Summer Love (Senior Year (Vol. 1))

by Marysue Hobika

  “I don’t? What if I want to audition?” she said quietly.

  Normally I didn’t give a shit about other people’s problems. But seeing Carly all dressed up tonight changed me. “I don’t think you know what you’d be up against. Trust me, I know these guys, Girly, and you don’t … Some of them are real douche bags. They’ll eat you alive if you go through with it.” It wasn’t completely true. The guys weren’t all bad, but Carly was so sweet that I couldn’t picture her fitting in with Nate’s group. I wanted to prevent her from getting hurt.

  Unfortunately, my comments had the opposite effect of what I’d intended. Instead of discouraging her, they seemed to have spurred her on. Turning to Nate, she said, “Let them know we’ll be there after dinner.

  “You go, Car,” said Becca.

  “I’m only agreeing to let you audition because I got a little side bet going with Becca,” Nate winked at his date, “that I want to win.” He pulled out his phone and sent a text.

  I silently fumed, trying to figure out how things had gotten so twisted around. Nate told the girls all about the band while we waited for the hostess to show us to our table. I didn’t join in the conversation, not wanting anything else I said to be misinterpreted.

  The tension between Carly and I was still thick when we took our seats. Becca and Nathan hit it off, but Carly barely spoke. Small talk was out of the question. I knew I should’ve kept my mouth shut. Nothing good ever came out of putting yourself out there. Tonight was proof of that. Carly didn’t understand that I’d only been trying to protect her. When the check came, I was more than ready to put this fucking night behind me.

  Nate had driven to the restaurant, so I climbed in to go home, while the girls followed in Becca’s BMW. I was going to have Nate drop me off on the way. Listening to him talk about how stoked he was to win his bet with Becca because he was sure there was no way the guys were going to go for a chick in the band, caused me to have a change of heart. I wanted one more chance to talk Carly out of auditioning before it was too late. I held out hope that I could still keep her from getting hurt.

  We arrived at Ed’s, and Nate rapped his knuckles in a rhythmic beat on the garage’s side door. Hearing shouts, Nate walked in, holding hands with Becca. Carly followed behind. I remained several steps back from the group, working on what to say.

  “Hey, guys, I brought my brother and a couple friends,” he yelled over Ed’s banging on the drums. I hadn’t been to one of his rehearsals since last summer, but aside from Ed swapping his clean-cut look for spiky hair and an earring, everyone was just as I remembered.

  “Long time, no see,” Ed said, pointing his drumstick in my direction.

  “Yeah, been busy.” I quickly made my rounds, bullshitted with the guys, and put on my “happy to be here” face.

  As soon as things quieted down, and after seeing Nate with his tongue halfway down Becca’s throat, Ed spoke up. “Is this the emergency, Nate? You wanted to introduce us to your new girlfriend?”

  Nate laughed. “Ed … Connor … Brady… this is Becca,” he wrapped his arm possessively around her shoulder, “and this is Carly.” As he pointed at her where she stood by the door, she stepped forward. I moved next to her. “She’s the reason I called. She’s the emergency.”

  “You’re not making any sense, bro,” said Ed.

  “She’s here to audition for the band.”

  My eyes scanned the room, assessing the situation. No one was taking Nate seriously.

  As if to prove my point, Ed chuckled. “We’re a boy band.” Slowly and deliberately, he roamed his eyes over Carly, lingering on her chest too long for my liking.

  My gut tightened and I struggled with the truth that I wanted to punch him in the face. What is going on with me tonight? First, I got upset when Nate gave Carly the once over, and then I go out of my way to try and protect her, and now I’m pissed as hell at Ed for looking at her like he’s imagining her naked.

  Ed grinned wickedly, “If you hadn’t noticed, she’s a chick.”

  “No shit. But I’m here to win a bet.” He squeezed Becca’s shoulder. “I told her that I didn’t think her friend would be a good fit, but she insisted I give her a chance. So here we are.”

  “What’s that?” asked Brady, joining in the conversation. He was pointing at the case in Carly’s hand.

  “It’s my violin,” she answered. She stopped by her house to grab it.

