His words had me standing and towering over him. “Don’t call her that.”
Ryan’s eyes widened. “Call her what? Chunky? Isn’t that why she isn’t allowed in that ridiculously prissy school?” Ryan raised his hands. “It’s not a bad thing. She’s hot too.” His gaze landed on my fist and then back to my face.
“Calm down,” Cooper said on my other side as he rested his hand on my shoulder.
I stared Ryan down but thenrealization passed over me. Punching my friend wasn’t going to make me feel better. Punching Ryan wasn’t going to bring Collette back.
So I growled, grabbed my backpack, and headed out of the lunch room.
Once I got to my locker, I punched the metal, allowing the feeling of pain to shoot up my arm. Then I sighed as I leaned against it and closed my eyes. I was an idiot if I thought fighting was the answer to my solutions. If anything, it would just result with me in detention and an extra lecture about keeping up appearances from my dad.
And with the way I was feeling, anything my dad had to say would just tick me off more.
“Are you about done throwing a fit?” Ryan’s voice piped up from behind me.
I opened my eyes and turned to see that he was approaching me cautiously. Feeling defeated, I shrugged and focused my attention on opening my locker. “What do you want?” I asked as I swung the door open and stared aimlessly inside.
When Ryan didn’t speak right away, I peered over just to make sure he was still there. And he was, leaning against a nearby locker with his hands shoved into the front pockets of his jeans. His brow was furrowed as he studied me.
“You made a promise to me, dude. You told me you’d play with my band. I paid the deposit and everything.Where am I going to get someone else on such short notice?”
I sighed as the responsibility to help everyone else but myself settled on my shoulders. Ryan wanted me to stick it to my dad and play in his band. Coach Reynolds wanted me to be a better leader. Dad wanted me to be the perfect Morrison. And Collette? Well, she wanted everything but me.
My life sucked.
Also, I sucked because I’d been hemming and hawing over this stupid gig all week. I’d been avoiding giving Ryan a straightforward answer because I hoped…
Ah heck, I didn’t know what I’d hoped. That my life would magically sort itself out? Life didn’t work that way. “I wish I could but my dad set up this thing with a recruiter. I told him I had something else going on but…you know my dad. He’s a loser.” I shoved my hands through my hair and shrugged. Ryan snorted in a mocking way and it just made the heat under my collar burn hotter. I turned and glared at him.
“What?” I asked.
Ryan didn’t flinch. Instead, he straightened and met my gaze with as much stubbornness as I was dishing out.
“You’re the reason your life sucks, dude,” he said as he reached out and shoved my shoulder.
I glared at him. He had no idea why my life sucked. “Just leave me alone,” I said as I turned to face my locker.
“Why? Man, I’m sosick of your martyr act. You seriously have every opportunity laid out in front of you.” He raised his voice in a mocking manner as he grasped his hands and placed them next to his cheek. “I’m Ethan. My dad wants me to go to Yale and I not only have the grades for it, but the money as well. I’m the quarterback of the football team and a hot ballerina wants me. I have ridiculous talent when it comes to music but my life still sucks.” He blinked his eyelashes a few times.
And I wanted to punch him.
“That’s how you see me?” I asked.
Ryan straightened and cleared his throat as a sophomore walked past, eyeing him like he was crazy. He shot her a smile and then glanced back at me. “Pretty much. You’d get everything you want if you’d just stand up for yourself. Life is hard. No need to make it worse by putting limitations on yourself.”
He shifted and pulled his backpack strap up higher on his shoulder. “It’s pathetic and lame.” Then his expression turned serious. “And my friend, Ethan? He’s not pathetic and lame.”
I stared at him. I hated it, but he was right. Not wanting to admit it, I turned to my locker and focused my attention on the few books I had lined up on the top shelf. So many thoughts were swirling around in my mind and yet I had no idea how I was going to say any of them.
Ryan was right, my problems started and ended with me. If I wanted a different life, I needed to be forward about it. Even if that meant disappointing my dad.
The bell rang and Ryan sighed as he shifted his weight.
“I really hope to see you tonight. I’ll keep a mic open for you. But if not, I get it as well. My life will go on.” His hand landed on my shoulder. “Just know that I don’t think you’re a wuss like your dad does. You’re so much more than a junior senator to his president.”
He squeezed my shoulder and left.
I stood in front of my locker, a turmoil of emotions crashing into me as I tried to process what I was going to do.
