it was to say I felt lonely in such massive cities but join my family for a day and you’d understand.
Layne’s voice caught my attention again.
“I’m not going to find a new singer, Lola. It’s over. It’s better if I just accept that now.”
I couldn’t hear the other end of the conversation, but as I watched Layne’s reflection in the filmy school bus window, I guessed it wasn’t going well. She wiped tears from her cheeks, and I had to look away.
Tears gave me the chills. Watching people cry was my equivalent of nails on a chalkboard. Especially watching girls cry. It made me queasy, and I’d do anything to make it stop. Which was why I made sure never to reveal such a weakness. It was much too easy to exploit.
Though I doubted Layne Hall had much experience with exploitation. She looked like a fawn with those innocent brown eyes of hers. Her glasses made them appear even larger. It was almost comical, yet strangely adorable. Up close, her face reminded me of an anime character—all eyes and hair.
“Okay. Get better soon,” she said, sniffling. “Love you.”
Then she hung up and let her head rest against the window like the weight of the world had finally beat her down.
I knew that feeling and I hated it.
It plagued me every time I found out who my real friends were, or weren’t, rather. I felt it when I was surrounded by people yet still felt alone. I felt it when my father chose work over me time and time again.
Loneliness, disappointment, betrayal, abandonment—the melancholy feelings that consumed me had many names. But no matter what I called the heavy feeling in my chest, there was no escaping it, and I knew after today it would be even worse.
The bus’s brakes screeched as it slowed to a halt. Layne stood and walked toward the door, taking my sympathy with her.
I muttered a curse under my breath and stood up, too.
This might be the worst idea I’d ever had, but my mother was right about one thing, I needed a distraction, and Layne Hall practically had the word stamped across her forehead.
Chapter Seven
Layne
“Alright, Penny Layne, where do we start?”
I whirled around at the sound of his voice, tripping on my own pant leg.
Even in his bulky boot Wyatt was more graceful than me. He reached out to catch me and the shock of his firm hand on my waist made me stumble back like I’d just been struck by lightning. As much as his touch startled me, I found myself wanting to absorb more of the unexpected sparks.
“What are you doing here?” I asked.
He huffed a sigh of annoyance. “Isn’t it obvious? I’m rescuing you.”
“What? Why?”
“Because I’m assuming you still need someone to sing your songs.”
I scrunched my brow, looking at the world’s most unlikely hero. “But your mom said you had a prior engagement,” I quoted, crossing my arms reflexively under his scrutinous stare.
“Of course she did,” he muttered, but then his face brightened, and his annoying smirk appeared. “Well, it turns out my schedule just opened up.”
I rolled my eyes. “The walls are pretty thin, Wyatt. I heard everything you said in your mother’s office today.”
“Good, then you know my objection was more about her than you.”
“So, I’m supposed to believe you just decided to help me out of the goodness of your heart?”
“Actually, yes. That’s exactly what happened.”
I snorted and turned around, walking away as quickly as possible. But as luck would have it, he followed me.
Could this day get any worse?
I just wanted to go home and lick my wounds in peace and quiet. And preferably without Wyatt Nash seeing where I lived. He probably lived in a castle compared to my house. The last thing I needed was pity from my nemesis. It was easier to despise him that way.
I whirled around, nearly colliding with him. “Look, I don’t know what your angle is here, but I’m not interested.”
Wyatt’s green eyes sparkled as a knowing smirk spread across his perfectly sculpted face. “So, you don’t want to compete for the scholarship?”
I took a step closer to him, pretending his bottomless green eyes didn’t make me nervous. “Yes, Wyatt. I want that scholarship more than anything, which is why I’m not wasting my time playing this game with you.”
His eyes danced with amusement. “Who says this is a game, Penny Layne?”
I clenched my jaw, keeping my indignation locked away as I turned around, more than happy to leave Wyatt