
Without knowing it, Robbie shoved me into hours of obsessive and destructive behavior. I spent the weekend stalking Alistair online, even though it hurt like a mother learning how he met his wife and seeing pictures of them together. I read a bit about his friend too, but I was more interested in his relationship with his wife.
Glutton for punishment that I was, the more I read about his whirlwind romance with the Mexican actress Nadine Perez, the bigger the hole in my chest grew. Last night, I had to force myself away from the computer, but sleep eluded me. I kept seeing them together whenever I closed my eyes.
Lack of rest adds to my irritation today. Following my lessons in the morning is murder, and not even Robbie can help me with his humorous antics. To fight tiredness, I drink too many cups of nasty cafeteria coffee, and when I arrive in Alistair’s class, I’m jittery as hell and ready to unleash the nasty bitch.
