by Karen Bass
She reached up and adjusted Brad’s new glasses. He’d surprised her with them tonight. They were rimless on the bottom
and didn’t hide his toe-curling blue eyes. She almost wished he’d kept the old glasses. Almost. “Tell me again how we ended up here.”
He rolled those amazing blue eyes. “You just like hearing me admit what an idiot I was.” She nodded and he laughed. “After you explained things and left, I couldn’t stop thinking about you. I realized that the jerk who’d told me those lies about you and Taylor was the same jerk who’d hurt you other ways. I didn’t want him to win so that’s when I showed up on your doorstep grovelling like the undeserving peasant I am.”
“Got to love a guy who knows his place.”
“Yeah, well, you’ll never know how much it costs a guy to face a dad who’d caught him in an awkward position with his daughter.”
“Would a kiss make up for your humiliation?”
A throat cleared. They turned to face Mr. Brock. He was wearing a black tux and his glasses were nowhere to be seen. Sid whistled. “Brock! You look hot!”
“Yes, he does, doesn’t he?” A woman snaked her arm through his and smiled at Sid, who felt heat stain her cheeks.
“Ah. Hi. You must be Mrs. Brock.”
Still smiling, the woman nodded. Brock said, “I just wanted to tell you how nice you look, Sidney. And to shamelessly seek an introduction. Your date doesn’t look familiar.”
“Imported,” Sid said. “Brad, this is Brock. I’ve told you about him. Though I don’t think I’ve ever mentioned that he’s the coolest teacher in school.”
Brock raised his eyebrows. “Not a teacher, Sid.”
Sid copied his expression. “That could explain the cool part, Brock.”
He laughed, shook hands with Brad and led his wife into the darkened gym. Brad tugged on her arm and they followed. He whispered, “I’m glad you wore the blue dress again, Sid. You really do look great in it.”
“Thanks, but I’m done following Heather’s fashion advice.”
“You’re going back to baggy?”
“No, but from now on I’m going to listen to the quiet voice, even when it comes to fashion.”
He didn’t ask for an explanation, just took her hand and led her onto the dance floor where they spent the next hour. A slow dance started. Brad gathered her into his arms and said, “About time.”
A moment later another couple interrupted. Narain and –
Sid blinked – Joanne. Narain asked if they could switch partners. Brad sighed but relented. Before they could react, Narain grabbed Brad and twirled him away. Joanne stepped close and assumed lead in a traditional waltz position.
Slightly stunned by the speed of it all, Sid let herself be swept away. After a moment she said, “This feels...really awkward.”
“It does,” Joanne replied. “But it seemed like the only way I could get your attention to ask you something.”
“Okay...” Sid trailed off, bemused. Joanne was a decent dancer but she could feel eyes following their progress and it was hard not to bolt.
Joanne said, “Is the boyfriend for real?”
Sid hesitated. They weren’t officially a couple, but she knew Brad liked her as much as she liked him. “Yeah.
He’s real.”
“Good.” Joanne seemed to be guiding them toward the edge of the dance floor. “I want you to know that I’m really sorry about what happened at that party. Wes’s girlfriend, ex-girlfriend, told me you were interested. I thought she was a friend. I’d never have...”
“It’s okay, Joanne. Everybody made their share of bad choices in that mess. Even me.” Sid caught a glimpse of Brad, standing beside Narain and scowling as he watched her. “But the boyfriend wasn’t one of them. Could we...?”
Joanne released her. “The offer I made in the library to be friends? It still stands.”
“I think I’d like that.” Sid tilted her head. “You don’t play an instrument, do you?”
Joanne heaved a long-suffering sigh. “My mom made me take piano lessons.”
“What level?”
“I have my Grade Eight.”
“That’s decent. Ever considered joining a band?”
“You’re in a band that needs a keyboard player?”
“I’m starting a band. All-girl, I hope. Show those guys how rock is meant to be played.”
Joanne smiled. “Sounds like it could be fun. I’ll let you know.” She walked away.
