Secrets of My Hollywood Life (20 page)

"She loves English people," Beth explains. "She asked me all about your accent, what you looked like, and how good of friends we were. She said she couldn't wait to meet you." I think I might faint. I reach out and grab Rob's arm for support.

"Are you okay, Rachel?" Rob asks.

Oh my God ...
She knows.

Sky took my Sidekick. That's why the gossip vans are here.

I've got to get over to Rodney. I look towards the DJ and see Nadine totally uncomposed, screaming at her cell phone. When she sees me, she starts frantically waving me over. She must know too.

"Hey, Kaitlin," Austin jokes as he walks up behind me. "You look great. I bet even Sky Mackenzie is fooled."

"Thanks," I say distractedly, looking for a break in the crowd to get to Nadine. I've got to move fast. I grab Austin's arm and start pulling him away. I'll take him with me and try to explain everything. "You look good too. Let's get out of here."

"Hey, Sky!" Beth calls. To Austin's surprise, I duck my head into his chest. He wraps his arms around my waist. If it were any other time, I would melt, but now I'm too freaked out to enjoy the moment. Maybe she won't see me. She'll just walk by with her camera crew, going on about that risqué fast food chain commercial she just shot wearing nothing but a string bikini. (What does a bikini have to do with eating a hamburger?)

"Cute costume," Sky says, stopping in front of Austin and me. She's wearing a fiery red mini-dress and looks like she's ready for war. I stare at the ground. "I feel like I've seen it somewhere before ... Hmm ... maybe FA's wardrobe department?"

She
definitely
knows. There's no longer any question.

"Austin, I'm sorry, I have to go. Come with me," I say quickly, pulling myself away.

"Wait, we just got here." He reaches for my hand.

But Sky grabs it first. "Where you off to, K? Got someplace to be, Kaitlin?" she taunts. Liz, Allison, and Josh are pushing through the crowd, but they're still several feet away. I see Rodney yelling at two beefy guys aggressively holding him back. I look desperately at Liz. She knows I want to scream.

"Sky, her name's really Rachel," Beth corrects her as Rob looks on.

"She's not Rachel, Bethie," Sky sneers. "She's Kaitlin Burke."

"You mean she's
playing
Kaitlin Burke," Allison laughs, oblivious to the tension seething in the room. "It's a great costume, right?" Sky laughs shrilly.

"Sky, this is wrong," Liz yells as she pushes her way closer.

"Sky, don't," I plead as Austin whispers in my ear, "What's her problem?" I yank my wrist away from Austin and try to make a run for it, but I trip and fall over my three-inch Nine West heels. Austin reaches out to help me up, but one of Sky's other two bodyguards holds him back while another pulls me up and roughly locks me in his arms.

"Hey," Austin protests gruffly. But Sky cuts him off and eyes me smugly.

"Ladies and gentleman, I have an announcement to make," she says into a wireless microphone that a crew member from
Hollywood Nation
hands her.

"Liz, I've got to get to Nadine," I shout as I fight to pull away from Sky's man handler. She can't reach me but she starts desperately pushing towards me. "Let me through," she shouts. But Sky has thought this through. The camera crews, four bodyguards ... she left nothing to chance. The DJ cuts the Mariah tune that's playing and everyone on the dance floor turns to see what the commotion is about.

"Let her GO," Austin shouts at the beefy bald guy I'm struggling to get away from.

Sky covers the microphone. "You probably want to turn your cameras on now," she tells the
Nation
crew. Then she smiles at me coldly as she uncovers the mic. "I'm not the only
FA
star in attendance here tonight," she announces calmly.

"DON'T!" I beg, and scramble to grab her mic. "I can explain!" But my voice is drowned out by the commotion around me.

"... My
Family Affair
costar is also here!" she shouts. "Clark Hall, give it up for the real Kaitlin Burke!" The crowd starts to cheer, not realizing what's going on.

"You've got it wrong!" Austin calls out to Sky. "Rachel's
dressed up
as Kaitlin."

"There is no Rachel, cutie," Sky says coolly. With my free arm, I take a swing at Sky, like the kind Liz taught me from her kickboxing class, but she's too quick. She pulls the wig right off my head, then grabs my glasses. Allison gasps. My heart is pounding out of my chest and I feel like I'm going to pass out as the
Nation
crew shines a bright light on me. The crowd standing around Sky starts murmuring at once. Liz breaks through the mob and tries to grab me, but a bodyguard sees her and pushes her back.

"You've got to be kidding me," Lori scoffs, and nudges Jessie.
"She's
Kaitlin Burke?"

Jessie shrugs. "I thought she was a nerd."

"What the ..." Austin looks beyond confused.

