Eventually, her eyes flutter open, and she stretches her limbs, glancing up at me with a soft smile. “Sorry, I guess I fell asleep.”
“It’s all good.”
As if she suddenly remembers something, her eyes light up slightly. “I have something for you.” She reaches across the bed and grabs a small box off the nightstand. “When I first flew into Michigan, my aunt took me to this cute little shop she opened up a few months ago. She makes all types of jewelry and house stuff. Anyway, when I was looking around, I saw this necklace.” She opens the box and pulls it out. “My aunt said it’s a friendship necklace.” She opens the clasp and puts it around my neck. “I know you’re a guy, but lots of guys wear jewelry, and it’s manly.”
I glance down at it and smile. I’ve never been one to wear jewelry, but as far as jewelry goes, it’s not half bad. The beads are all black, with pieces of metal between them.
“Thanks.”
Layla sniffles softly and encircles her arms around me. “Thank you for being my friend. I don’t know what I would do without you in my life.”
“Well, it’s a good thing you’ll never have to find out.” And once she gets past her dumbass ex-boyfriend hurting her, hopefully, we can work on our friendship becoming something more.
“I’m ready!” Layla says, jogging down the stairs to the studio a couple of days later. After I held her all night, we spent the next day watching chick flicks while eating a shitload of junk food that her mom swore would heal her broken heart. That night, I reluctantly left to go home since my mom was giving me crap about being gone for so long, but sometime in the middle of the night, Layla texted me she needed me, and I ended up back at her house, in her bed, holding her for the rest of the night. Yesterday, Kaylee and Tori came over and dragged her out for a girls’ day, where they got their nails and hair done. Once she was home, she snuck over after her parents fell asleep and slept in my arms, leaving some time before I woke up.
“What are you ready for?” I ask, flipping my hood onto my head and tugging on the strings as I take in her appearance. Unlike the past couple of days, when she’s been dressing in sweats and oversized hoodies, today, she’s wearing a tiny jean skirt, a light-pink tank top that shows off her belly ring, and flip-flops. She’s wearing more makeup than usual, and her usually wavy hair is straight.
“Life,” she says with a wide grin, making those damn dimples pop out. My heart pounds against my chest at how beautiful and happy she looks. “I’m ready to finally live my life.”
I set my notebook on the table and walk toward her, wondering how long I have to wait to tell her how I feel. Then she speaks her next words, halting me in place.
“More specifically, the single life.” Her hands land on her hips, and she nods once quickly for emphasis. “I’ve spent the past two years locked down by a boy who didn’t deserve me. I spent too many hours giving him my time when I should’ve been focusing on me. So this year is all about me. And to start it off, guess what I’m doing?”
Her eyes light up in excitement while my heart deflates.
When I don’t answer quick enough, Braxton does for me. “What’re you doing?”
“I’m trying out for cheerleading!”
Kaylee and Tori cheer—since they’re both on the squad and have been begging Layla to join—at the same time the guys snort out a laugh.
“This is going to be so much fun!” Kaylee squeals, running over to Layla and hugging her. “Guys are overrated. I say we make this year about girl power!”
“I’m in!” Tori agrees.
So much for telling her how I feel.
CHAPTER FOUR
CAMDEN
SENIOR YEAR
“Camden, I seriously can’t thank you enough.” My sister, Kendall, wraps her arms around me and kisses my cheek. “I know you would’ve rather been hanging with your friends all summer.” She isn’t wrong. I was definitely looking forward to hanging out with my friends and relaxing all summer, but when Kendall broke up with her boyfriend—who’s opening up for her while on tour—and begged me to join her, I couldn’t say no to my sister. She’s several years older than me, but we’ve always been close.
“It’s all good. I had fun on the road with you, and I learned a shit ton about touring.”
She grins. “Never know… I could be visiting you while you’re on tour in a few years.”
“Oh, it’s happening,” I tell her, stepping off Blackwood Records’s private jet. “Mark my words, within a year of us graduating, we’ll be touring.”
Her shoulders shake with laughter. “How is it that we grew up listening to nothing but pop and country, and you ended up being a metalhead?”