Vincent just nods, chewing cheesecake.
“As if I’d want to be friends with you,” Steven mutters. “You’re a loser. Who said you could sit here? Why are you even talking to us?” he asks.
Max shrugs again, unfazed.
Steven glares at me. “And why are you giving him your candies?”
I open my mouth, but Vincent beats me to it. “Leave her alone, man. She didn’t do anything to you. Go back to reading and remember to count to twenty before saying something mean.”
Steven rolls his eyes but nods.
I draw a question mark on Vincent’s thigh with my finger. He shakes his head slightly—his expression saysdon’t worry, though I’m not convinced.
Then Max’s words register.Both joined the band.My heart skips.
“You did it!” I squeal, hugging Vincent in a bear-hug.
He hides his face against my neck. “It was nothing special.”
“Shut up. You were amazing. You deserve a bear-hug from your best friend.”
He doesn’t answer, just chuckles softly, still holding me.
I turn back to Max. “So I can call you Max?”
He laughs. “Sure.”
Grinning, I settle against Vincent’s side again. “Then we’re friends now! Next step: write a song and take over pop music!”
“Yeah, remember us when you’re more famous than Britney Spears,” Steven mutters, rolling his eyes.
I laugh, stealing a grape from his plate and then I look back at Max. “By the way, Aurora wasrightto call you an idiot. You bumped into her first. I would’ve done the same.”
He laughs. “Fair enough.”
Steven stares at me. “You wouldn’t hurt an ant. Literally. Youtalkto them.”
I throw up my hands. “God forbid a girl’s a fucking girlboss in her dreams!”
Vincent leans in, voice low so only I can hear. “Hey, I think you’re the biggest girlboss in town.”
I smile, cheeks warm, and go back to my fries. Math can wait a few more minutes. I need to make some memories first.
I look up at Max, about to ask him how many instruments he can actually play, when I notice Tim Carter and Stacey Aldrin passing right in front of us, talking quietly—until their eyes flick to my hair, lingering a little too long on the uneven, chopped mess of it.
I can practically feel their judgment crawling over my scalp. I knew my hair looked bad, but seeingthemstare at it like that makes the whole thing feel ten times worse. Suddenly I’m hyper-aware of how ridiculous I might look. I’m ugly and Vincent, Steven and Max might feel embarassed to sit with me right now, but they’re just too kind to say it. Just like Aurora. Maybe that’s why she left.
Before the feeling can swallow me completely, Vincent’s arm tightens around my shoulders, and he tilts his head closer to mine just like before. “You look exactly like Rapunzel at the end ofTangled, you know?” he whispers. “You’re gorgeous.”
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Vincent Cooper
PRESENT (2023)
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"I wanted to have the adoration of John Lennon but have the anonymity of Ringo Starr. I didn't want to be a frontman. I just wanted to be back there and still be a rock and roll star at the same time."
