by Paige Toon
‘You’re driving,’ he reminds her.
‘I know,’ she says.
‘Eight?’
‘Cool. We’ll go get ready.’
He wanders off to the games room. I wonder if Comic Book Girl is still here.
Agnes and I get ready in her room. I’m wearing black jeans and heels with a black, long-sleeved lace top. Agnes has backcombed my light-blonde hair and styled it up into a ponytail, high on top, and my eye make-up is a lot darker than I would normally wear, outlined in shimmery gunmetal-grey eyeshadow. When she’s finished, I look about ten years older.
‘You know I don’t have any fake ID,’ I point out. ‘I’m not going to get served no matter what you do.’
‘You can try,’ she says with a grin. ‘There’s no age limit on the door tonight, by the way.’
‘Phew.’ I wouldn’t want to go to all this effort and still not get in…
We come out of her bedroom and I inadvertently glance down the corridor towards Jack’s room. I know where it is because I’ve been inside. On his bed. Kissing him. The memory makes me flush.
Agnes goes and knocks on the door.
‘All Along the Watchtower’ by Jimi Hendrix is blaring out of his speakers.
‘Jack?’ she shouts.
A moment later the door whooshes open.
‘Coming,’ he says, glancing past her to me. His eyes quickly skim over my outfit, but he doesn’t say anything. He goes back inside to switch off his music, joining us on the landing. He’s wearing skinny black jeans and a grey T-shirt with a hot-pink line drawing of a house on the front.
We all traipse back downstairs together, but this time every nerve-ending in my body feels electrified.
‘Bye, Mom!’ Agnes calls out.
‘Have fun!’ she calls back, popping her head out from the upstairs sitting room. She has long, dark, wavy hair and is tall, slim and attractive. I said hello to her earlier, but, from what I gather, she lets her children do pretty much whatever they want. I think, as parents go, Agnes and Jack’s are very laid-back. A bit like Natalie’s, only with a lot more money.
‘You can sit in front,’ Agnes directs me.
‘Are you sure?’ I glance at Jack, but he’s already climbing into the back seat. I wonder why he’s being so off with me. I’m going to have to force him to speak to me. I swivel round in my seat.
‘I heard Comic Book Girl came over earlier.’
‘Yeah,’ he says, meeting my eyes reluctantly before looking out of the window. ‘She was good.’
Beside me, Agnes pulls a face, smirking into the rear-view mirror.
‘What are you looking like that for?’ he snaps. ‘She sang, period.’
‘Sure she did,’ she replies in a breezy voice, clearly trying to wind him up.
He rolls his eyes. Agnes drives us out through the gates, unable to keep the smile from her lips.
‘Who’s that?’ Jack asks, sitting up in his seat.
I look out of the window to see a black car.
‘Lewis,’ I reply. ‘One of Johnny’s bodyguards. My dad won’t let me go far without security at the moment.’
‘Jeez,’ Jack says under his breath.
‘Don’t worry, you won’t even know he’s there. Johnny promised.’ I can’t keep the trace of bitterness from my voice.
‘Hey, we don’t care,’ Agnes tries to reassure me. ‘It’s no big deal. It’s not worth risking it after what happened.’
Out of the blue, Jack leans forward in his seat and hooks his left arm round my waist, giving me a quick squeeze. Before I can react, he’s sitting back in his seat.
‘What was that for?’ I ask him with surprise.
‘Aw, are you feeling protective?’ Agnes says fondly.
He shrugs and looks out of the window. He’s one of only a few people who haven’t demanded details about the kidnapping attempt. I thought he didn’t care. Now I’m so surprised at his sudden display of affection that I don’t know what to say. After a moment, I lean forward and switch on the radio, searching for a song I like. When I find one, I turn it right up. We ride most of the rest of the way in silence.
There’s a queue snaking out of the front door of the venue, but Jack exchanges a look with Lewis and leads us round the side to the back entrance. He pounds on the door and a man opens it.
‘We’re with Drew,’ Jack says.
The man frowns and looks past him to Lewis. His face breaks into a grin. ‘Lew!’ he says, swinging the door open wide.
