Laila hummed happily as she walked to cheer practice. It was the next day and all of her classes had gone wonderfully. The wait for the casting list was officially halfway over, since Thursday was half over already. The only thing out of the ordinary was Jace; he hadn't shown up for school at all. It wasn't unusual for him to be late or leave a class early, but this was his first time missing school altogether.
"I wonder where he is..."
"What?"
"Nothing," Laila said quickly. She'd forgotten Caleb was walking beside her. "I can't wait for cheer! I missed it yesterday when we had to do callbacks instead."
"Yeah, me too. I also hate that I missed Jace kicking Teddy's ass yesterday."
"For the last time--"
"Will you please stop talking about that," Caleb mocked his best friend's voice. "Why, because you blush every time?"
Laila stopped walking. "I do not."
"You do."
"Not!" "You're blushing right now--"
"I definitely am not, and I'm leaving you." She sped up as Caleb laughed loudly. They were among the first to arrive at cheer practice. Caleb wandered over to Ramani, Katie, and Shanti and started gossiping with them instead. "Such a gossiper," Laila mumbled to herself. Gossip had never been her forte.
Maybe that's why I never notice the gossip about myself?
She shrugged lightly and placed her bag beside the bleachers.
"Hi, Laila."
She turned around, "Hey, Alex. What's up?"
"Nothing much," He shifted his weight.
"Are you okay..?" She asked. His demeanor was kind of weird.
"Yeah, I'm fine." He was still acting strange. "Okay. I'm just gonna say it."
"Say what?" She tilted her head, curious. She had never seen him this flustered before.
"No, I can't."
"Can't what?" She asked, getting a little frustrated. "What's the matter?"
"I'm just gonna do it," He mumbled. And then he kissed her, full on the lips. She opened her eyes in shock, just in time to see Jace and Wes staring as they walked by.
"Mmph," She pushed Alex away--nicely, of course--and stepped back. When had Jace arrived? "Alex, I can't. I don't like you like that."
"Is it because--"
"I'm so sorry," She interrupted, "I have to go."
She took off across the field with little regard for Alex's reaction. She ran and hopped to a stop directly in front of Wes and Jace. Wes grinned at her.
"What the hell was that?" Jace asked, referring to her awkward hop.
"I don't know," She said. "I wanted to say hi?" She stood there as Wes started laughing and Jace stared, somewhat confused. "Where were you all day?" She asked him.
"Around."
"I'm gonna go start warming up," Wes told them. He jogged off toward their teammates, who were still missing Alex.
"Really, where were you?" Laila tried again now that Wes was gone.
"Recording with my band," Jace replied. "They won't leave me alone about you. For some reason they wanna hang out with you again."
"Aw, really?" She smiled, feeling extremely flattered.
"Don't feel special." Jace waited a second for her smile to falter, then laughed and walked away.
"Ugh, he's so rude and mean," Laila grumbled to herself. "I don't understand."
She spun on her heel and made her way back to the cheerleader's side of the field. A portion of her mind was stressing about Jace having witnessed a kiss between herself and Alex, but the other half could not care less.
I just don't want him to think it was mutual, she thought. But why? Why do I even care?
"You ready, Laila?" Katie called to her. She was barely within earshot.
She nodded and took her place amongst the girls and Caleb. Practice went by smoothly, filled with its usual stunts and flips, cheers and chants, and a couple flying tricks that she and two of the other girls knew how to execute. By the time it was over, the kiss between herself and Alex was all she could think about.
"Why won't you stop ignoring me?! LAILA!"
"Huh?" Laila jumped at the sudden screaming in her ear. "Why're you yelling at me?"
"Because I was talking to you about how you've been ignoring me for the past five minutes, and you even ignored that. What the fuck are you thinking about that's so interesting? I wanna know!"
"Sorry, I guess I tuned out. It's nothing important."
"Oh it's totally important," Ramani continued, "I can tell."
"Hold on. I'll be back," Laila walked after Jace as he passed, then skipped a couple steps and jogged when she realized she wasn't catching up. This time he was alone, just as she wanted. "Jace!" She called loudly. Surprisingly, he stopped to wait for her.
"What do you want now?"
"About that.. um, you know when..."
"You kissed Alex?" He guessed.
"He kissed me!" Laila exclaimed. "I didn't kiss him. It was all him. I didn't do anything." She couldn't stop herself from ranting.
"Are you done?" Jace asked. He was sort of smiling. It wasn't even a malicious one.
"Uhh," Laila wasn't quite done, but she didn't know what else to say.
"It doesn't matter," Jace said. "Do what you want, Rabbit. It makes no difference to me."
"Oh," Laila's heart sank.
"But if it did matter, that would be good to know."
"Oh," Her voice lifted. "Okay. Good to know."
"Yeah," Jace paused, and it looked like he was about to say something else but then he stopped himself.
