Chapter Two

I was a morning person. Always have been. I loved seeing the sun lift into the sky and peek through the trees. Something about morning felt like a fresh start...but today was not one of those days.

Regina's words played over in my head, well into the night. You think you know yourself, but you don't. Not really. My subconscious kept requesting the words right before I forgot them. I couldn't stop thinking about how wrong she was, and how true it felt the more I heard it.

Eventually, it lulled me to sleep, but before I knew it, it was morning. My extensive playlist hummed in the background as I pulled my box braids into a pony. I could still hear Regina's voice in the back of my head. The knots in my mind were palpable, I yanked the hair tie so hard it popped.

Throwing the broken hair tie into the trash, I gathered my things and headed outside. Mrs. Davidson's Music School started early. 8 a.m. You'd never know by the way Shae slept in the middle of the floor. I wanted to wake them, but it's been a while since they've slept in. I hated Dad for making them work so hard. Someone was always sacrificing something for him, even sleep.

The weather was cooler than expected, making me yearn for a doughnut and coffee.

As I headed for the bus line, Nadia's voice sprung out from the other end of the alley.

"Nora!"

I couldn't believe she was up this early. Giving her a big wave, I spotted her table at her side. She started early, and I was her first victim.

"Let me do a reading before you go!" she shouted.

The guitar buyer texted saying he was running late. I guess I had time for a reading. "Good morning, Cutie."

Poking out her lips, she held up her fingers. "Three cards."

I scanned the tarot cards piles for the right choice. If I'm lucky, we could finish quickly. Picking up one in the middle, I flipped it over. It was upside down, but other than a white man and blond hair, I couldn't see much before she snatched it away.

"The chariot in reversed. That's not good," she said.

The corners of my lips dug into my cheeks. She practiced. Before she had to look up the meaning of every card. "Why?"

"The Chariot means moving forward, but because it's in reversed-"

"It means I'm moving backward." I tried to speed up the reading. My watch felt like I was being timed.

She shrugged, wanting to flex her knowledge. "Or you're not moving at all."

Ya don't say? I didn't dwell on the truth for too long and picked another card. A red snarling beast with horns that stretched wide. Charcoal wings adorned his back. There was no mistake. "The devil?"

"Yeah, you're definitely stuck." She smacked her lips with a firm head nod. "The Devil means being held captive by luxury."

"I am not."

With a look, Shae does when they're about to win an argument, she said, "You sure do talk about money a lot. Where are you going now?"

You got me. I dropped my eyes and took the final card. A man dressed in red, juggled two objects in his hands, but one tilted higher than the other. "Two of coins in reversed," she affirmed. "As expected, big sister's overcommitted."

"How accurate."

"One more?"

I didn't have time for one more. "Nadia-"

She pushed the pile closer. In truth, I was impressed. I wanted to see what else she could do, and quite frankly, I didn't want to leave things like this. Consequences be damned.

I slipped another card from the pile. A little boy handed a girl a cup of flowers. "Six of cups," I read.

"Um...I haven't gotten to that part of the book yet. Hold on." She ran inside the laundromat, and I picked two glaze doughnuts from the front counter. They were still warm. Eating them in two bites, I tapped my foot in dread. Was she going to take all day?

"Here it is!" she shouted, running back with a book twice her size. "Revisiting your childhood. Maybe the boy you're going to meet today will help you have fun again."

Patting her on the head, I gave her a thumbs up. "Good reading. I've gotta go, and go back inside. Don't be out here by yourself."

Sometimes leaving the alley and going into town, felt like walking into another dimension. Now, it felt like summer. Students were home from college, kids played with all their might, and businesses were bombing for everyone but us. We were missing out because of the fire. My mother would know how to handle this. I had a few ideas, but I would never be as good as her.

I missed her every day, but times like these were when I wondered if we could live without her. Without her words of wisdom and cures for insecurity and pain, I wasn't sure I'd ever really feel like myself again. If she knew what Regina said to me, I'd imagine she'd disagree with her. But, deep down, I knew she wouldn't. She always agreed with Shae.

