Grasping at Eternity (The Kindrily Series #1)

16.) WHEN SOULS COLLIDE

Maryah

Over the next month, April's prediction came true. River and I became friends—or the closest thing I could be with the most popular guy in school. He even walked me to classes sometimes. He'd slip me notes asking me what I thought about his new song lyrics. No matter how many times he acknowledged me, it continued to astonish me.

River shot me an irritated glance during music class. He thought our teacher hated him because he was doing what Mr. Milton could only dream about—sing in a band. River made lots of snide remarks like that, but I never took him seriously. No one could be as full of himself as River pretended to be.

Mr. Milton had been giving lessons on the "musical greats." He started a few weeks ago with music from the 1890s and early 1900s. My favorite week of lessons was the 1920s to the 1950s. Each song Mr. Milton played for the class made me think of my parents dancing around our living room.

Music during that time had so much dignity and soul. There wasn't a bunch of obscene language, or lyrics about murder, sex, or how cool it was to be a criminal. It wasn't that I'd been dropped off on the wrong planet—which is how I felt most of the time. I'd been born in the wrong era. If I had my way, I'd have been born in the 1920s. That way I could see the greats like Louie Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald.

It was Friday, and our last lesson on the '90s. We'd studied many genres, but Mr. Milton seemed to actually get excited about the grunge scene: Pearl Jam, Stone Temple Pilots, and Nirvana.

Kurt Cobain was the main topic of discussion and people gave their opinions about his suicide. Since the attack, I'd considered ending my own life a few times, but I was too much of a coward to shoot myself or take a bunch of pills.

The bell rang. River approached my desk as I packed up my books. "Dope lesson, huh?"

"I guess so."

"Do you like Nirvana?"

"I like a few of their songs." I wasn't going to admit I was a geek and preferred music before the rock era.

"You seemed to be zoning out during class."

"Guess my mind was somewhere else." In my peripheral vision I saw Faith and Harmony looking in our direction.

"And where was that?" He sat on my desk.

"With April. I'm worried about her. Promise you'll tell her to call me next time you talk to her?"

"I told you. She barely returns my phone calls. But she's fine. Just busy playing nurse to her mom."

Faith interrupted us. "Maryah, let's go! Louise and Anthony want to leave right away."

"Right." I stood up and rolled my eyes. "I have to go."

He straightened, looking more alert. "Do you want to hang out this weekend? There's a big party Saturday night."

River was asking me to go to a party with him? Talking to me at school was one thing, but being seen with me in public? "I, um—I would, but we're going to this thing in New Mexico."

"You're skipping town." He smiled his Cheshire cat grin. "I'm jealous."

Faith whined from the doorway. "Come on, Maryah!"

I shrugged my backpack over my shoulder. "Please tell April to call me."

"Enjoy New Mexico. Don't miss me too much."

I followed Faith as she prattled on about how much fun this weekend would be. We were taking a road trip to Albuquerque for a Balloon Fiesta to celebrate Nathan's birthday. I'd never seen a hot air balloon in real life, so I was kind of looking forward to it.