"Lala, are you ready to go?" Caleb strolled up holding his backpack and Laila's bag. He handed it to her.
"Yeah, I guess." She hesitated before saying, "Bye, Jace."
"Bye."
Her heart skipped a beat and she smiled as she and Caleb walked away. For some reason she felt better knowing it might sort of matter to Jace. Possibly. She couldn't quite tell, but it seemed like a good thing.
"Hi Mandy!" Laila waved happily as they reached Caleb's car, where Amanda was waiting impatiently.
"Finally! I feel like I've been waiting here forever," She groaned and draped herself across the car. "How was practice?"
"Well Alex kissed me."
"What?"
"How did I miss that?!"
"I guess you weren't paying attention," Laila shrugged at Caleb's incredulous screeching. "Yeah, he did. It was super random. Can we get in the car now? I don't want anyone else to hear us," She looked around as the soccer players and the rest of their squad neared the parking lot. She quickly got in front the second Caleb unlocked the doors.
"Is he a good kisser?" Amanda got in the backseat and eagerly sat forward, "Did anyone else see? What did he say about it? Did you kiss him back? Tell us all about it! Details, details, details details details--"
"I guess he's a good kisser," Laila said thoughtfully. "It only lasted a second before I opened my eyes and saw Wes and Jace walking by--"
"JACE SAW?!"
"Mandy stop screaming!" Laila covered her ears as Caleb slammed on the brakes. "What is wrong with you guys?"
"Wrong with us? What's wrong with you? How do you expect to become official with Jace when he sees you kissing other guys--"
"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Laila held up both hands as Caleb started driving again. "Who said I wanna be official with Jace?"
"Uh, the entire school," Amanda said. "Answer all my questions, lady! We'll get back to Jace in a second."
"Okay, fine. So I'm pretty sure Jace and Wes are the only ones who saw. I didn't kiss him back. Right before he did it he said 'okay I'm just gonna do it,' or something like that. I don't remember exactly, it all happened so fast. Wait... Does this mean Alex likes me?"
"Um, yes."
"Duh."
"Oh," Laila slumped in her seat, feeling dejected. "How am I always so oblivious to these things?"
"What did Jace say when he saw?" Amanda asked enthusiastically.
"He didn't mention it at first, so I ran after him after practice and told him Alex kissed me, and I'm not the one who kissed him. He said it doesn't matter and to do whatever I want. But then he said that if it did matter, it would be good to know. And then Caleb walked up and asked if I was ready to go."
"Oh my god, no!"
"What?" She looked at Caleb, surprised by his sudden outburst.
"I interrupted that? Oh my god, no!"
"You did, but it's fine. I'm sure I'll see him later. Probably in a second when he gets home."
"I don't see his motorcycle," Amanda peered out the backseat window as they pulled up outside Laila's house. "Where is he? He always gets home super fast."
"I'm sure he'll be here soon," Laila replied. "Not that I care."
"Suuure you don't," Caleb laughed as she opened the door and got out. "See you tomorrow."
"I'm definitely gonna be calling you for more details," Amanda informed her. "See ya tomorrow!"
"Bye guys," Laila grabbed her bag and shut the door, waving as they drove off. She hesitated for a minute, wondering if Jace's bandmates would come pouring out of Rose's house to talk to her. Then she wondered if Jace would arrive. A full minute passed before she gave up on either idea and went inside.
Just as Amanda had said, she called Laila once every hour, waiting for an update on Jace and any possible conversations. And every time, Laila told her best friend that Jace wasn't home, that he hadn't ever shown up after school, and that she had no idea where he was. His bandmates, too, though she couldn't tell Amanda that part.
"I wonder where they are," Laila thought out loud. She flopped backwards onto her bed and started singing. Quietly, to herself. A part of her was still waiting for the sound of Jace's bike. There was a quiet knock at her door.
"Laily?" Alyson walked into the room. "Are you hungry?"
"Yeah," Laila sat up, "Are you making dinner?"
"No," Her mom laughed and leaned against the door frame, "I was gonna ask if you will. It's already five and I'm starving. Your vegan burgers are the best. Will you make us some?"
Before she could answer the doorbell rang, followed by three knocks on the door.
"I'll get it!" Laila hopped up.
"Do you think it's Dario?"
"No, he never knocks. Just rings," Laila smiled as she passed her mom to go downstairs. "I'll cook after I talk to whoever's here," She called as she descended the stairs.
"Thank you, Laily! I'll be in my office."
"Kay!" Laila got to the front door and peaked through the peephole. To her surprise, it was Wes. She opened the door.
"Laila!" He barged inside the second there was room, "Laila I'm sorry for coming over without calling but I was too fucking excited! I'm too excited!"
"What's happening?" She watched as he paced back and forth. She closed the door.
