Page 19 of Shy Girls Can't Date Rockstars
“The new track,” Brooks says immediately. “The one you finished last night. That opening guitar riff is killer.”
“It’s not ready.”
“It’s ready enough,” Chase insists. “And it shows range. Shows you’re not just some kid who Miranda found at an open-mic night. Shows you joined the band for a reason.”
I check my phone. We’re now forty-three minutes into our two-hour session, and they’re treating the library like the perfect place for a strategy meeting.
But I can’t just sit here. Miranda made it crystal clear that Ryder needs to be prepared for school tomorrow.
The headache that’s been building since this morning pulses behind my eyes, made worse by their loud voices and casual cruelty.
I just want to go home.
I just want my parents back.
Except there is no home anymore.
I can’t do this. I can’t sit here while they ignore me. I can’t pretend this will work when Ryder clearly has no intention of studying.
My hands shake as I gather the novel, my notes, and the pen I’ve been gripping so hard my fingers ache. I shuffle them into a messy pile, careful not to draw attention, and ignoring the worksheets that Ryder’s using as a seat cushion.
I stand up, barely breathing, clutching everything to my chest.
They’re still talking. Still ignoring me.
I take a small step toward the door. Then another.
Almost there.
My hand reaches for the doorknob.
“Where do you think you’re going?”
Ryder’s voice cuts through the room like a whip.
I freeze, my fingers millimeters from the handle.
All three of them are looking at me now.
“I... I was just...” My voice comes out shakily. “I thought maybe…”
“You thought you’d just sneak out?” Ryder stands up, his expression darkening, and the worksheets slip off the table and form a nest on the floor. “Seriously?”
“You were... you were talking, and I didn’t want to interrupt.”
“So you were just going to bail?” His voice rises. “Without saying anything?”
“I’m sorry, I just…”
“You just what?” Ryder takes a step toward me. “Decided tutoring wasn’t worth your time? That you’d rather hide in your room than actually do what Miranda asked?”
“No, I…” My materials collapse in my arms, and I clutch them tighter. “I have a headache, and you were busy with your friends, and I thought…”
“You thought wrong,” Ryder snaps. “You can’t just leave.”
“I wasn’t... I mean, I didn’t...” I feel my face burning. “You weren’t paying attention anyway, so I figured…”
“So you figured you’d just disappear?” His jaw is tight. “Do you have any idea what Miranda will do if she finds out you bailed?”