"Oh my God, you're the real Kaitlin." Beth claps her hand over her mouth.

"Cool," Rob Murray whispers.

"I've been working on a story for
Marie Claire,"
I say desperately, blinking in the bright light and looking from Austin to Allison to Beth. But my voice is drowned out by Sky.

"You've been duped," she announces to the now quiet crowd. "Rachel is not Rachel at all, she's Kaitlin Burke. She's been pretending to be someone she's not -- wearing colored contacts, a wig, dopey glasses, using a bogus accent -- she's been lying to you for months."

"You stole my Sidekick! That's why you're here!" I scream angrily, pushing to get away. "Rodney, do something!" I yell. Rod is bumping the men around him, trying to get to me.

Sky bats her eyes at me, then addresses the
Hollywood Nation
camera. "Do you see what I'm talking about, America? My
Family Affair
sister, Kaitlin Burke, is desperately crying out for help." She chokes on a fake sob. "She wants out of her contract, out of movie-making. She wants a normal life. I knew I had to help her and expose her for who she really is. She doesn't care about any of you," Sky adds, addressing my new friends. "She's just using you to hide from the world."

"You LIAR!" I yell desperately, then break down in tears as flashbulbs start popping all around me. Austin's face is numb. I want to reach him and explain, but he pushes past Lori and Jessie, disappearing into the crowd. Sky steps back and watches all of this with a sly grin plastered on her face.

"Kaitlin, why did you go undercover?" someone shouts, shoving a microphone in my face.

"Kaitlin, is it true you hate Hollywood?"

"Kaitlin, why the disguise?"

Tears are streaming down my face as I look at Beth and Allison's hollowed expressions. People are shouting, but I can't make out what they're saying anymore. That's when I see Liz with Rodney. Sky's bodyguard lets go of me immediately and Rodney tries to shield me. Nadine appears on my other side to block the crowd.

"We've got her," I hear Rodney say into his phone. The next thing I know, they've pulled me from the crowd, out the door, and into the waiting limo. I sob hysterically the whole way.

Seventeen:
Facing the Press

WHY IS HOTTER-THAN-HOT ACTRESS KAITLIN BURKE LIVING A DOUBLE LIFE? WE'VE GOT THE ANSWER FROM HER COSTAR SKY MACKENZIE - AND THE FOOTAGE FROM HER HIGH SCHOOL DANCE- TONIGHT AT 7, ONLY ON
HOLLYWOOD NATION!

I flip to channel seven.

HAS ONE OF HOLLYWOOD'S MOST LOVED STARLETS DECIDED TO RETIRE AT THE TENDER AGE OF 16? SUZY WALKER INTERVIEWS KAITLIN BURKE'S BEST FRIEND AND COSTAR, SKY MACKENZIE, TO FIND OUT.

Sky's face flashes across the TV screen. She's being interviewed by
Celebrity Insider
reporter Suzy Walker.

"I've been worried about K for a long time," Sky says to Suzy, her big brown eyes shining with tears. "That's why I had to help her go free and expose what she was doing. Only someone truly unhappy with her life would create a façade like that."

"Why do you think she's so unhappy?" Suzy tilts her head to one side to show that she's listening seriously.

Sky wells up with tears. "She doesn't want to act anymore. She's just doing it to please her family...."

WATCH THE REST OF THIS EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW, ALONG WITH THE REACTION FROM KAITLIN'S HIGH SCHOOL....

The next thing I see is Lori and Jessie standing in front of South Hall at Clark.

"Kaitlin is welcome back at Clark Hall anytime," Lori gushes. She's wearing a homemade "Family Fanatic" tight tee.

"We're big fans," Jessie seconds. They both maddeningly wave to the camera as it pans to a group of angry-looking parents standing next to them.

"Kate Bubble lied to our children and passed herself off as someone she's not just to fulfill some whim of hers. It's absurd!" seethes a harried-looking woman wearing a wrinkled linen suit.

YOU'LL FIND THE WHOLE STORY HERE, ONLY ON CELEBRITY INSIDER!

I turn off the TV and chuck the remote at my bedroom door. It lands with a
thud
on the floor.

"What was that?" I hear Nadine ask. She's been sitting outside my door for an hour. "Kates, you can't hide in there forever."

"Yes, I can," I reply stubbornly. "I have everything I need right here." Bags of Cheetos and cans of Sprite and M & M's litter my unmade bed. It's Sunday morning and I haven't gotten out of my sweats since I tearfully slipped them on Friday night.

"You're going to run out of snacks eventually," Nadine says coolly.

I ignore Nadine and my phone, which is ringing again.

"DON'T ANSWER IT!" I hear my mother yell through the door. "LANEY SAID NOT TO ANSWER IT!"

