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“I don’t know, I’m waiting for them to finish band practice this afternoon, and then I was thinking we’d just chill.”
“That sounds like fun,” I said, my mind flickering to the image of Jackson, singing and playing his guitar. I’d watched him during the concert, but now, after knowing him, something felt…different about it.
And I couldn’t put my finger on it.
“Can I be honest with you?” Maeve’s voice settled as she let out a sharp exhale, picking up her water and taking a sip.
“Sure,” I said, eyeing the waitress. My stomach was growling like crazy, and I only had twenty minutes before I needed to get back to class.
“I think I might love him,” Maeve nearly whispered.
I blinked a couple of times, trying to process what the heck had just come out of her mouth. “I…what?”
“Yeah, I know, I know.” Maeve held up her hands just as the waitress sat our salads down in front of us. “It seems crazy, but I just think…it’s only been two weeks, but it’s been the best two weeks of my life.”
I nodded, my mouth growing dry. “I just…I don’t want to see you get hurt. You always fall so hard and so fast…”
“But Tyson is different,” my best friend argued. “I know he is. And I know that Jackson really rubbed you wrong that night—and maybe he is a jerk—but not everyone is a jerk in the band. Just give them another chance,” she pleaded with me.
I let out a sigh, feeling guilty for passing judgment. “I’m sorry, and I’m sorry I didn’t hit it off with Jackson…he’s just…”
“Everything you hate in a man,” Maeve finished, bursting into laughter. “Like, he’s seriously everything you’ve said you wouldn’t be okay with—but he is a phenomenal musician.”
“That’s the only thing he’s got going for him,” I said, which was mostly the truth. He was also the best kiss I’d ever had…but that was probably because he’d had so much practice…
Gross.
“I think he’s got that misunderstood thing—like, he’s the type that comes across like an asshole, but deep down, they really have something going for them. Like, he might be a total sweetheart in reality.”
“I doubt it,” I snorted, nearly spitting out my mouthful of salad. “I don’t think he’s got that much depth…”
Though his songs do.
Maeve sighed. “Well, I just hope that you can handle being around him sometimes. If Tyson and I get serious—which I think we will—my guess is that you’ll have to see him sometimes.”
My shoulders dropped, but I maintained my smile. “I’ll deal with it for you.”
“You’re seriously the best person in the entire world, Lena. I don’t know what I’d do without you.” Her phone went off, and she picked it up from the table, giving me a moment to inhale most of my lunch. I watched her as I chewed, her cheeks growing red and the smile on her face bright.
Aww, she must really like him.
It made me happy to see her happy, but it didn’t change the fact that I was still nervous about her being with someone with a status like Tyson. He might be a really great guy, but he had a lot of women at his fingertips.
And that was another red flag to me.
Famous guys were just…not trustworthy.
But maybe that was just me.
“So, are you ready for the next semester?” Maeve finally set her phone down, looking at me with genuine curiosity. “You’ve hardly mentioned it at all. I thought you were super pumped for this one.”
My heart sank at the mention. “I don’t think I’ll be going next semester. The master’s program is so expensive, and my scholarships aren’t going to cover enough for me to pay the rest out of pocket.”
Maeve’s face fell. “Oh, Lena. Why didn’t you tell me? I had no idea you were dealing with all of that. What about your parents? Have you thought about reaching out to them? I know they’d probably help you.”
I shook my head. “No, Dad picked up that second job so they could help me finish my undergrad. I can’t ask them for more money. He’s trying to retire now, and I don’t want to ruin that for them. I may just have to teach for a while and then save until I can afford it.”
She was hesitant. “But then you’ll lose your scholarship, Lena.”
