“We got carried away,” Leo tells her.
She nods. “I understand, but please be careful in the future.”
We tell her we will. She nods again and walks off.
Beck breathes a sigh of relief. “Thought she’d give us detention or stop us from practicing.”
“Yeah,” Jasper says. “Some kids back home told me Harrington’s got a stick up her butt, but she’s actually pretty cool.”
“She used to be very tough,” Raven tells us. “But she softened up once her son Damian moved in with her. She completely changed and is more understanding now.”
It’s a little early and none of us wants to stop playing. We choose a few more songs and make sure to keep the music and singing low enough so we won’t disturb anyone.
“So did you have fun?” I ask Raven as the five of us leave the room and head for the dining hall. It’s nearly time for dinner. I didn’t realize we were practicing for so long. I definitely worked up an appetite.
Her face shines. “I had a lot of fun. You guys play really well.”
“Thanks, we try,” I say.
I notice that the guys hang back, as if giving Raven and me some alone time to talk. She must notice, too, because she gives me a shy smile.
“So other than homework, what else is the plan for tonight?” I ask her.
“Probably going to work on the song.”
“We really appreciate you helping us out.”
She nods. “My songs just sit in my notebook, anyway. I mean, I don’t know if they’re good or anything.”
“If they’re anything like ‘I Don’t Need Your Kisses,’ then you have something really special to offer the world.”
She smiles, her cheeks pink. “Thanks. Do you guys want to play professionally or is it just a high school thing?”
I shrug as we reach the dining hall building and stand outside. It’s cold, but it seems the weather doesn’t bother either of us. “I’m not sure. We sound good, but I don’t think we’re a match for anything that’s out there. We barely have views or followers.”
“Right, but that doesn’t mean you’re not as good as everyone else. I think you’re great.”
I wrap my arms around her. “Thanks so much. We don’t get a lot of support back home, so we really appreciate you being there for us.”
“Of course.” She draws back. “Your grandparents don’t support you?”
I rub the back of my neck. “It’s not that they don’t support it, they just don’t think it’s a viable option career-wise. My grandma is very strict with school and expects me to go to college.”
We sit down on the low wall surrounding the building. “What do you want?” she asks.
“I don’t know. We only formed the band last year. It’s fun and everything, but can I see myself doing that for the rest of my life? I have no clue.”
She playfully jabs me in the ribs with her elbow. “You’d make a hot musician.”
“Yeah?”
“Duh.”
I laugh. “Thanks.” My stomach growls, causing both of us to look down at it. “Darn. I should probably feed this thing.”
“Yeah, that’s probably best.”
We enter the building and head to the buffet tables to fill our plates. I load mine with a few pasta dishes, chicken, some other side dishes, and of course dessert. I’m so hungry I really can eat a lion.
