The Fake Boyfriend Experiment(25)

What did I want? Like really and truly? I knew immediately. I wanted another day like the one I’d had playing with Rafe’s band. Singing, laughing, dancing, and letting the music fill me up and burst out of me. I wanted to play for fun, just because I felt like it. Excitement rushed through me at the idea of having the chance to do that again.

The only place I could do that was in Rafe’s band, but if Crusty was hovering, all that freedom would be gone. “Is your aunt planning to attend rehearsals?”

Rafe made a snort of protest. “God, I hope not.”

“Hang on.” Still leaning against the door frame, I took the phone away from my mouth and turned my head toward my parents. “Is Miss Jespersen going to come to rehearsals?”

My mom glanced at my dad. “I think she’s planning to stop by, hon. Not to coach you, just to check in.”

Rafe overheard her comment. “No way,” he protested. “That’s so wrong!”

“Forget it, Mom.” I folded my arms over my chest. “I’m not playing in the band if she’s going to be there.”

“Lily!” Rafe said. “Don’t do this to me.”

I ignored him. “Either I do this band thing on my own with no interference from you guys, or I’m quitting piano entirely.” It was the only solution I could think of that ended up with Rafe not hating me forever and me not losing my mind. The truth was that I wanted to play in the band. For fun. For me. Without Rafe hating me. The other day when I’d played with them had been the most fun I’d had in a long time, and I wasn’t ready to let it go. I focused my gaze on my dad, because he was the only one who might go against Miss Jespersen. “Dad? Can you make her stay away?”



Dad nodded. “Fine.” He put his hand on my mom’s arm before she could refuse. “Lily needs this. Let her do it.”

My mom gave me a hard look. “You better be on the keyboard. Sitting in the same room playing computer games doesn’t count.”

I grinned, relief spreading through me. I’d done it. I had it the way I wanted. I had another chance to feel like I had that day I’d played with Rafe and his band. “Of course I’ll play when I’m there,” I told her. “Thanks.”

My dad gave me a thumbs up, and my mom managed a worried smile.

I turned and walked out, putting the phone next to my mouth again. “Happy, Rafe?” I was happy. Relieved. I wanted to play, and Rafe wanted me to play as well, even if it was simply to avoid further torture from Crusty. It might not be perfect, but I was so excited to try it.

“You almost blew it,” Rafe said, still sounding cranky. “Are you insane? Didn’t you hear me tell you that if you dropped out my aunt would never let me forget it?”

I grinned, too relieved to take offense at how grumpy he sounded. “I’ll play on one condition.”

He groaned. “What condition?”

“You won’t be a jerk to me the whole time.”

He snorted. “Fine. I’ll be a jerk only some of the time.”

“Rafe!”

He coughed to cover his laughter. Jerk. “Six o’clock tomorrow at Mueller-Fordham. Plan to stay late. We have a gig a week from Saturday and you have a lot of music to learn.”

I tripped on the stairs. “A what?”

“Gig. We’re booked to play a middle school dance. See ya.”

I stared at the phone. A gig? Like a piano recital in disguise, only this time I’d have Rafe glaring at me instead of my piano teacher looming over me.

This completely sucked. What had I gotten myself into?

But I couldn’t help but grin. Yes, there might be some major suckitude going on, but my life had suddenly become interesting. Crazy and insane, and I had no idea how it was going to turn out, but I was excited to find out.

* * *





At five minutes before six on Friday, Erin’s mom pulled up in front of Mueller-Fordham to drop me off for band practice. Band practice! How much better did that sound than piano lessons? I was moving up in the world, for sure.

Erin’s mom had taken the four of us to the mall to shop for new bikinis for the pool party on Saturday, which I was now attending since I didn’t have a recital. I was so excited, but nervous too. It wasn’t as if things had gone well with Les on Thursday, and now I was going to have to find a way to be interesting for an entire afternoon? While wearing a bikini!

I’d never had a bikini before. Now I did. Black. Completely sexy. I felt naked with it on and there was no way I was going to wear it at the pool party in front of boys. I was so keeping my shirt on over it.

I’d bought it anyway, because, well, I had to. Like I wasn’t going to buy it when Val, Delilah and Erin had all bought bikinis. Though I had to admit, I was kind of excited about it. I really was.