‘Hey, Mike,’ Lewis says, coming forward to clasp his hand. The doorman waves the rest of us inside. ‘I’m not really here,’ I hear Lewis say.
‘Gotcha,’ Mike replies, glancing at me.
The venue is already busy. The walls are painted midnight blue and the lighting is low with yellow booth seats all around the edges. The dance floor in the middle is already busy with people, although no one is dancing yet. There are DJ decks set up on the stage. It looks like they might do gigs at this venue, too.
‘Have you guys played here?’ I ask Jack, having to shout over the music.
‘No.’ He shakes his head and nods towards the bar. ‘You wanna drink?’
He’s back to barely looking at me, I realise with disappointment.
‘Sure. A Coke or something, I guess.’
‘I’ll get you a beer,’ he says, placing his hand on my forearm and leaning past me. ‘Agnes?’ he asks.
I don’t hear what she replies because I’m too aware of the heat radiating from his palm. A second later he lets go, but I can still feel the pressure from his fingers.
I really need to have a word with myself.
I haven’t spoken to Tom today. When was the last time he called? I have to rack my brain, and eventually it comes up with Wednesday. Days ago. I haven’t even checked my phone today, I realise with alarm.
‘You OK?’ Agnes asks me.
‘Sorry, I’ll just be a sec,’ I reply, getting my phone out of my bag. Oh. ‘Whoops,’ I say out loud.
‘What is it?’ she asks.
Two missed calls and one text. I show the screen to Agnes. ‘It’s from Tom,’ I say.
Hey, you OK?
‘I’d better reply to him,’ I say, quickly typing out a message:
Sorry, been busy today and out now, but I’ll call you tomorrow!
I stuff my phone back into my bag, just as Jack returns with our drinks.
‘Thanks. Oh, you really did get me a beer!’
‘That OK?’ he asks with a frown.
‘Yeah, great, but how did you get served?’
‘I have a buddy behind the bar.’
‘And he has a fake ID,’ Agnes chips in. ‘You really should hook Jessie up with your guy,’ she says with a grin.
‘What, and have her dad set his dogs on me? Actually, crap,’ he says with alarm, looking around. ‘You’d better give me that beer back. I forgot Lewis was here.’
‘No way,’ I say, tightening my grip on the bottle. ‘Anyway, Johnny won’t mind if I have a couple.’
‘WOOHOO!’ I hear Brandon a split second before I see him, and then his arm is hooked round my neck and his other arm is hooked round Jack’s.
‘Dude! Watch where you’re sloshing your drink!’ Jack complains, detaching him. Brandon laughs, not removing himself from me. I kind of like the familiarity of the gesture, so I don’t mind.
Miles appears and says hi, and I keep my gaze away from Agnes so she doesn’t feel uncomfortable.
‘No Lottie tonight?’ Brandon asks Agnes.
She rolls her eyes. ‘No. She’s filming. Where’s Maisie?’
I take it that’s his girlfriend. He shrugs. ‘Out with her friends.’
Agnes frowns at him and he shakes his head innocently. ‘What?’
Out of the corner of my eye, I see a flash of orange. Brandon laughs at the look on Agnes’s face and releases me, but I barely notice.
Comic Book Girl is here.
Jack breaks away from us to greet her. I watch as
he bends down to speak in her ear and I feel a stab of jealousy as she smiles and nods at whatever he’s saying.
I thought her bright orange hair was part of her Comic Book Girl get-up, but obviously not. She’s wearing it forties-style in a sleek bob with wavy curls. She’s not that much shorter than him, which means she’s much taller than me. She looks über-cool.
Jack puts his hand on her lower back and guides her towards us.
‘Hey, guys!’ she says with a grin at Brandon, Miles and Agnes. Her gaze eventually rests on me. ‘Hi,’ she says, holding her hand out. Is it my imagination or does her smile not reach her eyes?
‘Jessie,’ I say, as I shake her hand. Her grip is bony and pincer-like.
‘Susan,’ she replies, and I swear she doesn’t look at me again for the next five minutes.
‘There’s Drew!’ Agnes says after a while. ‘Come meet him.’
I’m only too pleased to be dragged away after standing there like a lemon.
