“Go, before you make me ignite into a fireball,” I said, giving him a shove toward the stage.
He flashed me his typical, I’m-sexy-and-I-know-it grin.
The tables had obviously turned as the girls around me now glared in my direction as he blew me a kiss once he was back behind his drums. I smiled broadly, pleased my claim on him was set. He set it in stone when he chucked his t-shirt my way, making the other girls swoon with envy.
“You guys were fantastic,” I said as Drake and Maddon joined me when it was finally over.
“We know,” Drake said in typical cocky fashion with his arm around a gorgeous brunette with legs practically up to her armpits. She laughed with us, tossing her hair so that it floated around her like you would see in a shampoo commercial.
Maddon socked him in the arm. “Dude,” he said.
“Come on, bro, you know I was kidding. Thanks, Kassandra. I’m glad you could come out again. Especially since you’ve been monopolizing all of my boy’s time,” he said, smiling at me.
“Sorry,” I said.
“No harm, no foul. Someone has to keep him out of trouble.”
“Me? You’re the one,” Maddon said. “I could keep the girls here entertained for hours with some of your exploits,” Maddon said laughing. “One time…” he started to say as Drake snapped his sweaty shirt at him.
“Whoa, man, what happens in the band stays in the band.”
The brunette and I laughed at their banter.
“Hi, I’m Kassandra,” I said, holding my hand out to her.
“Carrie,” she said. “Leave it up to boys to forget something as trivial as introductions.”
“I guess girlfriends get no love,” I quipped.
“Oh, I’m not Drake’s girlfriend,” she said, sounding appalled.
“You’re not?” I asked, confused by the way they had been hanging on to each other.
“No way. Drake is way too much of a player for me.”
“Yeah, Carrie’s way too good for me,” Drake said, slinging his arm back around her. “Carrie hangs around to keep the band in line,” he added, squeezing her shoulder affectionately.
“Don’t let him fool you. He and Maddon took pity on me during sixth grade when I was a toothpick with giraffe-sized legs. Not to mention, I was ‘geek’ before it was cool,” she said, laughing.
“Yeah, you grew into your legs, and your boobs are sure to come in someday soon,” Drake teased, darting away from her before she could hit him.
“Don’t mind him, Carrie. You know he’s just jealous since he’s still waiting for puberty to show up,” Maddon joked.
I laughed at their easy banter, finally getting what my dad had been trying to tell me for years. Real friends may laugh at you, but they’ll always have your back. For the second time that night, I felt a pang of jealousy at the close friendship the three of them obviously shared.
“How about some chow?” Drake said, dragging Carrie back in for a quick hug. He dropped an affection kiss on the top of her head. “I was kidding, Slim Jim.”
“I know, Drakie,” she said.
“Food?” Maddon asked me.
“I’m game,” I said, knowing our borrowed time was coming to an end. I didn’t know how my mom was going to handle the situation, but I couldn’t face the idea of stepping away from the new world Maddon had opened up for me.
“Why don’t you guys leave your cars here and we’ll take my Jeep,” Drake suggested.
“That’s fine, but I need to get my purse from my car,” Carrie said, pointing to her Toyota, parked over near the gate.
“Sheesh Carrie, you parked in B.F. Egypt,” Drake grumbled as he set off with her.