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Gabi – Eleven Years Earlier
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“YOU KNOW,” A MALE VOICE said from above, a shadow falling over me, “I’ve always liked a girl with big boobs.”
I was sitting in the park reading and generally trying to avoid going home, when I was so rudely interrupted.
My head shot up, my eyes wide and cheeks flaring with heat, to find a boy with jaw-length blond hair, a leather jacket, and one hand stuffed into the pocket of his jeans, regarding me with blue eyes.
“Excuse me?” I managed to stutter.
“Big books,” he said, holding back a laugh and nodding to the novel I held in my lap. “I said I’ve always liked a girl with big books. Shows she’s not afraid to take on a challenge.”
I wished the ground would open up and swallow me. I didn’t believe for a minute that was what he’d actually said, but there was no way I was going to mention my chest area in front of him.
“Gabriella, isn’t it?” he said, dropping onto the grass beside me. “I think we used to have a trig class together last year.”
“Err, yeah, I recognize you, too.”
“Cole,” he said, putting his hand out to me. A silver ring hugged his thumb. I shifted my book to shake his hand, feeling weird at doing something so formal. His skin was warm and he held onto my fingers for a fraction too long before releasing them. “Cole Devonport. I also play drums in The First and Last.”
“Is that a band at school?” I didn’t recognize the name, though everyone seemed to be making up a band at the moment, thinking they were going to be the next big thing. It was as though they all thought their coolness would be elevated a couple of notches, and therefore their chances of getting laid, just because they picked up an instrument. I mean, anyone with a couple of sticks could surely play the drums, couldn’t they? I kept my thoughts to myself.
“Nah,” he said. “I play with some older guys. Are you sure you haven’t heard of us?”
I gave an awkward smile and tugged on the hem of my skirt to cover my legs. “Bands aren’t really my thing.”
“No? How come?”
I shrugged. “Noisy, with a bunch of guys all trying to outdo each other. What’s there to like?”
“You’re missing the atmosphere—energy and fun.”
I wrinkled my nose. “Hormones and boy sweat. I’ll pass, thanks.”
He leaned back and cocked an eyebrow. “Did you just imply I stink?”
My cheeks heated again. Jeez, what the hell did this guy want? “No, no, I just—”
He clutched his hand to his chest. “Well, now you hurt my feelings, so you have to come. Bring a couple of your friends, if you want. We’ll be on the corner of Tamworth Street and Jackson from seven.”
With that, he hopped to his feet, stuffed his hands back in his pockets and sauntered away.
Bring friends. Now that made sense. He must be crushing on one of my girlfriends, though I wasn’t sure which. Either of my friends could be easy crushes.
As though my thoughts had conjured them, both Taylor and Jasmine came hurrying across the grass toward me.
Taylor’s eyes widened at me. “Did I just see Cole Devonport talking to you?”
“Oh, yeah. I think he was trying to invite you guys somewhere.”
She perked up even further, if such a thing was possible. “He was?”
“Yeah, he invited us along to see his dumb band practice.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me. I hope you said yes.”
“Well, I didn’t exactly get a chance to say anything. He just got up and walked off.”
“Where?” asked Jasmine. “What time?”
I told them.
Taylor let out a squeal and clapped. “Oh, my God. This is so exciting. I know you’re kind of immune to the opposite sex, but you know he’s hot, right?”
I rolled my eyes. “Hot? No. I know he’s totally full of himself.”
“You can’t blame him.” She widened her eyes again. “Like I said, he’s hot.”
“You guys go. I’ve got better things to do than hang out in a noisy garage all evening.”
Jas’s eyebrows lifted. “Err, no you don’t.”
“And he invited you,” continued Taylor. “We’re just the tag-alongs. If you don’t go, we don’t go.”
Jas regarded me. “And if we don’t get to go, we are never speaking to you again.”
I laughed. “Okay, okay. We can go, but don’t expect me to enjoy it. And FYI, I’m pretty sure he only invited me knowing I’d be inviting you two along. No way is a guy like Cole Devonport interested in someone like me.”
“Stop being so down on yourself,” said Jasmine, elbowing me in the ribs. “You’re gorgeous, Gabi.”
My cheeks heated. “Whatever.”
“Anyway,” said Taylor, “you know he’s trouble. He doesn’t even live with his parents, but with Mr. and Mrs. Cowen, who take in problem kids.”
