Rowdy Boy

“Tell me the truth.” His voice is darkened, and he looks serious. Not his usual mischievous self. The same way he looked at me in the hallways when he apologized for his friends’ behavior.

“Fine, yes, you are a bad guy,” I reply, sighing. “Happy now?”

He looks at me, dead serious. “No.”

“Then what do you want?”

He leans back in his chair again, casually waving the book back and forth. “Want this? I’ll give it back if you do what I ask.”

Nothing’s ever easy with Cole Travis. “How about you give me back my book?”

“I will …” That familiar smirk comes back. “If you come to my show Saturday.”

I make a face, confused as hell why he’d want me to be there.

“No ifs, no buts,” he adds. “Just be there. That’s it.”

Is this some sort of trap? It has to be. No way would Cole Travis himself invite some random new girl to one of his gigs unless he’s trying to bait me. But for what?

“This is a joke, right?” I ask.

“No joke,” he says. “In fact, after the show, talk to the bouncer. He’ll let you backstage.”

He licks and then bites his bottom lip while his eyes briefly dart to mine, and for some fucked-up reason, I can’t stop thinking about how sexy that was… and how much it makes me think of what those lips would feel like pressed against mine.

I swallow hard. Maybe it isn’t a joke … maybe he actually likes me?

Is that why he’s been such an asshole?

Not that I want to be backstage with a guy like him. The last time I saw him go backstage with someone, it ended in school-wide rumors, and I don’t want to be the next girl in his long line of willing victims.

I sigh. “Why do you want me there? So you and your buddies can jump me when I get there?”

He snorts. “Is that what you think of us?”

“Well, I’ve met a few assholes in my life, but …”

A grin spreads on his face. “None as big as me.” He winks, and for some reason, it makes my heart beat faster as he leans in and places the book back on my desk. Suddenly, the look on his face turns darker. “Believe them when they tell you …”

“What?” I mutter, wondering what he means.

“That’s it, class! Back to your own seats now,” the teacher says, and before I know it one of Cole’s bandmates is tapping his foot right behind me, annoyed that I’ve not moved yet.

“You’re in my seat,” he says, running his fingers through his shoulder-length wavy blond hair.

I haven’t even had the time to move or get an answer from Cole, but whatever. I still get up and sit back at my own table again, but my eyes can’t help trawl off to Cole’s. He’s staring right back at me over his bandmate’s shoulder. But not in a sweet, casual way, no, this stare … this is one that makes all the girls beg. One that says … Do you dare?

But I don’t think I have a choice anymore.

My heart’s already made the choice for me.

Chapter 10

Monica

Saturday

I’m standing at the end of the room, far away from the stage, clutching my phone in my hand. A part of me already regrets that I’m here.

I check my phone and reread the messages Mel sent me. She didn’t have time to come, I asked, but she was busy with her friends. She even invited me to come over too for a sleepover, but I said no because Cole personally invited me.

Because he genuinely wanted me there, and for the first time ever, it felt like he meant it. And I didn’t want to disappoint.

But now I’m starting to regret that decision. I’m all by myself in a club I’ve never been to, with people around me that I’ve never met. No one pays me any attention, luckily, but I still don’t feel like I belong. It makes me clutch my phone even harder, in case I need to call someone to come and pick me up.

Don’t be such a wuss, Monica. You came here for a reason. You can do this. Get over yourself.

I swallow hard and approach the crowd. Cole and his bandmates are already on stage, as I came late because I was still going back and forth with myself about whether I was going to go or not, seeing how it went last time. I’m glad I made it in time for their last act, though.

Cole’s looking at the crowd with so much joy in his eyes. It’s clear he loves doing this. Being a rock star is his thing. The way he shakes his body to the rhythm between singing his notes gets the crowd going, and when he throws off his shirt and chucks it at a girl, she goes nuts, along with all the other squealing girls in the crowd.