Page 13 of The Comeback

The sorrow twisting his face looks genuine, but I’m not sure if I can trust it. He is a charming player, after all. “Fine. I can forgive you. Is that what you’re looking for? I’ve moved on. College is so much better than high school. I’m good now. You don’t need to worry about me or feel guilty anymore.” It’s mostly not like high school anymore. That stunt Lauren pulled at the party the other night was pretty childish.

“Can we get to know each other again? I want to, Abby. I miss you.” There’s a raw honesty in his tone that prevents me from getting up and leaving the booth without a backward glance.

I lean back, crossing my arms over my chest. “What do you want to know? I haven’t changed much. Still that geeky music girl you were too cool to hang out with.”

His eyes soften. “No, you’re not. You were always way cooler than me. I’m just a dumb jock, remember?”

“Are you fishing for a compliment or something?” I arch an eyebrow at him. Is the super star athlete feeling insecure?

“No, no. I’m just telling you the truth.”

“Ok.”

“So, you’re in the performing arts program, right? Are you still singing?” His question takes me back to when we were kids, and he was my primary audience. I was always singing to him wherever we happened to be. Playing tag, watching a movie. I was always singing. He’s the only person who never complained about it. It drove my parents crazy, and I got in trouble with teachers at school, but he always listened.

“Not so much anymore. I am majoring in music though. I want to be a songwriter.”

The stark angles of his face soften when he smiles. “That’s amazing.”

“Yeah. It will be…” I sigh. “If I can get through this competition unscathed.”

“What competition?” I glance at him again to gauge his actual interest in the conversation. He’s leaning toward me with his hands clasped on the table in front of him.

“There’s this songwriting competition the school holds every year for the seniors. This year they’ve added a bonus. The winner is going to get an internship with Luminous Lux Records.”

“You’ve totally got that.” I wish I had his confidence in me.

“Yeah, it would be if I could just write the song. I have to perform it too, though.” And it will be some kind of miracle if I can get through that.

He gives me a puzzled look. “What are you talking about? That’s even better. Your voice could calm an angry mob of zombies.”

“Well maybe. If I didn’t puke all over them first.” Although that might keep the zombies away, it’s not going to win me any points with the contest judges or record execs.

“Do you not perform anymore?” he asks with an incredulous look.

“Nope. Not since high school. Most of my school testing is done one-on one with the professors, so that’s not a problem and I have no problem playing the piano in front of a crowd. But ever since…” My mind goes back to that awful day in Junior year of high school when the entire school laughed me off the stage. I’ve never been able to perform on a stage since then. The constant snide remarks in the hallway had eroded my self-confidence by that point. It was so fragile that the incident shattered it completely.

I let him sit there and piece it all together in his mind. I’m not going out of my way to relive that day with him. “Amber. She was such a bitch.” He shakes his head.

“Didn’t you date her?” I ask.

“For like a month. Then I realized what an ugly person she hid beneath all that makeup and the big fake smile.” His face crunches up in distaste, but to be fair, he still hung out with her even after they broke up. “Did that… did that stop you from performing?” He forces the words out and reaches an arm out, before pulling it back as if he realizes I won’t welcome his touch.

“One of many reasons, but it was definitely the catalyst.”

He falls silent for a moment, seeming to be sunk in deep thought as he swirls his barely touched coffee around in the mug.

“I have an idea.” His eyes are shining with hope as he looks at me.

I’m not sure whether to join in his excitement or if I should be alarmed. “Okaaayyyy.”

“I’ll help you. I’ll help you get your performing mojo back if you help me get through that music class.”

“How are you going to help me with my performing?” I give him a doubtful look.

“I can do it. I had some serious anxiety issues my senior year on the ice, but I got through them and came back stronger than ever.” No need to tell her they’ve all resurfaced with my comeback after my injury this year. The tension in my shoulders that only seems to dissipate when I’m around her grips me in a tight hold.

“I don’t know.” The idea is tempting. I know I’m going to need to figure out how to get through this performance if I want to win this thing, but how am I going to spend all that time with him? One class and some assignments I could deal with, but getting up close to help with my stage fright? My mind might be able to resist him, but my traitorous body has other ideas. For some reason, a flush spreads through me every time he’s near. I can’t afford to fall for him, even if it’s just lust. He’s a player, and he betrayed me once. I’d be foolish to let him do it again.

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