Rule 22: You can never follow The Ex nor ask his friends to put in a good word for you.
The next weekend, Sydney was pretty much doing the exact same thing she’d been doing the weekend before: nothing. Unless you count driving around aimlessly as productive weekend activities. Just what was she supposed to be doing on a Friday night anyway, as a single girl? She’d spent the last two years of her life planning her weekend around someone else and now that it was just her, she felt kind of lost.
She’d already tried the party route. It’d been fun, hanging with people outside of school, but the drinking was now definitely on her never-do-again list. If she had such a list. She usually didn’t do things she’d regret since Drew had always been her sounding board, telling her if her ideas were good or reeling her in when she went crazy. Like that time she decided she was going to take horseback-riding lessons and had to start now.
“You’re afraid of horses,” Drew had reminded her. “And the lessons are expensive.”
“But…” she’d said, because she really wanted to ride a horse, maybe bareback on the beach somewhere.
“Why don’t you think it over for three days. If you’re still interested, then do it.”
He’d been right, actually. A few days later, the idea didn’t seem so bright.
Now she had no sounding board. She had no Drew. Would she ever get over him? Probably not, but she was trying to move on and her friends had helped her with that, along with The Breakup Code. It was nice to have some guidance, and it helped get her mind off Drew when she focused on following The Code.
Sydney turned into Scrappe and parked. She was about to get out when she noticed Drew’s truck drive by.
Drew.
Where was he going? What was he doing now on Friday nights if he wasn’t hanging out with her? As far as she knew there were no parties going on. Not that she was in on the party loop or anything.
Sydney jumped in her SUV and left the parking lot of Scrappe going the same direction Drew was. Curiosity was probably going to drive her mad or get her into a whole load of trouble, but rationality was not with her at the moment.
Drew was two cars ahead of her by the time she got onto the street, which was probably a good thing. He wouldn’t be able to see her as easily.
He turned up ahead onto Hilldale, and Sydney slowed, turning behind him. His brake lights glowed red in the early evening dusk as he pulled up to the curb and parked. Sydney grimaced, hoping he didn’t notice her driving by as he got out of his truck. Thankfully, his back was to the road.
He was at Kelly’s house, probably hanging out with Todd. Todd was all right but could get obnoxious.
Maybe she should drop in to visit Kelly.
No. That would be too obvious. Besides, it wasn’t right to use her friend like that. Not that she didn’t want to see Kelly or hang out with her. Sydney picked up her cell from the passenger seat and dialed Kelly’s number
Mrs. Waters answered the phone. “Hello?”
“Hi, Mrs. W, it’s Sydney.”
“Hi, are you calling for Kelly?”
“Yeah.”
“Hold on a minute.” A few muffles sounded as Mrs. Waters shifted the phone from her ear and yelled through the house for Kelly.
Kelly picked up on another extension. “Hello?”
“It’s me.”
“Oh…Syd, hey.”
“What are you doing tonight?” Sydney slowed for a stop sign. “You want to hang out?”
“Actually…I’m doing something with my brother tonight. He asked me to come to a party for the basketball team.”
“Oh.” So that’s what Drew was doing. “Is it a huge party?”
“Nah. It’s at Matt’s house. I guess his parents are going to be there and everything, so…”
“Drew will probably be there.”
“Yeah. He’s here now, with Todd.”
Sydney bit her bottom lip. “Hey, can I ask you a huge favor?”
“Sure.”
“Will you…uh, keep an eye on him for me. I mean, you know, just…” Oh, what was she saying? She was starting to sound pathetic. And obsessed. Like a crazy ex-girlfriend who couldn’t get over her ex-boyfriend. Which she totally was, but now Kelly knew…
“I understand, Syd. Sure. I’ll keep an eye on him, but I doubt he’ll do anything.”
“I know. And it’s not like I have any claim over him now. I just don’t want him hooking up with random girls. You know? He deserves someone great.”
Kelly laughed lightly. “I know.”
Taking in a breath, Sydney said, “Well, I should go. Have fun.”
“Yeah. I doubt it. When do I ever have fun with my brother?”
“Then why are you going?”
There was a long pause before Kelly answered. “I don’t know. Just to get out, I guess. But, hey, we should do something tomorrow. Want to go get coffee or something?”
Would she? Hell, yes. “Yeah. I’ll invite Alexia, too. We’re supposed to hang out. What time?”
