I can’t believe Max said yes to watching us play.

I can’t believe how incredibly excited I am.

Maybe I like her more than I think I do.

I’ve been trying so hard not to be romantic about this. Teaching a girl like Max to play guitar is pretty damn sexy, but I’m fighting it big-time.

I want to be Max’s friend more than her boyfriend, in spite of the hassles my bandmates keep giving me. Maybe that’s why I’m fighting it. I don’t want to fall back into the same old pattern.

Leaning my head against the van window, I check my watch again and hope she’s not too late.

Latifa’s annoyed we’re waiting for her at all.

“Can’t she find her own way there? We’ve got a sound check to do!”

Roman tries to ease her tension by putting his hand on her shoulder. “Come on, Tifa. Don’t be like that.”

“I just don’t see why she even has to come at all. I don’t care if she’s some musical prodigy.”

Roman called Max that, not me.

But she is a real natural. Music flows through her veins the same way it flows through mine.

“And I’m still annoyed about the fact you lied to us, Cai.” Latifa’s dark eyes narrow.

“I didn’t lie,” I argue again.

“You didn’t tell us. That’s basically lying.”

I roll my eyes and let out a soft groan.

Ever since Roman caught Max in the music room, they’ve been going on about it. I’ve answered every question under the sun, from “What the hell?” to “You’re trying to get into her pants, aren’t you?”

I nearly clocked Austin for that one.

He could see how pissed I was because he quickly raised his hands and swore he wouldn’t say it again…or tell anyone what Max was up to.

Even though they’re annoyed with me for hiding this from them, I still one hundred percent believe I can trust them.

They’ll keep Max and her guitar learning on the down low. I know they will.

“She’s got two more minutes, and then we’re gone.” Latifa huffs and slams back into her seat.

I ignore her mood and quietly pray that Max will hurry it up. In order to get out of homecoming, she’s going with her sisters and then faking a headache after they arrive. It’s kind of dodgy, but she’s convinced it’s the only way to get around it. Her plan is to feign a migraine to get away from her sisters, then pretend to call her mom for a ride home.

In reality, she’s going to sneak out the back door and run two blocks south to a quiet street near the school where Austin has parked his van.

Glancing in the side mirror, I think I spot a shadowy movement. Pushing the door open with my shoulder, I jump down and break into a grin as a girl with long blonde hair comes bolting towards me.

Even in the dim streetlight I can make out her smooth running style.

Her hair flies behind her as she pumps her arms and then comes to a swift stop in front of me.

“Hey,” she puffs, trying to catch her breath.

“Hi.” I can’t think of anything smarter to say.

Something weird is happening in my chest and I’m kind of captured for a moment as I drink in her excited grin. She’s wearing lip gloss and these long feather earrings. They look cool.

I reach out and gently run my fingers down one of the black feathers. “Nice.”

“Oh, um…” She gives me a twitchy smile. “Thanks.”

I can’t help skimming the rest of her. She’s wearing a dress, something I’ve never seen her in before. It’s fitted around the bodice and then puffs out from the waist, ending at her knees. And on her feet…a pair of bright red Converse high-tops.

I love it.

“Sorry I’m late. Maddie was playing nurse-slash-interrogator. Seriously, she’s worse than a parent sometimes.”

“She’s probably just worried about you.”

Max flashes me a tight, closed-mouth smile. It does nothing to hide the guilt she’s obviously feeling.

“Anyway.” I snap my fingers and point at the van. “You’re here now, so shall we go?”

She makes a nervous face, but nods. “Yeah.”

Taking her hand, I slide open the van door. The interior light pops on, illuminating Roman’s smile and Latifa’s unimpressed scowl.

“Whoa!” Roman’s eyebrows pop up. “Hey, Little Black Dress.”

“Shut up.” She snickers. “I had to pretend like I was going to homecoming.”

“I’m saying it looks good on you.”

“Well, it feels awful.” She runs her hands across the tight bodice over her stomach. “I can’t wait to get out of this thing.”

“Really?” Austin wiggles his eyebrows and I throw him a warning glare.

Max’s eyes bulge as she realizes what she just said. She looks like a deer caught in headlights, wanting to bolt from embarrassment but not sure how to do it.

Austin laughs and introduces himself. “I’m Austin.”

“Yeah, Kingston’s brother, right? I’ve seen you around.” Max nods politely before looking at Latifa. “Hi.”

“Whatever.” She shrugs. “Just get in, we’re already running late.”

“Don’t mind her,” I whisper in Max’s ear. “She takes a while to warm up to new people.”

“Right.” Max nods and jumps into the van, buckling up beside Latifa and staring straight ahead.

I hop into the front, wondering if I should be offering to swap with the grumpy bass player. But that would take her away from sitting next to Roman, and I know for sure she wants to be there.

Latifa just hates letting people in. Thanks to a rough upbringing, she has some major trust issues. Things have settled down now. She’s with a pretty cool aunt who has actually kept her for nearly two years. She can never truly relax, though. She’s just waiting for the day when the woman will turn around and tell her, “Time’s up! I’ve done my share.”

That’s why Velocity is her everything, and anything that might threaten or disrupt that really pisses her off.

“Okay, let’s go.” I nudge Austin’s arm, smiling over my shoulder as we take off for Cullington.

I catch Max’s eye, hoping she can relax and have a good time, but with the icy treatment she’s getting from Latifa, I think it’s gonna take a while to kick in.

Dammit, I should have given her a heads-up.

Latifa’s treated all my girlfriends like this at first.

She always goes for the ice queen routine. Anyone who’s strong enough to endure it gets moved into the initial friend zone—she’ll score the odd smile and a little polite conversation. The only girl I’ve been with that made it into the actual friend zone flew to Australia at the end of last year.

Latifa took it harder than I did.

Man, I sure hope Max is strong enough, because even though I’m not trying to make her my girlfriend, I kind of like having her around.

Shifting in my seat, I sneak another look in the back, glancing down at those red high-tops and wondering if Max isn’t the only one lying to the people she loves.

Maybe I’m lying too.

Maybe this girl’s going to get under my skin no matter how hard I fight it.