Total pages in book: 56
Estimated words: 54196 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 271(@200wpm)___ 217(@250wpm)___ 181(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 54196 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 271(@200wpm)___ 217(@250wpm)___ 181(@300wpm)
He hustles us out of the office and into the hallway.
“Alright, look, you got, like, instruments and stuff?”
I frown. “What?”
“For the band, knucklehead.”
Anders shrugs. “Yeah, we do.”
“Where.”
We all glance at each other before Coach snaps his fingers.
“Times a-wasting, gentleman.”
I half-smile. “It’s packed up in our van.”
“You got a van?”
Carson grins. “Yeah, we, uh, we park in the commuter lot by the train station.”
Coach smiles. “Pretty tricky. That how you’ve been sneaking off campus to gig at my favorite bar?”
I chuckle. “Apparently.”
“Well, let’s go.”
Anders frowns. “Go where, Coach?”
“To your van, which I’m driving, by the way. You three need to warm up and get tuned up.”
The three of us glance at each other, and Carson frowns.
“Coach, I think I’m missing someth—”
“Tonight’s the Rockland County Battle of the Bands, yeah?”
I nod.
“And it starts pretty fuckin’ soon, right?”
I nod again, and Coach grins.
“Well then we better get going.”
“Coach, what exactly is going on?”
He smiles. “You did right by your team, and now I’m gonna do right by you. Also, that girl deserves a halfway decent backing band if she’s going to get up there and sing in front of all those people. Might as well be you assholes.”
We just stare at him, not quite believing what we’re hearing.
“Coach,” I growl. “Did you just get us out of being suspended so you could help us sneak off campus to play a rock concert?”
“Damn right I did,” he grins. “Now let’s get to that van, and then let’s go rock n’ roll.”
18
Zara
Backstage, I tap my foot nervously on the ground, my fingers playing across the neck of the guitar around my neck. I swallow, shifting in my heels. I start to worry about the outfit—the four-inch black stilettos with faux-diamond studs, the ripped black skinny jeans, the Lady Gaga tour tank-top. Is it too forced looking? Like I’m trying too hard?
I scowl, looking down at the floor as I take a deep breath.
Relax.
But, it’s easier to say than to do. Because I’m not fooling myself. I know what all of this outfit second-guessing is. This is me trying not to think about being here alone, without them. This is me trying to ignore the horrible sense of déjà vu, being backstage again, alone again. My mouth tightens as I look up from the floor.
I got this.
Out on stage, another of the bands that are definitely one of the crowd and judge favorites, is still playing. And damn are they good, but what sucks is that I know without a doubt that we’re—well, the “we” if it was still all four of us here tonight—are better. Or, were better. Or whatever.
My mouth tightens.
Screw them. And screw me for ever falling for—
I stop myself, my eyes squeezing shut as I shake my head. No, I can’t go there. I mean, I know what I was about to tell myself in my own head, and I know what the feelings are involving Anders, Carson, and Griffin are that there is no way I’m going to hide away. But I can’t let myself go there now. Not when I have to go out there and somehow do this alone.
I take another shaky breath, playing with the strap on the guitar, when suddenly, a shape slinks up next to me.
“Hey, rockstar.”
I turn, and I grin. “Hey!”
It’s Ramona, and I don’t even realize how much I needed a friend here until I throw my arms around her neck and hug her tight.
“Hey, hey!” she says with concern, hugging me back. “You okay?”
I nod, swallowing the lump in my throat as I pull away.
“Yeah! Yeah, I’m…” I blink as I realize Ramona isn’t alone. Standing behind her is Kempton Carlisle and Beckett Truman, Winchester’s current “it” popular crowd couple, along Anastasia Penworth. I’ve never really ever hung out with Anastasia or Kempton, but I know Ramona is friends with them through cheerleading. Just like she’s friends with me through band and art. It’s annoying how many things my best friend is good at sometimes.
“Uh, hey!” I smile awkwardly, pulling away from Ramona. I give my friend a “we’ll talk later” look, but even then, I have no idea how I’ll ever talk to her about what I’m dealing with.
Yeah, you know, just falling for three guys, who I’ve by the way slept with, together, all at the same time. No big deal.
I shake the thought away and smile again at the three others.
“We came to see you play!” Kempton, bubbly as ever, grins as she suddenly gives me a big hug. Okay first, band-nerd me is somehow looking up with three of the hottest football-royalty players in school. Now I’m hugging it out with the captain of the cheer squad? But I just smile and hug her back before she pulls away.
“Well… um, thanks!” I smile wryly before I frown and turn to Ramona, my brow furrowed.