I didn't want to meet the buyer. I didn't want to spend the money. As far as I was concerned, I was wasting time. This meeting wouldn't take up my day. I'll use the money to buy food, and I'd figure out what to tell Shae later.

The bus ride wasn't short. The Grove was in the heart of the city. It wasn't my first choice, but if I was going to meet someone on the internet, I wanted witnesses. And it was packed with every kind. Sweaty limbs rubbed against my skin as I waded through the outdoor shopping area. The crowd thinned near the coffee shops. No one drank coffee in this weather unless it was iced or they were addicted.

As I fought my way through the crowd, I spotted him. More like he emerged. Leaning against a light pole, his black hair dangled in his eyes. Dressed in a leather jacket, t-shirt, and jeans, he laid it on thick. He looked like he walked straight out of someone's daydream, and I somehow landed right in the middle of it.

He was real.

His Instagram didn't do him justice. He was fine. Like 'stop in the middle of your sentence to get a good look' fine. How deprived were the ones who'd never seen him in the flesh?

But even with all that, I laughed. A leather jacket? In this weather?

"Wren?" I asked.

When he looked up, I swear it was in slow motion. A gust of wind pushed his hair back and his electric blue eyes dazzled in the sun. Oh. My. God. And I don't even want to talk about his smile. Guys like him had to be assholes. If he was sweet or charming, he was as dangerous as they come. Too easy to fall for, especially when they look at you like they've been waiting for you their whole life.

"Nora?" He shoved his phone into his back pocket, tilting his head to the side. He knew what he was doing. The smirk was enough. Stop, before I blush.

I gave him a small nod. Suddenly, I forgot how to speak. He stuck out his hand and when his calloused fingers hugged my skin, I almost danced. Even his touch felt beautiful.

Pulling away, I took the guitar from the case and gave him jazz hands. "Ta-da!"

Ta-da? I got second-hand embarrassment for the people who had to watch me act like this. When my nail caught a rogue string, a flat vibration whizzed through the air. Even my body malfunctioned.

Wren raised a brow, stepping back to get a full view. "That's not the guitar I saw online."

My mind went blank. Shae, did you scam this poor boy? "Okay, so maybe Shae embellished a little?"

He exhaled an airy laugh. "A little? You catfished me. Can this thing even play?"

"Of course, it can." I struck a chord, but the sound plopped out, making my skin crawl. When his face fell, I yelped, "It's not tuned!"

He stared at me, waiting for another excuse. I didn't have one, so I stared back. Not wanting to be the first to look away, I doubled down. "Well, what do you want me to do? I can't tune it."

"I've been scammed," he screamed as he threw his fist in the air. Pulling out his phone, he showed me the post. Three lies told right there in black and white.

Brand New. Never Been Used. Authentic Acoustic Guitar.

"Okay, so they scammed you," I said. Shae's ridiculous. You got this from Walmart. "But this isn't my fault. I don't care if you take the guitar or not."

When he folded his arms, his shirt rose and revealed the bottom of his torso. Don't look. Don't look. My eyes dropped and caught a tattoo peeking from his hip bone. I wonder what that is?

"Nora," he sang. "My eyes are up here."

Snapping my attention back to his bright red face, he tried to keep his cool. Good thing we were so close to traffic. Might as well, run right in front of it. That would be less painful than the torture I put myself through.

"Who's going to pay for my emotional damage?" he asked.

"Emotional damage?" I could feel my blood run dry. Emotional damage for the guitar? Or because I practically undressed him with my eyes?

As I spiraled into panic, he turned to the coffee shop next to us. It took me a minute to catch up. Load of Beans was infamous for their open mic sessions. He wasn't suggesting...

My bones rattled underneath my skin. "No."

"Yes."

I practically fell to my knees. "It's not even tuned."

