Page 78 of Chasing Lyric
And why the hell do Dax and Chase have the same surname?
This is going to be an interesting night.
Chapter Fifteen
LYRIC
Three hours, two wines, four tequilas, and a Jäger bomb later—I like Dax. In fact, I like everyone at the bar. The four of us are having the best time. We’re laughing, talking about the flaws in our favorite television shows, and generally discussing the things we want to do in our lives but would never have the guts to actually do.
“I want to bungee jump in New Zealand,” Dax admits.
I widen my eyes in shock. “I’m surprised you haven’t bungee jumped already. You really look the type.”
He scoffs. “There’s a type?”
I roll my shoulders in a shrug. “I mean, the long hair, the surfer necklace, the rock ‘n’ roll nothing-can-touch-me vibe… yeah, you seem like a daredevil.”
He chuckles, and so does Chase. “I think you read him completely wrong, Starlight.”
I’m confused.“What? Why?”
“Dax is scared of heights.”
I gasp, turning to face him as he dips his head in agreement while Rory snickers. “No fucking way! Why the hell would you wanna bungee jump, then?”
Dax exhales. “To push my limits.” He grins. “I like living on the edge.”
Rory holds onto Dax’s arm. “I wanna get on a stage and perform a pole dancing routine,” she yells out, just as the people doing karaoke finish their song, and the room goes quiet.
Everyone turns around. Her cheeks flush crimson as the crowd bursts out cheering. Dax dips his head, seeming impressed by her. Rory might dress and appear innocent, but Iknow from spending a lot of alone time with her that the saying of‘you have to watch out for the quiet ones’is one hundred percent true.
Another terrible singer starts, and I cringe as Chase watches me intently. So, I turn to him. “What doyouwanna do, Chase?”
He sits back in his chair, taking another drink of his soda water. “I want to get out from under my father’s grip.”
We all focus our attention on him, especially Dax, who looks like he hadnoidea that little tidbit was coming. “Shit, bro…that’sheavy.”
Chase clears his throat, then throws back the remnants of his soda water. Then his eyes meet mine. “Starlight, what doyouwant?” he asks as the drunk guy on stage completely butchers a Shawn Mendes ballad.
I glance at the stage in my drunken state. “I want to get up on stage and show these drunken fools how toreallysing karaoke.”
Chase’s face lights up like I’ve said the best thing in the world. He leans in, pressing a kiss to my cheek. “Well, c’mon then, let’s get you on stage. Where you’re meant to be.”
My stomach flutters. I don’t know whether it’s nerves or knowing I shouldn’t be getting up there, but I’m drunk, I don’t care, and it’s only karaoke.
What harm can one song do?
No one knows who I am.
No one besides Rory and Chase knows who my family is.
Nothing’s going to happen.
Chase drags me to the side of the stage as my stomach twists and turns. I haven’t sung in public forsolong.
Crap! I think the tequila’s wearing off.
You’re just doing this for fun, Lyri.
