41. Chapter 41
Chapter 41
Sloane
A t school on Monday, I can't wait to see Kurt and tell him all about meeting Evan Dando. Kurt is one of the few people I know who even knows The Lemonheads. I'm anxiously awaiting his arrival in AP French, and when he walks in the door, I almost jump out of my seat. "Hey!" I say as he slides his backpack off his shoulder and sets it on the desk as he sits in his chair. "You're never going to believe who I met this weekend."
Kurt looks at me through shaggy black bangs that almost touch his eyes. "Who?" he asks as he pulls out his French book and notebook.
"Evan Dando!" I practically squeal as my voice rises at least an octave.
Kurt's eyes grow wide and what I can see of his eyebrows disappear under his bangs. "Really? How'd that happen?"
I fill him in on the entire story, from not being able to go to the show to waiting around at the hotel and meeting Evan. "He was so nice," I tell him.
Kurt's mouth is agape. "That's amazing. I'm so glad he was cool."
"So cool," I say as my eyes go skyward, and I think about when he sang for us and hugged me. "One of the older ladies who was there took pictures, and I gave her my address so she can send them to me. I hope she does."
"That's awesome," Kurt says. "I hate that you missed the show because I know how excited you were to see them, but meeting Evan is a pretty cool consolation prize."
"Totally! I'm going to get to see them next month at the 99X festival at Stone Mountain."
"Oh, yeah. Isn't that the day of prom?" Kurt asks as he cocks his head.
I nod. "Yeah, I got tickets for Ky and me so we can go there before prom. We may have to leave early, but it starts at noon, so we should be fine."
"You're going to prom?" I hear an irritating voice of astonishment from across the room.
I look up and see Amber's annoying face. I squint my eyes at her, bothered by both her interruption and rudeness. "Yeah," I cut back and turn back to Kurt, but Amber's not done.
"Who asked you to prom?" I don't know if she said it this way, or if I heard it this way, but she says this as if I would be the last person on Earth anyone would ask to prom.
I glare over at her. "Uh, my boyfriend."
I turn back to Kurt. "What's her deal?" he asks, and I shake my head. My blood pressure is rising and I hate confrontation.
"I didn't know you had a boyfriend," she says. I can't believe she continues to press this. "Anyone I know?"
I totally do not want to be having this conversation right now. Or at all. "No, he's older than us and not from here." I turn back to Kurt. My heart is racing because I’m so uncomfortable and just want this conversation to end. I wish I could tell her where to stick it, but I just use avoidance and try to ignore her so she’ll stop talking to me. Obviously, that’s not working so well.
Amber snorts a laugh and turns to Ramsey. "Sounds like an imaginary boyfriend to me." She laughs but Ramsey does not.
"Amber, give her a break," Ramsey says.
Amber clearly isn't done yet and looks back at me. "Is he from Canada?"
Why must she tease me like this? "No-" I start, but am saved by Madame Carney walking through the door.
" Bonjour! " She sings as she shuts the door.
Kurt smiles at me and says so only I can hear, "Don't let her ruin your day. I'm so glad Evan was so nice. What a cool experience!"
I return his smile as I think about meeting Evan and how nice he was. People in this school may make me feel bad about myself, but a rock star just acted like I was cool, funny, and interesting. That's got to mean something, right? I will be so glad when I graduate and get out of this place.
***
When I get to marine bio, Billy and Tyler are already there, and I can't wait to tell them about my weekend. After I fill them in, Billy says, "So, what did Ky think of all that?"
I shrug. "He was okay. I mean, he was a bit suspicious, but that's just crazy." I laugh as I pull my book and notebook out of my backpack and toss it on the floor. "Like a rock star would want to get with me."
Billy gives me a look like I'm crazy. "What?" I ask genuinely curious. I look at Tyler whose smirk echoes Billy's look.
"How friendly was he?" Tyler asks.
I feel myself blush as I look down at my notebook and flip to the next blank page. "He was friendly to all of us," I explain. "I was there with my sister and two friends, and there were four other women in the room. He was just nice."
"Uh-huh," Billy says as he leans back in his chair with a satisfied grin.
"I'm an awkward, seventeen-year-old, high school student, kind of a tomboy, and he's a gorgeous twenty-something rock star who could have any girl he wants. I seriously doubt he even thought of me like that."
Tyler responds, "Or, you're not as awkward as you think." He looks at me, and I feel that flutter I shouldn't feel since I have Ky and Tyler has the sweetest girlfriend. Stupid raging hormones.
I laugh it off. "No, I'm pretty sure I am."
"Well, we all see ourselves differently than we really are," Tyler says. "Ky's into you, and he knows how guys are. I bet it really intimidated him that you went to see Evan and he was so nice to you."
I think about this. "Yeah, I guess you're right. I just…I guess I just don't think of myself that way, and well, I wasn't there to hook up with the guy. I just wanted to meet him. I'm just not that kind of girl, and Ky knows that, or at least he should."
"It's not you he's worried about," Billy says lightheartedly.
"Well, he doesn't have to worry," I say, "because I'm sure I'll never see the guy again. Besides, I'm only seventeen and don't think of him like that." Ugh, why does everything have to be about sex? Can't someone just be nice? Of course, I totally hope I see Evan again because he's an amazingly talented musician who fronts one of my favorite bands. I can’t wait to actually see them live next month!