"Brendon?"
"Yeah."
"Who knows with him?"
She nods. "You think he'll get over it soon?"
"I hope so."
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Kaylee
Emma (now with hair in the perfect cool shade of red) and I (still dirty blond) arrive at the shop a few minutes after eight. Walker and Dean are quick about insisting we ride with them. And about making conversation. Mostly with Emma. Mostly about nothing important.
They get almost all the way to the 405 then turn left. On Sawtelle. Toward Little Osaka.
Oh no.
I turn toward Em. "Don't tell me."
"Don't tell her we're doing karaoke?" Dean teases. "Okay. I won't tell you that, Kay."
Karaoke. Ugh. I can't sing in front of people. I can't even sing in the shower if I know someone is home.
"We're counting on you rocking some emo songs," Walker says. "Really selling that pain."
Emma laughs. "You can admit you're jealous of guys who can pull off eyeliner."
Walker chuckles.
"You two should do a duet," Dean says. "Which of you is Aladdin and which is Jasmine?"
Uh...
"I won't make a joke about wanting to ride your carpet." Dean winks at Emma. Turns back to the road. Pulls into the tiny parking lot of the strip mall on the right.
The private room karaoke place is right there. I know it well. How could I not? It's the only all ages place on this side of town. I can't even begin to count how many parties I've been to at this place.
And how many times I've avoided singing or only joined in on the big, group numbers.
I love music. I love singing. It's just I don't love singing with other people around. It's too personal.
Songs dig at my guts. They force me to confront feelings deep inside me. I'm not about to do that for show.
Especially not when my guts are such a mess.
Brendon.
Grandma.
My parents.
I don't want to feel any of that. I want it far away. I want to forget everything.
I try to come up with something I can sing, something that will label me a good sport without making me feel anything, as we park and make our way to the karaoke joint.
It's as divey as it's ever been. Narrow halls with bright carpet. Beige walls. Blue doors.