Faults, Scars, and Guitar Strings

Chapter 42

Chapter 42

"Maria!" I ran up to her in the school hallway.

"What?" she laughed and looked curiously at me.

"I figured everything out!"

"You did? And your solution is?"

"I officially quit the cross country team a couple weeks ago and now that my album is coming out soon my manager is telling me that I need a good plan so I don't get over worked again. My family obviously agrees. Christmas break is coming soon too so I told my manager to change the release date of my album to the first day of Christmas break."

Maria smiled, "That way you get the entire Christmas break to concentrate on your music and promoting it."

"Exactly!" I nodded. "What do you think?"

"It sounds great."

"Really?"

"Really," She nodded in agreement, "It will give you time to concentrate on homework and end the semester on a high note."

"That's what I thought too. Which reminds me, want to come over tonight? I am in desperate need of a study night."

"That's right we have a test tomorrow."

"So?"

"Sure, I need a study night too."

"Yes!" I hugged her. "Thank you! I haven't had time all week to study because I was busy finishing recording a song."

"Well I don't want you to fail."

"And it's your best subject," I smiled.

She laughed, "So that's why you asked me."

I put my arm around her as we walked down the hall, "Well now that you mention it..." We both laughed.

"And I'm your best friend," she said.

"That too," I replied.

We sat in our seats in class and Anastasia soon joined us. Anastasia and Maria turned their seats so they were facing my desk and we continued talking. A minute or two before class was starting Dylan still had not walked in. "I wonder where he is," Maria said.

"Can you watch my stuff?" I asked them. "I'll go look for him."

"Of course," Anastasia nodded.

"Thanks." I left the classroom and walked to find Dylan. My first guess was right and I found him by his locker with a couple of his friends. "Hey," I smiled at him.

"Hey, I was just coming."

"That's okay. Maria, Anastasia, and I were wondering why you weren't there yet."

"Guys, this is my girlfriend Kayla. Kayla, this is a couple friends from a few years back. They just moved back."

"Hi," I smiled at them.

"Nice to meet you," they said and gave me a look that didn't give me a good feeling.

"You too," I faked a smiled and turned to face Dylan. "Ready to go?"

"Yeah," he nodded, "Talk to you guys later."

"Yeah, see you man."

I waited until we had turned the corner to address Dylan, "Who are they?"

"They are friends I had a few years ago, but they moved away. I didn't know they were coming back until today."

"Why did they look at me like that?" I asked him. "They were looking at me like I had a disease or something."