“Like I said, very, very brave.”
Miss Carver walked toward us from the wings, probably trying to get us off the stage since we were holding up the show.
“Let’s go,” I said, moving us out of the spotlight.
“Not so fast.” Miss Carver snagged me and since I held Lacey’s hand, she came too. Miss C pushed me in front of the microphone, covering it with her hand for only Lacey and me to hear. “Please play, Grady.”
She wasn’t demanding it. It was no longer a punishment. She was giving me the choice. I stood looking into her eyes and realized I’d been an idiot about her too. I’d been so focused on the people who didn’t believe in me. But Miss Carver had been supportive, helpful, and trying to mentor me for almost four years.
“Yes, ma’am. I’ll play.” I adjusted the guitar, deciding to sing one of Miss Carver’s favorite artists, Natalie Merchant. “Kind and Generous” is a song about selflessness, admiration, and gratitude. I leaned in, speaking into the mic, “For the teacher who refuses to give up on her students, even when they’ve given up on themselves. Miss Carver, this one’s for you.”
Most of my fellow students had never heard me play. Pretty sure I surprised most of them. The applause was loud and lit. When I stepped away from the spotlight, some students started a chant and it grew. “Gra-dy! Gra-dy! Gra-dy!”
Miss C laughed and nudged me back to the microphone. “Your fans want one more.”
“Thank you. Seriously, thank you. How about we close out the night with a group effort? We’ll need everyone. If you played an instrument tonight, get on up here.” I found Lacey and held her gaze for a long, hot moment. “I’d like to dedicate this song to a young woman who’s learning how to fly. Lacey Trueheart, this one’s for you.”
What followed was a wild, eclectic rendition of “Twist and Shout.” Marching band members jumped in with their trumpets, flutes, and trombones. The drum line got into it. Cheerleaders were flipping. Literally. Some students jumped up on stage, singing and dancing. Even parents joined in.
I searched out Lacey and found her and Tracey singing along at the top of their lungs in the middle of a conga line weaving around the auditorium. The parade with floats I owed her? I was checking it off. This was pretty darn close. I mean, not perfect, but, as it turned out, my girl was okay with that.
When the showcase was finally over and clearing out, I placed the Fender in its case and grabbed both it and Lacey. I needed to say something to Miss Carver, but I didn’t want to let Lacey out of my sight knowing I still had a huge apology to deliver.
I tracked Miss Carver down in the band hall where she was directing the storage of instruments.
“Grady!” She had a frown on her face. “Apparently the admissions counselor from Juilliard didn’t make it due to the winter storm in New York. I’m sorry.”
“It wouldn’t have mattered if they’d made it. Just to prove to myself that I was right about giving up, I applied to Juilliard’s early admissions in the fall and got rejected.”
“Grady…” Miss Carver frowned and threw her hands on her hips. “I swear—”
“Hang on, Miss C. I’m trying to apologize. Recently, someone”—I glanced at Lacey and squeezed her hand gently—“helped me see things clearer. I’ve been listening to the negative voices and ignoring the positive ones. I gave up on myself and my dreams, but you never did. Thank you. It means more than you can know. From here on out, I’m going for it. I’m not going to let negative people or rejection stop me.”
“Every time a student ‘gets it,’ a teacher gets their wings.” Miss Carver’s face glowed like she’d just climbed to the top of a mountain. Considering how stubborn I’d been the last three years, maybe she had.
“Um, Grady…? Holy cow. I don’t think you got rejected.” Lacey dropped my hand and frantically searched through her purse. “Ah ha!” She pulled out a small stack of envelopes and handed them to me. “I can’t believe I forgot.”
Juilliard. Rice. UT. “What the heck? Where did you get these?”
“Chad’s car,” she growled. “There were more, but these were the only ones I could grab.”
“Here, Miss Carver. How about you do the honors?” I handed her the Juilliard envelope. I was happy to hand it off. I didn’t want to get my hopes up again, now that I’d decided to recommit to music.
