Page 48 of Jace
“And looking damn pretty while doing it–stop glaring at me Asher, you know it’s true. I can only do so much with marketing, you know? If our subject in the pictures was still the non-charismatic idiot Brad, we wouldn’t be as successful as we are now.”
“Just don’t get ahead of yourself,” Missy chimes in, being the cool cucumber that she is. “But a hundred thousand isn't much yet, not if we genuinely want to make it, right?” She gives us all a questioning look, and of course we all nod in agreement. It’s my fucking dream since I was a kid, of course I want to make it. “We still have to look into record labels, we don’t even know ifsomebodywould be interested. I do want to send out some demos and footage as soon as you have some more material. I’m still hoping something will goreallyviral somehow, that would help.”
Ava grabs her iPad from her bag and places it in the middle of the table. “Actually, Asher and I have edited some more videos. They're coming along nicely, I might add. I try to upload a short video or message every day on TikTok, Instagram, and Twitter. So far, TikTok is doing the most for us, especially the posts with hashtags about Jace. You're gaining quite a following online, really. Are you still sure you don't want to manage your own accounts?” She smirks at me, laughter dancing in her eyes. “Because really I’m happy to, but you’re getting some highly inappropriate private requests most of the time. I can only handle so many boob pics.”
I push my hair backward, trying not to grin too much. I appreciate the praise, but I know social media is really her thing. She'd probably punch me if I posted something I wasn't supposed to. I guess I only know how to perform. “I'm prettysure. You're really good at what you do.” Ava smiles brightly at that. “And I don't understand half of how it all works anyway.”
“Youdounderstand that I can also see all the funny slash inappropriate reelsyousend through Insta to one particular popular quarterback as well?” Her eyes shine as we all start to chuckle. I know they all know about my stupid sort-of crush on Ty, but fortunately they just joke about it and pretend it’s just me being my flirtatious self. Which I’m glad about.
So I just shrug with a smile, because it has to be just what it seems, some harmless flirting. And I really don’t mind that she saw that I sent him a reel of some hugging bananas. It was funny. Totally didn't mean it as an innuendo.
As she starts chatting on about different videos and photos we need to take, telling us that we're doing a professional shoot soon–she knows some girl in the art program who's supposed to be good–and discussing it with Missy, I let my gaze wander to Tyler and Kaylee, who seem damn comfortable together at the bar.
I noticed them come in during our show, but instead of joining us at our table like they usually do, this time they opted for some one-on-one time.
It is their weekly Friday date night, I suppose.
And I shouldn’t feel bummed about that, but I do. Because they look much cozier than usual, heads close together, and chatting away about God knows what.
It’s typically not like that. I don’t know much about their relationship. And while Tyler occasionally vents about it, to me, they always seem more like very close friends than a couple. They just don’t seem very couple-like. But that’s probably me hoping for shit that isn’t there.
The truth is, it often feels like I engage in more PDA with Tyler than Kaylee does, except for tonight, that is.
I stare at my beer glass that’s almost empty and fiddle with the rim, somehow bothered by it, but mostly by my own behavior. Because it starts to feel like there’s this big elephant in the room whenever we’re together. We both know it’s sort of wrong, but we just can’t seem to stop. At least I can’t. And maybe it’s unkind of me to keep invading his personal space, to touch him whenever I can, to text him all the damn time, send him those reels… Because in the end he still has a girlfriend.
This fact becomes painfully clear to me as I see them together.
Or perhaps I’m imagining the whole damn flirting thing, and my mind is just inventing scenarios I secretly hope for. It’s a mind fuck really.
Hope… It’s such a fickle thing.
Feeling the need to write this shit down again in one way or another, I grab my notebook from where it’s lying in front of Missy and turn to the blank pages, jotting down every foolish thought that crosses my mind, every moronic fragment of hope that I can muster.
Hope does make for some great lyrics, really.
When a tray with shots appears in front of me, I look up from my trusty notebook to see Kaylee taking a seat in the bench across from me, followed by Tyler. The table had apparently emptied out as I got lost in my work and didn’t notice the rest of the band leaving.
“Hey, Man,” I greet them, smiling at Kaylee and giving Ty an upward nod. I quickly close my book, ensuring they don’t see all the mushy shit that’s in there. “How was practice?”
Tyler shrugs, his broad shoulders straining the confines of a way too tight gray tee, while sliding very close to Kaylees side. “I guess it was okay, nothing out of the ordinary. I did have to do extra burpees because Lamar was being an idiot.” He seems almost nervous, fiddling with his phone on the table. “Maybe I was being an idiot too, now that I think of it.”
I chuckle, wanting to ask what that was all about, but Kaylee interrupts.
“Can I ask you something?” she asks in a soft voice. I shift my gaze away from Tyler, who's been drumming the table with his big fingers.
Oh shit, is this the part where she’s going to confront me? Ask me to stop hanging out with her boyfriend? Which wouldn’t be unfair because, well, I would probably do the same if someone was lusting after my man. If Tyler was my man, which he never would be.
“Sure?” I grab one of the shots. “Is this for me? Because why do I have a nagging feeling that I'll need this for the upcoming conversation?”
She gives me a small smile, and a blush creeps up her cheeks, which catches me off guard. “Sure, take as many as you'd like. So... is it, is it true that Tuck broke things off between you two?”
I raise my brows in question, somewhat irritated. “What? He said that? That's rich. We weren't evenonto begin with.”
“That's what I thought,” Kaylee mutters. “Sorry, it's just stupid how rumors go, you know? But... I was wondering why that was, actually.”
“Why was what?” I grab two more shots and set one in front of each of them.
“Why did you never take him up on his offer...”
