Unfamiliar

  Chapter Eleven

 

  Hailey

 

  Braxton was going camping with his brother for the weekend—one last float trip before the weather cooled off too much. So I was stuck on campus. I didn't mind though. I needed to fill out some job applications anyway and, honestly, it was becoming uncomfortable visiting Mrs. Douglas. I wondered if that made me a bad person--knowing that her time was running out should make me want to spend as much time with her as possible, but it was hard seeing her like that. I couldn't explain it at all but for the first time in my life, I just didn't want to be there. It just made me terribly sad.

  I spent the day looking online for possible part-time jobs, but it was going to be hard to find one within walking distance and since I didn’t have a car because I didn’t have a job, it was a catch-22. My refund check had been a fairly substantial amount and I probably could’ve bought a cheap used car outright, but I wanted to get a job first so I could pay for things like gas and any repairs that would undoubtedly come up with a used car. Having to worry about things like this just intensified the resentment I harbored toward my dad and how much he had screwed me over.

  I applied for on-campus work-study jobs that were still open even though they only paid minimum wage--unfortunately, I couldn’t afford to be picky. Starting Monday I’d be working at the Child Development Center every day in between my classes. I wasn’t even sure if I liked kids, but a job was a job and it would have to do until I could find something that paid better.

  Set the Flames was playing at Duke's again tonight, and even though I swore up and down I was never going to that bar again, Tessa somehow managed to talk me into it again. I swear that girl had crazy powers of persuasion.

  I even decided to wear the red dress that she’d tried to convince me to wear to the first Set the Flames concert we went to. Again--crazy powers of persuasion. She also kept using that Girl Code thing against me.

  I kind of wished that Braxton was here to see me in it. I felt different tonight. I couldn't quite put my finger on the difference, but there it was. If I had to pick a word to describe it I supposed I would pick sexy. Which was definitely a new sensation for me.

  When we arrived at the bar, I wasn't sure if the timing was just perfect or if his eyes had been on me from the moment I walked in, but I spotted Chase giving me a hard stare before quickly shaking it off and acknowledging me with that dumb head nod of his and then returning his focus to the guys. He and his bandmates were apparently having a heated discussion because even at this distance, I could tell he was not happy about something. “Chase looks pissed,” I commented to Tessa.

  “Hmm?” She looked over at him. “Oh, it looks like Deuce isn't here yet.” Her eyebrows pulled together in confusion. “Maybe he's just running late?” I suggested.

  “Even so, I bet Chase is pissed. Jonathan said that he's been missing a lot of practices lately.”

  “That’s not good.”

  “No, it's not. Let's go see what's going on.”

  “I don't know...”

  “C’mon.” She dragged me along.

  “What's up?” she asked Jonathan when we got close enough. Chase was the one who answered. “It's Deuce. The asshole can't make it tonight.

  Apparently something 'came up'.”

  “What are you going to do?”

  “We can't play without him so we’re pretty much screwed,” Jonathan said. He seemed irritated but not nearly as angry as Chase looked.

  “This sucks. Wait a second,” Tessa started. She looked at me and smiled slyly before telling the guys, “Hailey can play.”

  “What?” I choked out, at the same time Chase said, “No way.”

  “What, she's actually pretty awesome,” she continued. I elbowed her severely. What the hell?

  “Yeah, but it's not like she can just learn the entire set in the 15 minutes before show time,” Chase argued. I had to stop myself from disagreeing with him. I could easily learn the set, but I didn't want to so I just kept my mouth shut.

  “True, but she can play by ear so I'm sure she could catch on quickly, and besides, you are pretty in a pretty desperate situation right now, so I'm not really sure why you’re not jumping at this opportunity. Either you cancel the show or you give her a chance and maybe pull it off.”

  “I'm not blowing this chance by letting in some chick who thinks she's a rock star because she can play a few Taylor Swift songs.”

  Now that just pissed me off. I knew he’d heard me play the other day. Before I knew what I was doing, I grabbed Chase's guitar.

  “What are you doing?” he asked as I plugged it into the amp and glared up at him.

  “Taylor Swift, huh?” I snapped.

  He seemed amused by my attitude. “Show me what you got, Princess.”

  So I did. My heart started pumping erratically and it felt like all the tension I kept locked up inside of me was releasing into the chords as I played the most complex riff I knew. I was definitely showing off which wasn't something I typically did, but I just couldn't let Chase get away with dismissing me like that.

  I couldn't help but smile smugly when I saw the look of shock on all of their faces, well, the band's faces anyway. Tessa just looked proud.

  “What the hell was that?” Chase asked. “I thought you played acoustic guitar?” I just shrugged like it was no big deal but I was beaming on the inside. “Maybe there's more to me than you think,” I said coyly.

  “And you can play by ear?” Jonathan asked.

  “Um, yeah. It's not hard,” I said arrogantly as I returned the guitar to Chase.

  “Chase, man, what do you think?”

  Chase wasn't looking at Jonathan though. He was looking at me in a very unfamiliar way. I couldn't describe the way he was making me feel because I had no words. I had never felt like that before. It was like a star had suddenly imploded in my chest, warming me from the core. My heart sputtered before picking up full force until I was absolutely convinced that it would fly right out of my chest.

  What the hell was happening to me?

  “Um, I'm--uh-- going to use the restroom,” I stammered as I backed away slowly. It was like Chase's eyes had a lock on me and I couldn't look away.