She tore the envelope open, her gaze moved quickly over it, and then she smiled a huge smile. “You’ve been accepted to Juilliard and offered a scholarship. I told you that you were good.”
“Yeah, you did. Thank you for not giving up on me.”
“I’ll expect an invitation to your college graduation or tickets to one of your concerts or at least accept my Facebook friend request once you’re famous.”
“All of the above. Unless you post weird cat videos. That would make being FB friends a nope.”
“Already a bad boy rock star too big for your old music teacher? Ha!” She swatted at me with the envelope before handing it back to me. “Lacey, you did an amazing job for our fundraiser. Thank you. Now both of you get out of here.”
Picking up the guitar case, I wrapped my free arm around Lacey’s shoulders and led us out into the cool Texas night.
I waited until we stood next to my car before turning to Lacey and even with all the great things that had happened tonight—I knew my most important conversation was still ahead of me.
“Lacey?”
33
I Have Big Dreams & I Cannot Lie
Grady
I opened my mouth to speak, but Lacey placed a finger over my lips.
“I know we both have things to say, but my parents would like to take us out to a late dinner to celebrate.”
“Celebrate what?” Maybe it was their anniversary?
“You, dummy. They were at the showcase and you pretty much blew them away.” It was dark out but the parking lot was lit up with lights and I was sure she saw the surprise on my face. “Is that okay? Dinner at Daniel’s? Tracey will be there but she’s promised to be on her best behavior.”
“Yeah, that’s okay.” I cleared my throat and huffed out a breath. “That’s very okay and I’m starving.”
“Good.”
“I do want to drop by my house first.” My life had come full circle tonight and it felt like the perfect time for some closure. “I’ve got something I need to do. Something to get off my chest.”
“Sure.” Her gaze searched mine. “I’ll be right by your side if you want my support.”
“I’d like that.”
Ten minutes later we walked into my house where Mom and Barry were sitting in front of the T.V. watching the weather forecast. Mile’s car was out front, so he was probably deep into some video game. Chad was out, but after what he’d pulled, that was probably a wise choice right now.
“Hey, Grady. Hello, Lacey.” Mom set the magazine she was flipping through to the side. “How was the showcase?”
“Great. It was great. I’m sorry you couldn’t make it.” My mom’s smile flattened out and her gaze fell away.
“The dealership doesn’t close until eight.” Barry lowered the paper in his hands.
“Sure. That’s okay. I’m sort of over pretending that you actually care, mom.” I shrugged. “You know, I have dreams. Big dreams. I think I have the talent to achieve them. I’m sorry you can’t see it. Or hear it. Or you don’t want to. But I play a damn good guitar. And I work hard at getting better every day.”
“You’re no different than any other teenage boy with pipe dreams about being a rock star.” Barry slapped his paper on the side table and glared at me. “It’s a fantasy. It’s time to face reality and grow up.”
Lacey slipped her hand in mine and held on tight.
“Face reality…” Reality. I looked at my mother’s face—soft and cool with a facade of polite interest—and something clicked.
What was I doing? It was like I hadn’t learned anything. “You know what? We’ve got to go. Enjoy your night. I wo
n’t be out too late, but you don’t have to wait up.”
I guided Lacey outside and into my car.
“Um…everything okay?” she asked, looking at me carefully. “I thought you were going to unload everything. Give them the lowdown on Chad at least. And, you know, confront your mom.”
“Yep. That was the plan. And then you slid your hand into mine and I realized I’ve got everything I need. More than I could ever want.” I felt clear-headed and optimistic and…not alone. “My own family might not believe in me, but I’ve got an amazing self-made family that does. My band mates, my friends, Miss Carver, your family, and best of all—you. I’ve got everything that matters.”
