Lovestruck Summer Melissa Walker (top 100 books to read .TXT) 📖

I’m over being annoyed with him now that I have my new ride. “You’re a good driver,”he says, tipping his baseball hat at me. “Thanks,”I say. “Are you surprised?”“Not really,”he says, walking up to stand next to me and take another look at the Festiva. “So now I can go anywhere I want to,”I say.

66 “And where is it that you want to go?”Russ asks. “Nowhere particular,”I say. “I just mean to shows and stuff. I have to see a lot of music for my job.”At least, I hope I have to see a lot of music for my job. “Oh, right,”he says, laughing a little. “I guess that’s what you did last night.”I don’t say anything. I don’t have to tell him what I’m doing—he’s just the neighbor. I mean, it was nice of him to help me get a car, but he’s Penny’s friend, not mine. Russ walks around the side of the car and peers inside. “Classic!”He chuckles. “What?”I ask, ready to defend whatever he’s making fun of. “This thing has a tape player,”he says. “Yeah,”I say. “I noticed that. I was thinking I could buy one of those adapter thingies and plug in my iPod. They have those, right?”“Don’t do that,”says Russ, looking disap- pointed. “Have some sense of nostalgia. Listen to a tape.”“I don’t have any,”I say, and it’s true. I don’t

67 know if I’ve ever owned a tape. “Stay there,”says Russ, sprinting into his apartment. He comes out a minute later and hands me a dusty Memorex with no cover. “What’s this?”I ask. “You’ll fi nd out on your next car ride,”he says.

68 Chapter 8 On Monday when I drive to work, I put in Russ’s tape. It’s this guy singing in kind of a high voice about a speeding motorcycle—not what I was expecting. It’s bizarrely cool, but I’m not sure who or what it is. Jade’s at the desk when I get to work. “Guess who called,”she says as I walk in. “The Walters?”I ask excitedly. “Better,”she says. “Sebastian.”“He called you?”I ask, feeling my stomach drop. “No, twerp!”she says. “He called Amalgam. He wants to come by this week and drop off a demo of his friend’s band. I told him you’d be here today only.”

69 “You did not!”I say, my face getting hot. “Did you?”“Of course,”says Jade. “I could tell you’re the reason he wants to come by.”“Oh, well, that’s cool,”I say, trying to put on my nonchalant face. “You’re so excited,”Jade says, smiling slyly. “I love it.”I just grin at her and start opening boxes. When Rick comes in around noon, most of the mail is unpacked. “Hey, guys,”he says, scratching the back of his bedhead. “This looks pretty under control. Nice work.”“Thanks,”says Jade. “Quinn is a big help.”She shoots me a smile. “And we were wondering . . .”Jade con- tinues, “if we could listen to the new Walters album that came in last week?”“Oh, yeah!”says Rick. “Let’s put it on.”I guess the album’s not so secret after all. I mouth a “thank you”to Jade when Rick goes into the back. He brings out a CD and pops it into the stereo on Jade’s desk. Then he grabs a

70 rolling chair from his offi ce and joins the two of us as Jade cranks up the volume. When the music starts, I lean back against an unpacked box. The melodies rush over me and I close my eyes. What’s really nice is that Rick and Jade both are doing the same thing, I see, when I peek once around track three. They’re completely still, taking it in, really appreciating the music. They’re even looking at each other, like they’re sharing this intense moment through the Walters. Not chattering over it or doing something else while the songs are in the background—they love it like I do. I can feel it. Suddenly, what I feel is a rush of heat as the front door opens. I open my eyes and see Sebastian there. His pale face looks soft in the afternoon light, and his smile gives me a chill despite the hundred-degree air blast he just let in through the door. Then, track six starts. I hope it’s a good one. “Hey there,”says Sebastian, staring at me. He glances at Rick and Jade. We must look really zoned out. I stand up to say hi, but then I’m not sure if I should shake his hand or what,

71 so I shift my weight awkwardly. Luckily, Rick stands up too. “Hey, man,”Rick says, slapping Sebastian on the back. “Hey, Rick, I just brought by this demo by a friend of mine’s band,”says Sebastian. “They’re called Inspired by Ross. I’ve been spinning this one track for a couple of weeks and people are really into it, but they’re not signed yet.”Of course Sebastian knows Rick. He’s that cool, I think. “Sweet,”says Rick, taking the CD. “Listen, I have to get some stuff done, but let’s fi nish this Walters party later. Thanks for dropping this by, Sebastian.”Rick walks into the back offi ce. Sebastian just stands there for a second, and it looks like he’s about to leave. I’m trying to think of something to say to make him stay, but then he turns to me. “So, do you guys get a lunch break or something?”he asks. “We do!”says Jade, standing up from her desk and talking rapidly. “I have to run some errands. I’m sure Quinn is hungry though. Right, Q?”Best. Wingwoman. Ever.

72 “Sure,”I say. “Let me get my bag.”I follow Sebastian outside and I take in the view. He’s wearing a black Luminous Energy ’07 tour T-shirt with the arms cut off and a pair of tight black jeans. His shoes are pointy leather boots. He looks like a rock star as he swings one leg over his Vespa. He puts on his blue helmet and grabs a smaller white one from the back of the bike. “Hop on,”he says. The wind-in-my-hair feeling in Russ’s truck was nothing compared to