“I try.”
“While I have you guys.Unfiltered Tonightcrew rang—”
“What?” Danger interrupts Oliver.
“Let me finish. They saw the shit that went down with Debt Money online, listened to your music, and they want you on the show for an interview and to do a one-song performance.”
We all look around at each other, smiling like Cheshire cats.
“Fucking yeah!” Lunar calls out, throwing her hands in the air, and we all break out into fits of laughter.
“But you will need to be on your best behavior…noswearing,nochewing gum…” He looks directly at me. “Nofarting!”
I laugh while watching Tillie smirk. “It was the kale smoothies,” I defend myself, and Danger laughs.
“Yeah, your body is cleansing all the shitty food from your gut.”
“My gutislooking better than ever at the moment, thank you.”
“Tillie should know,” Nate calls out.
We all look at him, and I glare while Tillie turns a bright shade of red. My fists clench at my sides, wanting desperately to smack him. She already feels shitty enough because of me this morning. She doesn’t need Nate embarrassing her about us too.
“Nate, bro, cool it, will you?” Matt chides.
Nate huffs and sits back in his chair as an awkward silence filters through the boardroom.
“So when’sUnfiltered Tonight?” Danger asks, breaking the tension.
“He wants you on tomorrow night. You’re filling in for a cancellation.”
“Awesome! This could be a good platform for us,” Nate says.
“Itwillbe a great platform for you guys. So decide what song you want to play, make it a good one… you only get one shot to impress America.”
“Don’t worry, Oliver, we won’t waste this opportunity. We’ve been waiting years for this,” Danger says, and I look at him and nod. It’s taken a lot for us to get to this point, including the band breaking up, but it’s all been to get to this critical point. This one performance could break us into the American market once and for all.
“Okay, well, you guys go and rehearse or something. Get out of here. I’m sick of your faces,” Oliver says, and we all chuckle as we stand. “Tillie, stay back. I want to discuss something with you,” Oliver calls out. I swallow hard, glancing at her, but she avoids my eye contact. She sits back down as the rest of us walk out of the room. I’m last out, so I shut the door and dawdle behind, watching the others as they march next to each other, not noticing I’m still by the door of the boardroom. Once they turn down the hall, I quickly lean against the door.
“So, is it serious?” Oliver asks.
“I don’t know what you mean?” Tillie replies, feigning ignorance.
“You and Ryan.”
She’s quiet for a moment, and then I hear her voice come through like she’s having trouble holding it together. “No, not serious. To be honest, I don’t think he wants anything to do with me anymore.”
Oliver grumbles as my stomach twists.
That’s not true.
I’m just a bit confused.
“Are you okay with continuing to work with him?” Oliver asks.
“Yes. I mean… I think so. Just so long as he doesn’t go back to hating me.”
“Did you have a fight?”
