Total pages in book: 134
Estimated words: 124135 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 621(@200wpm)___ 497(@250wpm)___ 414(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 124135 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 621(@200wpm)___ 497(@250wpm)___ 414(@300wpm)
I lit up a cigarette and got out of the truck. All eyes had been on it from the minute Easton pulled up. It got even worse when I got out. I ignored the stares and hushed whispers and moved to the bed of the truck.
I pulled out my laptop bag, throwing it over my shoulder. My sleeveless T-shirt was sticking to my chest. The weather made me feel like I was living in a permanent sauna. The denim of my jeans clung to my legs. I followed Easton toward the barn. All the girls were checking me out. With two full sleeves and tattoos creeping up my neck, there were only ever two reactions to me. Girls either flooding their knickers as soon as they clapped eyes on my ink or complete revulsion. From the looks coming my way, it was mostly the former.
A brunette stepped in front of me, stopping me dead. Easton laughed beside me. She pushed on his arm, then said, “I’m Kacey. You’re Cromwell Dean.”
“Good observation,” I said.
She smiled. I ran my tongue over my lips and saw her eyes snap to my tongue ring. “I’m…um…” She blushed. “I’m looking forward to hearing your set.” She took a sip of her beer and nervously tucked her hair behind her ear. “I’ve got some of your mixes on my jogging playlists, but I’ve heard it’s like nothing else to hear you live.”
I looked at Easton. “If you want me to save everyone from the ear-bleeding mixes that this Bryce is playing, we’d better go.”
“Catch you later, Kacey,” Easton said. I nodded at Kacey then moved around her toward the door. Easton nudged me. “She’s a good one.” He smiled wider. “Hot too, huh?”
I ducked my head, hiding my face when I noticed all the people staring. I hated attention. I knew it sounded stupid, the DJ hating attention. But I just wanted people to want my music, not me. I didn’t want their interest in me as a person. I just wanted to play.
Had to play for my sanity.
The rest was hard to deal with.
There wasn’t much to me anyway. I really wasn’t worth knowing.
Easton laughed at me shunning the attention and threw his arm around my neck. As loud as he was, he would never understand. The arsehole had no concept of personal space. But I couldn’t help but like him. I didn’t have friends. And I had a feeling he wouldn’t go away even if I asked him to.
“Shit, Crom. You feeling like an animal in a zoo or what? We don’t get many celebrities here in Jefferson.”
“I’m not a celebrity,” I replied as he led me toward the podium.
“In the electronic dance music world you are. And here at JYU you are.” He leaned over to another girl who was hanging by the stage. I swear, the guy was a chick magnet. He turned back to me. “What’s your poison?”
“Jack. Full bottle.”
“Nice,” Easton said, smiling in approval.
The girl went running off. I opened my bag and grabbed my headphones. Loosening my neck, I pulled out my laptop. Easton watched me like I was some living, breathing science experiment. I raised my eyebrow. “It’s like watching a genius at work or something,” he said.
Easton tapped the current DJ on the shoulder. Bryce. Bryce looked at me from the side of his eye then stormed off the podium. Easton laughed as the moody wanker pushed by me. I climbed the steps to the podium and set up my laptop. I plugged it in to the system, then let myself look up.
The place was jam-packed. Hundreds of eyes locked on me. I took a deep breath as the rising heat from the dancing bodies stuck to my skin as the vibrant colors that surrounded them assaulted my eyes.
A bottle of Jack appeared beside me. I took a long swig then slammed the bottle back to my right. Easton, to my left, flicked his chin at me. He was downing a bottle of tequila like it was water. I peered over my laptop at the bodies lined up and waiting.
I lived for this moment. The pause. The held breath before the chaos.
I tapped the keys. Lined up the tune. Then, with a flick of my hand, sent the crowd into euphoria. Easton bathed the barn in green laser lights. Strobes followed, making the dancing crowd look as though they were moving in slow motion. Drinking. Smoking. Some high off their tits.
Easton threw his head back in laughter. “This is insane! Cromwell Dean is in the Barn!”
The beat became the rhythm of my heart as it pounded against the barn’s walls. Easton wasn’t lying. Inside, this place was good. I took sip after sip of my Jack. Easton sucked on the tequila like it would run out if he didn’t get it all down quick.