"I can tune it."

"This is cruel."

"Yeah, so is this guitar."

Time to make a run for it. I didn't have to do this. This was Shae's problem, not mine. As I tried to come up with the perfect distraction, Wren was already two steps ahead. Slipping my phone out of my hand, he ran inside the indie coffee shop, and I had no choice but to follow.

Cool air hit me as soon as I stepped inside. The smell of roasted coffee beans and caramel made me salivate. Wren held my phone hostage as he took the guitar. When he tuned it by ear, a call came through. With no self-preservation, he answered it.

"Hey." He smiled and my insides turned into goo. His smile was a weapon of charm, and I bet he used it often. "Yeah, she's right here."

He handed over my phone, and I snatched it from him. I could hear Shae screaming on the other end. "What he got you doing?"

I knew Shae like the back of my hand. Looking back at Wren, he chatted with the owner as they walked the mini stage. "You two planned this," I said.

"Just tell me what you about to do."

I don't know why Shae's so eager to find out what I'm doing when they're going to die tonight. I fell so willingly into their trap, and they had to pay. There was no way they would get the last laugh.

I disconnected the call. They knew I was pissed, but I could hear their cackle from miles away. They were pleased with the turn of events. As I thought of ways to make them suffer, the owner tapped on the mic. "Please welcome to the stage, Nora."

Wren pressed his hand into my back and I raved at his touch. Another weapon of charm he probably used to his advantage. I stumbled onto the platform and he sat in the seat beside me. He wanted to play for me. How sweet. He and Shae could have joint funerals.

Snatching the guitar from his hands, I devised a plan. I was going to embarrass him. Shae must've told him I could sing, but he didn't know for sure. But as I looked at the small, eager crowd, I lost the nerve. To embarrass him, meant I had to embarrass myself. I'd done that enough for one day.

So I sang the only song I knew. The lullaby our mother made for us when we were younger. It was hard-wired in my brain. That's the thing about death. If you know it's coming, you can prepare. I seized every little memory I could to keep her alive. And as I hummed the last few notes, it was as if she was right beside me.

When I finished, the coffee shop held their breath. Or maybe it was me. They were quiet, but as I looked at Wren, his face was all the encouragement I needed. He was in awe.

An obnoxious clap came from the back of the room. A popular kid from my residency in hell or what some people like to call high school stood on his chair. "Alright, that ugly dark girl from eighth period got hot over the summer."

As his friends cackled, the crowd writhed in their seats and avoided my eyes. I staggered up. Not this again. It's different this time. I don't have to subject myself to this anymore. I could leave. So, I will.

Throwing the coffee shop's door open, I welcomed the summer heat. I hugged the guitar into my chest like a teddy bear. This is why I hated summer. People didn't know how to act. High school was over, but I guess I'd always be a joke to them.

My bus stop was blocks away, but I could catch it if I sped up. I wanted to go home, but when I heard a pair of footsteps behind me, I almost screamed.

"Nora, wait!" Wren shouted. I let out a breath but didn't stop.

He caught up to me, anyway. When I felt him touch my shoulder, I whirled around.

Ripping off his jacket, he revealed his sleeve tattoo. If I wasn't so angry, I'd fangirl about that too. But this wasn't the time. He was drenched in sweat as he pointed to me. "The...guitar."

Oh, right. I dropped my shield and handed it over. When I heard my bus come to stop, I launched forward, but he pulled me back. Taking out the money, he handed it over, but I refused.

"I'm on strict orders to make sure you don't leave without it," he said.

Crossing my arms, their name only fueled my anger. "Shae can suffer."

"But it's your money," he reasoned. "You'll suffer."

"Well, I'm being forced to use it so..."

"Forced?" He chuckled. "Interesting way to describe having fun."

"Fun? Are you kidding?"

"Okay, well, you were before that asshole said anything. He got kicked out, you should know." He settled, tilting his head. "He's your archenemy, isn't he?"