"Distression is here!" He shouted.
"Huh?" She tilted her head, unable to keep up with his energy. And then the words sank in, and her bewilderment was replaced by shock. How did he know?
"They're fucking here, they're in the U.S. and they're doing a secret show tonight and I just found out and I'm so excited and we're going!"
"Me?" Laila stared at him incredulously. "No, I'm not. I can't go. I don't do rock concerts, I'd be way too scared. Don't they have moshpits and stuff? That's not safe!"
"I'll protect you from the moshpit," He assured her. "I've been to tons of rock shows. I tried to call Jace to take him with me, but he's not answering. He's been MIA since the end of soccer practice, so I'm taking you. He hates them, anyways. And you're my favorite person who likes them."
"I-I don't like them," She stuttered, "I never said I liked them--"
"Yes, you do. You were singing their songs in English," He told her. "You sing them all the time when you think we can't hear."
"I do?"
Wes laughed and nodded. "All the time. You sing them so much you don't even realize you're doing it. C'mon, you have to change. Doors open in an hour," He grabbed her hand and started dragging her upstairs.
"What's wrong with what I have on now? And who said I'm going?" Laila let herself be tugged along.
"Who's this?" Alyson stepped out of her office to see what all the commotion was.
"My friend Wes," Laila replied. "Wes, this is my mom. Mom, this is Wes."
"Hi Ms. Thornton, it's nice to meet you," He smiled. "Can I borrow Laila for the night?"
"For what..?" Alyson asked suspiciously.
"A rock concert," He said, his smile turning into a full on grin.
"Oh in that case, go ahead. Just have her back in time for school tomorrow."
"Mom!"
"Thank you, Ms. Thornton!"
"Anytime, Wes. Laily, I'll find something else to eat. You guys have fun."
"We definitely will," Wes tugged Laila into her room and pushed her on the bed, then went straight to her closet. He started rifling through clothes as Laila watched in fascination.
"Why're you acting like such a girl right now?" She asked. "I can pick my own outfit."
"Not for this, no. If you show up in Ballet leg warmers and a hot pink dress you'll never hear the end of it."
"Okay, fine," She sighed. "But I'm not dressing all ridiculously dark just for this."
"We'll see," Wes smiled. "I already bought tickets, by the way. It's sold out."
"Seriously?" She asked. He nodded. "Do you even know why they're in the U.S.?"
Wes shrugged, "Who cares! I'm just glad they are." He finally chose an outfit and tossed it at her.
"I can't wear this," She protested, "It's too small. I wore this for a dance performance two years ago where we were supposed to be this sexy--"
"I don't care," He interrupted. "Put it on and do your makeup. And leave your hair down. We're unprepping you for the night."
"That's not a word."
"I'll be outside," He told her, "Come out when you're ready, and don't take too long! I wanna be in the front."
She sighed lightly again. "Fine. I'll be out soon."
"Great! See you in a few," He left her room and said bye to her mom, then continued downstairs.
"Okay, Laila. Don't panic," She started, trying to give herself a pep talk. "You can do this. Maybe then won't even notice I'm there."
Yeah, like that's gonna happen.
She quickly did her makeup in silver and black; silver eyeshadow with black liner and mascara, then a small dusting of glitter over the eyeshadow. Next she got dressed in a black crop top with a shimmery red lipstick print across her chest, a short and tight red skirt, and red converse. She took her hair down and ran her hands through it a few times, making sure the waves looked decent. Then she looked in the mirror and got thoroughly confused.
This looks nothing like me, she thought. But I do look pretty hot.
The outfit was from a hip hop routine two years ago, where she and her teammates were supposed to be a crew of sexy girls battling a crew of guys. The routine was actually one of her favorites, by far.
"Okay, time to go," She quickly left her room and pranced down the stairs. It had already been fifteen minutes.
"Oh my god, my baby!" Alyson's loud voice came from the kitchen. "What did that boy do to you? I love it! Is Jace gonna be there? He needs to see you like this."
"I don't know if he'll be there," Laila lied.
"I need to take pictures."
"I have to go. I'm sorry, mom. You can take some when I get back," She kissed her mom's cheek before running from the room. "I love you, see you later!"
"Love you too, sweetie," Alyson called back. Laila shut the door and spotted Wes' car across the street.
"Wow..." He was leaning against his car with his arms crossed. He looked Laila up and down, seemingly at a loss for words.
"I feel so weird in this," She said self-consciously.
"No, don't feel weird. You look hot as fuck," He told her. "Don't tell Jace I said that."
"What? Why?"
"No reason," He chuckled at her confusion and unlocked the doors. "Get in, we have to go."
"Kay," She went around to the passenger side and got in, trying to ignore the nervous butterflies in her stomach. She had never done anything like this before, and the fact that it would be Jace on stage only made things worse.