Page 7 of Take What You Want

“Our fifth member.” Hayden smiles at Jane. “Working on a new T-shirt design over there for us?”

Jane scoffs and tosses her dark, loose hair over her shoulder, sending another wave of her sweet scent my way. “You can talk to Carolyn about that one.”Her and Walker’s mom.

“If you’re not doing that, then what are you working so vigorously on over there? Your college applications? The next great American novel?” I tease.

“Please, applications were due last month and I submitted mine much earlier than the deadline. You’d know that if you had applied to any.”

“That’s not my path, LJ,” I say, slinging an arm over her shoulder and pulling her into my side. “Making the ladies scream as I sing onstage is more my speed.”

She makes a gagging sound, and Hayden laughs at her mock disgust.

I’m thrown off balance as she shoves me away and straightens her jacket. It’s her favorite oversized, faded leather coat that flows past her ass. The fabric swallows her frame, as if she’s trying to hide within the folds of it.

I hate it.

“It’s time to burn this,” I say and thumb the material. She bats my hand away and wraps her arms protectively across her chest.

“Shh, she can hear you.”

“Good. Maybe she’ll do you a favor and get lost next time you take her off.”

Hayden chimes in, “That would require Jane actually taking it off which she never does.”

Jane’s cheeks pink but she holds her head high. “It’s fashion. Sorry, the two of you can’t understand.” She eyes our outfits with fake disdain. I know it’s fake, at least with me, because I’ve been catching her checking me out more recently.

Since we’ve started doing more shows, I’ve altered my style a bit. The usual T-shirts and hoodies that have filled out my wardrobe have been exchanged for more unique pieces and brighter colors. Being the front man comes with different expectations and if I can help us stand out amongst all of the other starving artists, I will.

“You sure about that?” I ask her with a knowing smile. “Is that why I noticed you taking photos at our last show when I didn’t have anything under my jean jacket?”

Hayden chuckles as Jane’s mouth falls open.

“I-I take those photos foryouassholes so you have something to post to your social media after the show!”

“If that’s what you need to tell yourself.”

“Screw you.”

“Better learn to come back with something stronger than that before you get to law school. I don’t think that’ll hold up in court.”

Hayden’s eyes ping-pong between us. This isn’t unusual. Jane’s always down to spar with me and it’s just so fun to get a rise out of her and remind her that she’s still a teenager, even if her sights are already on her future.

“You do know that I’m not going to law school to spend my career in a courtroom, right? Not everyone who goes spends their time trying cases.” She cocks her hip out, attitude radiating from the way she stands, and it brings a smile to my face. I like seeing this version of Jane more than the one that hides beneath her clothes and hair.

“Then what’s the point of all those extra years spent in a classroom?”

She looks exasperated as she says, “To help idiots like you from signing away your life on a contract that’s full of bullshit!”

“With the three of them,” Hayden points to me and Walker and Reid, who have moved toward the stage to tweak Walker’s kit. “We’re going to need to keep you on retainer, Janie. No clue what kind of trouble they’re going to get in if we get our shot.”

“Like you wouldn’t be in the mix with our shit,” I tease, giving him a slight shove.

He shakes his head, a look of innocence that is all too deceiving on his face as he appeals to Jane. Just because he’s quiet, people think Hayden is the good one out of us all.

And maybe he is, but he’s already starting to realize how quickly the quiet, broody look works on girls.

“I think you forget I’m friends with you, too, Hayden, and I know if the three of them get arrested, you’re right there with them.” Jane smirks at Hayden’s crestfallen expression and he waves us off as he joins the other two. He sneaks up behind Reid and jumps on his back.

Reid tries to shake him off, and a rare smile reaches Reid’s eyes. I want this to work out even more for us. As much as we all find our happiness performing, Reid seems to smile less and less these days offstage.

---