Me:Tonight.
Aves: Then I’ll seeyousoon.
I got out of bed and brushed my teeth and put my bathing suit on. Avery would want to swim with me, and we could work through some of the issues that had been brewing between the two of us. My skin that had been bright red the week before had turned into a dark tan. I’d been worried about peeling, which was worse than being pale or burnt. The idea of flaking skin everywhere grossedmeout.
Thankfully, there was Italian somewhere in my family tree that meant I usually just got darker. Genetics mixed with a strict routine of covering my skin with emu oil meant I was ready for another pool day. I just needed to make sure I didn’t fight with Avery and fall asleepagain.
I played around on my phone while I waited for her. My dad was working at one of his companies today, which meant I had the house to myself. I saw a few people post pictures from the show lastnight.
How Owen could manage to look sleazy even in a picture was beyond me. I couldn’t figure out everyone’s obsession with the guy. Carter was looking down in nearly every picture I saw. Matt was hidden in the back behind everyone and his drum set. I saw his face in a few shots, but it was mostlyblurry.
I spotted Rainier in some of the shots. Even in pictures, he stood out. Everyone on the group looked relaxed, comfortable. He looked tense. There was even a picture of him scowling. I wondered if someone captured the moment we locked eyes at the show. I smiled at the thought of that expression being saved forever on somefangirl’sfeed.
“Hey, what are you looking at?” Aves said from behind the couch I was sitting on. I hadn’t heard her come in and I quickly turned off the screen and put it facedownbesideme.
“Nothing.”
“Was thatRainier?”
“No, just some pictures from the show last night. Well, he was in that one. So I guess technically I was looking at him. But I wasn’t like, looking at him.” Yikes, when did I turn into a bumblingidiot?
“You weresmiling.”
“He looked upset. So yes, I get a level of enjoymentfromthat.”
“Okay,” she said with a knowing smile that Ididn’tlike.
“Aves, it’snothing.”
“Okay,” she repeated. “But since we’re already talking about nothing, I spoke to Carter this morning. I guess your boy pissed Owen off pretty good lastnight.”
“He’s not my boy,” Imumbled.
“Of course not. Did you know there was already a band calledTheBand?”
“You mean they’re not the only guys who thought it was awesomelyironic?”
“Nope,” she said, her smile still huge. “Apparently, Rainier is the one who told Owen. He wassomad.”
“Owen’sadick.”
“Yeah, I know. But I guess they’re looking for a new band name and are having a contest to see who can come up with theirnewname.”
“Oh, yeah? What’s theprize?”
Avery’s face scrunched up. “What doyoumean?”
“If it’s a contest, shouldn’t there be a prize for thewinner?”
“I think being able to say you named the band is theprize.”
I laughed. “Oh, yeah, because everyone's dream is to name some crappy garage band from River Valley.” I clasped my hands together andsmiled.
“The same crappy band you were stalking when I came in,youmean?”
My smile fell. “Whatever. Where’sCarter?”
“They had practice this morning, so he left as soon as he droppedmeoff.”
