I shoot Brayden an irritated look. “On my first night in New York? No way.” “Dammit, Jaynie, you fainted on the airplane.” “One,” I say, counting out on my fingers for effect, “now that I’m in New York, I’m Christina, not Jaynie.” I’ve joined the ranks of walking cliches everywhere and have moved to Manhattan to live with my rich best friend while I struggle to become an actress. Christina is the name my mom called me when she was in her gray mood. And even though it twists me up inside every time I think about my mother, I still want that stage name. But whether that’s because I’m honoring my mother or punishing myself, I really don’t know. I flash him a winning smile. “Of course that’s just for my adoring fans. You can stick with Jaynie.” He rolls his eyes. “Like I said, Jaynie, you fainted on the plane.” I ignore him and hold up another finger.
