Out of Beat (Boys of Fallout Book 1)

by Cassandra Giovanni

  My teeth physically hurt as the thought of deleting it and its hashtag, yourewelcomeladies, the second I get away from this chick.

  “Joey’s not the only one who’s taken,” Zack comments through a mouth of food. “I’m too.”

  “Who could’ve captured the infamous Killer’s attention?” Jennifer purrs as two other people come into the room and start moving the stools, so they’re just in front of the set.

  “The yearbook!” Zack orders and Joey digs it out of a pile of stuff he’s brought into the room. He flips through the pages, going to the front, where the freshmen are before turning it. “This lovely lady– five years later, of course.”

  My eyes land on the name: Macy Halsgrove.

  Bile rises in my throat as my stomach rolls. Why?

  Danny catches the look on my face, and his brows furrow in question.

  “Pretty– who’s the person who pissed you off?” Jennifer asks, pointing to a picture that’s completely blacked out in the bottom row.

  I want to leave the room, but instead, I grab my camera off the table and do what I did in high school, cover the pained expression on my face with it.

  “We don’t talk about that,” Danny says as he grabs the yearbook and snaps it shut. “We have a limited amount of time for this. Why don’t we get started?”

  The tension in the room evaporates when Zack answers some question in his typical raunchy fashion and the band laughs. Danny bursts into a full smile as he shakes his head, and I capture the moment. He answers the question.

  “Honestly, Aaron’s the dirty one. Not because he’s actually dirty, but because he works out pretty much the whole time we’re not playing–and he sweats like a beast,” Danny explains.

  “How about you? Are you dirty?” Jennifer asks, and there’s a hint in her tone that shows it’s a double entendre.

  “Not at all,” he replies, ignoring the secondary meaning. “I’m a clean freak.”

  “It’s true!” Joey says. “He’ll be the first one in the shower when we get back to the RV, and it’s the reason I chose him as a bunkmate.” He signals to Aaron and Zack. “We let these two stew together in their grossness.”

  Zack leans over and licks the side of Joey’s face as if to prove just how dirty he is. Jennifer turns to look at me. “This isn’t weird to you?”

  “This isn’t how normal people act?” I ask back, giving her an overly sweet smile.

  Zack jumps off his stool and wraps his arms around me. “That’s my girl!”

  The music video director comes in and signals to wrap up. Jennifer turns back to the guys.

  “Thank you so much for this opportunity. I’m Jennifer for Alternative Sound– be sure to check back on our website in a few weeks to see the video for Night Owl!” She turns to me as her camera guy starts packing up. “Don’t worry; we’ll cut that last part with you in it out.”

  “Oh, thanks,” I reply, unable to control the sarcasm in my tone.

  Joey slides off his stool. “No reason to, Sky’s a part of our crew.”

  Jennifer looks over at each of the guys to see them all nodding. “I guess you are.”

  “It won’t be the last time our fan’s see her anyways,” Joey continues. “She’s going to be in another video we plan on shooting in Maryland on the boardwalk.”

  “Really?” Jennifer asks and her smile twitches. “Any inside information on that?”

  Aaron makes a zipper motion over his lips while Joey and Danny shake their heads. Zack is doing something bizarre as if to show he’ll get hanged if he says anything. She looks over at me expectantly.

  “It’s going to be for the song Blame It on Me,” I reply, and the guys give each other high fives.

  “Our favorite,” Danny says, and he winks at me.

  “The band’s favorite?” Jennifer asks, and Aaron shakes his head.

  He points at Danny and me. “Their favorite.”

  “So you’re the favorite, huh?” Jennifer cocks her head at Danny.

  “They’re;” I signal a circle that includes each of the guys. “Each my favorites in their own way. They’re my family and my best friends.”

  “Aww!” Zack coos and the guys all pull me into a bear hug.

  “Can’t breath!” I say as I pull myself out of the group to see Jennifer and her camera guy leaving. “Thank God she’s gone.”

  Danny chuckles to himself, and I roll my eyes.

