And everything I want for myself I want for him a million timesmore.
I want to see him cast off the history with his father and realize he can make somethingincredible.
Tyler makes eye contact with my dad, ignoring me. “I’ll call him. I haven’t gotten around to ityet.”
I kick him under the table.Why haven’t you calledhim?
Leave it alone. He digs into hisfood.
Serena’s brows lift, and she takes a drink before turning to me. “Haley told me you have the lead in themusical.”
I fill her in on where we’re at, but I’m still spinning from the revelation about Tyler’s opportunity, still stinging from hisdismissal.
“Any attractive costars?” sheasks.
I take a sip of soda, my gaze drifting to the guy across from me—the one who’s avoiding my gaze as though it’s his mission in life. “Kellan plays varsitylacrosse.”
A fork clatters against a plate across fromme.
Serena leans in, eyes brightening with anticipation. “Who’sKellan?”
“He’s my prince,” I tell her, spearing a piece ofsalad.
A thud echoes under the table as if a knee connected with thewood.
“He’s a prick,” Tylermutters.
Now I have hisattention.
My eyes flash.You wouldn’t dare tellthem.
He holds my gaze.Try me,Six.
“Kellan,” Haley interjects. “Tyler, is that the guy you had a fight with atschool?”
My dad’s head snaps towardme.
“If I wanted to date Kellan“—I interject around the bite of lettuce, hurrying to swallow, and Tyler’s gaze narrows—“that would be mybusiness.”
Dad laughs humorlessly. “Nice try. Until you’re eighteen, I can control where you go and who yousee.”
I drop my fork. “I’m already grounded. You can’t ground metwice.”
“Then nomusical.”
Shock has my breath sticking in mychest.
Haley sighs. “Jax—”
“Sure. No problem. I’ll tell Miss Norelli I’m out of the musical—which I’m now getting credit for, by the way—because Jax Jamieson declared it,” I say sarcastically, shifting out of my chair and throwing my napkin down on my seat. “My report card’s coming soon. Since you’re more interested in my grades than my life, you can have the next family photos taken withthat.”
I stalk out of the room, eyes burning. I nearly run into a startled server bearing a carafe of water and mumble an apology as I trip around tables toward thebathrooms.
I’m halfway down the hall when a low voice comes from behind me. “Annie.Stop.”
I whirl to face Tyler. The dim lights overhead cast his tense face in shadows as he closes the distance betweenus.
“What’s wrong with you?” His low voice has every muscle in my body tightening, and he comes to a stop a footaway.