  “This isn’t the orchestra,” he laughed. I winced. This was what I was afraid of. Carly was too nice for these guys.

  “It’s a fiddle, then,” she replied with attitude. “I’ve been fooling around with some new sounds. I thought I’d give it a try.”

  “This ain’t no country band, either,” snickered Brady. Connor and Ed laughed too.

  My hands clenched at my sides. I opened my mouth to say something in Carly’s defense when, as if reading my mind, she shot me a glare. Maybe she did know I was only trying to help. She probably thought she could handle this on her own. “You don’t have to do this, you know,” I leaned over and whispered in her ear, trying one last time to get her to change her mind.

  “Yes, I do,” she said. It felt like her eyes were begging me to understand and support her.

  I wanted to, but in the end I couldn’t watch her get hurt. Refusing to argue with her anymore, knowing it wouldn’t make a difference, I conceded. “Okay, but I’m outta here.”

  I saw her face fall before her eyes turned cold. I didn’t wait for her to respond but turned and left. As I was closing the door, Nate said, “Well, since we’re already here, I think we should at least listen to her sing. What do you guys say?”

  I had made it as far as the end of the driveway when sounds of the band hit my ears. I had every intention of leaving but realized I couldn’t. My feet wouldn’t let me. Instead, I paced back and forth in the driveway.

  The band played and I held my breath, waiting to hear Carly’s voice. I thought maybe she’d lost her nerve. I was ready to rush in and rescue her, even if she didn’t want me to, when, like magic, she began to sing. The notes that came out of her mouth were full and sensuous, changing the band’s sound completely. It was harmonious, free flowing, and full.

  I’d heard the band last summer, and even though they were good, something had always been missing. That something was Carly. Her voice fit and molded perfectly with Nate’s, and I felt another tinge of jealousy. Their sound filtered through the cracks and walls of the garage and into the night air. For a second, I forgot how to breathe. I found myself slinking back into the garage as the song came to an end. I felt empty and lost when she hit the last note, and every cell in my body craved more. I’d been wrong. So very wrong.

  Everyone in the garage was silent, as if the music had cast a spell on them. All of a sudden, led by Ed, claps and cheers echoed. Carly looked elated until her gaze landed on me. I read in her eyes that she thought I was a jerk for not believing in her, and I couldn’t blame her. I was a jerk.

  “Damn!” shouted Ed. “That gave me goose bumps.” He hugged himself, rubbing his hands over his arms.

  “I told you Carly could sing,” Becca said, directing her words toward Nate.

  “She’s great, but it doesn’t mean she’s right for this band. We,” Nate pointed at all the guys, “would all have to agree.”

  “She’s good,” said Connor, nodding his head. “The two of you sound amazing together. I can’t believe I’m going to say this, but I like the new sound. It totally rocks. What do you think, Brady?”

  “I think there’s no place for her in this band,” he frowned.

  “Yeah, but dude, Nate sounded way better just now than he ever did by himself. You have to know that,” argued Ed. Nate flipped him off. “Sorry, man, I’m just telling the truth. Aren’t you the one who called this emergency meeting?”

  “Yeah, but you don’t have to throw me under the bus,” he joked, making Ed and Connor laugh.

  Watching these guys go back and forth made me reali
ze I’d missed hanging with my boys. Maybe I’d make an effort to reconnect with a few of my old friends like Connor. We went way back. We’d been in a lot of the same classes at St. Paul’s. He was Ed’s neighbor and had been a member of the band from the beginning. I didn’t know a lot about music, but I did know that Connor was extremely talented. Whenever we’d kick it out at his house, he was always listening to music or fooling around on his keyboard. I think he wrote his first song in the fifth grade. The lyrics were awful, but it was far better than anything I could ever write. Seeing the band and especially Connor for the first time in ages was nice.

  “What can you play on the violin you brought?” asked Connor.

  “I’ve been experimenting,” said Carly.

  “Right,” he said. “Let’s take it from the top. Only this time, don’t sing—play your violin instead. Okay?”

  “Yeah, let’s hear it,” Ed said, clanging the cymbal.