  “What?” I say. “She was eye screwing you.” Zack glances over at Danny and gives his muscles the same glance Jennifer did. “Exactly!”

  Danny’s lips go down. “How did I not notice that?”

  Joey pats him on the shoulder. “You’re just too innocent, Maddox.”

  “Alright, guys — we’ve got a full afternoon, but after this, you’ll be free of me!” Phil, the director calls.

  Danny hangs back for a second. “I saved you three pieces of pepperoni.”

  “I lied,” I whisper back. “You’re my favorite.”

  He bites his lip, brows raised. “I know.”

  Chapter 12

  I stare at the yearbook in Joey’s hand as he and the guys laugh about some memory I can’t hear. I have my earbuds shoved in, and the music jacked up so high I’m pretty sure anyone who wasn’t deaf from playing music every day could hear all the words to the All Time Low song, but it’s not helping my mood at all. I look down at my phone and switch to Too Close to Touch– something darker and more in line with my pissy mood.

  Macy Halsgrove.

  I close my eyes as the name plays across my mind, followed with her nasty taunting. My teeth clench. Of all the dumb chicks in my grade, Zack has to decide to date her. I feel a body next to me, and then my earbuds are pulled softly out, so the guy’s laughter replaces the screaming of the chorus. I open my eyes to find Danny sitting next to me, cocking his head.

  “Hey you,” he says, and he puts his arm around me, so my head comes to rest on his shoulder. “You’ve been quiet since the interview. Not jealous of that Jennifer chick are you?”

  “For what? Eye-screwing you?” I ask, glancing up at him. His cheeks go red beneath his scruff, and he purses his lips. “I can do that if I want.”

  One eyebrow rises. “Do you?”

  “Wouldn’t you like to know,” I reply, elbowing him.

  His chin tucks into my hair. “What’s really bugging you?”

  I look over at the guys as they laugh. “Just thinking about high school. You know how it got.”

  “Kind of. You want to talk about it more?” Danny asks, and I shake my head. He heaves a sigh and leans forward, running his hands over the back of his neck. “They still don’t know about my mom.”

  He looks over his shoulder at me.

  “I figured,” I reply.

  “So I get it in a way…but if I hadn’t told you– you couldn’t have saved me like you did.”

  “It’s already over. No need to save me,” I say and Danny bites the inside of his lip.

  His eyes grow distant before coming back to lock on me. “Not from someone else.”

  “Tell me why,” Zack interrupts, laying across the table on his back as he holds the yearbook over his head. He flips it in mine and Danny’s faces. “Almost every single picture of Danny has you in it, Sky? Is there something you need to fill us all in on?”

  Zack lowers the book and narrows his eyes at me and then flicks Danny in the forehead. “Like that this guy is your favorite?”

  I roll my eyes and reach forward to turn the page. “Have you noticed a trend that I’m in a lot of the other ones with all of you fools?”

  “Yes,” Aaron says as he grabs the yearbook. “But Zack has a point that you’re not in any ones with any of us alone–even Joey.”

  “That’s because you guys all had girlfriends in those pictures,” Danny points out as he nods to a picture of Aaron and some blonde chick. Aaron raises an eyebrow, and Danny’s eyes go down to the table as he pushes his cheek out with his tongue. I feel his feet tapping unde
rneath the table, and my hand naturally goes to his knee to stop the beat. When his eyes rise to mine, they’re a deep hazel that stops the air in my lungs from leaving my body. It’s that look like I’m the only girl in the world– like that’s the reason he was always with me his senior year and not some other chick. His eyes fall to my lips, and his chest rises as his hand goes over mine and our fingers entwine.

  I want to kiss him. Right here in front of the whole band; in front of my brother. In front of Aaron and Zack’s accusing gazes. I want him to act on whatever emotion’s raging in his eyes right now as he stares at my parted lips.

  Joey groans as he stands and my eyes break away from Danny.

