Considering it’s only three o’clock, the club is seriously buzzing. Excited bands are already here waiting for their turn to audition. Like us, they showed up early, no doubt driven here by nerves and excitement.

Choosing to host this event was a good move on the club’s part. They must be making bank with the amount of drinks passing across the bar, plus they’re giving themselves a good name. Whoever owns this place is a smart businessperson.

Leaning my elbow on the table, I take a sip from my Coke and tune into Latifa and Roman’s flirting. Their giggling banter is only just hiding the nerves beneath the surface. I bet they have serious butterflies as they wait for this thing to start. Austin’s pretty quiet. He’s gripping the edge of the table and obviously trying to stay in some kind of calm, concentrated zone. I should tell him to save it; we’re not on for at least another hour, especially by the time they do the intros and everything. Even if we were up first, we’ve still got a long wait ahead of us.

I check my watch and stupidly glance at the main door.

What am I expecting? For Max to suddenly appear?

She’s not coming, in spite of the fact that Dad made me pack an extra guitar, just in case. “You never know,” he said.

He’s seriously delusional.

Max and I haven’t even spoken properly since our fight in the music room. She skipped out of school on Wednesday and then spent the last two days hanging with her sisters. I approached them at one point and had a brief conversation. Their Uncle Conrad left without so much as a goodbye. Even worse, he stole a bunch of stuff from their place. Max looked so gutted but she wouldn’t let me catch her eye. In the end, I shared a pained smile with Maddie, who could only shrug and mouth, “Sorry.”

I shook my head and backed away from them. It hurt like nothing else, but what was I supposed to do? Max won’t let me in, and why should she after I called her a coward?

Draining my Coke, I place it back on the table and can’t even muster a smile when Mom and Dad walk over.

“How you holding up?” Dad nudges me with his elbow.

“Yep.” I nod.

“Great answer.” Mom gives me a sympathetic smile and squeezes my arm. “I’m sorry she’s not here.”

“It’s okay.” I hitch my shoulder. “She made her choice.”

“It was the wrong one,” Dad clips, obviously just as frustrated as I am.

I shake my head and turn the other way. Talking about it won’t change who Max is and the fact that she’s not coming.

When I told the band about Max bailing, Latifa was pissed. It took some very sweet talking from Roman to calm her down. We spent until 2 a.m. last night doing yet another run-through without my girlfriend. It sucked, and everyone was in a foul mood when they left.

I’ve hardly slept the last few nights. I can’t switch my brain off and now I’m here, dog-tired and miserable.

I glance right and spot Luisa Garcia. She’s moving throughout the room, her hips swaying like she’s a model. She could have been. She’s absolutely stunning. She’s even got a Cindy Crawford mole going on. I had to look up who Cindy Crawford was when Mom made that comment, but she was right. Luisa Garcia is like a short Latina version of that stunning model.

“And if it isn’t my favorite band.” She clips over to us, a broad smile on her painted lips.

I lean down and score myself a red lipstick kiss on the cheek.

“Hey, Luisa. What are you doing here?”

“My husband and brother have bought this place together.” She spins and beckons someone over. “They’ve been working hard to expand the business. Club Matrix has gone so well that we’re looking forward to doing the same thing here.”

Dad smiles at her. “Cool.”

She grins back and then turns when a tall Latino man with olive skin and a neatly trimmed goatee arrives.

“This is my brother, Tomas Santiago. He’s just moved here from Nevada.”

I hold out my hand to shake, but he just snickers and raises his eyebrows at me. “Nice to meet you all.” His accent is thicker than his sister’s. “Buena suerte.”

“Gracias.” I thank him for his good luck wishes but he’s turned his attention to something else.

Luisa rolls her eyes at me. “Busy businessmen are never personable. That’s why they need me.” She winks and struts after him, no doubt drawing the attention of many hungry eyes.

I think she kind of likes it. Why else would she wear those skintight dresses and stiletto heels?

“Man, for an older chick, she is super hot.” Austin blows out a breath while my mom scoffs.

“Older chick? She’s probably in her early thirties.”

He makes a face like Mom’s crazy and retorts, “Thirty is old.”

“Boy, you will be thirty before you know it, and I am going to remind you of this conversation. So make sure you invite me to your thirtieth birthday party, okay?”

“As long as you’re still alive and kicking.” Austin winks and gets a short “Oi, you!” from Dad, followed by a light punch to the arm.

Mom chuckles and gives Austin an adoring smile.

He grins at her, wooed by her ever-present charm.

Man, my parents are the best. I love how they treat my friends. They’ve welcomed them all with open arms, let us practice in their garage, supported my every dream.

And here they are again—cheering me on, understanding my disappointment over Max.

I wish her dad would get it.

Maybe I should have stepped up, actually gone to see the guy and pleaded Max’s case. What kind of boyfriend lets his girl fight it out on her own?

I squeeze my eyes shut, berating myself for being such an idiot and wishing it wasn’t too late to do something about it. There’s no way I can make it to Armitage and back in time. I won’t bail on the band. We’ve worked too hard for this. I just wish Max could find the strength within her to stand up for herself. I want her to leave that game and be here with me.

Raking a hand through my hair, I close my eyes and lament the fact that it’s a fool’s hope.