Jas shoved her friend’s arm with her hand. “It’s foster care, dummy.”
“Whatever. His parents couldn’t even handle him, so they had to give him up.”
“You don’t know what you’re talking about!” I blurted.
Her mentioning not being wanted hit a nerve. My mom walked out when I was only little, something that hung over me every day. I tried to tell myself it hadn’t been about me—that I’d only been two, and no real mom abandons her daughter—yet the idea I hadn’t been enough for her wormed its way through me. I hadn’t been good enough to keep her. I hadn’t been cute enough. I hadn’t been well-behaved enough. I hadn’t been loved enough.
Taylor caught the expression on my face and reached out to touch the back of my hand. “Oh, shoot. Sorry, Gabs. I totally forgot.”
I shrugged, trying not to look bothered. “Forget it. I was just saying we don’t really know what the story is, so we shouldn’t make stuff up.”
“Yeah, you’re right. And it doesn’t take away from the hot factor. A little danger is exciting.” She shot me a wink. “It’s not like I’m thinking about marriage material.”
So she was thinking about him.
I didn’t want to admit it, even to myself, but the fact Taylor was interested made my heart sink. She was everything I wasn’t—cute, blonde, confident. A perfect match for Cole.
You’re not even interested in Cole, remember? I scolded myself. The last thing my life needed was to be complicated even more by boys.
***
WE HEARD THE MUSIC before we’d even reached the address Cole had given me, the muffled thump of drums and the scream of an electric guitar.
“Jeez, their neighbors must love them,” said Jasmine, raking her fingers through her silky dark hair as she walked beside me in her heels. I’d opted for sneakers, and felt even shorter than I normally did.
Taylor laughed. “I don’t think they’re the kind of guys who give a crap about the neighbors.”
She was right. The front of the garage was swung up onto runners overhead, exposing the band, and their noise, to the street.
Nerves churned in my stomach, and I told myself not to be stupid. Cole had only invited me because he liked one of my friends, and he probably wouldn’t even notice my arrival.
We came to a halt in front of the open garage. My eyes sought out Cole, and I found him sitting behind the drums at the back, rapping on the set with a couple of sticks. He caught sight of us and jerked his chin in greeting. I gave a nervous smile in return.
The guys finished their song, and the older one who’d been singing called to the others to take a break. Cole hopped out from behind the set of drums and ambled over to us.
“Hey, ladies,” he said. “What did you think of the song?”
“It was loud,” I replied, and he grinned.
“Let me introduce you to the band.” He turned back to the other band members—older kids—nineteen maybe even twenty years old. “Hey, guys, this is Gabriella, Taylor, and Jasmine.”
They all turned to look at us, and I gave an awkward wave.
Cole continued. “The guy with the voice is Ryan, Mikey is on guitar, and on bass is Adam.”
Ryan had greasy-looking, dark, spiked hair and had a hand-rolled cigarette tucked behind one ear. He gave us a nod, and then turned back to his friends, not seeming to care that three school kids had turned up. I quickly assessed the other two. Adam had buzzed short, light brown hair, and a scraggly goatee. Mikey had longer curtained hair, like Cole, but his was a similar shade to Adam’s. All three of them wore jeans and t-shirts with various band names scrawled across the front.
Cole turned his attention to Taylor. “So what did you think so far?”
She tossed her silky blonde hair. “I loved it. I’m a real rock chick at heart.”
His face brightened, and Jasmine and I exchanged a glance.
In the garage, the older guys had lit up a couple of cigarettes and were sharing something from a bottle.
Cole put his hand on the garage wall beside Taylor’s head, half boxing her in, and she gave a smug smile. “So what other bands are you into?” he asked her.
I exhaled a sigh. Yep, I’d been right. He was definitely into Taylor. I’d have to amuse myself by watching her fumble around her knowledge of rock bands, which was limited.
“Hey, Cole,” shouted Ryan. “You want some of this?” He held up the cigarette he was smoking. It smelled strange, herbal, perhaps.
Cole glanced back and laughed. “I’m kinda busy over here, guys.”
When I turned my head, I caught Cole staring at me. He flashed me a quick smile and then focused his attention back to Taylor.
I decided to ignore them. This probably wouldn’t be the last time a guy would choose Taylor over me.
I should probably start getting used to it.