  “I cannot wait until we get to our first venue. The driver’s meeting us there, then I’m done with this driving gig,” he says as he stretches and nods up to his bed. “If you guys are staying up, you’re going to have to be quiet. I have to get some sleep so I can get my ass up early enough to get there in time for the meet and greet. Danny, it’s your turn to make the set list.”

  “I should call my girl,” Zack says as he slides off the table and grabs his cell phone. He goes to the bathroom, and we all stare at him as he goes to close the door. “It’s the only private place unless you want to volunteer your room, Lark?”

  “Probably better you’re in the bathroom anyways,” I reply, and he gives me a silly grin before shutting the door.

  Aaron crosses his arms. “You guys are kind of on my bed.”

  Danny throws his hands up and slides out. “Fine!”

  I follow and Aaron strips down to his boxers before pulling the bed down and hopping in. He snuggles up to his pillow, muffling his voice as he says, “Shut the light off.”

  “I guess it’s bedtime,” I comment as Joey climbs into the bunk above the driver’s area and pulls the curtain shut.

  “Big Bang Theory?” Danny asks as I look up at him.

  I smile. “Let me change into my PJ’s first?”

  He nods, and Joey sticks his head out of the curtain to glare at Danny. “You better keep your pants on.”

  “What if I change into PJ pants, does that count?” Danny asks, and he puts his palms up innocently.

  Joey sighs before nodding and pulling the curtain shut. His words are muted by it as he adds, “Door opened, though! And Danny, stay above the covers!”

  When I open the door to my bedroom Danny’s waiting for me–shirtless but in PJ bottoms like he promised Joey.

  He smirks at me. “He said nothing about a shirt.”

  I laugh as I crawl into bed, and he lays down next to me, above the covers. I hit play on the DVD and at some point, we both nod off. When I wake up in the morning Danny’s arm is wrapped around me, resting on my hip and my head is on his bare chest. Aaron clears his throat from the doorway, and my eyes slowly rise to his.

  “Your auto-run coffee pot woke me up,” he says in a whisper as he uncrosses his arms. “Good thing–because I think this would freak Joey out.”

  Danny moves next to me.

  “It’s nothing, Aaron,” he says, his voice rough from sleep.

  Aaron nods and doesn’t push it like Zack would, which I’m glad for. He turns and goes back into the main area.

  “Best sleep I’ve had in awhile,” Danny says without bothering to pull away from me.

  I chuckle, turning onto my hand on his chest. “That’s because you’re usually cuddling my brother.”

  Danny’s eyelashes flutter. “You smell a lot better than he does–even on a good day. Still using that coconut shampoo, huh?”

  “It’s my favorite,” I reply and his chest rises.

  “Mine too.”

  “And you’re still wearing my favorite cologne,” I say.

  “Of course.”

  There’s shuffling from the front, and Danny pulls away from me and gets out of bed. “That sounds like your brother groaning.”

  I laugh as I roll over to pull the pillow that now smells like him closer to me. Danny leans down and kisses my forehead before heading into the main area. A moment later I hear hushed whispers.

  “You didn’t stay in there all night, did you?” Joey asks.

  “No, the coffee pot woke me up, and I figured I’d have it ready to go for you,” Danny replies.

  Joey’s response is a coffee filled, “Mhmm.” And then; “Thanks, man. You going to keep me company?”

  “Sure thing, bro.”

  I smile as I drift off to sleep to the sound of Joey’s humming in the front, and a soft tapping that I know is Danny playing air drums.

  Chapter 13

  “You look like the walking dead,” I say as Joey comes into the living area of the RV. To get the signing on time, he drove through breakfast and lunch.

  Danny looks up from the set list I’ve been helping him with. “Sky’s not joking; you do look like hell.”

  Joey heaves a sigh, looking down at his cell phone. “We have an hour before we need to go in. If you guys want to walk around the mall, go ahead. I’m going to take a nap.”

  Danny scratches his scruff before erasing part of what he’s written down. “I’m good. Never been a fan of malls.”

  “Besides, won’t you guys get mobbed if you go in and someone sees you?” I ask, looking up to see Zack and Aaron are heading to the door.

