More Than Music Read Online Free Page B

to a Star Wars reference from a hot guy on his knees? The word slipped out before I could stop it. “Okay.”
    “Yes!” He jumped to his feet and hugged me, making my head spin. “Thank you, thank you, thank you. I really owe you one.”
    The students around us clapped, like he’d just proposed to me or something. I gave the crowd a faint smile, feeling sick to my stomach. Jared quickly rattled off all the details about the audition tomorrow and told me to meet the band for practice in a few hours. And then he left, before I could come to my senses and change my mind.

    J ulie and Carla were watching House Hunters International when I walked into the apartment we all shared.
    “You can just repaint the stupid room!” Julie yelled at the TV.
    I collapsed on the sofa beside them and threw my head back with a groan. Now that Jared was no longer in front of me and the glow of his smile had worn off, the reality of what I’d agreed to do was sinking in. I couldn’t go on the show with the band, but I seemed to be physically unable to say no to Jared either. Maybe I could pretend I was sick. Or break my arm. Yes, I had to injure myself. That was the only way to get out of this mess.
    “Was your final that bad?” Carla asked.
    “Maybe she needs to eat.” Julie handed me a box of crackers, which I waved away. Eating was the last thing on my mind right now.
    “My final was fine, except Jared was waiting for me outside my class.”
    Julie dropped the box, spilling crackers across the hardwood floor. “He what?”
    “Was he mad about last night?” Carla asked.
    I’d told both girls the entire embarrassing story on the drive home from the party. They’d thought it was hilarious naturally. “No, he wasn’t mad. Even worse—he asked me to join his band.”
    “WHAT?” Julie and Carla both blurted out together.
    “I know! But it’s only for their audition on The Sound tomorrow, and then they’ll find a new bassist. It’s not a permanent thing.” I sucked in a breath and then spit the rest out. “And I said yes, but now I need to tell him no because I can’t do it. I just can’t.”
    My two friends looked at each other, and something passed between them. Julie turned back to me. “You can do this, and you will,” she said in her fiercest voice.
    “Julie’s right,” Carla said. “This is what you’ve been dreaming about forever. You have to do it.”
    “But I’m not a guitarist!” I protested. “I’ve never played live before or on stage or in front of…well, anyone.” At least, not since my mom had flipped out on me all those years ago.
    “You’ve played guitar for us a million times,” Julie said.
    “And you play piano on stage all the time,” Carla added.
    “Yes, I play piano on stage, and sometimes I go wild and play the violin in an orchestra. But playing guitar in a band in front of millions of people is completely different!”
    “You’ll be fine,” Carla said. “Besides, it’s only one performance. Just pretend you’re playing for us.”
    Julie nudged me with her shoulder. “Plus this gives you a chance to get close to Jared.”
    “I don’t want to get close to Jared!”
    “Why not?” she asked. “Everyone wants to get close to Jared.”
    “Yes, that’s exactly the problem.”
    “Do it for Kyle then,” Carla said. “You’ve known him for years, and now he needs your help.”
    I hadn’t thought of that. If I backed out now, they probably wouldn’t have time to find another guitarist or bassist before the show. I couldn’t do that to my friend. “You’re right… But then, why didn’t Kyle ask me to join the band himself?”
    Julie shrugged. “Maybe Jared didn’t tell him about your little solo performance last night.”
    That could be it. Kyle didn’t know I played the guitar. Or maybe Jared had told him, but Kyle didn’t want me in the band. I didn’t exactly fit their image after all. Or even worse, maybe Kyle was upset I’d never told him I played guitar