Drew is even taller and broader than Jack. He’s wearing a T-shirt, but his arms are decorated with tattoos and he has short dark-blond hair like his dad.
‘Aggie!’ he shouts, scooping her up in his arms. She squeals as he squeezes her a little too tightly.
‘Put me down!’ She screws her nose up and flaps her hand at his face. ‘Urgh, you stink of cigarettes!’
He grins, unfazed, looking past her to me. ‘Who’s this?’
‘Jessie,’ she replies with a smile.
‘Ah,’ he says with amusement, clasping my hand in his. ‘So you’re Jessie. We meet at last.’
He has Jack’s eyes, I realise with a start.
Suddenly Jack himself is between us, slapping Drew on the back.
‘Bro!’ I hear Drew shout in his ear, as he engulfs him in a bear hug. I have a feeling he’s a bit drunk. ‘Thanks for coming down.’
I don’t hear what else is said between them because the music is too loud and their heads are huddled together. ‘I Bet You Look Good on the Dance Floor’ by Arctic Monkeys comes on so I pat Agnes’s arm and indicate the dance floor. She nods. Drew notices us leaving and he smiles as I wave bye. I catch Jack’s eye a split second before we walk away.
We dance for a while and then Drew plays his set so, by the time we exit the floor, I’m hot and sweaty and a little bit tipsy. Agnes manages to grab a couple of seats in a booth and I’m grateful because my feet are aching in my high heels. Looking round, I spy Lewis leaning against a wall.
Johnny was right: he’s stayed out of my way. I wouldn’t know he was there at all, except when I look for him. He’s rarely in the same place twice, and he certainly hasn’t given anyone the impression that he’s here for me. So far tonight, I’ve been able to go incognito. No one has given me a second glance.
‘I’ll go to the bar,’ Agnes tells me. A moment later Jack slides into her recently vacated space. He turns to face me, his knee up on the seat and his left elbow resting on the table. For the first time in what feels like ages, he stares at me directly.
‘Why didn’t you tell me you could sing?’ he demands.
‘You’re talking to me now?’ I reply. He’s been drinking whiskey. I can smell it from here.
‘Don’t change the subject. Why didn’t you tell me?’
I shift in my seat and look away from him, my heart pounding against my ribcage. ‘You didn’t ask.’
‘I did, actually.’
‘You were joking!’ I exclaim.
He still hasn’t taken his eyes from mine. ‘Brandon and Miles want you to try out for the band,’ he says.
‘What? How do they know I can sing?’
‘I kinda told them,’ he admits.
‘Well, I don’t sing in public.’ I shake my head determinedly. Is he being serious?
‘Jessie,’ he says firmly and I jump as his hand rests on my hip.
‘Jack,’ I reply warningly, glancing down at his hand and then back at his face.
He takes his hand away. ‘Yeah, yeah, I know you’ve got a boyfriend.’ He rolls his eyes. ‘I won’t touch you, I swear. But come over tomorrow. Sing for the guys.’
‘What happened with Susan?’
‘She’s good, but you’re better.’
My stomach flutters.
‘Have you got something else to do?’
His question stumps me because no, actually, I’ve been bored out of my brains and I could do with a distraction.
At that moment, Agnes returns with our drinks. ‘Beat it,’ she snaps at Jack, who’s sitting in her place.
He leans in towards me, so close that I can feel his breath on my skin. ‘Think about it,’ he says with a significant look.
‘What was that about?’ Agnes asks the moment he’s gone, leaving me in a bit of a tizz.
‘He wants me to try out for All Hype.’
‘Does he now?’ She sounds sardonic. ‘I thought he’d hold out at least a coupla days before asking.’
I narrow my eyes at her.
‘You’re awesome, Jess,’ she says matter-of-factly. ‘I wish I could sing like you. I’d kill to be in their band.’
‘You would?’
‘Yeah, but I can style you instead,’ she decides with a grin.
I can’t believe I’m actually considering this.
Chapter 26
The next morning, I wake up early and full of nerves. Did that seriously happen last night? Am I really trying out for All Hype today?
Brandon and Miles turned on their charm when Agnes and I rejoined them. They were so amiable and encouraging that I somehow found myself agreeing that no, it couldn’t hurt to go to Jack’s today.
