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“Whoa,” she said, looking startled.
“What?” he asked.
“One of my teacher friends says that all the time,” she said. “I didn’t realize it was a popular quote.”
“That’s my song,” he laughed.
But surely, she knew that. It had been in the Top One Hundred for more than a year. Was she being cute?
“Hers too, I guess,” she said, shrugging.
“No, when I say it’s my song, I don’t mean it like when a good tune comes on the box and you say hey, this is my song. I mean it’s my song,” he said. “I wrote it.”
“What?”
She had narrowed her eyes at him, as if she was trying to figure out what his game was.
“Are you telling me you really don’t know who I am?” he demanded.
Her eyes widened and she stared at him like he had two heads.
“I’m Jubal Ash,” he told her.
Still nothing.
“The rock star,” he added.
“Oh, I’m not really into that kind of music,” she told him apologetically. “Maybe that’s why I haven’t heard of you. But I’m sure your songs are nice.”
Nice?!
Something akin to anger rose in him. Was she making fun of him, or just being dismissive? She had to know who he was. He couldn’t go anywhere in his life without being assaulted by fans from every direction.
“Come on,” he said, marching back into the house.
He sensed her trailing after him after a moment.
Stopping in front of the nearest dome speaker, he waved a hand in front of the sensor.
“Play Way up the Mountain,” he told it.
“I’m sorry, I do not have a song by that title,” it replied in its robotic voice.
“Play Way up the Mountain, by Jubal Ash,” he told it impatiently.
“Playing Mountains of Ash by the Kelleher Brothers,” the dome said brightly.
“Stop,” Jubal told it. “Play music by Jubal Ash.”
Three dots blinked on the dome for a moment.
“I’m sorry, I do not have any songs by Jubal Ash,” the dome said brightly.
“Ober—” he began.
“—the bet,” Chloe reminded him.
Right.
