Chapter One
Coming into senior year, I thought there was nothing left at band camp that could surprise me. But one step into the band room shows me I was mistaken. Past the plastic chairs, black instrument cases, and clusters of excited students is my childhood crush, Max Coleman, chatting with my best friend, Nova.
I freeze at the sight. Mom mentioned his family was moving back, but I hardly let myself believe it. I haven’t seen him in three years. Our parents played D&D together on Sundays when Max and I were in junior high, and we spent countless evenings hovering over board games, watching YouTube, and messing around with D&D ideas we never actually got around to playing. He’d been a great friend…who also happened to be very cute, even during that gangly, awkward middle school phase. And I was maybe, possibly, obsessed with him.
In the past, of course. Not now.
Though seeing him again after all this time is making it hard to breathe.
He points to Nova’s shirt and says something that makes her smile. That, in and of itself, is enough to catch my attention because Nova does not smile easily. Once she trusts you, she’ll be loyal forever, but otherwise she kind of hates everybody.
Before I can get ahold of myself and walk over to them, a very familiar voice snags my attention.
“Hazel!”
I whip around to see my mom bustling into the music room. She takes a moment to smile fondly at the space, like she does every time she walks in. She played first chair trumpet here in high school, and I doubt there’s another alum alive who loves this band more than she does. But that doesn’t mean I want her hanging around. It was one thing when I was a freshman, but now I’m a senior and I don’t need her fussing over me.
“You hurried away from the car so fast that you forgot your lunch!” She holds up the insulated lunch box like she’s holding baby Simba for the entire animal kingdom to witness. “I was almost out of the parking lot when I noticed. You’ll be starving without it.”
I catch Max’s eye for a split second, but he turns away and looks back at Nova. I was half wondering if he’d come over to say hi to Mom and me since he’s also known her for years, but I guess I can’t blame him for not wanting to engage so early in the morning.
“Thanks, Mom.” I take the lunch from her. “I guess I was just excited to get started.”
“Of course you are! I’d be shocked if you weren’t sprinting into the building. Big things are going to happen for you this year, I can just feel it.” She turns in a dreamy circle to fully take in the surroundings. “Good morning, Sire!” she calls and waves to my band director, who was fondly given that nickname years ago since we’re the Glen Vale Marching Knights.
He waves back warmly, but I’m not loving this. Mom (and Dad as well, honestly) is already overly invested in every aspect of band. The last thing I need is for Sire to ask her if she’d like to oversee first-day rehearsals. She has a hectic job as the project manager of a local construction company, but she’d 100percent whip out her phone and call in sick if given the opportunity.
“Okay, well, thanks again,” I say, my voice louder than before. “But I should really start getting prepped and I know you need to get to work, so…”
She frowns. “And you’re sure you don’t need anything?”
“Yep. Totally fine.”
“All right, I’ll get out of your hair, then.” She pulls me into a tight hug, and I wither in her arms. I know she means well, but I didn’t want to start band camp looking like a coddled baby who still needs her mom to bring her lunch and give her hugs.
It’s only after she’s walking out the door that I finally look back at Nova and Max. Except that Max is nowhere to be seen and Nova’s watching me with an amused expression. I race to her side.
“Your mom loves band so much I’m surprised she doesn’t try kicking Sire out of his job.” She stands and pushes hershort hair away from her pale face. Nova isn’tgoth,exactly, but the girl does love her black. She’s been dyeing her already dark brown hair black ever since her mom gave permission when she turned fourteen, and she loves chunky silver jewelry and fitted black clothes.
“You talked to Max?”
She glances around in confusion. “The guy from a few minutes ago?”
“Yeah. He’s the one I told you about before. Remember, the kid who used to come to my house all the time in junior high?”
“Wait,that’sthe same kid?” She shakes her head in surprise. “He came up and started talking to me about D&D after seeing the mind flayer on my shirt. You know I hate when strangers talk to me, but…” She purses her lips like she’s debating. “He actually wasn’t the worst.”
Whoa, high praise. I need all the details of their conversation, and I need themnow,someplace where no one else can overhear us. I’ll feel more comfortable talking to him myself once I’m better prepared for what to expect. I motion Nova to the instrument closet, careful to pick my way past the large black cases on the ground. Luckily, as section leaders, we’re both here early enough that the space isn’t overrun with people yet.
“What did he say?” I ask her, trying and completely failing to keep the high-pitched intensity out of my voice.
Where Nova is all blasé energy and sleek dark lines, I’m high emotions and wild hair. I admire her ability to be calm and cool under any circumstances, but I’ve never been able to copy that. I have a hard time hiding how I feel. Or hidingin general, given that my hair is curly (and usually frizzy) enough that people need to give me extra space when walking past my desk in a classroom.
She crosses her arms and eyes me. “Calm down, we didn’t talk for long. Are you still breathing? You look sick.”
I give a strangled laugh and lean against the metal shelving that lines the wall. “Sorry. It’s just…he’s back. He’shere.He could be standing on the other side of that door as we speak.”
We both turn to look at the door, but thankfully it doesn’t magically swing open to reveal Max’s gray eyes and wavy black hair.