  “Chance I’m willing to take if it gets me off this bus,” Zack says as he jumps onto Aaron’s back.

  “And I’m apparently his horse,” Aaron adds, rolling his eyes before turning.

  Zack slaps Aaron’s butt. “That’s right, giddy up!”

  “It’s a good thing Aaron’s secure in his manhood,” I say as they head out the door. I see Zack waving his middle finger at me just before the door closes behind them.

  “Why didn’t your manager negotiate for the driver to be in Mass to meet us?” I ask as I watch my overtired brother climb into his bed.

  Danny pulls the pencil he has crammed in the side of his mouth out. “She’s not as efficient as we’d like, but she’s what we could afford. She gets us booked for events like this, which is good. With the concert schedule we’re on, we just don’t have the time to get the word out there like we used to. The good thing is the label does the mass marketing, and we’re being called in to do interviews more often than having to call around for them. It’s just impossible to schedule everything ourselves, you know?”

  “Makes sense, what else is she supposed to do?”

  “Negotiate contracts, like you said, book promotions and shows, help with creative guidance, press kits, manage our social media, update the website, give career advice–basically manage the business end of things for us. It’s stuff we did on our own before, but it’s too much now,” Danny explains. He pushes the set list toward me. “What do you think of this?”

  “Night Owl went Gold, right?” I ask as I look at the list. Danny nods. “Why don’t you start closing every show with that one then? Opening with it is great because everyone knows it–but why not finish with everyone’s favorite?”

  Danny nods. “I like that, so what would we start with?”

  I wiggle my eyebrows at him. “Blame It on Me– whoever makes the set list should use their favorite song to start it. Fans will start knowing who wrote the set lists, which could be really cool for the Killers.”

  “Killers?” Danny asks as he sits back.

  I shrug. “It’s what I call your diehard fans. A lot of bands have success with street teams. You give them a little something extra because they’re always promoting you. Maybe a name and a special forum–the ability to win a chance at skyping with you or what not. I’m surprised Lauren hasn’t mentioned it.”

  I slide the set list back to Danny, and he smiles at me as he shakes his head.

  “What?” I ask.

  “If the guys got on board, would you be willing to help with this street team idea? I’d love to reward our diehard fans and let them know how much they mean to us. We wouldn’t have gotten here if it wasn’t for them,” Dann
y says, and he smiles wide at me. “Besides you’re our biggest fan–so who better to run it?”

  “I’m also your first fan.”

  Danny points his pencil at me. “Excellent point. So you’ll do it?”

  “If the guys think it’s a good idea, too, sure.”

  Danny makes the changes to the set list. “You’re going to be a life saver– I can tell.”

  “Swap out Misfits and Waiting So Long,” I add as I stand. “I’m going to get Joey a latte. Do you want something?”

  He looks down at the set list and draws an arrow to swap out the two songs. “Only if you explain how you figured the transitions would sound better by swapping those out.”

  “How do you know it’s not because I like Misfits better?” I ask as he stands.

  “Because I knew the second you suggested it that it’d sound better that way,” he replies, and I lift my shoulders.

  “I guess I have a good teacher.” Danny follows me out the door, and we head to the mall entrance. “Aren’t you afraid people will recognize you?”

  “No– Zack and Joey people know–even Aaron but not me. I’ve even seen someone wearing our shirt and been like you like them? And the person launched into how much they loved the band– they had no clue who I was. But I like it better this way–it means I can be more normal than they can. I’m not an attention whore like Zack.”

  We laugh as he holds the door for me, and we see Zack taking selfies with a group of girls.

  “Speaking of the devil,” Danny says and Zack waves at us. The girls glance over at us before going back to fawning over him. “See– practically invisible.”

  We fall into step, and I see two girls my age going up the elevator. They’re whispering and checking Danny out. When they see I’ve noticed, they narrow their eyes at me.

  “Not completely invisible,” I comment, nodding towards them.

  “Don’t tell me they were doing that Jennifer thing,” he says, and he puts his hands in his pockets as he looks at his toes.