Bookishly Ever After (Ever After #1)(21)

Em frowned at me. “So, did you give him your number?”

My brows knit together. “He didn’t ask for it.”

The clarinets stopped and Em looked over at Osoba. Happy that the band teacher was absorbed in chewing out every clarinetist one by one, including Dev, she leaned closer and hissed,

“Yes, he did. When a guy says something like that, you’re supposed to then say, ‘Oh, here’s my number for next time.’”

“Are you sure? He really didn’t ask.”

“Hello, I’m fluent in flirt, remember? Next time, you just reach over, grab his phone—”

“What if his phone is in his pocket?”

“That will definitely get his attention.”

“Eww, Em.”

She grinned. “You asked. Anyway, you grab his phone and—”

Just then, a shadow fell over us and Em let out a little curse under her breath. Ms. Osoba stuck her head between ours and we both sat up ramrod straight. “Phoebe and Ephemie. If the two of you used your tongues to practice hitting those staccato notes as if they were actually staccato instead of flapping them around all of the time, you might someday sound like decent musicians.”

I looked down and played with the practice cork plugs in my keys. One popped out and went bouncing under Em’s seat, but I didn’t dare move. Em, though, blinked innocently up at Osoba. “I was just asking Phoebe about the counts for our duet. I need to know where I can breathe before we have to hit that high G.”

Osoba scrutinized me and I tried to look as guiltless as Em. I did not need another hour long after school detention cleaning out the instrument room. “I told her I breathe right, um, before the phrase starts. But I have big lungs.” Another practice plug went sliding down the inside of my flute, probably straight into Em’s purse. My toes were crossed inside my boots.

She stared at us another second more and then, with an unconvinced frown, went up to her podium. “Okay, again from the top.” She pointed glanced at us. “Your section had better be perfect, or the two of you will be cleaning the loaner tubas this afternoon.”

“Crap,” Em whispered. But before hitting the first note, she murmured over the top of her mouthpiece. “And don’t look now, but he’s been checking you out this whole time.”

I couldn’t help it. I tilted my head at an unnatural angle so I could see the clarinet section. Hazel eyes met mine. My throat clenched and my fingers slipped on the keys. I quickly turned back to my stand and just tried to focus on the music. I didn’t like him. And watching him watch me was not worth wiping up rotten tuba spit. Still, it took every bit of willpower to keep from checking if those eyes were still looking my way.





13


“I broke up with Wilhelm.” Em declared, dropping Alec’s box of Copic markers on the table like it was the exclamation point on her words.

“You might want to go back and try telling him that a little more slowly, because I don’t think he knows,” Alec said, failing at hiding his smile.

“See, that’s the whole reason we had to break up. Miscommunication.”

“You do talk really fast sometimes,” I pointed out.

She shot me a LOOK. “It was really nice while it lasted, but it’s for the best. He’s going back to Germany at the end of the year and I’d be left behind, brokenhearted…”

“Overdramatically brokenhearted,” Alec added, his smile morphing into a grin.

“Very overdramatically.” I mirrored Alec’s grin and went back to flipping through the sketches he’d handed to me. It was the second time Em had “broken up” with Wilhelm this week. She’d be back with him in about an hour. “These are awesome, Alec. It kind of reminds me of Lord of the Rings. Really Tolkien-ish.” I moved my finger from box to box, following the story he’d outlined in neat pencil sketches.

Alec dropped onto the couch next to me. “You think? It’s not too derivative, though, is it?”

“No, you’re good. I like the steampunk thing and I really like the story between Liliel and Aladir. It’s epic in a nondepressing way.”

“Fine, you two, ignore me in my hour of need.”

Alec grabbed her arm and pulled her down onto the couch next to him. “You’ll be fine.”

“You two are completely useless when it comes to interpersonal stuff.” She slumped into the sofa like she was annoyed with us, but her lips twitched up ever so slightly. “It’s like you’re permanently stunted when it comes to romantic relationships.”

I shared an amused look with Alec. “You’re totally right. So,” I reached over Alec and handed her his storyboard, “what do you think of these?”

“Heartless.” Em took the notebook and lodged her tongue in the side of her cheek as she flipped through it. “That’s a lot of detail. Do you think you’ll be able to animate all this?”

“I can try. Think of how cool all those gears will look on screen.”

“Like whenever Liliel extends her parasol-gun?” I bounced excitedly next to him. “This is going to be the best game ever.”

“Oooh, I like the idea of hiding the steam-powered rocket thrusters in her bustle. I bet you can even have the support hoops and her corset stays light up whenever she powers up.” She handed the notebook back to him and shook her head. “As awesome as it looks, you’re going to be stuck behind a screen for the rest of your life working on this.”