Amy stared out the window of the car and let Carmen sit in silence with her thoughts for a few minutes. Finally, she took a deep breath and asked her question.

"Why is it a bad thing?"

"Huh?" Carmen couldn't remember what thing Amy was referring to.

Amy rolled her eyes and shook her head. "Why is it a bad thing that your Owen is Owen Galloway?"

"Because he lied to me!" Carmen's voice got louder and higher in pitch as she spoke.

"Did he?" Amy leaned her head over to look out the window. "Or did he just not tell you yet?"

Carmen opened her mouth to speak before realizing her friend might have a point.

Perhaps noticing Carmen's receptiveness, Amy continued. "I mean, if I were him, I don't think I'd want everyone knowing I was from like the third richest family in New York. I might not tell people that until I knew for sure I could trust them."

"And he doesn't think he can trust me?" Carmen's resolve was cracking as Amy's explanation went on.

"You've been on like two dates, Carm. Even I wouldn't trust you yet," he shrugged and reached around to her purse that had slid off the seat. "And I trust everyone."

Carmen groaned and held her head in her hands, "Ugh, you're right."

"I know," Amy patted Carmen's back to try to make her feel better. "I'm probably also right that we should drink some water. Or waking up tomorrow isn't going to be pleasant." Amy stumbled off her seat in the car, looking for water until she found a bottle and handed it to Carmen.

"Don't remind me," Carmen groaned as she accepted the water. "I dread tomorrow in all kinds of ways."

"Well, then," Amy downed some of her own water before continuing. "Allow me to take your mind off of it by telling you about the night I had."

They filled the rest of the journey by discussing the eclectic group of people Amy had been seated with at the gala. Well, now I know John made the seating chart.

* * *

Carmen regretted not listening to Amy about water when she woke up the next morning. It took her two cups of coffee, a dose of pain medication, and three glasses of water to even make it out the door.

Still nursing her second cup of coffee, Carmen walked to work the long way to avoid accidentally running into Owen.

"You look like death," Amy said as Carmen stepped through the door into the theater. "I don't think I've ever seen your hair look that bad."

Carmen shot her friend a glare that could wither stone before taking her seat on the floor and beginning her stretching.

John bursted through the door of the theater with all the ceremony you'd expect of a man who thinks he's too important to care about anyone else. What else is new?

"Take a seat, everyone," he said, not looking anyone in the eye. "I need to speak with everyone."

"Carmen. Miranda. Come with me please," he walked across the stage without looking at either one of them.

After glancing at Amy for an opinion, Carmen shrugged and followed John and Miranda off the stage.

"I'm sure you've figured out why you're here," he rubbed the bridge of his nose as he looked at the floor. "We had almost no success last evening with securing donations. I thought you two could convince the Galloways."

Oops. Here it comes.

"But you didn't even speak to them," he pointed at Miranda and Carmen in turn. "And you spoke to them all night but somehow I still received a call this morning to personally tell me that I am the reason they won't be donating any money."

Carmen continued staring at a spot of paint on the wall, ignoring what he was saying.

Finally, he finished his speech. "The Galloways have decided to go with Beaksmith instead."

"What?" Miranda and Carmen asked in unison.

"I thought I made myself clear," he glared at them as his voice darkened. "They had promised money to us. But apparently I so offended them on a personal level that they chose to rescind the donation."

Miranda gasped as Carmen tried to look shocked.

"And now, to make it even worse, they've gone and promised the donation to our biggest competitor."

Carmen couldn't help the small laugh that escaped her lips.

"Don't think I don't know you had something to do with this," he glared at Camen, "You've hated me since the moment you met me."

If she was smart, Carmen would have kept her mouth shut and let him rant. But she was not smart.

"Actually, John," Carmen interrupted his monologue. His mouth dropped open slightly when he noticed her interruption, but before he could speak, she made sure to make her point.

"Actually, John, Mrs. Galloway discovered your character entirely on her own. Though I do admit she learned of my lack of invitation from me, I can assure you the rest was entirely of your own making. So if you want to blame someone for this, you can't put it on me, and you can't put it on her!" Carmen surprised herself by defending Miranda.

"If you want someone to blame, go find yourself a mirror." And maybe learn to start treating people better than trash.

Without waiting for his response, she turned on her heel and walked away. She thought about walking straight out the stage door and never coming back, and she might have done it if her phone wasn't in the theater with Amy.

Instead, Carmen kept her eyes straight ahead, and her face set in a neutral expression as she made her way across the stage to sit next to Amy.

"What was that?"

"I'm sure you heard," Carmen shrugged and looked at Amy, "I was yelling pretty loud."

Amy just nodded and raised her eyebrow. "And? What was that exactly?" she pressed.

"I'm done taking his crap," Carmen could feel the heat rising to her face as her pulse quickened. "And after last night we both know I'm not getting that lead, so who cares what bridges I burn? I'm not just going to take crap from him anymore. I'm not. I'm done."

Carmen's heated discussion with her friend came to an end when John returned to the stage, Miranda dragging sheepishly behind him. When he arrived at center stage, John began a long tirade about working together to bring in funds and the complete failure of the gala. The longer he talked, the more people started to turn their eyes to Carmen, understanding what she had been yelling about moments before.

"So, with that," John concluded, "we are very pleased to announce that Miranda will be playing our leading lady next season."

As the whole room applauded her, Miranda tried to smile as she stared mostly at the floor.

When the applause died down moments later, John continued. "I'm very sorry to have to be the one to tell you all this, but we will have to pare down our staff for the next season-"

A collective gasp overtook the theater, followed by a low murmur that threatened to overtake the theater.

"Did you know about this?" Amy whispered to Carmen, adding to the low rumble.

John ignored the unrest and raised his voice to speak louder. "We will have notice for those of you we can't keep on as soon as we know who it will be." He stared straight at Carmen as he made the announcement.

Thanks for making this easy, John. But sorry to everyone I love here, because if I go down, I'm blowing it up as I go.