  “Okay,” Carly responded, carefully taking the violin from its case. I could tell that it was more than just an instrument to her. Her face bore the same look that I got when I pulled out one of my drawings. She tucked the violin under her chin and held the bow in her right hand. She looked calm, serene. She nodded, signaling that she was ready.

  Ed gave the cue and they began playing a song from the radio. Once again, I held my breath. I’d never heard her play before and I didn’t know what to expect. Seeing her play reaffirmed for me, and hopefully the guys, that she belonged. Her eyes were closed in concentration and her body moved fluidly as the music flowed around her. She tapped her foot to the beat and the bow glided across the strings. At first, I thought it wasn’t going to work; it wasn’t quite right. But Carly must’ve realized it too, because suddenly her sound changed, taking the melody in an entirely new and different direction. Trust me when I say, it worked. The violin meshed perfectly into the band’s preexisting sound.

  It almost seemed as if Carly’s addition allowed the band to create its own unique genre. It reminded me of a Saturday night mixed-tape version you heard DJs sling at clubs. A mash-up of sorts that the radio version lacked. Surprisingly, my own foot tapped to the beat. And I wasn’t the only one enjoying the music. Becca had started to dance. She held her hand out and signaled me to join her, but I shook my head with an emphatic no. No fucking way was I going to embarrass myself. And any dance moves I attempted would mean I’d have to take my eyes off Carly, which I didn’t want to do. Even though she’d been ignoring me ever since I walked back in.

  When the sound faded, Connor was the first to speak. “My vote is YES! This broad is sick!”

  On the other hand, Brady emphatically stated, “My vote is still no.”

  “Really?” Ed said, sounding surprised.

  “Really. I’m sticking to my original statement. I don’t think a chick belongs in this band. It’s a mistake.”

  “Sorry, bro,” Ed said. “I disagree. We’re better with her. My vote is yes.” Ed struck the cymbal as if his name had just been called during an encore.

  “Nate, you can’t seriously think this is a good idea. You’d have to share the spotlight,” argued Brady.

  Nate’s forehead crinkled. “The truth is, I love her sound. A lot. And I don’t mind sharing the spotlight if it means we’re better. I know we don’t sound perfect, but with practice, I think we could turn a few heads and definitely make some noise. It might even be enough to win the Summer Jam. This will set us apart from all the others. It’s different, fresh. Besides, her hotness will take the focus off Brady’s ugliness. Therefore, my vote is YES.” Nathan laughed. Brady looked like he was ready to shove Nate’s microphone so far down his throat, it’d be impossible to remove.

  Nate’s rude comment didn’t sit well with me. Brady didn’t need another reason to dislike Carly. I was going to be pissed if Brady took his anger out on her. Sometimes Nate didn’t know when to shut the hell up.

  “That’s three against one,” Ed said. “She’s in.”

  Brady scowled. “This isn’t going to work.” I saw him give Carly a dirty look, and I felt my body tense. “And when it doesn’t, just remember who voted no against having her join the group,” Brady said as he departed the garage.

  Nate ignored Brady and directed his attention at Carly, smiling. “Don’t worry about that asshole. He’s never been a fan of change,” Nate said. “So, what do you think?”

  Instead of answering his question, she asked one of her own. “What names are you considering for the band?” Her question made me smirk.

  Everyone yelled at once.

  She laughed. Once the guys had quieted down, she said, “I can see why you can’t come to an agreement.” She still hadn’t accepted Nate’s offer to join them.

  “Remember, you’re the one who gave the okay to call this meeting tonight,” reminded Nate. He’d look like an ass if she didn’t want to join.

  Carly took a deep breath and grinned. “I’ll accept your offer on one condition. We name the band ‘Karma.’ Karma’s what brought me here, and karma’s going to help us kick ass at the Summer Jam.” Did I just hear Carly swear? Were my ears playing tricks on me?

  “I like it,” said Ed. “A chick who ain’t afraid to speak her mind.” As the ringing of the cymbal subsided, in walked Brady who apparently had been listening the whole time outside.

