by Kate Stewart
“And you never got any better,” she joked.
“Some of us were born to be fans, I guess.” I sighed as I watched the spectacle. My father’s sarcastic and affectionate voice sounded as I began to really pound on the pot. “Maybe that wasn’t such a good idea,” he said to my mother as I went full-on rocker and threw my body into it.
“This is epic,” Reid said with a chuckle, his eyes glued to the screen. “Your parents seem cool.”
“They are,” Paige said fondly. “They really are.”
Mom smiled down at me as I did my best to make more music and let out an insanely loud shriek. “You’ve created a monster,” my father said as my mother looked straight into the camera. “One day you’ll be famous, Estella.”
“Just . . . well, maybe not as a drummer.” My father chuckled affectionately and unseen in the video just as I went ballistic, looking something like a chubby, olive Muppet as I roared on with purpose and gave the pot hell.
My parents laughed uncontrollably, as did Paige, Reid, and I before the video went to credits. It was a message that told me they loved me, to get a day job, and not to quit it—a reminder of my failed musical career. Following the joke, the rest of the credits revealed they were proud of me. I felt myself swell at the sentiment, company be damned, and wiped a tear from under my eye.
“I’m so fucking happy I was here to see that,” Reid said with a smug grin, his intentions on giving me hell at the first opportunity before he flicked his eyes to mine. “Happy birthday.”
“It’s not until Saturday, and don’t hate on my skills. I owned that pot,” I said as I reset my nap-tainted ponytail.
“She tried to play everything, and I mean everything,” Paige said with a groan. “Drums, hell no, she sucked. The piano, well, she bit her teacher. And guitar, God, it was awful. She even got a French horn and tried high school band.”
“No shit,” Reid muttered with playful eyes before he bit his bottom lip to restrain his smile. He’d already given far more than I had seen in the week I’d known him.
“She was awful, but my parents just kept buying her instruments. She finally had to give up when she realized she couldn’t play the triangle for a living.”
I shot her the bird as Reid kept his eyes trained on me. It was there again, the static that whirred in my chest because of his scrutiny. I wanted nothing more than for him to look away.
“But she’s going to be a journalist instead,” Paige informed Reid. “Aren’t you, boo bear?” She smiled with the pride of a sister. “Stella decided to be the Encyclopedia Britannica of musicians and a critic.”
“Really?” Reid raised a brow.
Paige nodded. “Ask her anything, I’m dead serious. Ask her anything.”
“Let’s not ask me anything,” I said through a yawn while I eyed the clock, realizing I’d wasted another day getting nowhere.
Paige nodded toward the counter next to me. “They sent a card, too.”
“Did you open that as well? You know, to make sure you ruined everything?”
“Come on, I had to wake you up somehow and I need to shower. I smell like a burrito. I picked up a shift tonight, so you’re alone again. Neil’s working late, too.” She lifted herself from the couch, looked over to Reid, and held out the remote to him. “I’ll be done in a few.” Reid took the remote from her as if they’d been doing the routine for years. And, for all I knew, they had. Paige and I didn’t talk much once she left home. She always came for the holidays, and when she finally had courage enough to announce that she had a live-in boyfriend, and my parents accepted it, she and Neil began to come around more. Her invitation to let me stay with her until school started was a Godsend due to the intrusive behavior of mom and dad. Still, I couldn’t help the dread that coursed through me at the idea of another isolated night in her apartment.
“I’ll go with you,” I piped. “I’ll try to look for a job.”
Paige furrowed her brows. “It’s a six-hour shift.”
“You could let me drop you off and lend me your car.”
“No way,” she quipped. “I’ve seen the way you drive.”
“I drive just fine.”
Paige rolled her eyes before she turned back to Reid. “She drives like she drums.”
“That bad?” Reid chimed in. He got a fuck you very much scowl of his own.
“Within twenty minutes of her being behind the wheel, she hit a parked car.”
I had little defense. “That was four years ago.”
