How to Seduce a Band Geek (10 page)

Yeah, I guess she’s right. I force the jealousy causing images out of my mind and focus on how Levi looked when I told him I wasn’t dating Adam.

“My point is”—she lies back down—“you don’t have to look perfect to get Levi to like you, okay? Just—”

“Be myself. Yeah, yeah. I get it.”

We giggle, and she shoves my arm. “Okay, then. Time to make these boring clothes into something awesome.”

I watch her butt wiggle back to her closet, wondering if I feel better or worse. Zoe says be myself, but I’m searching my brain, and for the life of me, I have no idea who that is.

Chapter 10

This is way beyond full on leg touching.

There are three things I wish I was better at.

One: walking. Because I trip and fall on my face everywhere I go.

Two: keeping my boobs in my shirt. How did Zoe do this when she wore the cleavage show stoppers? Maybe it’s because she didn’t trip over her toes.

Three: lying. Sounds bad, but I’m an awful bull-shitter when it comes to my parents.

These three things pop right into my head when the doorbell rings, and I race down the stairs, trip on the last one, fall to the floor as my left boob pops out, and stuff it back as my mom asks, “What’s the rush?” through a fitful of laughter.

I spout off, “Nothing. Totally fine. Just fell. I’m not expecting anyone. No.”

She laughs again and says, “Go put on a different shirt.”

Like a big baby, I pout all the way back upstairs and pray it’s not Levi at the door yet. Because holy mortifying.

Yanking the shirt I tied last second, I fix the double knot and jump up a few times to make sure the girls stay in place. The bright green shredded trim on the bottom hem swings around my hips, making me feel like a ballroom dancer for a minute. I was going for the same kind of effect the band uniforms have when Levi marches around the football field. Guess I only sort of achieved it.

I take it a lot slower down the stairs this time, and I run into Dad’s belly as I turn the corner to the kitchen.

“Watch out there,” he grunts, and I take a step back to look up in his face.

Oh, that’s why he’s a little grumpy. He’s got on his sweats and has a gym bag tossed over his shoulder. Mom slides up next to him and takes his hand.

“You ready?” she asks.

He grunts again.

Mom pretends it’s the most enthusiastic answer ever, and she squeals. “Okay! I think we should try three miles today.”

Dad looks like he’d rather hit McDonald’s for breakfast and watch TV on his day off, but Mom has been “gym, gym, gym” ever since his last doctor’s appointment.

“Who was at the door?” I ask, sliding around my dad’s mass to check into the kitchen for blond hair or blue eyes.

Mom puts her sunglasses in her hair and tangles her fingers with Dad’s. “Zak was picking Zoe up for work.”

Phew! Hopefully Levi will show after Mom and Dad have vamoosed.

“Well, have fun!” I say, trying not to look like I’m shoving them out the door.

Mom sees right through it. Her smile twitches at the corner. “What are
your
plans for the day?”

“Nothing. Watch a movie, maybe. Or go for a walk. Or I can make you guys lunch. Or whatever you want. Yeah. I’m not doing much at all.”

Damn. It. Sierra!

Dad raises an eyebrow and eyes my curled hair. Then he takes a huge whiff of me, like I need to take a bath or something. “Uh…” he mumbles and looks at Mom with this expression of “Help me!”

Mom sniffs me too. I’m tempted to do the same because what is the big deal?

“You smell like apples.”

Well, that’s exactly what I was going for, so good. “Thanks.”

She cocks her head to the side and studies my outfit too. “You smell like very
potent
apples.”

So I went overboard on the body wash (and I may have used a little bit of dish soap), but Levi said he liked it, so I’m ignoring her assessment.

Dad coughs and adjusts his gym bag on his shoulder. Before he or Mom can make me any more self-conscious about how I smell, the doorbell rings.

I want to grab my parents and push them out the back. Even if that was possible, it wouldn’t help any. I fan my face from all the heat in my cheeks, hoping I look semi-normal when Mom opens the door.

Levi must have some superpower that melts body parts. I’m a pile of apple-scented goo on the floor the second his eyes flit past Mom and land on me. Then he smiles, and I have to search my gooey self for my lips so I can smile back.

“Hi, Levi. Sorry, Zoe just left for work.” Mom goes to shut the door, but Levi quickly jumps in.

