I swigged another drink, letting the liquid burn its way down my throat.They’re right. It really is no biggie if I just have one.
Heat rushed through my veins, and I could already feel the liquor limbering up my muscles. I grinned as I loped up the steps at the side of the stage, imagining singing in front of the crowd with Jay behind me on drums.
The only thing that would make this better is if Terri were here to see it.
I squashed the bit of angry jealousy flaring in my heart at the thought of her and Mick together.
I’m the one who told her to step out of her comfort zone.Sighing, I finished the drink in one gulp and tossed the cup into a makeshift trash near the front of the stage. I just hoped the painful tightness in my chest would lessen as the night wore on.
Chapter eighteen
Terri Kingston
Mickpulleduptothe curb. “Are you down for another round of Jiu Jitsu next week?”
“Hell yeah.” I slipped my purse over my shoulder. “Thanks for the ride.”
He nodded. “Call or text me anytime. See you in class on Monday.”
I exited the car and took a moment to get my bearings.
Jay’s house, a sprawling ranch-style design, seemed to shine through the dark due to the light beige stucco.
Music blasted from the back, and several people passed through the side gate.
I straightened my spine and strolled along the gravel pathway, following the sounds of splashing, shouting, and an electric guitar.
As I rounded a corner of the house, an oasis pool dominated the backyard, but farther out, near the fence and pool house milled a giant group of people, their attention riveted to the stage.
My stare shot to the guy standing in front of the mic, absolutely shredding his guitar. I couldn’t see who it was because the front of the stage was dark. Two spotlights on either side landed on Jay, the drummer, who banged a heavy beat. The guitar and drums combined into something heavy and wild. It reminded me of the grunge music of the 90s.
“Hey, you said you want it, hey you said you need it, hey you said you’d die a thousand times if you couldn’t receive it.”
The lights moved to the singer, and even though I’d known his voice anywhere, a small gasp left my mouth.
Dressed in black leather pants and a ripped tank, with his hair pulled into a ponytail, Paxton cupped the mic with his eyes closed, crooning out another verse.
I placed a hand over my chest and leaned against the house, well away from the crowd to keep myself in the dark.
Like me, almost everyone seemed transfixed as they watched and listened to Paxton.
He was born for the stage.I’m not sure I appreciated how charismatic or talented he was before.
Several girls moved closer to him, stars in their eyes and their faces lit with smiles.
He stepped away from the mic and began shredding again.
The entire group of students came alive, waving their hands in the air and screaming. Four or five guys formed a mosh pit, running into each other only to circle again.
Pax continued shredding but put his lips to the mic and growled the next chorus, his voice complementing the heavy riffs and numbing drums.
“Who the fuck invited you?” asked a familiar voice.Katrina.
I fought the urge to slink away. “Who do you think, Barbie?”
“Uh huh. Sure.” She sneered, letting her haughty glance slide to my hair, then my clothes, then back to my face. “I highly doubthe’dwant a buffalo like you.”
I am so damn sick of letting this girl bully me. No more.