“I’m not lending you my car, but I will buy you a burrito for dinner,” she called as she disappeared into her bedroom.
You could stay at home all night and write.
Normally, I’d jump at the chance to get a new article done, but I was feeling especially uninspired. I needed to get to a show and fast.
Suddenly alone with Reid, and knowing I would probably have about ten minutes in the bathroom after my sister’s shower, I began to gather clothes from my duffle that sat next to her fireplace. My sister had the Cadillac of one-bedroom apartments, but there was little to no room for guests. And though Neil was nice to me, I could tell he wasn’t exactly thrilled with me being there.
I had no time to grieve my joke of a relationship. I needed money and fast. Austin wasn’t cheap, and it was time for this baby bird to truly fly the nest. My parents’ plan was to pay for two years at UT. We were blue-collar, to say the least. Our childhood had always consisted of just enough money. But when Paige had left home, there wasn’t much in either of our tuition savings accounts. Their intentions were in the right place, but they could never really afford to save. My parents had an abundance of love over money, and I would gladly take their support over anything else.
It had turned out to be a blessing for them when I didn’t get into UT the first few years. Both relief and worry for my future clouded their eyes when we sat down to plan. I busted my ass to pay for my first few years of junior college, while they scraped and saved for the next two years. But we made it work, and I was in Austin. And Austin was where my hopes lie for a start that I prayed would lead me to the career I’d been dreaming about since I caught my first episode of Behind the Music.
Alight with a small amount of enthusiasm, and determined not to let Dylan’s rejection ruin any more of it, I brewed a quick cup of coffee and planned my day. I had little to go on in the way of a job that I would truly want. I made a quick mental list of places I could go within walking distance of her restaurant.
It seemed when my sister left the room she took Reid’s attention with her, which suited me perfectly. He quickly became immersed in TV while I pulled out a pair of shorts, my electric blue Chucks, and Pulp Fiction Tasty Burger T-shirt with Samuel Jackson’s fuck-with-me face on it. I scurried to the bedroom and changed while Paige showered, then ran a brush through my slightly wavy hair, along with a little oil to weigh it down and tame the fly-aways. After applying some heavy liner and mascara, I glossed my lips in loud, pink berry and spritzed my wrists and neck with Paige’s perfume. Reemerging, I found Reid in the kitchen. He paused, a bottled water to his mouth, as he looked me over. “Nice shirt.”
“I agree.”
“You think you’ll get a job dressed like that?” Offended, I took in his jeans, boots, and T-shirt.
“Looks like you did.”
“Whatever you say, little sister.” He brushed past me and resumed his spot on the couch.
I wasn’t looking for an office job. If anything, I wanted to find something at one of the clubs on 6th Street. I knew it would be hard considering I wasn’t of age, but there was no harm in trying before I was stuck taking Tex-Mex orders.
Ready to wage war on a stilted Austin, I flipped through my phone to message Lexi, who was the only person I really regretted leaving behind in Dallas. She’d been assuring me she would come to Austin as soon as I got enough money for a place, and her only job would be to furnish it. She was very much like me in that her mother didn’t have the means to support
her a day after high school. And because her mother depended on her to watch her little brother, a nine-year-old surprise souvenir she caught while vacationing in Puerto Rico, she couldn’t break free and move in with me until he started back to school. And that gave me weeks to make it happen. I needed someone other than my sister, who was busy living her life, to help keep me motivated.
I’m going crazy here. Was this a mistake?
LEXI: Hell no, I can’t wait to get there. Did you get a job yet? Why didn’t you come to Dallas this weekend?
Black Betty blew up. I texted you twice. Broke up with asshole too. It’s been a shit week.
LEXI: You texted? Shit, I’m sorry. I was watching ‘The Rico.’ He’s a full-time job. Jesus, I will never have sex without a condom and spermicide bodysuit. I’m almost positive that’s why my mother has trapped me with him for the summer before she lets me loose in the world. And what the hell with Dylan?
