Counting Stars | ✔

Chapter Nineteen

"Can you wear tube tops and booty shorts?"

My eyes narrow. I can't deal with him when he is being a moron, which is almost always.

"Grow up!"

"I'll try, mom." He walks past me and turns around as if to check me out from behind.

"Don't be a perv," Steff says to him. But he only laughs, walking out.

"Can you believe Madison cheated on Jeremy with this dummy?"

Here we go again.

"That happened like a bazillion years ago, Steff." I roll my eyes picking up the water bottles everyone carelessly left behind.

Jayden and Jeremy left after rehearsal to go to a home game, and Steff stayed behind to help me tidy up.

"Ginger ale. Auu, look at me! I'm so loud and relevant." Steff rolls her eyes. "Who says bomb dot com? Seriously! She gets on my nerves."

I almost want to laugh at her but I resist the urge.

"We have a problem!" Red says, coming down the stairs.

She is in one of her high heels, and it is loud as hell as she makes her way towards me. And it looks so uncomfortable. I don't know how she does it.

"What happened?" I shove the water bottles in a garbage bag and walk up to her.

"Freaking Mason Walker just quit. He isn't doing the play." She is in distress, and I don't blame her. We're supposed to show in a week.

"Why?" I ask.

"He said he fought with Sanchez backstage and can't work with him anymore. What are we going to do?"

This is a problem. Mrs Ronin will lose her shit if we ask her to postpone it.

"Can we hold another audition?" I suggest even though I know it's going to be nearly impossible. No one wants to face Mrs Ronin's scrutiny. Even the drama club is staying out of this one.

"No one will show up. Can you think of anyone who might want to help? We need a serious backup plan!"

Red is definitely a bossy one. She's a bit much at times, but she gets the job done. All my friends are already doing the play, so the only person left that I can think of is Liam, and he has made it clear that he doesn't want to do it.

"Not really," I tell her, and she sighs.

"I'll figure something out. Do you need help with that?" She points to the garbage bag.

"No, Steff and I got it. Thanks."

She nods, grabbing her bag.

Steff and I finish up, and I am excited to go home and grab my things so I can go over to Liam's.

"So you guys didn't? Still?" Steff asks, looking at me sideways with skepticism.

"I already told you. No. I would tell you if we did." I say as we walk out the exit.

I may be experimenting, but I am not ready to go all the way yet. Thankfully, Liam is absolutely respectful. He doesn't make me feel like I have to do anything I don't want to do, which is why I enjoy every moment we share.

"I still don't get how you sleep in his bed, and you are not tempted to jump his bones. That boy is sinfully gorgeous."

Steff says this every time Liam is mentioned. And I can't say that she is wrong.

"Maybe because I'm not as horny as you and Mr. Samuels," I say, and she contorts her face.

"Don't call him that. It sounds like you're referring to his father." She shudders, and I laugh. "I guarantee Liam is probably walking around with perpetual blue balls. The poor guy." She says, and I cringe.