“You sure do, Grady Burnett. You’ve got a lot of people who believe in you. But, still, I wish—”
“Nope.” It was my turn to place a finger over her lips. “I wouldn’t change one thing, Lacey Jane. Okay, that’s not true. I would change the part earlier tonight where I didn’t believe in you. I know I hurt you. I’m sorry. So damn sorry. I will find a way to make it up to you. Or die trying.”
“Oh, I know exactly what you need to do for my forgiveness.” She smiled her sunshine smile with just a bit of Prissy Princess thrown in. “Accept the Fender and we’ll call it even.”
“How is that a punishment?” I ran my hand through her silky hair.
“It’s not. You don’t deserve to be punished.” She lifted her hand, resting her palm on my jaw in the sweetest way. “Chad attacked the little boy who’s dealt with rejection his whole life. But he miscalculated. He discounted the strong person you are now. It didn’t take you very long to figure it out. To trust me. To trust us.”
“I do trust us.” I leaned in and kissed her, loving the sweetness of her lips. Gently holding her face in my hands, I took the kiss deeper. I stopped thinking and simply let everything I felt for Lacey guide me. I had two words to describe the kiss: Earth. Shattering.
“Wow,” Lacey said when we’d pulled away to catch our breath. “You were definitely qualified to write that kissing article.”
“Trust me. You could have written it too.”
Lacey giggled and then buckled in, ready to head off to meet her family.
“So, I feel a little guilty here.”
“Why would you feel guilty?”
“Because I ended up having a pretty great night. I found out I was accepted to Juilliard. Received a scholarship offer. I’m being forced to accept the sweetest guitar I’ve ever played on. Best of all… I’ve got the girl of my dreams. And you got stuck living your worst nightmare. It doesn’t seem fair.”
“Nobody ever said life would be fair.” She reached out and turned on the radio as I pulled away from the curb. “But, I’m walking away tonight with a pretty good haul too.”
I glanced over, smiling at the grin on her face.
“It turns out, hanging out with a certain bad boy has helped this risk-averse girl spread her wings.” She turned the biggest smile my way. “I think it’s safe to say perfect Lacey Jane Trueheart is dead, may she rest in peace. I like to think she’s hanging out with Aunt Mildred somewhere.”
“I told you, Lacey Jane, it feels good to be bad sometimes.”
34
If Wishes Were Fishes
Lacey
A Few Weeks Later…
If wishes were fishes then we’d all be swimming. But nope. Here are the many wishes I must sadly confirm are busts:
I wish I could tell you Chad got his comeuppance. That Grady and I had found a way to engineer his public humiliation. Where every dirty, smarmy act of his was revealed for the whole school to see. That didn’t happen.
First, because life wasn’t a T.V. show. If it were, the F.B.I. would have swooped in and dusted Chad’s fake rejection letters for fingerprints and Chad would be enjoying a nice five-to-ten-year vacay in Leavenworth, Kansas. But this is real life, so with no actual proof, instead of being guilty of mail tampering he was simply guilty of being a butthead.
Second, because Chad wasn’t worth wasting time or energy on. It was like Mr. Jackalope said… You had to feel sorry for him because odds were he’d probably be a jerk the rest of his life. Almost feel sorry.
We did find out that Chad was totally bluffing his butt off the night of the showcase. Effin’ Chad. One of these days I’ll stop being so gullible.
That’s all the time I wanted to spend on negative people. Moving forward.
I wish I could tell you what was going on with Bernie. She’s been acting a little off ever since that new guy transferred in to her auto shop class. Grady seems to have become friends with the guy, but I can’t get any information out of Grady. Maybe I’ll put Tracey on the situation and see what she can find out.
Speaking of Tracey, I’ve got nothing to wish for. She’s the best twin any girl could have. Sure we still fight sometimes. But mostly we’re getting to know each other again. And finding out that we really like each other. It’s nice. More than nice. We’re even talking about rooming together in college. Wherever we end up, we’ll stay connected. We fought too hard to find each other again.