He broke up with me. And that’s on good assumption because we haven’t talked. AT ALL. He just stopped calling.
LEXI: I’m going to kick his ass. I mean it. If I see him, it’s on.
Please don’t do that. And don’t call me. I’m sitting next to a guy.
LEXI: You moved on quick.
It’s my sister’s friend, and I’m getting the prick vibe.
LEXI: No shit? Hot? Take a pic.
Of course, she’d ignored the prick part of the text. For Lexi, that vibe was a neon sign that translated: Stop and graze here! But I had to admit, she held her own with men. She never held her heart on her sleeve when it came to them. Her tough exterior was a force to be reckoned with. She had a philosophy she stuck to: nothing serious before twenty-five. She vowed only to let her hormones run her sex life. Her head ran the rest of it. I was quickly coming around to her line of thinking.
Hell no, I’m not taking a pic. He’s sitting feet away!
LEXI: DO it. I want to see.
To hell with it. I lifted my phone, just as Reid turned in my direction, and snapped a picture.
He arched a brow. “Did you just take a picture of me?”
“Nope.”
I hit send.
He saw me do it. I hate you.
Lexi: FUCKING HELL HE’S HOT!!
Her mother was right to frighten her. Lexi had skipped the moving-on phase of boy crazy. But I had to admit, for a love ’em and leave ’em girl, she had pretty high standards, and was more of a kissing whore. That I agreed with on all fronts. Kissing was everything, next to an opening guitar riff.
I’m done with men for the moment. Really done. D.O.N.E.
LEXI: Fine with me. I’ll come down this weekend for your birthday and snatch him up.
I rolled my eyes as Reid cleared his throat.
I glanced up. “Yes?”
“Did you seriously just take a picture of me and send it to who you’re texting?”
“You’ll thank me for it later.”
His eyes hardened. “I don’t need your help getting hooked up, little sister.”
“Oh? Well, good, because I just registered you as a sex offender.”
LEXI: Do you know who he looks like?!
Defendant number #2345678
LEXI: What?
Nothing. What an awesome plan for you. You come down on a manhunt. Will there at least be cake?
LEXI: SORRY. I know you’re hurting.
I’m okay. I’m brushing it off a lot better than I thought I would. He didn’t give a shit about me. I’m not that stupid. You know what’s weird? I’m more pissed off than hurt. At myself.
LEXI: He was hot and funny at times. But I told you he was a douche. I promise your birthday will be epic. I’ll make sure of it. But seriously get somewhere and call me. I need to decipher whether you’re full of shit or not.
I’m not. And I don’t want to talk about him. It’s weird, but I’m okay. I knew. Deep down I knew.
LEXI: He was a total tool.
A pathetic part of me wanted to defend him. But I knew better.
In hindsight, I think you may be right.
LEXI: I’m here if you need me.
I know. Love you. XO
I looked up to see Reid watching me. “What?”
He pressed his lips into a line, and I had a feeling whatever was about to come out of his mouth might wage war, but Paige interrupted us.
“Ready?” She looked between us, and I was sure she could feel the tension and confirmed as much with a frown before she grabbed her purse from the counter. Reid and I were on opposite sides of her living room, but we might as well have been on different sides of the planet.
Chapter Three
Feel Good Inc: Gorillaz
“Turn this up, please,” I asked from the back seat, still a bit pissed that Reid had no intention of acting like a gentleman or offering me shotgun. It was apparent he’d stuck me into some sort of category where he felt I was entitled to little and better off ignored.
I wasn’t a fan of Reid.
But he got along famously with my sister. Conversations and private jokes were easy between them. In fact, I couldn’t get a word in edgewise.
“Can you please turn it up?”
They both ignored me as my sister drove toward downtown, rattling on about some shenanigans they’d gotten into recently.
I sat back fuming, sure one or both had heard me at some point. When the song was over, Reid slowly moved his hand toward the console and turned up the next song. I narrowed my eyes as a slow-building smirk spread over his face while he glanced my way.
