Chapter 53 Tyrell
TYRELL
I’m fucking late.
I didn’t mean to be. It was just one thing after another, from heavy traffic to an engine mishap and my stupid phone crapping out on me.
It just went dead, and I have no idea why.
I’ve tried charging it, banging it against my steering wheel, begging for it to come back on, but nope.
It shut off and is being a total asshole about restarting.
I’ll have to buy a new one at some point, which is pissing me off because I don’t want to spend the money on it. Unless some tech genius can fix it for me. I’ll try to stop somewhere on the way back tomorrow and see what I can do.
Fuck!
These are all the worst omens, reminding me that I shouldn’t have come.
As I sat there in that garage with my knee bobbing while I waited for the mechanic to fix I don’t know the fuck what, I could feel my chaotic insides breaking down.
I nearly bailed after I saw the cost of the bill.
Paying it with gritted teeth, I emptied a chunk out of my savings account and drove back toward the interstate.
I had a choice then: Turn back to Dallas or keep heading north to Nolan.
I don’t know why, but I headed north, and I’m not sure if it was the right decision.
Ever since I decided to drive up here, I’ve been a stressed-out mess. Dani is consuming me at every turn. I’m going to be seeing her tonight. I think. If she came. I didn’t have the guts to text and ask Tobin, and since my phone’s not working, I have no idea if he’s given me a heads-up.
Shit.
Picking up my pace, I jog across the stadium parking lot. I had to park like five blocks away. The streets are crowded for this thing; everyone in Nolan seems to be here.
The music is already blasting, the sound so familiar it makes my chest hurt.
Atlas used to play this kind of music.
Electric Reverence was one of his inspiration bands. It was just a small indie group back then, but he always raved about them. There was some connection there, but I can’t remember what it was.
I should have remembered that when Tobin and Jed bought us the tickets, but I didn’t. In fact, it didn’t click until Lacey was looking them up and getting all jealous that I was going and not taking her with me.
“One of them used to live in Colorado Springs,” she told me, lifting the screen and showing me an image.
I didn’t recognize them, but something sparked. A memory clicked, and I pictured Atlas raving about this new indie band and their killer sound. Him and that bass player friend of his.
Rhett or something.
Shit, I can’t remember his name.
All I know is that walking into this stadium with the flashing lights and thumping beat is taking me back in time.
Back to a grungy bedroom next door to my house and a teenage boy with big dreams. He’d sit on the edge of his mattress, strumming his guitar and talking about how we were going to travel the world.
He was going to play on stages with thousands of fans screaming his name, singing along to his lyrics.
“It’s gonna be epic.” He grinned at me, strumming his guitar and playing some complicated riff with his agile fingers.
I believed him. Back then, I had no doubts he’d become a rock star. Back then, I didn’t think he was capable of ending his life so recklessly.
But it happened, and now I’m standing in a crowd, watching some other guitarist play a complicated riff while the audience thunders and cheers.
Tobin and Jed bought us tickets in the area right in front of the stage. I could muscle my way through there, but it’s already so crowded, so I linger at the back, wondering if Dani’s down there with them. Wondering what I’ll say to her if she is.
Wondering…
Wondering…
Wondering…
“Tyrell!” someone shouts, and I turn to my right, grinning when I spot a familiar mop of messy blond hair.
“Hey.” I grin, giving Carson a quick bro hug before smiling at Nylah. “I didn’t know you guys were gonna be here.”
“We managed to snag some tickets last week.” She’s all triumphant. “Had to pay premium, but… worth it!” She points to the stage, raising her arms and dancing.
I share a quick smile with Carson before he steps up behind her and starts moving his body in time with hers. Wrapping his arm around her waist, they get lost in the music, and I sway beside them, unable to stand still.
The beat is pretty addictive.
“Hey, Tyrell!” Blake jumps up beside me, kissing my cheek and grinning.
“You guys too?” I spin and pull both her and Grady into a hug. Damn, I’ve missed these guys.
“Nice to see you, man!” Grady pats my back, yelling above the music. “I didn’t know if you were coming.”
“Yeah, I left it to the last minute to decide, and then it’s been a shit show getting here, but…” I spread my arms wide. “I’m here.”
“How long are you staying for?” Blake asks.
“Just the night.”
“Boo!” She frowns while Grady shakes his head.
“Bullshit, man. You gotta spend a few nights. There’s still some space at Football Frat; the last two guys don’t move in for another week yet. You can have your old room back.”
“Really? It’s still free?”
“Yeah, Lincoln doesn’t get back from his summer break until after next weekend. You can have his room—your old room—until then.”
“Wait, did you just say Lincoln?” My eyebrows bunch. “How the hell did you pull that off? Is Carson moving out or something?”
Grady laughs and yells above the music, “We’ve had to instate a No Fleischer rule. Every guy in the house had to sign an agreement and everything.” He rolls his eyes while I tip my head back with a laugh.
“So, you’ll stay?” Blake beams up at me.
“Yeah. Why not?”
“Yay!” She raises her hands in the air, then jumps across to Nylah.
“Thanks for the invite.” I lift my chin at Grady.
“Anytime, man. You’ll always have a place with us.”
The idea of being back at Football Frat feels like home.
And I’ve missed home.
My insides kick with pleasure, the angst at possibly seeing Dani starting to fade as I focus on my friends and having a good time with them.
Guess she’s not the only reason I couldn’t resist coming back.
I’ve got family here too. They may not be blood, but they’re mine, and I didn’t realize how much I was missing them until right now.