Jack.”
Snapper finishes its second cringe-worthy song, and Ms. Coleman grabs a microphone and takes the stage, silver shirt reflecting lights like crazy. “Next up, let’s hear it for Red Tide.”
The darkened side of the stage is now bathed in light, and the next band launches into a Coldplay song. This group is good, really good. Peering closely at the band members, I recognize the girl with the pink-tipped hair, the lanky lead guitarist with his cap on sideways. It’s Cameron’s band. I want them to be terrible, want to hate their music, but I can’t. The singer is good too, just not as good as Hailey.
“This group is the best so far,” Thomas says as they launch into their second song.
I shrug, not wanting to agree, even though he’s right. Yeah, but the lead guitarist is an asshole, I want to say. When they finish, the crowd goes nuts, hooting and whistling like crazy.
“Well, I should get going for now, look for the rest of my band,” I say. “We’ll be up in a little while.”
“Okay, Hank, good luck. We’ll be here,” Thomas says, giving me another manly whack on the shoulder. “Don’t worry about anything. We’ll figure it out.”
I head backstage and Cameron is there, basking in the glow of a bunch of people who want to tell him how great he was, so I hang back in the wings, not wanting to deal with him. There’s no way in hell I’ll offer him any praise. To my surprise though, Hailey goes up to him and gives him a long, warm hug. I fight back an attack of jealousy. After all, she’s with me, not him. Right? Well, sort of.
They talk quietly, but within a couple minutes their voices rise and they’re arguing. Again.
“But I don’t want to drive into the city, Cam,” Hailey is saying. “Can’t you get somebody else?”
“I tried. I couldn’t get anybody else,” Cameron says. “Come on, Hailey. You said—”
“I know what I said. And now I’m saying you’re stressing me out. Can we talk about this some other time? Seriously, Cam.”
“But I need to do this tomorrow, Hailey. We can’t talk about it another time.”
She doesn’t need this tonight of all nights. I walk up behind Hailey and stand there like her bodyguard, glaring at Cameron until he notices me. He gives me a double take through suspicious, squinty eyes.
“Nice shirt,” he says.
I glance down. The black T-shirt from Nashville. Crap. I wasn’t even thinking when I put the damn thing on.
“Thanks,” I say. “I like it too.”
“Give it back.”
Yeah, like I’m going to whip it off right now and hand it to him. “No.”
Hailey stands between the two of us, looks ready to burst into tears. “Stop it, you guys. I can’t deal with either of you right now.”
Cameron and I cut smoldering looks at each other, but for her sake, I shrug. “Nothing to stop, Hailey. Everything’s fine.”
She closes her eyes, takes deep breaths to control the tears. “Look, I need to go to the girl’s room. Brush my hair. Whatever.” She walks away, leaving Cameron and me standing there, glaring at each other.
“Why don’t you just leave Hailey alone,” I say. A statement, not a question.
“And who are you to tell me that? I’ve known Hailey since we were in kindergarten.”
“Guess that gives you a right to bully her into driving you around like she’s your chauffeur.”
“I lost my license for that chick,” Cameron says. “She owes me.”
The next band, comprised entirely of girls with blue hair and white leather miniskirts, walks by. His gaze drifts to follow them, not that I blame the guy. But I don’t take my eyes off Cameron’s face.
“Let’s take this conversation outside,” I say. Not to beat him up, just to talk. That’s what I tell myself, anyway.
He nods, leads me to a back door, pushes it open and we’re outside in a deserted courtyard. It’s a coolish spring night, but crickets are already chirping in the long grass behind the school.
“So what’s your deal, Cameron?” I ask, stuffing my hands in my back pockets so I won’t hit him. “Are you really that much of an asshole that you want to get Hailey all upset just before she has to perform? You trying to sabotage her and have her mess up like last year just so you can prove some point?”
Cameron flinches, obviously not realizing Hailey told me the whole story, but then he regains his swagger by changing the subject. “Hey, I can