A group of girls standing in front of her moves, and I fuckingmissachord.
She’s wearing a black dress that should be illegal, but it’s not only the clothes, but the fire in her eyes, the straightness in her spine, that makes her look like a college freshman, not a high schooljunior.
You came, I mouth, sure she won’t be able to read mylips.
But she lifts a shoulder, her mouth curving.Don’t get too excited, she mouthsback.
Mistakes love company. They travel in packs, like the shallow girls that prowl the halls atOakwood.
My first was inviting her here, so while I’m at it, I throw in a second for goodmeasure.
I play for her, adding some extra flourishes, a solo that has Brandon’s jaw on thefloor.
“Name one other place you can become a god by falling on yourknees.”
I’m not a god but a demon, my hands flying over the strings as I finish, holding the last note for extra reverb, a little vintage flair that would’ve made Hendrixgrin.
But when I look up, I have to search forher.
I finally spot her in the corner, talking to a built, clean-cutguy.
My good mooddies.
Fuck no. I didn’t bring her here to get hit on by some keg-standingbro.
Half my mind’s on them through the rest of our songs, and at the end of our set, I shove my guitar into itscase.
Before I can push through the crowd, Trisha’s at my arm. “Didn’t realize you were babysitting tonight,” she says, cutting a glance toward thecorner.
“It’s not like that.” But I crane my neck, trying to keep my eyes onAnnie.
Trisha slides a stack of bills into my pocket. “Maybe you should take some of that judgment you like to level at the world and turn it back onyourself.”
I brush past her to where Annie’s standing next to FratBoy.
Sure enough, he’s grinning at her like she’s sex and chocolate all wrapped up in a singlepackage.
Annie’s gaze lights on me, and her smile dims a few watts at whatever’s on my face. “Hey.”
“Hey.” I slide a hand around Annie’s waist, brushing her hip with my fingers as I bend toward her ear. “We’regoing.”
Frat Boy’s face falls, and I memorize the moment he realizes she’s nothis.
Still, the regret in Annie’s voice as she says goodbye annoys me all the way out the front door and down thesteps.
“Why were you being a dick to that guy?” she demands once we’re on the sidewalk. Drunk people stumble past us, laughing andcarefree.
“Because he was working to get in yourpants.”
She cocks her head. “Then he didn’t need to work so hard. I’m wearing askirt.”
I’m seconds from ripping into her with some uptight tirade about college guys only wanting one thing, but my phone rings before Ican.
The number has me stopping in my tracks. I let it ring, and when the phone goes silent, the world suddenly feels toostill.
“It’s your dad, isn’t it?” Her voice fills the night air aroundus.
I haven’t talk about it with anyone because if I don’t say it out loud, it doesn’t matter somuch.