Barking Up the Wrong Lead - A Gallagher Girls Story

Chapter Five

Chapter Five

Blackthorne. is. huge. Seriously. I mean, I didn't get to see the outside since, you know, I had taken an alternative route in, but even from the inside it's completely massive. Will and Bill tried to give me a tour, but we ended up missing half the building. "And then we're back to the library," Will said.

"And by the looks of it you've seen the pool," teased Bill. I glared at him, but he only laughed.

"That's the mess hall," Will continued, pointing to a pair of frosty doors. Then he turned and named off the two hallways behind us. "Faculty and guest quarters. That's where all the girls sleep. Our rooms are on the second floor, but strictly off limits to those whose estrogen outweighs their testosterone."

"Bummer," I snarked.

Suddenly my ears caught something from down the hall. Something that made we want to curl up and sip hot chocolate. It was sweet and melodic and it seemed to be calling out to me. Wrapping around me like a blanket. "Where's that coming from?"

"What?" Will asked, as if he had missed something terribly important on this grand tour of his. "Oh, the piano? We have one in the rec room."

"You guys have a rec room?" Without knowing, I had taken a few steps forward. Towards the music. Towards the melody. My ears had gotten so used to leading the way recently. Ever since Mom.

"You don't?" Bill asked, tearing me away from the thoughts.

"We have common rooms," I replied. "No rec room though."

"Well we gotta go, then!" Bill exclaimed, grabbing my by the wrist and dragging me behind. "Holographic Ping-Pong!"

Well, if ever there was a way to get a girl's attention, it's with the news of holographic Ping-Pong, but evidently, that news had already gotten out because just about all of my classmates were already in the rec room. Kay Naidoo sat on the arm of a big plush chair, calling winner on the next game. Except, most of them weren't waiting for a paddle or watching the T.V. Most of them were all huddled around the grand piano in the corner of the room. I joined them, trying to see what all the commotion was about and boy, did I see it.

He was the very definition of tall, dark, and handsome. He had the perfect five o'clock shadow that looked best when he smiled and the type of hair that looked best when it was untidy. As his long fingers flowed over the keys, he looked completely peaceful. "Ahh, Ms. Goode. So nice of you to join us," he said without even opening his eyes. He just kept swaying with the tune, as if he and I were the oldest of friends and he could sense my very presence.

I didn't answer him for fear that I might disturb whatever state he was in. It felt like I was watching a concert and couldn't clap until the song was over. "Blake Hughes," Will whispered in one ear.

"Theories of Attack and Defense," Bill said in the other.

Hughes looked exactly how I expected the TAD teacher to look. He was broad in the shoulders and thinner at the waist. It was easy to imagine him hitting a punching bag or demonstrating a frontal bishop kick. I never would have pegged him for a piano player.

He opened his eyes as the song slowly dissolved to an end. They were brown and they were gorgeous. At least three girls around me sighed. "It's the same skill," he said, looking right at me. "Combat and piano playing—both motor based skills. That's why I fought so hard to get a piano in here. Can't have a school for geniuses without a piano, after all."

Carolyn Fisher and Debbie Jackson both nodded as if they knew exactly what he was talking about. Honestly, I think they might've nodded at anything he said. Frankly, I probably would too. Hughes was gorgeous. And he played music. I bet he cooked too—oh, wouldn't that be great? "Tell me, Ms. Goode. Any requests?"