My Chance (Chance #2) (29 page)

Faith was fed up with her brother Max’s rock band, Rebel Urge, practicing in the basement. She swore she saw the fibers in her bedroom carpet moving, and she was two floors above them. She and Paige were studying for their AP Biology final. Academy Prep School wasn’t lax, and although Faith was ranked tenth in her class, if she didn’t do well on her exams it could lower her GPA. She couldn’t wait to go to college out of state, away from one man for whom she was never enough.

She slammed her book closed, making Paige jump. “This is ridiculous! Those guys need to chill for a little while. They don’t care about anything except playing their music and making it to the big time.” College was Faith’s big time, and she needed some peace and quiet. She grabbed Paige’s hand and yanked her off the bed. “Come on, let’s go to the library.”

“No way. I haven’t gotten to see your brother yet. He’s totally hot! I would do him in a heartbeat if he wasn’t your brother.” Paige laughed. “I’m staying here.”

“That’s just nasty, Paige!”

Paige shoved Faith’s shoulder. “Come on, you can’t tell me you don’t scope them out. There has to be one guy down there you wouldn’t mind getting sweaty with.”

Faith’s face turned red. Yeah, she thought someone was hot, but she was Max’s “little sister.” That meant she was off-limits.

“
Aha!
I knew it! Who is it? Which one makes your panties wet?” Paige sounded so proud of herself.

Faith stood and collected her books. “None of them. Let’s go.”

Paige crossed her arms. “You’re full of it! Let’s say you were stranded and had to call one of them to help you. Who would it be? You can’t say Max.” Paige waited and stared at Faith. “Tell me who it is, and I’ll go study with you. After we go see the guys.”

Faith didn’t want to tell Paige. They weren’t close friends, and if she ‘fessed up, Paige would see him in a totally different light and forget about Max. But Faith needed to study, so she answered. “Fine, I guess I’d call Ryker. Can we go now?”

Paige just looked at her. “Ryker? I would have guessed Jake or Tim. They seem more your speed.”

Faith didn’t exactly know what Paige meant by “her speed”, but she let it go. She was relieved Paige didn’t think Ryker was hot, but she was also surprised. Between his ripped abs and his incredible arms, there wasn’t much to dislike. His face was as perfect as his body. He was an amazing drummer and totally sexy.

Ryker referred to Faith as “dude”; she definitely wasn’t his type. But if Paige liked him, Ryker would be all over her. She was gorgeous and tall. She looked like a centerfold for a lingerie magazine. She was more reckless than the typical Academy Prep student. She didn’t really care about college or studying. She had been kicked out of two other high schools, and her dad had to pull strings to get her into Academy. No band member would be able to resist Paige’s devil-may-care attitude.

“If you think he’s hot, why don’t you go for him?” Paige asked.

“Because he doesn’t look at me like that. He overheard me tell Max I thought he was good-looking, and he laughed at me and called me a kid. Like you said, he’s not my speed.” What Faith wanted to say was that she was a virgin, unlike the women he paraded around with.

Paige shrugged. She went for who she wanted no matter what. Faith was always afraid of hurting someone or herself, but Paige was the opposite.

They went down to the basement. When Faith saw Ryker, she forgot that she was still wearing her school uniform: a navy blue jumper with a white oxford underneath it. Her hair was pulled back into a ponytail, and she still had her glasses on. She looked like a nerdy twelve year old.

Faith realized what she was wearing when Ryker stopped playing the drums and laughed. She closed her eyes and cringed. Faith stopped dead in her tracks, making Paige run into her back. Paige, of course, had changed into a pair of jeans and a T-shirt that made her boobs look bigger than they were.

“Nunnery let out early today?” Ryker smirked.

The rest of the guys joined in with a chuckle, except for Max.

“Shut the fuck up,” Max said. He was protective of his little sister, even though Faith was about to turn eighteen and wasn’t exactly little anymore.

“Bro, relax, I was just kidding.” Ryker still looked amused.

Paige stepped around Faith and threw her hands on her hips as she did a hair flip that made her hair fall perfectly over her shoulders. She laughed and told Max to lighten up, which earned her a smile and wink from Ryker. Faith glared at Paige. She couldn’t believe Paige would say something so bitchy. Actually, that was a total Paige move. Faith had seen it many times, but not directed at her.

“What’s your friend’s name, dude?” Ryker licked his lips.

His question ripped through Faith’s heart. He was going to flirt with Paige in front of her? “I am not a dude, and her name is Paige.”

Paige chimed in as she tilted her head. “You can Paige me anytime, handsome. You’re Ryker, right?”

Faith’s head snapped toward Paige. She could have been knocked over with a feather. At that point, Paige gushing over Max would have been better.

“Well, Paige, maybe after practice I can show you my set.” Ryker grinned. “Ya know…my drums.”

Paige giggled.

Faith needed to get out of there. “Max, can I borrow your car? Mom and Dad accidentally took their keys when they left for the Caribbean.”

“We’re almost done, sis. You guys can study here.”

Faith nodded and grabbed Paige’s arm. “Let’s go.”

Paige didn’t budge. She looked at Ryker from head to toe and licked her lips. “Maybe another time.” She winked and followed Faith up the stairs.

Faith slammed her bedroom door before grabbing her biology book.

Paige glared at Faith. “What the hell is your problem?”

“Really, Paige? Flirt much?”

“What? You’re the one who said he was hot and you guys would never hook up. You’re right. He is downright do-able, so why shouldn’t I flirt?”