“Oh, I’m here to see Sierra.” He nods in my direction, and so much for fanning myself to calm down, because I’m a total fiery, puddled mess.

Mom turns her head toward me, and I refuse to look at Dad because I can feel his gaze burning a hole through my brain. Mom gives me that “I know what’s going on” smile, and I want to crawl under the stairs and die.

“Are you expecting Levi?” she asks me, and my cheeks go instant puffer fish.

“Uh…”

“You two are going to be here
alone
?” Dad turns purple. Total grape juice face. I feel like I’m being interrogated for stealing the last of his pork rinds. His eyes flick to Mom. “Maybe we should skip the gym today.”

Way to use me as an excuse to get out of it,
Dad
.

Mom ignores him, grabs Levi’s arm and pulls him inside. He sorta trips over his feet and sidles next to me, adjusting the backpack on his shoulder.

Then we get the stare down. Purple face from Dad, narrowed (yet totally excited) eyes from Mom, and—
kill me now
—the pointer finger.

“Rules.” She points to the living room. “Opposite ends of the couch. Blinds open. Cell phones on and in reach.” She grins and brings her finger back to me and Levi, wiggling it back and forth between us. “You’re lucky, Sierra. If it was some other boy, there’s no way we’d be leaving you alone.
But
we’re not telling you how long we’ll be. We could be all day, we could be twenty seconds.” Then she waves her hand in the air just as my stomach falls out my rear. “We could walk through that door at any moment.”

She’s still doing that weird spooky you-better-be-scared wave at us as she drags Dad’s stubborn body out the door. He’s giving Levi a look of death as Mom calls out, “Have fun!” and lets the door click behind them.

Is there a code for parents? Something about embarrassing their kids any chance they get?

I don’t dare put my eyes on Levi. Overanalyzing what his expression is after that humiliating lecture is not something I want to start this date out with. Or non-date. Or whatever the hell… urg. Sometimes I want to squelch all my brain cells and make my body create new ones that will let me think straight and not freak out over every little thing.

“Um, want something to drink?” I ask in my shakiest voice ever. I should really try out for the choir because my vibrato rocks.

“Sure,” he answers through a laugh, and I finally let my eyes go up to his instead of talking to his DCs. His ears are a little red, but he seems relaxed in his super cute khaki shorts and polo. I giggle as I read the print stitched on his chest.
BAND GEEKS RULE
. Hell yeah, they do. The first second I can I’m finding that shirt on Pinterest and pinning the sucker.

I let the tension my parents put in my chest seep out and lead him into the kitchen. He drops his pack on the floor next to the barstool he slides on.

“Sorry about”—I nod at the spot where my parents gave us the no touchy rules—“
that
.”

He half-smiles at me, and my hand slips on the fridge door. “They’re just looking out for you.”

Arguing would totally be pointless, especially since I find coherent thoughts difficult around him. So I just nod and toss him a can of Pepsi. He fumbles, and it slips through his fingers and lands with a crash to the floor.

“Guess I can’t open that one for a while,” he says, picking it up.

I grab another can and walk over to him this time, trading the shaken soda for the fresh one. Our hands totally rub against each other, and I’m so glad I’m holding something ice cold to keep my body from exploding in heat.

“So…” There goes my rocking vibrato. “What movie did you want to watch?”

“Ah,” he says, reaching down and grabbing his backpack strap. His hair flops over his forehead, and he flips it aside when he sits upright. I wonder if GQ is hiring. He could make a killing. “I came prepared.” He pats his pack and smirks. I grasp onto the countertop to keep from falling through the floor.

Dang it, Sierra. Get. A. Grip!

We make our way to the couch, and I hear him inhale behind me. A smile creeps on my lips.
See, Mom?
I didn’t put too much apple scent on me. My hips wiggle back and forth with that small accomplishment.

“Okay, what’s on the agenda?” I ask, flicking on the Blu-Ray.

Levi crouches on the floor and digs through his backpack. “I brought over the best movies in the world. Well written, and awesome scores.” He takes his hand out of the bag and points at me. “You aren’t allowed to make fun.”

I press my lips together and nod, holding back the biggest smile I think I’ve ever had. He pulls out five or six cases, and the top one has a big huge shark on the front.

