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28
Austin
I’ve stopped sending text messages. Not because I want to but because they aren’t getting through. Neither are phone calls. She’s blocked my number.
I waited outside of Juxtapose Studios the day after it happened, but she never showed up. The second day I had classes all day, but I drove by, on the off chance of spotting her outside of the building. I knew it was practically impossible to see her that way, but I still did it.
Now that she’s not taking calls or text messages, I continue to wait outside of the studio, hoping to see her coming or going. Neither has happened, and it’s been over a week. Heading to Rich Records, I drive in silence, listening to the nondescript buzzing of cars on the streets. Even if I haven’t seen her, I’ve been trying to think of something I can do to apologize. Anything.
But everything always leads back to why she wouldn’t believe me. Back to hiding the truth from her.
“You’re just in time,” Shawn says when I walk into the lobby.
“For what?”
He points across the room, at the building across the street. Turning around, I see the yoga-pants-wearing jogger with her poodle on her leash. “Neon blue today,” Shawn says, chuckling.
“Yep,” I reply, taking a seat in his chair, not paying any attention to the jogger.
“Oh, come on. Nothing?” He swats my arm.
“You should go over there. Introduce yourself.” He looks at me like I’m crazy. “Make up some story about how you’re not really a security guard and then go out for a while until it all blows up in your face.”
He cringes. “Still no answer, huh?” All I can do is shrug. “At least she knows who you really are.”
The comment makes my jaw drop, and I glance up at him, annoyed. “Seriously? Your jokes suck, man.”
“Sorry.” He looks away, leaning against the desk. “What are you going to do?”
I roll my eyes, then let my head drop back, staring up at the ceiling. “There’s nothing I can do. She’s cut me off. I can’t do anything to apologize, much less explain things.”
More silence. I know he wants to be encouraging, or at least supportive, but I’d do anything to somehow forget about everything. I can’t stand that she thinks I deliberately tried to deceive her. But forgetting everything is the last thing I can do because the front doors open and in walks Bret.
I’ve never seen his bandmates, but I can only assume the two guys with him are them because they’re dressed the same way. Knockoff Halloween rock star costumers, complete with wrist-covering black bracelets, chains hanging off of their necks, and pitch-black dyed hair hanging in front of their faces.
“What’s up, Austin?” Bret calls out like we’re friends.
Getting up from the chair, I cross my arms over my chest. I haven’t seen this guy since the lunch, and my immediate urge is to hit him. “What the hell are you doing here?”
“We’re hitting the recording studio,” he answers.
“Are you joking? You’re seriously still going through with this crap?”
He stares at me like I’m crazy. “Still? Dude, this is what I’ve been working toward for years. Some assistant called me yesterday, and we finally have studio time.”
“I can’t believe you. That girl trusted you, and you’re just pissing it all away? For what?”
He starts laughing. “Trusted me? That’s real nice talk for someone who she was hooking up with behind my back, then broke up with me over.”
I step closer, only for Shawn to get between us. Bret’s two friends stand behind him, scowling at me. “We weren’t hooking up, jackass. You two had your own issues.”
“Whatever. I don’t even care, so I don’t know why you do so much. Jade knew this is what I wanted.”
“Yeah. Way to go, ass.”
Rolling his eyes, he lets out a sigh. “Look, you gonna tell me what studio we’re in, or should I call daddy?”
It takes everything in my power not to lunge over Shawn and deck him. Turning back around, I open up the computer on the desk to see the studio reservations for the day. “You’re in studio two.”
