Chapter 10 Ava #2
Music was where she excelled. Her voice was her instrument, and she had a huge range.
Mia was tall, but I swear her lungs were triple in capacity.
Wade had begged her many times to be his singer in the band, but Mia always refused.
Country rock was not for her. Even when he swore he would change the whole band’s genre and dynamic, Mia said no.
He didn’t know that even though she could sing like an angel, Mia hated the limelight.
Which was kinda odd because she was insanely popular. In our high school choir, she had blended in and downplayed her voice until junior year, when she knew she needed the credit for her application here, so one day, she stepped forward and floored her fellow choristers with her voice.
As I poured canned tomatoes into a saucepan, I listened to her as she was currently singing gospel choir songs. Making the tomato sauce for dinner, I found myself humming along with her as I cooked, the tension from the last few days easing away.
When dinner was ready, I knocked on her door gently. “MeeMoo,” I called. “Supper’s ready.”
The door flung back, and she launched herself at me, arms wrapping around me as she squealed with happiness. “Did you hear me hit that C sharp?”
“Sure.”
“You work for a band and you live with a music major; how can you not even know what C sharp sounds like?”
“Was it the screechy part?” I teased, pulling her behind me as I went back to the kitchen. When she peered over my shoulder, I turned my head slightly to see her frown at her dinner. “Shut up and eat. I don’t care what you’re dieting for, you need to eat.”
“I do eat,” she protested as she picked up her bowl and fork and headed to the couch. “Thank you for steaming the rice,” she added as she sat down.
“Of course.” It was best to let the subject drop. We didn’t need to fight over this. Not again.
“Hey, did you hear about your favorite football player?” Mia asked as she took a forkful of food, her eyes rolling back as she groaned. “Oh my gosh, this is divine.”
“Jett?” I asked. “Wade said he got mugged?”
“Jett?” Mia stopped chewing. “Santo?” Her eyes widened. “When did he become your favorite?”
I squirmed in my seat, uncomfortable that my head went straight to Jett. “Who were you talking about?”
“Dante. Dante Spence — you know, your huge crush?” Mia ate more chicken, her eyes dancing with laughter. “But I’m ready to hear about how he was usurped by a Devil.”
I snorted at the terminology as I shoveled food into my mouth. “Devil’s right.”
Throwing her head back on the couch, she yelled, “Tell me!”
“It’s not important.” Waving my fork at her, I urged her to talk. “Tell me all about Dante.”
“He is apparently newly single.”
My fork dropped. My jaw dropped. My face reddened. “No . . .” I breathed. “Mia, don’t tease me.”
“Yes, I saw it on his Instagram. You know it’s over with if it’s on social media.” Mia laughed lightly. “How long do you think it will take him to get from Alabama to here to knock the door down?”
“Bitch.” I grinned as I picked up my fork. “It could happen,” I said playfully. “I’m sure he has thought about me as much as I’ve thought about him.”
“Ava, the guy’s an idiot.”
“He’s delicious,” I corrected her.
“Ava, you’ve spoken to this nincompoop three times. Each time, he’s been so unbearably dull. I swear I was asleep last time.”
“You couldn’t possibly have been asleep; you were sucking the face off the wide receiver.”
Mia grinned at me and winked as she ate her supper. “Oh yeah, I knew something more fun than listening to him was happening.” Tossing her hair over her shoulder, she looked at me critically. “Three times, and he hasn’t even asked your name. All you spoke about was football.”
“I like football,” I reminded her.
“You’re impossible.”
“When did they break up?” I asked her eagerly.
“I don’t know, his status changed to newly single.” Mia eyed me as she scraped the bowl. “That was delicious.”
Finishing my own food, I shrugged at the compliment. “Needed more seasoning, I think.”
Mia said nothing as she took my bowl off me and went to the sink. “So, tell me about Jett.”
“Huh? Oh, nothing much, just that Wade said he got mugged.”
Mia looked far more interested in that than the object of my desire’s newly single status. “Who, when, where, and what did they take?”
“I don’t know.” Standing, I checked the time on my phone. “Any of it. I’m sure, by the time we come back tonight, you’ll be able to tell me.”
With a shove, my best friend followed me to my bedroom. “Hey, thanks for getting the AC fixed. It was actually pleasant to come home to.”
Should I tell her who she should thank? With her level of interest in Jett, I thought it best not to. “I didn’t do much.” Which was true, I hadn’t done anything. As I got my clothes out for tonight, I listened as Mia told me about her day. It was the most normal two hours I had spent since Friday.
Hoping that I was back to my normal self, I laughed along with my best friend.
Which is why when we left later to meet Wade and the band, I was feeling happier and looking forward to a couple of hours of handing out flyers and listening to some good music.
With Mia by my side and the two of us talking about anything and nothing, all was right in the world again.