The Fake Boyfriend Experiment(6)

The singer finally told everyone to be quiet and play.

So cool!

When they hit the first note, I nearly died. They were playing the new JamieX song! I listened to it on my iPod every night while I was doing homework.

I sat down in the dirt and leaned against the cool brick, letting the edgy sound of JamieX wash over me. Yeah, it was a little lacking without the keyboard and the lead singer wasn’t exactly in the same class as JamieX, but it was still awesome. Especially in comparison to the classical sheet music in my backpack.

I closed my eyes and let the beat of Rafe’s drums pound through my body, my chest vibrating as I sang along. I could sit here for hours and almost forget that there was a freaky piano teacher after me and—

The music stopped, and reality came rushing back.

“Our music is too keyboard-intensive to do it without Paige.” Angel said. “This is a waste of our time and I’m going home.”

“No!” I jumped to my feet and threw my backpack through the open window. I heard a crash and then I set my palms on the windowsill and hoisted myself up. “Don’t stop! I’ll play.”



All of them were staring at me as I fell over the windowsill and did a face plant onto the floor. I immediately hopped up and faced the room. Total silence. Lily the social klutz strikes again.

Rafe’s cymbal was on the floor, smashed under my backpack. Oops. “Sorry.” I kicked my backpack aside, righted the cymbal and turned toward the group. “So, I’ll play keyboard for you.”

“Who are you?” the singer asked.

“Lily Gardner, child prodigy on my good days, hopeless piece of dirt on my bad ones.” Donning the confident attitude that I usually saved for recitals, I strode over to the keyboard and peered at it. “So, um, where’s the on-switch?” I’d played around with keyboards plenty of times when I’d stumbled across an unattended one at recitals or in the music school. I could play it no problem, as long as I didn’t mess with the synthesizer part.

Rafe hadn’t said a word. He was simply staring at me like I’d sprouted a second head or something. I ignored him. A hot guy is one thing. Depriving me of JamieX trumped everything else.

“I know you. You were just taking the lesson with Rafe’s aunt,” Angel said. “You play classical and you aren’t even very good.”

Rafe’s aunt? I shot a surprised look at Rafe. “You’re related to Crusty?” No way was this hot guy related to my piano teacher. It was impossible they shared the same genes.

The corner of Rafe’s mouth twitched. “You call her Crusty?”

“Old Crusty is her full name. Crusty for short.” I hesitated, belatedly recalling that I was badmouthing my piano teacher to her nephew. “Um, do you like her? Because if you do, then I was talking about someone else.”

The singer interrupted, thankfully sparing me further embarrassment. “Can you play?”

“If someone would turn this thing on for me.” Gah. Did I sound like a dork or what? What loser couldn’t find a power switch?

“I’m Chris. The band is called Mass Attack.” He walked over and flicked the switch on the far left.

Duh. It had been right in front of me. “I’m Lily,” I said.

“Welcome, Lily. I hope you can play.” Chris shot me a friendly grin that immediately relaxed me. He had blond hair that was slightly longer than Rafe’s. It curled over his collar, and looked like he never bothered to brush it. A little finger combing, and he was good. I liked that. I liked the whole vibe of the band, even Angel’s too-short shirt. Every one of them oozed attitude that I didn’t have. Being around them made me feel energized and jazzed.



“I can play JamieX no problem.” I pressed a few keys, ran through a few scales, then nodded. “I’m good. Let’s go.” I looked and realized the entire room was still staring at me. “What?”

“Let her play,” Rafe said, his voice all condescending like he was the one in charge of my fate.

Oh, lucky me. The leader of the pack gave me the thumbs up. Suddenly, he didn’t seem so much like a hot guy. More like the nephew of a nightmare.

I rolled my eyes and started to play from the sheet music in front of me. What did I expect from him? He was related to Miss Jespersen. Of course he’d be an overbearing, annoying jerk who needed to boss everyone around... Wow, this song was awesome!

I was halfway through the first page, dancing and doing a butt wiggle when I realized no one else was playing. My fingers stuttered over the keys. “Am I doing it wrong?” I couldn’t take failing twice in the same day. I stepped back from the keyboard, my cheeks suddenly heating up. What had I been thinking, barging in here? I was such an idiot. A little JamieX and I’d lost my mind? “Nevermind. Sorry I bothered you. I’ll just get my stuff and go—”