Page 6 of The Drummer's Heart

“On Maple,” I said.

“I live on Chaste. Not far from you.”

She started walking, so I followed.I guess we’re walking home together now?

“You’re really good on the drums,” she said after a moment.

“Thank you.”

“I hope you realize I’m not just saying that. The other guys—they’re playing around. But I feel like you could really do something with this. I hope you do.”

“Well, thank you. Not a lot of people tell me that. Certainly not my family. Even if they think I’m good, they’d neverencourage me to go for it. My parents and sister think it’s completely stupid to pursue music seriously. They think it’s even stupider that I chose not to go to college.”

“Not everyone goes to college.” She shrugged.

“I haven’t decided what I want to study, other than music. So it kind of felt like a waste of money right out of high school if I didn’t have a clear path. Couldn’t afford Berklee College of Music, which was the only school I might’ve wanted to attend.”

“Well, college will always be there…”

“That’s the way I see it.” I sighed. “Anyway, if the music thing doesn’t pan out, I’m thinking I might become a plumber. So that would be more vocational school.”

She nodded. “They make a really good living. My uncle on my dad’s side is a plumber. You should see his house.”

“I’m hoping for a future as a musician, though. It would be nice to do what I love for a living. But that’s not always possible.”

“You have to learn to tune out the naysayers. But also, don’t tell others about your dreams. Keep them close to your heart where no one can shit on them.”

“That’s interesting…”

“My grandmother taught me that. She says there’s a lot of power in belief. And when other people get in your head, it feeds the doubt. If you don’t tell anyone, that can’t happen. They can’t ruin it for you.”

“That makes a lot of sense. I’ll try that. Although, I just toldyouabout my dream. Does that jinx me?”

“You got lucky with me.” She winked. “Just don’t tell anyone else.”

This girl gave me a strange feeling—in a good way. Like a ghost or an angel that only I could see, even if I knew she was real. From the moment she entered my line of sight, it felt like she’d been put there for me. That was probably delusional. Ididn’t understand it, except to say that no one else had ever given me this feeling.

We fell into easy conversation, talking the entire way to my house. All I wanted was to see her again, but I couldn’t entertain anything if I didn’t know her age.

“Well, this is me,” I said as we stopped in front of my house. “Thanks for the walk.”

“Yeah. It was nice talking to you.” She fidgeted, blushing a little before she walked away.

Just ask, you moron.I called after her. “Hey, I never asked. How old are you?”

She turned. Her face grew redder as she walked backwards a few steps. “Sixteen.”

Well, damn.

Talk about dreams getting crushed.

Game over.

CHAPTER 3

ATTICUS

Mimi’s new place was a small, one-level home about ten minutes from the street I grew up on in Monksville, New Jersey. She had moved out of the larger house where she’d raised her family and downsized in the three years since I’d been divorced from Nicole.

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