Faith couldn’t believe her. “Whatever, Paige.”

“I don’t get why you’re so pissed. Ya know what? I don’t feel like studying anyways. I’m not going to some fancy-ass college. I just want to pass and get the hell out of that school. I’ll talk to you later.” Paige packed up her books and left.

Faith flopped backward onto her bed and stared at the ceiling. When she got up, she looked outside at Ryker’s silver Challenger. The black stripes running up the hood reminded Faith of the tattoo curled around Ryker’s left bicep. She rolled the tip of her pencil between her lips, thinking about what it would be like to go for a ride with him, the windows down, and Blanco Diablo, Ryker’s favorite band, blasting on the radio.

Her daydream came to a crashing halt when she saw Ryker and Paige walking to his car. Paige got in on the passenger side. She glanced up at the window and winked at Faith.

“What the hell!” Faith shouted as she turned away from the window.

“Uh… you okay, sis?” Max stood in her doorway.

“Yeah, I’m fine. Thanks.” Her heart broke as she watched Ryker drive away. Where were they going?

“I just wanted to tell you that Ryker gave Paige a ride home.”

“Yeah, I’m sure he will,” Faith mumbled.

“Okay, what’s going on? You’ve been acting weird. What was that in the basement with Ryker?”

“It was nothing. You know how he treats me. Ever since he heard I had a crush on him, he’s been an ass. I really need to study. Did you need something?”

“I just wanted to tell you that the guys and I are playing at The Ruins on Friday night. I thought you might want to come. You know, celebrate your birthday and the end of your finals.” Max dropped his head. “Look, sis, I get that you think Ryker is all that, but I see the way he is with girls. I don’t want you to be one of them. He’s my best friend, but you’re my sister. I don’t want you involved in his mess.”

“What mess? What happened when he was younger that you won’t talk about?” Faith asked.

“You know I love you, but I promised not to say anything. Just trust me when I say you’re better off not knowing. I really don’t want you two being more than friends.”

“Well, you don’t have to worry about that. I wouldn’t be his type even if I wasn’t related to you.” Faith covered her eyes with her arm.

“Aside from not being slutty, you’re totally what he goes for. Trust me, I’ve had more fights with guys over you than anything else. Just think about Friday. Want to sing with us?”

“No. But I’ll think about coming.”

Max kissed her on the cheek and left. Max was the only band member who had ever heard her sing. She’d been in a few of the school musicals, but she wasn’t a “rocker.” She liked country music and pop. She had studied ballet for years, and she couldn’t really dance to rock.

Faith buried herself in her books, but it took her a while to concentrate since all she could see was Paige’s wink. She decided to text Paige. Faith really didn’t want to know what had happened, but she needed to. Her heart raced, and she felt a little sick.

Faith:
Hey. Did you get home all right?

She hit send and was petrified to get the response.

Paige:
Yeah. I just got home a little while ago. You’re right, Ryker is smokin’ hot. Did you know his tongue is pierced?

She found out his tongue is pierced? How? He’d showed Faith after he did it by sticking his tongue out at her like a child.

Faith:
Yeah, I know. Did he show you?

Paige:
No, I felt it.

Faith:
Seriously, you kissed him?

Paige:
You need to lighten up. If you don’t want him, why can’t I have him?

Faith:
I like him, can’t you understand that? I would love to be with him, but it isn’t in the cards for us. That doesn’t mean that I want my friend all over him.

Paige:
Well, he’s amazing. Sorry Faith. Don’t be mad okay?

Faith:
TTYL

Faith closed her eyes and thought about being in the car with Ryker. She hoped that if she fell asleep, she’d dream of him. She couldn’t sleep, so all she could do was day dream about him; she did that often. She imagined Ryker picking her up from school and all the girls drooling over her hot boyfriend. That would make her day. She rolled over and finally drifted off into a restless sleep.

Paige went over to Faith’s the next day to pick up a few things she had left there. Paige wanted to watch the guys play on Friday night, but Faith didn’t want to go. She was afraid to go. She didn’t want to see Paige with Ryker. Her masochistic side wanted to see them together so she could figure out what had gone on between them, but she didn’t really want to spend her birthday watching Ryker and Paige.

“Please, Faith! I really want to go see the guys perform.”

Faith just looked at her. “The guys, or Ryker?”

Paige insisted she just wanted to see the show.

“Fine then, you drive. Pick me up at eight. We need to get there early, or we won’t be able to get in since we aren’t twenty-one,” Faith said.

“Speak for yourself.” Paige pulled out a fake ID that said she was twenty-two years old.

Faith’s mouth dropped. “When did you get a fake ID?”

“My cousin, Dennis, made it for me. It’s slick right? It looks totally legit.”

“Whatever. Just don’t get caught.”

“You’re such a goody-two-shoes, Faith. Learn to live a little. Maybe guys like Ryker would go for you if you were a little more outgoing.”

“Whatever. Pick me up at eight, okay?”

On Friday night, Faith had changed from her uniform into jeans, a sleeveless scoop-neck red top, and navy blue wedge heels. She got in Paige’s car and saw that Paige was wearing a black mini-skirt, high-heeled pumps, and a white top that left little to the imagination. Faith just sighed.

They walked into the club. The bouncer didn’t even check for ID; he took one look at Paige and waved them in. They didn’t get the “under twenty-one” loser stamp on their hands, so Faith and Paige were free to drink. Faith knew if she drank, Max would flip.