Sid headed toward Narain. She gave him a soft punch in the stomach and he exaggerated doubling over. Then he straightened and said, “Are you coming with me when I visit Taylor tomorrow?”
“You know I am, jerk.” She gave him a smile and turned to Brad. “Could we get some fresh air?”
He nodded and took her hand. “Should I say you made a nice couple?”
“No.”
They slipped out a side door, past Mr. Franklin who was bobbing out of time to the music. He nodded and waved them through.
They walked far enough to get away from the light spilling out of the doorway.
“So what did she want?” Brad asked, his voice a little tight.
“To be my friend. And to know if you were real.”
“Huh?”
“You know, a real boyfriend.”
A smile entered his voice. “Am I?”
“I don’t know. Kiss me and help me make up my mind.”
Long moments later, they came up for air. Sid laughed. “I think my knees are wobbly.”
“Let’s sit.”
They ended up lying down, ear to ear, heads snugged against shoulders, staring up at the stars. “Wow,” Sid said, “They’re just as bright as the night of the wedding.”
“Make a wish.”
“That only counts with the first star. This sky has more stars than my dress has polka dots.”
“Make a wish anyway.”
Sid’s hand reached up to find Brad’s waiting for her. She interwove her fingers with his, enjoying the warmth. She could almost hear a heartbeat. And she was sure she could feel the rhythm of the earth rising in a soft insistent pulse that thrummed in her bones. “I wish, hope, that you’ll be better at remembering my birthday than my dad is.”
“When is it?”
“Ten days.”
“Crap. You need to give a guy more warning.”
She squeezed his hand. “What are you going to get me?”
“Oh sure, put me on the spot.”
Sid watched the stars and let the rhythm flow through her. She didn’t really expect Brad to answer. She was just enjoying the moment.
After a long pause he said, “I’m going to use my little sister’s tye-dying kit and make you a tye-dyed t-shirt. And then I’ll use her fabric markers to plaster it with words.”
Sid shifted and raised up on her elbow so she was looking down into Brad’s face. “Words? What kind of words?”
“Ones that tell what’s special about you. A big one over your heart will read Drummer Girl. Smaller ones will say things like Sister, Daughter, Friend, Carpenter, maybe Jazz Lover, Metalhead, Rocker Chick. And in legal-sized print, on the bottom at the back, it will read...” He cleared his throat and licked his lips. “Math Geek’s Girlfriend?”
Sid’s heart picked up the tempo, just a little. “Sounds cool. There’s only one problem.”
“What’s that.”
“That last one? Way too small. It needs to be in larger print and right in the middle of a blue splotch that matches the geek’s eyes.”
“That can be arranged.”
“Good. Do it.”
He did.
acknowledgements
I can pick out a tune on a piano with one finger but don’t actually play any musi
cal instruments, except, once upon a time, the recorder. So many thanks to Kaleb Penner for answering all sorts of odd questions about being a drummer. Thanks, also, to Dymphny Dronyk for being my first reader, and for allowing me to glimpse the world of high school bands through her musical sons (though my band in no way resembles them)
This book is as you see it because of the dedication and hard work of all the wonderful people at Coteau Books –thank you to Nik, Susan, Amber, and everyone else who helped along the way. A special thank you to my editor, Laura Peetoom, for her keen insight and for throwing me a metaphoric lifeline when I needed it.
Finally, thanks to my husband, Michael, who encourages my daydreams and urges me to contine working at turning them into reality.
about the author
KAJ Photography
Karen Bass honed her craft as a popular writer of speculative fan fiction. Since then her stories and articles have been published in local newspapers, magazines and anthologies, and nationally in Winners’ Circle Nine and the Canadian Writer’s Journal. She is the author of two previous YA novels, Run Like Jäger and the IPPY Gold Medal Award-winning Summer of Fire.
A fourth-generation Albertan, Karen attended the University of Alberta, and obtained a psychology degree from the University of Victoria. She currently lives with her family in northwestern Alberta, where she recently retired from managing a public library to write full-time.
