As the piece went on, Brynn realized that Fiona was giving a eulogy and her “brother” had overdosed. It was sweet, funny, and heart-wrenching. By the time she was done, there wasn’t a dry eye in the place and Brynn was heartbroken for Tim, who didn’t even exist.
When Fiona walked off the stage, Brynn and Jess immediately checked in with Ali. She’d had to give a real eulogy for Patrick not too long ago.
“Are you okay?” the women whispered in unison.
“I’m fine.” Ali wiped her cheeks as she nodded. “I’ve heard it before. Ricky wrote that one, too.”
“Holy shit,” Jess’s jaw dropped. “That kid is seriously talented.”
Brynn was about to agree when her phone buzzed.
“Excuse me but I think those are supposed to be turned off,” Jess teased as Brynn pulled her device from her purse.
Brynn stuck out her tongue at Jess before she glanced down and saw that the message was from Axel. Her mother had given her his number and told Brynn that she’d given him hers, but he’d never contacted her via phone before.
Is that Snapchat Fiona?
She looked around the theater and saw that he was working up in the back corner of the balcony. Their eyes met for a moment and then she responded.
Yep.
She pressed send and bubbles appeared before a new message quickly followed.
She’s really talented. So is the kid before her. I think you found your Romeo and Juliet.
Her thumbs quickly typed back.
I think you’re right.
A thrill rushed through her as she set her phone back down.
That had been the most interaction that she’d had with Axel for the past week. Logically, she knew the textversation was not a big deal and that she shouldn’t be feeling giddy. So he remembered her son’s sort-of girlfriend’s name. So what?
But she was giddy. She decided to blame her reaction on the fact that she was surrounded by teenagers all the time and apparently, her emotions were taking their cues from the high schoolers.
She felt eyes on her and glanced up to see her friends looking at her.
“Hey, Thumper.” Jess’s brows lifted and she lowered her chin toward the clipboard that lay on the table they were seated behind. “You might want to call the next kid.”
“Oh right.” Embarrassment flooded Brynn when she realized that she’d totally checked out.
“Stephanie Moss.”
As the auburn-haired girl made her way up to the stage, Brynn asked beneath her breath, “Thumper?”
That was a new one.
Jess didn’t respond. Instead she visually volleyed the conversation over to Ali.
“Because you’re twitterpated,” Ali happily explained.
“What? I am no—”
Jess’s stare leveled her as she interjected, “So that wasn’t Axel?”
Okay, Jess might have a point. She might be just a little, tiny, itty bitty bit twitterpated. She sat up straighter. That didn’t mean she had to do anything about it.