Oh. You. Dick.
And that was when feeling became certainty. I did not like Reid.
“Let’s hit up the pub after work,” Reid muttered.
“Can’t.” My sister nodded back at me.
“Oh, please. I’ve had a fake ID since I was seventeen. You know this, Paige.”
Reid shrugged. “Couldn’t hurt to try.”
“No way, and have those assholes pawing on my little sister? No thanks.”
“She’s safe. You know I won’t let anything happen.”
My next announcement might have come out something like, “I’ve got condoms.”
Paige glared at me through the rearview as Reid chuckled.
“Stop playing the mother role. I’m well versed in penis and vagina. I don’t need you protecting me from anything.”
Reid looked back at me as I crossed my arms like a four-year-old. “Jesus, if I knew you were going to be this damn protective, I would have stayed in Dallas.”
Paige sighed. “Penis and vagina?”
“Well, I’m only going into my third year of college. Experimenting hasn’t started yet, but I’ll keep you updated.”
Reid’s head shot back on a laugh. I ignored him and moved forward, gripping my sister’s headrest as I spoke to her. “What’s got you acting all Mary Poppins all of a sudden? You know I can handle myself.”
“You just got dumped by the lead singer of a band called Meat.”
Pissed at my sister’s inability to keep my private crap between us, I fired back. “And I saw the vibrator in your dresser drawer. Are we going to openly discuss every private detail in front of him?” Paige slammed on the breaks at a stoplight and turned around to glare at me.
“What in the hell, Stella? You’re going through my shit?”
“What in the hell, Paige? You had to mention him? Equally as personal of a detail. Just forget it. I don’t want to go out with you. I’ll get the key and take a cab home.”
“You don’t have any money,” she snapped.
“I’ll find some. Green light.”
I pointed to the neon light in front of us just as someone sounded their horn. The car stayed quiet until we pulled up to El Plato Cantina—The Plate Bar. The dumbest damn name for a Tex-Mex restaurant imaginable. It was obvious the owners were white and had thrown the title together without much thought before they forked out a fortune to open a restaurant.
Reid pulled two clean aprons from Paige’
s glove compartment as she fumed in the front seat.
“No one’s judging. I commend you for being so adventurous, sis.” I got out of the car as Reid belted out another laugh before he caught a direct chest slap from my sister. She ripped the keys from the ignition, got out of the car, and then laid into me.
“Stay out of my crap!”
“I’m not going through your crap. I had just laundered your underwear and was putting it away when I stumbled upon it. You really should invest in something a little more risqué.”
Reid struggled to tie his apron on with the burden of his cast. I was just about to ask him how he could possibly wait tables and thought better of it when my sister slapped me with a dose of unnecessary tough love.
“Maybe it wasn’t such a good idea for you to come here.”
Hurt, and more than pissed off, I gave as good as I got. “Really, Paige? You’re going to turn on me that fast? For someone so concerned for my well-being, you had no issue making me feel unwelcome in a city I’m unfamiliar with. And instead of helping me, you spend the last hour making jokes at my expense with your best friend and telling him shit about me that’s none of his business!”
“Ladies,” Reid said carefully, eyeing us over the roof of the car.
“You stay out of it,” I snapped as he held up his hands, looking more bored than defensive. Paige was just about to go off again when I stopped her. “Don’t worry about it. I’ll be out with my first paycheck.”
“Stella—”
I was already walking toward . . . well, I had no idea, but I would have a job by the time I went back to her place. “Sorry about the interruption, Paige. I’ll let you get back to your amazing life!”
“A little dramatic, don’t you think?” she retorted. “But that’s you, isn’t it, Stella? Always the drama queen. Maybe that’s why—”
I turned back to glare at her so fast, it caused one of those horrific burns to spark and fizzle up the back of my head. “Really? That’s why my boyfriend dumped me? Is that what you were about to say?”