  “I think it’s a fucking stupid name,” he said. By this point I was ready to shut this piece of shit up and show him the proper way to act around a girl. There was something menacing in Brady’s tone. Carly looked like she wanted to cry.

  Connor made a joke to lighten things up. “It sounds a hell of a lot better than Ed’s Garage Band.”

  “Hey, there’s nothing wrong with that,” Ed said.

  Connor interrupted. “I know, Ed, I’m trying to make a point to our good friend Brady here. Don’t get your panties in a twist.”

  “Will everyone shut up the fuck up for a second?” Nate demanded. “Carly, just because Brady’s being a prick doesn’t mean the rest of us don’t like the name. Do you want to be the newest member of Karma or not?”

  “Well, when you put it that way … I’m in!” she exclaimed.

  Everyone, but Brady cheered. Nate had held out his hand for Carly to shake, a contractual gesture, but instead of returning the shake, she hugged him and kissed his cheek. My blood boiled as I watched her boobs press against his chest and what I was sure was the tender feel of her lips. When Carly finally broke free of Nate’s grasp, she made her way around the garage, giving each band member a quick squeeze, even Brady, who looked completely uncomfortable by her closeness and didn’t even pretend to hug her back. Jealousy stabbed me again. Why do I care if she hugs every guy in the room, while purposely ignoring me?

  I turned and left. I doubted Carly noticed I was gone.

  Chapter Three

  Carly

  “I’m home,” I called out, walking through the back door late Saturday afternoon. I hadn’t seen my twin brother since our last exam let out on Friday morning, and I couldn’t wait to share my good news with him. Becca had slept over, but it was late when we got home, and Drew had been out celebrating the official beginning of summer with his own friends. My hope was to catch him this morning, but Becca had rushed us out the door to go shopping. Apparently she needed an even skimpier bikini.

  I knew Drew was home now because the car we shared was in the driveway. I headed to the family room, certain I’d find him glued to SportsCenter.

  “Hey, Car, what’s up?” Drew said, smiling when he saw me. Being the good little brother he was, he sat up and made room on the couch for me. “Sit.” He patted the now-empty spot next to him. I plopped down and put my feet on the ottoman next to his Shaquille O’Neal-looking hooves.

  “Where’s Dad?” I’d noticed he wasn’t in his office when I walked by. He traveled a lot for his job, but I knew he was in town because I’d seen him this morning. He’d been excited to learn I was now in a band. I was sure Drew’s reaction would be simil
ar.

  “He had some errands to run. Where’ve you been hiding out? You missed a great party last night at Lucas’s. It was crazy. Needless to say, I had to pop some Advil when I got home. But hey, you know my motto: work hard, play hard. It seemed fitting, considering we’re going to be seniors. Can you believe it? Fucking seniors!” He smirked. “I was really hoping you and Becca would stop by.” I knew it wasn’t his doting sister he wanted to see—he was hoping to catch a glimpse of Becca. But I played along.

  “Yeah, sorry about that. I meant to text you. We were going to come and then we got sidetracked. It’s kind of a long story.” I still couldn’t wrap my head around everything that happened last night.

  “Sidetracked?” he repeated, raising an eyebrow.

  “Yes, and you’re not going to believe me,” I warned.

  “Try me,” he said. He turned to face me, showing an actual interest in what I had to say. Without hesitation, I started in.

  “I’m the newest member of the band Karma.”

  “Huh?” he said, his expression puzzled.

  “I went on a double date, thinking that it was going to end early enough to make it to the party, but then one thing led to another and I ended up auditioning in someone’s garage. The other band members liked the new sound I created, so they asked me to join. And now I am the newest member of Karma.” My explanation didn’t sound as polished as I’d hoped, and I didn’t bother mentioning who I’d been on the date with. Drew always scowled whenever I told him Becca was dating someone new, and I didn’t feel like talking about what a dick Gavin had been. Drew and I were close, but he didn’t need to know everything. I was pretty sure he didn’t tell me everything, either.

  “You’re not making any sense. Start at the beginning. Who did you go on the double date with? Becca?” There was the scowl.

  “Yes, with Becca.”

  “And who else?”