Page 87 of Once Upon a Boyband
I’m not worried about Mimi, but the rest of the calls and messages made me want to chuck my phone out the window by dinnertime.
Apparently,lotsof people saw the local news article and decided now was the time to reach out. I’ve gotten dozens of messages. From college friends, high school friends, even people who claimed they went to high school with me but I don’t actually recognize their names. Five different peoplehave asked me to get them tickets to the concert, one has asked if she can be a bridesmaid in my wedding, and three others have asked if I can set them up with a member of Midnight Rush.
So that’s awesome.
Even though it was the thing that disappointed Dad the most, the lie doesn’t bother me as much because I’mnotlying about how I feel about Adam. I can easily imagine us dating for six months to a year, then getting engaged for real. So alongengagement just feels like a slight exaggeration more than an outright lie.
But havingso many peopleinterested in my life is completely exhausting.
I have learned to protect my social battery over the years, and today, I was completely depleted by noon. Plus, I hate disappointing my dad, and if I’m annoyed hearing from people I actually know, I can’t even begin to think about thestrangerswho are talking about me without wanting to crawl out of my own skin.
I thought getting away from the hustle of concert prep at Stonebrook would help me feel better, but it’s actually made me feel worse. All I want to do is wrap myself up in Adam’s arms and forget that any of this craziness is happening.
If not for Sophie, I might drive back to Stonebrook right now.
My sister lifts her hands to her cheeks. “I can’t even with this,” she says, her voice low. “How are you breathing right now? Elena! You’re freaking engaged to Deke Driscoll! I mean, sort of engaged to Deke Driscoll. But still! That kiss was real!”
I laugh, and it feels so good to focus on the happy, even just for a second. “Pretty wild, right?”
She grabs a pillow from behind her and squeals into it, then seems to realize exactlywhatis on the front. It’s the kind with sequins that push both ways, either hiding or revealing a picture depending on which way each individual sequin is flipped. Adam’s face is on the front, and Sophie spends a minute brushing all the sequins to reveal the entire photo. She holds it up. “Laney, it’s yourboyfriend.His face is on a freaking pillow!”
Ha.On the pillow...and on the wall in three different places and all over the memory board that’s hanging above my bed. My high school bedroom is basically a time capsule. I have no idea why Mom hasn’t turned this room into a gym or an art studio or even just a normal guestroom. But she hasn’t touched a thing since I moved out. Maybe she’s waiting for me to do it? Actually, that’s probably a reasonable assumption. It’s my stuff. I probablyshoulddo it.
In fact, I should do it sooner than later before Adam comes to meet my family. I can just imagine Sophie leading him upstairs to see my childhood bedroom.
“Are you hungry?” Sophie asks. “I want snacks.”
“Sure. But then you have to update me onyourlove life. What ever happened to the guy you texted me about?”
Sophie’s cheeks flush a deep pink as she smiles wide. “He’s averygood kisser.”
“Sophie!” I grab the Deke pillow out of her lap and toss it back at her face. “Why didn’t you say anything?!”
“Oh, I don’t know. Maybe because you were busy telling me about your new boyband BFFs.” She stands. “You want a soda too? I think Mom has some of that zero crap you like.”
“No caffeine for me this late. I’ll never sleep.”
Sophie rolls her eyes. “You’re so old.”
My phone vibrates against the desk as Sophie disappearsinto the hallway, but it’s a number I don’t recognize, so I ignore it and pull up Instagram before leaning back on my bed. But then a text pops up that has me sitting back up again, heart pounding in my chest.
The text reads:Laney? It’s Freddie. Can you answer?
The phone immediately starts to ring again.
“Freddie? What’s wrong?” I say as soon as the call connects. “Is Adam okay?”
“Hey,” he says. “Sorry to scare you. He’s fine. As far as I know. But…he’s gone.”
“What?”
“He left. Left Stonebrook. Backed out of the concert.”
I press a hand to my chest. “Freddie, what happened?”
He spends the next five minutes walking me through the argument that broke out when Kevin showed up at the farm and unceremoniously announced their one-time reunion show was now three shows.
At some point, Sophie comes back in with soda and popcorn and Twizzlers, but she must sense something is happening because she sets everything down, then slowly backs out of the room.