"Archenemy? Are you four?"

A small smile broke onto his face. "You want me to go beat him up."

"You're going to make me miss my bus."

"You just did."

I flailed around as the bus roared to life. It glided back onto the street, headed for its next stop. "You did that on purpose!"

He shrugged. Shae's power reigned over me.

"How many orders did they give you?" I asked.

"A full day's worth."

Hell no. Shae gonna die tonight. They just so easily pass me on to him just to prove a point. If I got out of this, I'd be smart. I had no idea what this Wren person had planned.

I marched forward as he followed behind. "So, you're just gonna walk home?" he asked.

"Are you going to follow me?"

He shrugged again, and I deemed it the most infuriating thing he could do. "It be'd cool to meet Shae."

I smacked my lips. "You two don't even know each other."

A gasp fell from his lips as we stopped at the cross-section. Circling me, he held my gaze. "You don't remember me?"

I hesitated, giving him a better look. He pulled his hands behind his head and posed. When I didn't budge, he did a set of poses, throwing up a peace sign.

"Funny," I said.

We continued across the street and he gave me an honest answer. "I really was just interested in the guitar, but Shae told me your family was going through a tough time and you needed a break. I've got a soft spot for families looking out for each other, and it doesn't hurt you're really pretty."

I smiled. Damn it.

I didn't get many compliments from boys my age. Usually, it was greasy old men, but I diverted the compliment before it went to my head. "What's with the leather jacket?"

"Ah." He flung it over his shoulder. "I thought girls were into the whole 'bad boy' vibe when they want to experience a thrilling summer romance, but you don't strike me as the type."

"Surprised?"

He pulled a cigarette from his pocket. Pressing it between his smile, he mumbled, "Charmed."

"Ugh, please tell me that's a prop too."

"I'm trying to quit." He took a drag and the smell engulfed my nostrils.

A cough wrestled in my throat, and alarm washed over his face. Taking a step back, he put distance between me and his ode to lung cancer. It fueled me. I hacked unapologetically. Clutching my throat, I fell to the ground with monstrous wheezing.

As onlookers enjoyed my performance, he pressed the bud out and gave me a round of applause. "Should I have said it was a metaphor?"

"You read?" I asked.

"Saw the movie." Humor welcomed us when I studied him, full of judgment.

He snapped his fingers and bellowed, "Damn it! This is the part where we talk about our love for Wuthering Heights and Pride and Prejudice and have a heated discussion about who's right and wrong. Simultaneously, foreshadowing our entire history together. I screwed my line up. I'm sorry."

I had to laugh. So many romance books and movies followed the same plot, even down to the book references. "So, you're a romantic?" I asked.

"It's a requirement." The sun danced on his skin as he looked up at the sky. "All leading men in love stories have to be at least a little romantic. And criers. Lucky for you, I'm both."

This is the part where I say I haven't cried in three years, foreshadowing our tearful breakup. But jokes on him, I cried all the time. I wanted to make a joke, but the words never settled. "Wait. Where are we?"

He got me all turned around. We were deeper in the city. Great. It's going to take me forever to get home now.

"Since you don't know me, you probably wouldn't want to go all around town-"

"All around town?"

"...with me. I got my friends to tag along." He pointed across the street to a couple. She wore all red. He wore all back. When they saw us, the guy raised his tattooed arms in the air.

"Be nice." Wren pointed at me.

"I am nice."

"I know," he chuckled. "But you're trying to play the part of the uptight, good girl, huh?"

"Uptight?"

"What would you call yourself?"

"Responsible, hardworking," I grunted. I really thought those were personality traits. "Controlled." I shook my head. That sounded worse. "I'm someone who knows herself very well."

What does that have to do with anything? I swallowed my pending meltdown and got back on track. "Where are we going, Wren?"

A smile curved into his lips. "A house party."

🌻Full playlist?

Just type in "Smelling Roses" in Spotify.

Here's who I picture as Wren!