Page 28 of A Wish for Us

We sat down. The barman nodded at us. “Two Coronas,” Easton said, then thought for a second. “And a couple of tequilas, Chris.”

Easton turned back to me, waiting for my answer. “Don’t know him well. Never made the effort. I’d moved out of home before she’d met him.” Easton nodded, but he looked at me like he was trying to figure something out. “And your mama. You not get along either?” He shook his head. “My mama wouldn’t stand for that. She’d be marching into our dorm room and demanding that I talk to her.” He laughed. “She can be quite the force to be reckoned with.”

“I used to get on with her.” I paused while the drinks arrived. I went for the tequila first. I knocked it back in one, forgetting the lime and salt. “Not anymore.” I hated talking about my family. Hell, I hatedtalking,full stop.

“And what about your da—”

“What’s wrong with Bonnie?” I cut Easton off before he could ask that question. My heart was still racing at even the thought of having to answer it.

He didn’t seem to notice. He took a sip of Corona, then said, “Flu. She went back to the folks’ for the week so my mama could look after her.” He laughed. “I’ll tell her you care.”

“Don’t bother,” I snapped. But inside something in me relaxed. She’d had the flu. Which meant she’d be coming back to school soon.

Easton’s face lit up. “I find it hilarious that my roommate and my sisterhate each other.” Bonnie hated me? I didn’t realize I was frowning until he said, “Don’t tell me that hurt your feelings?” He slapped the table. “Shit! We’ve found your kryptonite. A chick that doesn’t like you is what pisses you the hell off.”

“Not at all.” I waited until he’d calmed down. UntilI’dcalmed down. Bonnie didn’t like me… “We have to work together for composition class. That’s as far as it goes.” I wanted to change the subject. Quickly.

“Okay, okay. I’m just messing with you.” He leaned forward, arms on the table. He was watching me. No, studying me. “I can see why y’all clash though.” He waved at the barman for more drinks.

“Are you going to explain, or just let that hang in the air?”

Easton smiled, shifting in his seat to get comfortable. “Bonnie’s always been a go-getter. Ever since we were kids, she would organize things. Events, stupid little games for the neighborhood kids.” He stared off into the distance for a second. “I was always the one in trouble. The one who got under my folks’ feet.”

“Nothing’s changed there then.”

“True.” Easton clinked my Corona with his. He sighed. “Then she fell in love with piano. And that was it.” He clicked his finger and thumb. “She was hooked. Never went anywhere without her little keyboard.” He huffed a laugh. “Gave me a headache for about two years before she got good enough that I could actually tolerate her playing. Then it was recital after recital.” His smile faded. He went quiet. Too quiet. The silence made me uneasy. “She’s good people. She’s my sister. But she’s more than that. She’s my best friend. Damn, she’s my moral compass. She keeps me in line.” He downed the rest of his Corona and shoved the empty bottle aside. “She’s the better of the two of us. Don’t think anyone doubts that. I’d be lost without her.”

It went quiet. Then Easton looked up at me and smirked. “You, however, are in a shitty mood twenty-four-seven. Never do anything on time. Hardly speak. Keep to yourself. And worse, you play EDM. My sister, wholovesclassical music and folk, has been paired with a dude who can’t play nothing but his laptop and drum machine.”

He pissed himself laughing. I stared at my Corona, thinking how totally wrong he was about me. And he was wrong about Bonnie. She’d seen me. The real me. The one I was deep down inside.

And she didn’t like me? I knew I’d been a dick at times. But she’dseenme. It wasn’t sitting well that she didn’t like me.

Because I was quickly realizing I kind of liked her.

The doors to the pub opened, ripping me from my thoughts, and a few girls walked through. Easton’s eyes set on them straight away. “Yes,” he said under his breath, light in his eyes. “Alex is here.” On cue, a girl with red hair came up to the table and stood before Easton.

“Easton Farraday. Fancy seeing you here.” She smiled, and I took that as my cue to leave.

I downed the rest of my Corona, shot back the new tequila, and put the new beer bottle in the pocket of my ripped jeans. I put the discarded top back on so it didn’t spill everywhere.

“You going?” Easton asked, one arm already around the redhead’s waist. He nudged his head in the direction of her two friends. One of them, a blond, was already watching me, sizing me up.

“I’m going outside.” I held up my cigarette packet.

Easton nodded then took the redhead to the bar. I didn’t look at her friends as I stepped out into the street. I sparked up my smoke then just started walking. I wasn’t going back in. I wasn’t feeling the need for partying tonight.

I was confused. I didn’t want to stay in, but I didn’t want to go out. I wanted to climb out of my skin, just be someone else for a while.

I was sick of being me.

The street was getting busy, people out for dinner and drinks. I kept my head down as I passed some of the students from college.

Older people were walking toward the park. When I found myself on the edge of the park, I looked inside through the railings. Hundreds of people sat on the lawn, most on picnic blankets. I looked at what they were all facing. What looked like a fifty-piece orchestra was in the center of a stage. A burst of applause rang across the park. I squinted, trying to see through the trees blocking my view.

I could make out the conductor making his way onto the stage. My heart took off into a sprint as he brought his baton high and signaled the orchestra to prepare. Bows rested on strings, reeds were brought to mouths, and the pianist laid her hands on the keys.

A second later, they began, in perfect unison. Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony started the show. I pressed closer to the railings. I knew I should leave. Ineededto leave. But instead I saw myself walking to the entrance. A ticket booth was there, a “Sold Out” sign hitched on the main gate.

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