Now That I've Found You - Kristina Forest Page 0,73

voice is so low and smooth. Rich, like honey. He closes his eyes and stops singing but continues to strum, nodding along.

I mean, is he even real? Where did he come from? Allegedly, he’s Brooklyn born and raised, but I’m halfway convinced he’s from outer space.

He stops singing and sets down his guitar. Blinking, I sit up straight, trying to hide the fact that I was practically drooling.

“You like it?” he asks. “Tell the truth.”

“I do. I love it,” I answer quickly, with complete honesty. “You’re so talented, Milo. You all are. They’ll probably sign you at that meeting tomorrow.”

“I hope so,” he says. “And thanks. That means a lot.”

“You’re welcome.”

We fall quiet. I consider getting up and suggesting we go back to the party before the silence turns awkward, but I don’t want to leave his room yet either.

“Can I ask you something?” he suddenly says. Curious, I look at him and nod. “Did you really cut your hair because you wanted to try something new?”

“No,” I admit. “I cut it because I was sad.”

I think back to that day when I rushed to find the scissors, how I chopped and chopped at my hair until there was barely anything left. The numbness I felt as I stared down at the chunks surrounding me on the floor.

“I wanted to be somebody else,” I say. “Have you ever felt that way?”

“Of course,” he says. “I wish I had more money and wasn’t living in this tiny apartment. I wish that our band was more successful and that my parents didn’t feel like I was breaking their hearts and God’s heart too.”

“That’s not you wishing to be someone else,” I point out. “That’s you wishing to improve the life you already have.”

He nods, thinking this over. “I guess you’re right.”

“Gigi would’ve never cut her hair,” I hear myself say. “She would’ve held her head high and ignored the gossip. People always say we look alike, but that’s where the similarities end.”

“You actually have a lot in common,” Milo says, leaning back on his elbows. “For starters, you’re both really stubborn. And intimidating.”

I snort. “I’m not intimidating.”

“Most intimidating people don’t think they are intimidating,” he says, smirking.

He leans closer and continues to stare at my hair. “It’s not that bad. I kind of like it, actually. You get to see your whole face in a way that you couldn’t with all the curls.”

I start to say that it’s in a weird growing-out stage, but I decide to shut up and accept the compliment.

“You should hear the way your grandma talks about you,” he says. “You make her so proud. I don’t think she cares about how different the two of you are. Maybe being different isn’t so bad.”

“Yeah, maybe,” I say. Then, “Before Gigi left, I had something really important to tell her.” My gut clenches up, and I stop. I’ve spent so long trying to push Milo away, but now I’m terrified that spilling this secret might make him hate me. I take a deep breath. “James Jenkins wants me to star in his remake of Every Time We Meet. But only if I have Gigi’s blessing, and only if I can get her to meet with him.”

I expect him to back away, but he doesn’t. Suddenly, the words are spilling out of me. “I hate that I’ve struck a deal with the person my grandmother despises the most, but no one else was willing to give me a chance. I feel like I don’t have any other options, and I wonder if that makes me a terrible person.” I pause. “I can’t believe I just told you all that.”

“I don’t think you’re terrible,” he says quietly. “I think you’re making a tough decision under tough circumstances.”

I nod, looking away. I feel exposed after telling this secret, but I won’t lie, it feels good to finally tell someone the truth. Or more specifically, it feels good to tell this truth to Milo because he knows Gigi so well.

“What are you thinking?” he asks.

I turn to look at him again. I’m thinking that I never thought I’d find myself here with him in his room. That I like the feeling of being here, and I don’t know what that means. And I’m wondering when we moved closer to each other.

“Milo!” Raf yells right before he comes crashing into the room. We jerk apart, and Raf freezes, slapping his hands over his eyes. “Sorry, sorry! Milo, I just wanted to let you know