I wish I could tell you the minute I let go of being perfect and let myself take a few risks that I suddenly discovered my life’s purpose. That’s not what happened. I’m still working on figuring out what I want to do.
But I did learn a few things. Important things that have made my life richer.
Letting go of “perfect” opened up more opportunities to grow and learn.
There were lessons with every mistake.
Mistakes I used to be afraid to make.
And there was self-discovery every time I tried something new.
Something outside my comfort zone.
I wish I could tell you Grady and I lasted.
Totally kidding!! Tell me you did not fall for that. Grady made my heart melt on a daily basis. My family was totally in love with him and went to see him perform as often as possible. Mom and Dad were official card-carrying members of the fan club.
Me? I elected myself president of the Grady Burnett Fan Club.
Epilogue
Dear Ms. Jackalope,
I’ve been accepted to my dream school in New York City. Fantastic, right? Except my girlfriend is going to school here in Texas. I’m excited for her since she’s been accepted into a highly competitive Textile Technology degree program. (Yes, my smart girlfriend found a way to combine her love of fashion with her nerdy love of all things math and science.)
The problem is that I hate the idea of being so far apart. I could accept another offer from a college right here in Texas. I could use your wisdom.
Signed,
Big Dreams, Bigger Love
Dear Big Dreams,
How can I put this gently…?
DON’T BE AN IDIOT!
You’ve got to go after your dreams with both hands. If not—if you give up your dreams for someone else—you’ll always wonder. And maybe even grow resentful about what you gave up.
The girl you’re in love with? She’ll be right here in Texas working on her dreams too. And guess where her heart will be? Yep, New York.
Trust her. Trust each other. Trust that your love and respect is big enough to give each other the space to live your best life.
Oh, and that internet you’ve been conserving? Now you’ve got plenty to use to keep your NY to TX connection going. ;)
Don’t Worry, Be Hoppy!
Ms. Jackalope
Also in the Jackson High Series:
THE NERD & THE QUARTERBACK
I had a plan to survive my senior year.
Too bad Jackson High’s star quarterback BLEW. IT. UP.
Last year, I was the most hated girl at my old school.
This year, my plan is to lay low, keep to myself and graduate.
My plan’s working. Until the day I run into Dax DeLeon.
It’s impossible to stay invisible when the most popular guy at school claims I’m his girlfriend.
Did I mention his ex—t
he head cheerleader and the most popular girl in school—wants him back?
Boom.
Now I’ve got a fake boyfriend.
And a target on my back. Again.
But what’s scaring me the most…
If this thing with Dax is fake—why does being with him feel so real?
The Nerd & the Quarterback is a sweet *Standalone* YA romantic comedy about a nerdy bowler, a hot quarterback, a possible case of mistaken identity, a bunny-napping, ransom notes, a failed ransom drop, thievery, and mean girls being mean.
But mostly about a boy and a girl learning to trust.
*Warning: this book has a romance so sweet you'll get an urge to call your dentist.*
Chapter 1 You’ve Got This, Ali Frost
Ali
2nd Quarter Begins, Oct 7, 7:35 a.m.
Please excuse Ali’s absence due to a surprise alien abduction.
Probably not a good excuse.
Holding my hand out over the vent, I let the cool air flow against my palm and between my fingers while possible excuses for skipping school ran through my head. I picked up my lucky Black Widow ball—the one my Nana left me in her will—moved onto the approach, and took my stance.
Ali was absent from school because her emotional support goldfish died.
Eh…maybe my lame excuses were a sign I shouldn’t skip. Although, it wasn’t like anyone would miss me.
“This tune goes out to Ali Frost.” The announcement echoed over the PA system just before “I Will Survive” pumped throughout Bowl-O-Rama along with a “Go, Ali!” and a “Hooah!” from the Flying Aces down on lane seven.
The Good Girl & the Bad Boy: A Sweet YA Romance (Jackson High Series Book 2) Page 16