“How about two? Meet me at Scrappe.”
“K. See you then.”
Sydney flipped her cell closed and realized she was still sitting at the same stop sign. Before hitting the gas, she dialed Raven’s number. Maybe she was available.
I sure hope so because I do not want to go home to another night of silence.
Raven grabbed her cell out of her bag and left Horace’s garage, the sound of drums and guitars fading out as she shut the door behind her. “Hey, Syd,” she said after seeing Sydney’s name on the caller ID.
“Hi. What are you doing?”
Raven kicked at a rock with the toe of her boot. “Oh, nothing.”
“Good, I’m coming over.”
“Wait. I’m not there.”
“Then where are you? And how can you be doing nothing if you’re not even home?”
Raven groaned with indifference. “I’m at a friend’s house.”
“What friend?”
“A friend friend.”
“That doesn’t make any sense.”
“Yes, it does.”
Sydney gasped. “You’re at a boy’s house, aren’t you?”
“No.”
“Liar! Who is it?”
“It’s not like that.” Raven shifted, hugging her free arm around her waist. The night was still and the rainbow thermometer on Horace’s garage door said it was forty-eight degrees, but Raven was only in a thin T-shirt and her flesh popped with goose bumps.
“It’s Horace,” she finally said, “and we’re just friends.”
“Horace McKay?”
“Yeah.”
“Oh. Well, that’s cool. What are you guys doing?”
The entrance to the garage opened and Horace poked his head out. “We’re ready when you are.”
“Okay,” she said to him, then turned back to the phone. “I’m helping him with his band. I’m…uh, singing.”
“Wow. Seriously?”
“You always did have a great voice, Ray. You’re having fun?”
Was she ever. Singing with the band was a huge rush. Like jumping off a cliff. Not that she’d ever jumped off a cliff. But if she had, she imagined it’d be as exciting as singing with live music thumping all around her.
“Yeah.” She smiled to herself. “I’m having tons of fun.”
“You sound like you’re glowing.” Envy edged her tone.
“I’ve always loved music.”
“It’s more than that.”
Raven leaned her back against the garage wall. “I guess it’s because I’m doing something for myself, instead of for a guy.”
“Or maybe it’s because you’ve found a guy you really like.”
Raven’s cheeks burned with guilt. It was a good thing she was on the phone. Sydney wouldn’t have missed the blushing. “We’re friends, Syd,” she repeated, though she didn’t sound very convincing.
“Yeah,” Sydney said. “Just friends. So listen, Kelly, Alexia, and I are going to Scrappe tomorrow at two. You want to meet us there?”
“Sure.”
“Cool. Talk to you later.”
Raven hung up and was heading inside when her cell rang again.
“Now what?” she muttered, thinking it was Sydney again, but no, it was her mother. Raven checked the guys out through the door window. They were still waiting for her.
“Hi, Mom,” she said.
“A friend’s house. We’re practicing for band.” She wasn’t exactly lying after all.
“Oh, that’s nice to hear! I’m glad you’re getting serious about band. It’s an important school activity—”
All Raven heard was “Blah. Blah. Blah.”
“I know,” she said vaguely. Usually her mother’s conversations revolved around what she thought was good for Raven. So answering, “I know,” was always a safe bet, even if she wasn’t listening.
“When will you be home?” her mom asked at the same time Horace strummed several chords on his guitar. “What was that?”
“Nothing,” Raven said, moving away from the garage. “It was nothing.”
“Was that a guitar?”
“No.”
“Raven!” Hobb yelled out the door. “Come sing your little heart out!”
“Sing?” Ms. Valenti said. “Who was that?”
“No one.” Raven waved Hobb away as she went farther down the dirt driveway, past the cars. She was almost to the road now. No way was her mother going to hear the guitar playing.
“Raven Marie. What is going on?”
“Mom.” Raven took in a breath. Should she lie?
“Are you playing in some sort of garage band?”
Raven let the silence answer for her.
“Come home right now.”
“Mom.”
“No. You get home this very minute. I want to talk to you.”
“No what?”
“No. I’m not coming home this very minute.” She clenched her jaw, feeling anger rise in her gut. “I’m going to practice with the band first and then I’ll be home.”
“I don’t want you wasting your time in some garage band, Raven! You come home right—”
Raven flipped the phone closed on her mother’s screeching voice then turned it off. She was going to be in a world of trouble when she got home, but she’d figure it out then.