Crossroads (Book Three)

Chapter 22

Shawn

I take another sip of my beer and try to appear like I'm enjoying myself. We are currently out at a sports bar in town with Rachel, Paige and Will. We all went out to dinner first at a Mexican place before walking a couple blocks to this bar.

Don't get me wrong, the night started off pretty decent and I do like Lyla's friends, they're great. Well two of them are great. Having to spend two nights in a row with Will while I'm supposed to be getting alone time with Lyla away from Oakridge and his usual cockblocking ways.

The guys has gotten on my nerves tonight to say the least. Even last nights dinner I was annoyed hearing about Will's mom gush over Lyla in the kitchen and how happy she was they had reconnected this year. I wanted to walk over to Lyla and plant my lips on her to stake a claim right then and there but I figured the caveman move wouldn't go over well with any of the women in the room, including Lyla. So I just grabbed the beers I came in to get and got out of there without a look to anyone, including Lyla. I didn't need to be reminded of the fact that Will has known Lyla for almost her whole life.

To top things off, it's karaoke night tonight and there's currently some forty year old woman on stage butchering a Taylor Swift song. I'm sitting beside Lyla with Will on her other side conveniently for him. Next to him is Paige and then Rachel who's on the other side of me.

I bite my tongue when I watch Will stand from the table and grab Lyla's hand as he drags her off towards the stage demanding something about singing a duet. I keep my eyes on them as he pulls her over to the stage and starts to talk to the guy running the karaoke list. I can't help but notice that he hasn't let go Lyla's hand as they stand side by side.

"You good?"

I glance towards the voice to see Rachel staring at me with a curious brow raised.

"Yup," I respond shortly as I throw back the rest of my beer before reaching for the pitcher to refill my glass.

"Not a Brody fan?" She questions, not accepting my curt response.

"Never said that," I tell her. I sure as hell am not denying it either though.

"I wasn't judging," she says with a small shrug of her shoulders. "We're all aware of his crush on Lyla, have been for years now. Well, everyone except Lyla who's oblivious to it somehow."

"Glad to know I'm not crazy and making things up in my head then," I tell her as I glance back over to Lyla and Will with his hand wrapped around hers still.

"You've got nothing to worry about though, he's harmless," she reassures me as she places a hand on my forearm and gives it a small squeeze. "And Lyla is obsessed with you, it's borderline unhealthy," she adds lightly with a wink.

"I think I'm obsessed with her more," I joke back and Rachel laughs, but I know there's a seriousness behind my words. I would do anything for Lyla.

Finally, I'm put out of my misery when I hear the Taylor Swift song end and I sigh in relief along with Rachel and Page at the table. I glance towards the stage only to see Lyla and Will taking it next and I'm suddenly wishing I could bring back the Swift impersonator. At least he's no longer holding her hand I notice as they both now clasp I microphone in each of their hands.

A song starts to play over the speakers and I recognize the song right away as 'Ice, ice, baby'. I feel slightly eased by the fact they aren't singing some love song to one another. They start belting out the song, neither of them having a clue when their turn to rap is. Neither of them will be getting a record deal in this lifetime.