Page 26 of Drive

I shrugged. “I call shit like I see it. Sugarcoating doesn’t helpanyone,and it’s bad reporting. If I do a good enough job and stick my neck out there, I better be ready to deal with the backlash.”

“So,thisyou take seriously.”

Shoulder’s touching, we loaded up the napkin dispensers. “Music, always. I’m twenty. My education, my future, I takethatseriously. This place?” I looked around the kitchen and wrinkled my nose. “Hell no. And why should I? If you ask me, you, Neil, and Paige are a little too stuck in this bullshit bubble of adulthood. This isn’t the future foranyof you.”

I paused to look over at him. Our eyes locked. “For any of us.”

“Good to know. Now you can predict the future? Tell me, what’s mine?” His voice was filled with condescension.

“Better than what it is now.” I waited a beat. “You’re just going through a rough time.”

His back went straight and he narrowed his eyes.

“You don’t knowanything. The world swings at you long and hard enough,little sister, you’re eventually going to hit your knees.”

“Well, I can take a punch.”

“Good for you.”

I let my eyes drift down his arrogant stance. From his plain black V-neck, dark jeans, and crossed black boots. I felt the confrontation radiating from him. He was tired, bitter, and pissed off at the world. As he should be. I saw a glimpse of his life in that apartment. Mr. Crowne seemed to be the king of nothing. I could feel his desperation as he stood next to me with a hand full of shitty tips, though his face gave zero away. His eyes always had a hard edge, even when he smiled. “Things will get better, Reid, believe me. Okay?”

He ran his fingers through his tangled hair and gave me a lip twitch. “Sure, little sister, whatever you say.”

“You just need something to look forward to.”

“All right already, enough with the pep talk I didn’t ask for and don’t need.”

“Oh, good, then you know everything, too.”

His green irises seemed to grow brighter, and his nostrils flared. He stared at my lips as if he were willing them to stop moving. I smiled despite him. We were in a silent standoff as Paige walked back into the kitchen and put a ticket up.

“I just got two more tables. It’s going to be at least an hour. Why don’t you guys take off for a little bit?”

“I’m going to meet up with the guys. I’ll see you tomorrow,” Reid said as he gathered his apron and his cash.

Paige’s eyes lit up. “Take Stella. She would love it.”

“What would I love?” I asked as Reid looked between the two of us.

“Some other time,” he said dismissively as he walked through the double doors.

I turned to Paige in question. “What would I love?”

“He’s going to meet up with his band.”

Goose bumps covered my arms and hair stood up on the back of my neck. “What band? He’s really in a band? I thought he was joking. Why didn’t you tell me?!”

Paige looked me over, brows drawn. “Uhhh, because maybe you two don’t like each other?”

I rummaged through my tickets and shoved the cash and credit slips into her hand.

“What’s the band’s name?”

“Dead Sergeants.”

My eyes widened.

“He’s the drummer, or will be again when he gets out of that cast. Wait, where are you going? Stella, don’t run after him!”