My nerves intensify, but when I think of Susan, and how cold and catty she seemed, it bizarrely stiffens my resolve. I’d hate her to be their lead singer, but it looks like she’s next in line if I don’t step up.
For a moment, I picture myself onstage with the band and it gives me a thrill. But the jitters soon take over again.
Eventually Johnny emerges from his room after what feels to me like the longest lie-in in history.
‘I need to talk to you,’ I say, dragging him into the studio before he can go downstairs.
‘What’s wrong?’ he asks, still looking only half awake.
‘Nothing’s wrong.’ I come straight out with it. ‘Jack wants me to audition for All Hype.’
‘Now why doesn’t that surprise me?’ he asks drily, slumping into a swivel chair.
‘I think I want to as well,’ I tell him, still feeling a little uncertain as I sit down opposite him.
‘Yeah?’ he asks with interest, before his expression transforms into a frown. ‘Of course you do.’
‘What’s that supposed to mean?’ I ask.
‘I know how you feel about Jack Mitchell.’
‘No, you don’t,’ I bite back. ‘I’m with Tom.’ Oh, and I must remember to call him later.
‘That won’t stop Jack from trying it on,’ he says and my face heats up.
‘Yeah, well, even if he does, which he won’t,’ I add pertinently, ‘he won’t get anywhere.’ I’m resolute about this. ‘Anyway, Miles and Brandon will kill him if he comes onto another band member.’
Johnny reels backwards slightly, but Meg interrupts us before he can comment.
‘Oh, you’re awake,’ she says, coming into the studio.
‘Hey.’ He tugs her onto his lap.
‘Have you told her yet?’ she asks him over her shoulder.
‘Not yet,’ he replies with an amused smile.
‘Told me what?’ I ask, confused.
Meg smiles at me mischievously. ‘How do you feel about adding singing lessons to your daily tutoring sessions?’
It turns out Annie knows someone who’s recently graduated from music school and is looking for new students to fill his books. Johnny and Meg thought it would do me good to balance my compulsory subjects with something that really interests me. I’m touched that they care enough to look into it.
I turn to Johnny,
seeking his approval. ‘Did you ever have lessons?’
‘No,’ he admits. ‘But I never had confidence issues with singing in front of people,’ he adds pointedly.
Another flurry of nerves swirls through me. If only I could’ve started my lessons a week ago…
Davey has the day off with his family so Johnny offers to drive me to Jack’s. I ask if we can go on his bike.
Agnes looks delighted when she comes outside to buzz us into the courtyard. Johnny helps me down from the back of the bike and flips his visor up. I take off my helmet and shake out my hair, then glance at him to see his green eyes are crinkled at the corners.
‘Have fun.’
‘Thanks.’ I smile at him and he looks past me, raising one hand in a half-wave.
I glance over my shoulder to see that Jack, Brandon and Miles have come out of the games room. They’re looking a little overawed.
Johnny flips his visor back down and revs his engine loudly, roaring out of the drive. God, I love my dad.
And I do, I realise, as my heart expands. It might have been a casual thought, but I discover that I meant it.
‘Sweet ride,’ Miles says, his goggle-eyed expression distracting me from my warm thoughts.
‘For sure,’ Brandon agrees. ‘You ready?’
I nod because my sudden anxiety has rendered me speechless.
‘You sure know how to make an entrance,’ Jack murmurs as we walk down the side of his house.
We reach the games room and I put my jacket and helmet off to the side, taking a few deep breaths to calm down. I turn round to see that Miles is already behind the drum kit and Brandon is standing talking to him, gripping his bass guitar by its neck and swinging it slightly. Jack is front and centre, lowering the mic stand for my height. I remember that Susan was here yesterday and she’s much taller than me. I don’t even know what I have to live up to. What if they still choose her?
Jack jerks his head at me, indicating that I should join them. I slowly walk forward.
‘How’s this?’ he asks of the microphone height, moving back to make room for me.
‘Good,’ I reply, far too aware of his body heat beside me.
Agnes is sitting at the back, grinning at me. I take another deep breath and offer her a shaky smile.