Page 43 of Spark

I shift my weight. “Even if Cooper’s lyrics are true from his perspective, they’d still only behisversion of the truth. Not Ruby’s. I don’t want to ask her about what Cooper might have meant and make her think I’m anything less than completely in her corner.”

Savage scoffs. “You’ve got far more willpower in this situation than I ever could.”

“Yeah, well, willpower isn’t what you’re known for, brother.”

We all laugh. Savage is nothing if not impulsive.

“All I’m saying,” Savage says, “is that it’s an objective fact Cooper’s song is aboutsomeonewho’s like a brother to Ruby.And that someone, if you ask me?—”

“And most internet sleuths,” Laila interjects.

“Is you.”

I bite the inside of my cheek. Am I fervently hoping they’re right about this? Fuck yes. But I don’t want to admit that to anyone, not even Savage and Laila. Unfortunately, I know for a fact Ruby’s never felt that way about me, and I’m only willing to embarrass myself so much.

I take a deep breath and address Savage. “Hey, have you ever told Cooper what Kai told me about him and Ruby? You know, about Ruby supposedly being ‘desperately in love’ with Kai since the very beginning?”

“No.”

“Are you sure about that, Savage? Think.”

“I’m positive I didn’t say a single word about that to Cooper or anyone else in the entire world.”

Laila raises her index finger. “You told me.”

“Except Laila.”

I roll my eyes. “Could you have said something to Cooper while you were shitfaced? We all know you’re the opposite of tight-lipped when you drink.”

“Why are you asking me this?”

“I’m just trying to get inside Cooper’s head. If you told him, maybe that would make it more likely Cooper’s lyrics are about Kai.”

Savage shakes his head. “They’re about you, KC. I’d bet anything.”

Laila nods her head in agreement and says, “The only question is whether those lyrics are the rantings of a jilted ex-boyfriend or factual.”

We all contemplate that for a moment. But before anyone speaks, my phone buzzes with a text.

“It’s Eli,” I report. “He says the producers have the information from me, and they’ll make their decision about Ruby by tomorrow morning. He says we shouldn’t tell Ruby about this yet, in case the offer doesn’t come in.”

We all agree to keep our mouths shut, and I let Eli know as much in a reply text.

That task completed, Savage claps his hand to my shoulder. “Okay, birthday boy. Let’s get you back out there for a game ofBirthday Truth or Dare.”

He’s no sooner gotten the words out, however, than a new song begins blaring in the adjacent party: none other than Cooper’s viral, smash-hit single that’s been tearing up the charts and wreaking havoc with Ruby’s nervous system for the past three days.

“Who the fuck put this on?” I roar, marching toward thedoor of the bedroom. “Whoever did this is about to get a beatdown from me!”

“Turn that shit off!” I shout as I barrel toward Rex the Soundman. All night long, our tour manager, Caden, has been manning the iPad that’s been cranking out party tunes. But now, it’s Rex the Soundman who’s standing in Caden’s former spot with a smug expression on his face and his phone trained directly on Ruby on the dance floor. Plainly, he’s hoping to capture her reaction in a video. Will he post it? Send it to Cooper? Fuck. I suddenly remember: Rex is close friends with Cooper, dating back to when his band opened for us.

As I cut through the party, on my way to beat the shit out of Rex—or at least, to scream in his face that he’s a massive asshole and this will be his last tour with us—Ruby races toward me, looking frantic. I don’t blame her. This party was supposed to be a safe space for her after the past few days chewed her up and spit her out. Doesn’t this motherfucker realize Ruby’s one-fifth of the reason for his paycheck?

Ruby is shouting something as she gets closer to me, something that’s getting swallowed by the loud music. But I don’t need to hear her to understand her body language. She wants me to make Rex stop playing this goddamned song—probably, to make him stop shooting his video, too—through any means necessary. And that’s exactly what I’m going to do.

Before I’ve reached Rex, Ruby cuts me off at the pass. And when she’s close enough for me to hear what she’s saying, it’s not what I’m expecting.

“Stop!” she screams. “KC, no! Your reaction is confirming the song is aboutme!”

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