I can’t help it. I laugh.

“Hey, hey. You aren’t allowed, remember?” He smiles though and straightens, holding out the movies.

“I just didn’t expect Disney movies,” I say, taking the cases.

“Disney/Pixar,” he corrects, taking a step toward me. My heart starts going haywire, shorting out my internal circuits when he helps me flip through the different ones he brought. His hands hover over mine, and I’d be surprised if he didn’t feel the current pumping through my skin. “So, you pick. We got Finding Nemo, UP, Monsters Inc., WALL-E, and Toy Story 3.”

“Why Toy Story 3? Why not the first or second?”

“
Why Toy Story 3
?” His mouth drops in mock shock. “Sierra, that’s the best one. Made me cry like a baby.”

I laugh again, leaning forward so much my forehead accidentally smacks his chest. I jump back, still laughing, but now it’s that awful pig snort going on. I’m so awesome.

He doesn’t seem to notice my totally not-hot laugh, and inhales again, this time closing his eyes.

“Damn, you smell so good.”

I’m pretty sure both our faces are up in smoke. I’m not sure if he meant to say it out loud, but it sure came out, and I’m freaking and smiling and totally fire-faced, and it looks like he’s doing the same thing.

“Um, thanks.” And we plunge into awkwardness. He’s shaking when he fixes the movies in my hands.

“So…which one?” Now he’s rocking the vibrato.

I shake my head and eye the movies because his nerves aren’t helping mine. Though, they do make me feel better, because if he was all smooth and I was a snorting, melting, tongue-tied idiot, I’d start thinking there was something very wrong with the way I’m going through puberty.

“Well, I’ve never seen Finding Nemo—”

“You
what
?” He snatches it from the top of the stack. “Okay, it’s a must, and we’re watching it.”

He’s so cute. And even though I hate seeing him open the distance between us, I sort of need the breather.

He pops the movie in, and I grab all the remotes and hop into the couch cushion. Before he sits, he gives me a wink—that wink again. I’ve got to find out what it means—and opens the blinds enough so people can see in, but there’s no glare on the TV. Then he takes a spot as far away as humanly possible on the couch.

Right. Those rules. And with my big daddy, I’d probably listen if I were him too.

Unless he doesn’t want to cuddle with me. I may be in wishful dreamland thinking that my yummy smell and adorable band looking outfit would make him want to be super close.

I’m going to blame my parents though. Makes me feel better.

I sit cross-legged and get the movie started. Levi leans forward, locking his fingers together while his elbows rest on his knees.

“This opening is the best,” he says, staring at the screen. I try to move my eyes to the TV too, but they keep floating back to him. His knees bounce as he keeps talking. “This one was nominated for four Oscars and only took home one. It should’ve taken them all. Especially Original Screenplay. The writing is genius. And the music, ah… I mean watch this. And listen.”

I turn back to the screen, and there’s this barracuda with big teeth attacking the little fishies! I gasp and hide my face. Disney? Are you pulling another Bambi? Because I can’t deal with that.

I peek through my fingers because I don’t hear anything anymore. I thought maybe Levi turned the TV off, but it’s still on, and the little orange guy floats around looking for his baby fish and his fish wife. My mouth drops and tingles go to my eyes, and I wasn’t even watching this for real just a second ago, and I’m about to cry over a fish and his family.

I can feel Levi watching me, but I keep my eyes glued on the screen till the title pops up and the background music plays. I quickly swipe at my cheeks.

“Genius, right?”

“What? That was awful! Poor guy.” I frown.

“Yeah, but if you listen to the music, it makes you feel it all. Even though it’s just a fish.”

I look at him, and he’s still leaning on his knees, a big grin on his face. “But there
wasn’t
any music,” I say, wanting him to look at me too.

He doesn’t, but he does answer. “That’s the whole point. Sometimes no music is the most powerful. So when the music starts playing, it hits you hard.”

He keeps talking, going on about the people who provide the voices of the characters and how amazing actors they are to portray every emotion through just their voice. And how awesome the animators are for giving fish expressions. There’s more, and I’m giggling at him before I can stop it.

“What?” he asks, finally tearing his gaze from the screen.

“You’re one of those people who talks through movies.” I bite back my smile and adjust my feet under me.