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“Stop acting like a teacher.” Harmony looks down her nose at me and inches closer to Bo.
Bo lifts his head and smirks. “More like a teacher’s pet.”
“She is Miss Matthews’ favorite.” Harmony exchanges a glance with Bo that makes the inside of my chest hurt. “You’re good with that.” She points at the matte-black instrument.
“Thanks.” He grins and strums the Les Paul again.
“Where’d you learn to play,” she asks him.
“Watching my dad.” His chest seems to expand from her praise.
I like Bo’s dad. He’s my dad’s best friend more than he is the famous lead guitarist for Tempest. But I don’t like how hard he is on Bo.
“Do you have permission to play your dad’s guitar?” I ask boldly, then lose my nerve.
“You use a lot of big fancy words.” Bo narrows his striking gray-green eyes.
I don’t like how he’s looking at me. It traps all the air inside my lungs.
I won’t cry.The before-Bo Peace would tear up like she does when the kids at school make fun of her, but not this Peace. Blinking to wash the sting from my eyes, I curl my fingers into my palms.
“You didn’t answer my question.” I crank up my chin like he often does.
“What question was that?” Bo’s gaze hardens.
I don’t like him looking at me hard. His eyes are usually soft when he looks at me.
I answer him, even though I know he knows. “Did your dad say it’s okay for you to play his guitar?”
“No.” Bo shakes his head. “But he’s not gonna know I did. Unless you blab.”
“Peace won’t tell.”
When Harmony defends me, the tightness in my chest loosens a little. I’m able to breathe.
Harmony is my other half. We know each other better than anyone. Her heart is as big as my mom’s. I know she loves me. But deep down, there’s a part of me, a part I don’t like, that is jealous of her. Unlike me, she belongs in our family. She can sing like my dad, and she’s confident onstage and off it, just like my mom.
“You can keep a secret.” Harmony bumps her shoulder against mine. “Right?”
“Yes,” I say, then jump when our dad hits a high note.
His voice blasts above the complex guitar chords Bo’s father is laying down. With the snaky groove of Sager’s bass, the steady churn of Dizzy’s acoustic, and the foot-tapping beat of King’s drumming, Tempest’s new song is really good.
“Yes or no?” Putting me on the spot, Bo shifts so he’s standing in front of me. His shadow falls over me.
My heart begins to race. I’m not afraid of him. I know he won’t hurt me. Bo acts tough and like he doesn’t care when his dad says hurtful things, but he does care. In fact, I think he cares too much, just like me.
“I don’t want you to get into trouble.” A plea in my eyes, I meld mine to his. He’s so close, I can see the individual charcoal pixels in his eyes that remind me of the intricate designs on my dad’s silver rings.
“So what if I do?” Bo has that angry glimmer in his gaze that appears whenever he argues with his dad. But he’s never directed it at me. He’s acting differently right now.
Is it because of Harmony? Is he going to change his mind and be her friend instead of mine?
“Robert Garrett Jackson,” Bryan suddenly booms.
Oh no!I let out a nervous squeak.
My eyes widen as Bo’s dad appears. Lost in my thoughts, I didn’t notice that the music had stopped. But Harmony noticed. Out of the corner of my eye, I see her dash away down the hall. She won’t get into trouble, but Bo will. I step in front of him, but he brushes me aside.
