Page 37 of Animal Beats

I turn to my best friend. “Thanks. This should be interesting.”

“I have faith in you.”

Guess that makes one of us.

Two hours later, we’ve taken off from the Barcelona airstrip. It’s only Hayden and me on the plane. She looks like she’s about to pass out. Too bad. I’m wired.

I’m not about to rehash the fight over her responding for me. Not like I can change anything anyway. Time to turn the tables and learn what makes my babysitter tick. This information could prove helpful down the road.

“Tell me about you.”

She tries to hide her yawn, but fails. “Excuse me?”

“I said,” repeating each word as if she were a child. “Tell me about your life.”

She huffs. “I’m tired. Can we do this later?”

My head shakes. “Nope. I’m awake and we have nothing to do for the next ten hours. Unless, of course, you want to do something other than talk.” I leer at her.

“I’m not up for any of your games, Río. I’m tired. I need sleep.”

I glance around the empty plane. “Fine. I see some adult beverages over there. You sleep and I’ll entertain myself.” I unbuckle my seatbelt.

Hers is off faster. “You win. I’ll tell you about myself.” She comes to me and presses on my shoulders so I sit. See? I can be obedient. “What do you want to know?”

“Oh, the usual. Where you grew up, all about your childhood, what made you want to get into PR for a rock band.” I wave my hand. “That sort of stuff.” The question of why she couldn’t afford the dress I bought her nags at the back of my mind. I’m sure I’ll find out that answer soon enough.

“So, nothing much, huh?”

I motion for her to begin. “Floor’s yours.”

“Fine. I was born and raised in North Carolina. I have one sister who is nine years younger than me.”

“Nine years? An oops baby or second marriage?” Like my stepsister.

“Oh, my parents definitely wanted another baby. They were thrilled to get pregnant again. I was young, but I have memories of my parents crying a lot. I think they had a few miscarriages, so they were excited to have my sister.”

“Sounds wonderful. My parents separated when I was eight, and the divorce was final two years later. Pop remarried when I was eleven, and they had a kid the next year.”

“We both have much younger siblings,” she muses.

“Well, I don’t talk with mine unless I absolutely have to. I got out of the house with UC when I was eighteen and haven’t looked back.”

Her hand rubs against her chest. “What about your mother?”

“What about her?”

“She clears her throat. “Do you talk with her often?”

“Nah. When we got signed, everyone in the band changed phone numbers, and I simply never gave it to her. You see, I was a pawn during their divorce. Pop had all the money as he was climbing the corporate ladder. My mother was a schoolteacher, so she didn’t make much. I grew tired of relaying messages between the two, so I shut down communications as soon as I could.”

“I’m sorry.” She puts her hand on my forearm.

For some reason, I reach over and put my free hand over hers. We remain like this until I pull away. “How old is your sister now?”

“She’s seventeen.”

“Which makes you what? Twenty-six?” She nods.