Page 32 of From Drummer to Gamer

We werefriends? “You still haven’t told me.”

“Told you?” Her brows furrowed.

Did she already forget?“Your allergy.”

“Ah, it’s berries. Mostly strawberries. But it’s nothing serious.” She blinked innocently. “I just get this rash over the top of my nose. Like freckles. Sometimes I eat them to look cute. Freckles are all the rage in the beauty community now.”

Baffled.

I was utterly and completely baffled.

“I’m leaving,” I said, bouncing to my feet as I walked away without another word.

“Wait, Matty. I swear I’m not always that bad,” she called out from behind me.

I highly doubted that.

She was trouble with a capital T.

And I needed to stay far, far away.

CHAPTER 9

SIERRA

My mouth was sticky with drool when I woke up later that evening after a much-needed afternoon nap.

The sky had already grown darker to a deep shade of blue, which was a stark contrast to the bright yellow and orange lights from the skyscrapers.

It felt like I was at the top of the world.

Both literally and figuratively.

So this is what peace was like, wasn’t it?

I get to sleep however long I want, eat whatever I like, all the while enjoying the best view in the city without my mother breathing down my neck.

Absolute peace.

In a way, I missed her, both she and Dad, and Abuela, who would randomly pull me in for her bizarre life stories.

But I reminded myself why I was doing this.

I had to keep reminding myself till that trophy landed in my hands.

Qualifiers started next week, and I was more pumped than ever.

I got this.

I slid my lazy ass out of bed and ventured outside. Just as I entered the living room, I could hear the faint sound of a guitar crackling through the air. From the distinct familiar notes, I knew it was Raphy blasting his electric guitar in his bedroom.

Also, I knew for a fact that Matty couldn’t play the guitar, only drums and piano.

My eyes landed on the heap of crushed papers lying on the floor by the couch.

“Is this what the funeral of papers looks like?” I asked dryly.

Matty had his head buried in a notepad, scribbling something with his pen before a frustrated sigh escaped his lips. He tore the paper away and hurled it on the floor with a little more force than necessary.