  “I'll come with,” Tessa said, grabbing her handbag. “We'll be back, boys.”

  Tessa linked her arm through mine and we maneuvered our way through the sweaty bodies that danced to the music in the smoky haze of the makeshift dance floor.

  Once we were in the small dirty bathroom she locked the door behind us. There was only one toilet and it wasn't enclosed in a private stall.

  “Um, Tessa? I can't pee in front of you.”

  “What? I didn't think you really needed to pee. I thought 'going to the restroom' was Girl

  Code for 'I need to talk to you privately'.”

  “Well, I sorta do but I actually do need to pee first.”

  “I'll face the other way.”

  “Fine.”

  She turned around and closed her eyes, but I still turned on the sink for good measure.

  “Nervous bladder?” she asked.

  “Shut up.”

  Tessa laughed. “This is going to be great. I'm glad you at least wore something fun tonight since you'll be on stage.”

  “This is probably a huge mistake. I don't even like the kind of music they play.”

  “That doesn't matter. It's not like this is going to be a regular thing. You're just helping out some friends.”

  “They aren't really my friends.”

  “No, I suspect Chase doesn't really consider you just a friend.”

  “Yeah, I'm pretty sure he hates my guts.”

  “That's not at all what I meant.” She shook her head. “Come on future rockstar.”

  We exited out of the quiet bathroom and I ran right smack into a very solid chest. It was like my eyes were magnetically drawn to Chase’s, and when our eyes met a million
things were said in that one look.

  “Are you staking out the ladies room now?” Tessa teased. He barely acknowledged her— his eyes were focused on me. “You're not backing out on me are you?” His tone was light but his face was serious. He wanted me to play with him.

  “I can't do this. I can't get up there and perform. I'm just not that kind of girl, sorry.”

  “That’s what I thought until I heard you play.” “That was dumb. I was just showing off. I can't.” “Can you give us a second?” Chase asked Tessa.

  “Yeah, sure.” She smiled sheepishly at me.

  When she was gone Chase turned the full force of his attention on me again. “You have to play with us tonight.”

  “Chase, I can't!”

  “And why not?”

  “Because this isn't who I am!”

  “Really? Because it seems to me that's exactly who you are. Not just anyone can do what you did out there. Don't you know that?”

  “I'm not the kind of girl who gets up on stage and performs. I'm the kind of girl who sits quietly in the back wishing I had the guts to be up there.”

  Maybe before my mom left I was the kind of girl who took advantage of every opportunity to be the center of attention. But that carefree girl wasn't practical. As much as I wanted to sing and make music my life, I just couldn't do it. The chances of me even getting my foot in the door of the business was slim to none. I needed to focus on how I was going to make a realistic living so music got pushed to the side—a hobby that I kept private.

  “So that's it?” He smirked. “You know in twenty years you'll be more disappointed by the shit you didn't do than the shit you did.”

  “Are you trying to quote Mark Twain?” I asked.

  “Maybe.”

  “You know you got it wrong.”

  “Who cares?”

  “Well, I just think if you are going to try to persuade me to save your ass tonight, the least you could do is quote the wise man accurately.”

  “Are you going to play with us or not?”

  “What if I mess up?” I whispered, all joking aside.

  “You won't. Just follow my lead.”

  “I'm scared.”

  Chase leaned down and for the first time I noticed the depth of color in his eyes. It was like someone had taken a bottle of whiskey and splintered it, letting slivers of amber show through.

  “Your fear is holding you back from becoming who you're really meant to be.”

  I chewed on my bottom lip. “I guess you're right.”

  Chase winked at me. “Of course I'm right. I'm badass.”

  He grabbed my hand and led me back into the noisy room. The crowd seemed to have doubled in size. I felt my steps falter but Chase didn't let go of my hand. He just smiled reassuringly and pulled me right along.

  “Well? Do we have a verdict?” Tessa asked with a teasing lilt in her tone.

  “She'll have to do,” Chase said. One side of his mouth curled up into a half-grin and it made my heart stop for a moment.

  “Gee, thanks.” I tried to seem offended, but couldn't help but smile in return.

  As I joined the band on stage I couldn't believe I was actually going to go through with it. It was so out of character for me but at the same time the adrenaline that surged through my veins felt amazing. I listened to the melody Chase played first, feeling the music inside me. I matched it perfectly on my first try, giving me the confidence I needed to fill in the melody on my own.

  I looked up, wanting to make sure that the added flair was okay with him. The look he gave me encouraged me to go on. Nothing in my whole life had ever made me feel as elated as I did standing on the stage making music with him. It was intoxicating.

  I already knew that Chase was an amazing performer, but I found that being this close to him while he performed intensified that— I couldn't help but watch him. He was completely mesmerizing. I actually had to force myself to look down at the stage or my fingers as I played so that I didn't seem like a pathetic groupie just staring at him. I couldn't quite make myself look out into the crowd though. I had a feeling if I did that I would lose all my nerve.

  One of the few times I allowed myself to glance over at him, he looked up at me quickly, a guilty smile on his face like I’d just caught him doing something wrong. Was he checking out my ass? Oddly enough the idea that someone was checking me out didn't offend me. I actually think I kind of liked it. And THAT'S what bothered me.

  Skeleton tattoo! I reminded myself. He has a freaking huge ass skeleton tattoo on his forearm—I do not find guys with tattoos remotely attractive.

  Nope, not at all.

  Even when said tattooed boy was smiling at me in a way that made my head spin. What was wrong with me?