The phone hasn't stopped ringing since Friday night, when Rodney walked me to my front door, as I still cried like a baby. A white-faced, shell-shocked Mom and Dad were waiting for me.

"I told you this was a bad idea ...," Mom begins.

I ignore her and march past all of them into the kitchen, where Anita is making a midnight snack for herself. I grab some of her loot, run upstairs, and lock my door.

I turn on the radio to drown out Nadine's and Mom's pleas.

ROB SEABRIGHT HERE AND THIS IS MY CELEBRITY RANT FOR SUNDAY! AFTER KAITLIN BURKE'S STARTLING DECLARATION THAT SHE'S THROUGH WITH ACTING, HOLLYWOOD IS HOT ON THE RUMOR THAT THE TEEN TITAN WILL BE WRITTEN OUT OF
FAMILY AFFAIR
NEXT SEASON. THE BUZZ IS THAT SKY MACKENZIE, WHO PLAYS HER SCHEMING SIS, WILL HAVE A BEEFED-UP ROLE. SKY APPEARS TO ALSO HAVE A LOCK ON HUTCH ADAMS'S NEW FILM, FOR WHICH HE WAS ORIGINALLY CONSIDERING KAITLIN ...

I turn off the radio and let out an ear-piercing scream.

"Kaitlin! I demand you open this door immediately." It's Mom again.

"I'm never coming out of my room again!" I yell at the door. "My career is ruined, Austin thinks I'm a fake, and Rob Seabright says Hutch is hiring Sky! And all I ever wanted was a couple months off to be normal." I throw myself back on my bed and dissolve in tears.

"Who's Rob Seabright?" I hear my mom ask Nadine.

"Kates, don't cry," Nadine whispers.

I just sob harder, ignoring the sound of my doorknob jiggling. Next thing I know, the door is wide open.

"Hey," Matt says calmly. He walks into the room carrying a pizza box.

"How'd you do that?" I demand, sitting up quickly and wiping my face with my food-stained t-shirt.

"Give us a minute," Matt tells Mom and Nadine, who are peering in the doorway at me. Matt shuts the door again and locks it. He holds up Mom's Amex. "Works every time." He grins. "I've busted into Dad's office with this too."

"Go away." I throw my head down on my pillow. "You got what you wanted. My career is over. Call Tom. Maybe he'll give you my job."

Matt sits down on the edge of my bed. "I don't want your job, Kates. I just want to bring you some sustenance."

He holds out the box. A SLICE OF HEAVEN is stamped on the top. In the corner is a hand-written note. "We still love you," it says, and it's signed by Antonio. I lift the box lid. The aroma of peppers, broccoli, and cheese fills the air. I look at Matt skeptically.

"Why are you being so nice to me?" I ask him, and grab a slice.

He shrugs. "Believe it or not, I feel bad for you." He pulls out a slice for himself.

I roll my eyes.

"I'm serious," he insists, then chuckles. "Besides, if you don't clear the family name, no one will ever hire me!"

That makes me laugh. "There's the brother I know and love." For a few minutes, we both quietly chow down on the hot pizza.

"Your career is going to survive this," Matt says suddenly. "Everybody gets bad press. Look at Britney Spears."

I shake my head sadly and tell Matt about HOLLYWOOD SECRET NUMBER EIGHTEEN: In this town, you're loved one minute and yesterday's news the next. That's especially true when you're a young star. I mean, look at that
Home Alone
kid. He was hot one minute and now he can barely find work. You go through one awkward stage or make one bad movie and the town forgets about you. There's always someone younger, prettier, and more talented ready to take your place. At a much smaller salary, I might add.

Matt looks at me and smiles. "But you're forgetting something," he says. "You also said Hollywood is a town where anyone can revive their career if they want it bad enough. You can fix this, Kates. You just have to come clean about why you pulled the stunt in the first place."

Downstairs, I hear the doorbell ring.

"Probably more press coming to tell me what a horrible person I am," I sigh.

"KAITLIN BURKE, COME DOWNSTAIRS THIS INSTANT." Laney's voice is unmistakable as it blares over the house intercom system. Matt and I look at each other, instinctively terrified.

"DO YOU HEAR ME, KAITLIN? I DON'T CLIMB STAIRS IN JIMMY CHOOS, BUT I WILL MAKE RODNEY GO BREAK THAT DOOR DOWN IF YOU DON'T COME TO THE DINING ROOM AT ONCE."

"Come on." Matt pulls my arm. "I don't want to tick her off. She just signed me." Rodney, Nadine, Mom, and Dad are sitting at the twenty-five-foot-long dining room table waiting for us. Laney paces back and forth in front of them, wearing a very responsible-looking black Versace pant suit.