Page 10 of From Angel to Rogue (Four Foxes #6)

LAN

My fingers danced over the keys, the sound steady like a smooth falling crescendo, lacing perfectly with Serena’s full-bodied strings. We were practicing Tchaikovsky’s “Eleny in G major” for her recital next month. It was a hard piece, but we were nailing it.

The brooding, mournful yet bright music was one of our favorite pieces, and it came easily to us.

Just as we entered the last section, Vivaldi’s “Spring from Four Seasons” filled the air. I knew exactly who it was. It was a ringtone I specially added for my angel. Because it was bright and beautiful and golden, and she was bright and beautiful and golden.

My hands lifted off my keyboard and went straight for my phone. I could never miss her call.

“Hey, Lan,” Katy’s sweet voice echoed from the other end. “Are you here yet?”

I eyed my phantom black Richard Mille and bit back a curse. “Sorry, K. I’ll be with you in a few. Stay right there, okay?”

“Okay, don’t worry. Take your time.”

I nodded, cutting the call and jumped to my feet.

“It’s her, isn’t? You’re going to her again,” Serena sneered, her voice like a sharp bite as it slithered through the air.

“Yes, sorry, Ser. I’ll make it up to you. I told Katy I was meeting her, and time just flew by.” I dragged my leather jacket around my arms.

Katy roped herself into the design committee for our end-of-year freshman dance, so she was busy with it after school, and I promised to pick her up.

I was glaring at my watch, wishing time would run faster when Ser came in wanting to practice. I told her I couldn’t, but she insisted and now I was late.

“You didn’t answer my question.” She cocked a brow, her purple-painted nails curling over her violin.

"I told you, Ser. I can’t today,” I mumbled, darting out of the room.

“She’s going to ruin you,” Ser called out, her voice laced with disdain, and I stilled halfway in the hallway. “One day, you’re going to regret dropping all of your dreams for her. Go on, chase her now, but she’s going to destroy you one day and you’re going to come crawling back to me.”

I looked over my shoulder and pinned her with a glare. I had been patient with her jabs because I really did consider Ser as my sister and thought she was displaying some harmless jealousy. But enough was enough.

It wasn’t like I chose her over Katy. There was no choosing when it came to Katy.

She was my priority, and Ser didn’t get to decide who I get to be friends with.

And Katy was my best friend. It wasn’t like I completely ignored and avoided Ser.

I always invited her to come hang out with us and the boys.

She was the one who always refused, so she had no right to hold it against me.

“That will be the last time you speak of Katy to me that way Ser.” My voice thundered with warning. “ My dreams are mine alone to decide what I do with them. I don’t want to hear that tone again, or you won’t like what I do.”

Her eyes widened in shock as she took a step back and then another before running off to her room.

I sighed. I knew I was being rude, and I’d never spoken to her that way, but Ser was testing my patience lately.

I shook my head. I’d deal with it later.

Right now, I had to get to my angel.

“Katy,” I shouted, out of breath as I rushed to her. I made it to school in five minutes, running like I had a marathon.

“Lan.” She giggled and tried to take a step toward me, but I was already on her side. “Slow down. You’re not late.”

“I am,” I breathed, glancing at my watch. “Thirteen minutes, to be exact. Sorry to keep you waiting.”

“It’s okay, Lan,” she whispered sweetly. “You must have been practicing with Serena and I was perfectly fine waiting here.”

Katy was a sweetheart to Serena but Ser discarded her every time with some snarky remark. I could see the light dropping from Katy’s eyes every time she did that and it only made my blood boil. Hopefully, Ser learned her lesson and could either see how wonderful K was or leave us the fuck alone.

“I promised you first.” I couldn’t help but tuck the lone wavy strand behind her ear. “How about I buy you two milkshakes today to make up for it?”

She licked her lips, averting her gaze. “I’m good with one, Lan. Two would make me sick.”

“Fine.” I took hold of her hand and pressed a kiss like it was the most natural thing I’d ever done. “How about fries instead?” I knew she loved to eat and I loved buying her food just so I could watch her eat. It made her happy and that made me happy.

“Okay,” she mumbled. “Half for you though. I need to fit into my dress this weekend.”

“You’re going to look perfect no matter what. It should be the dress’s fault if it doesn’t fit you.”

She rolled her eyes, swatting me hard. “Stop joking, Lan.”

I liked that I wasn’t Landon anymore and Lan to her. “Fine.” I laughed, tugging her closer.

After getting one thick chocolate shake and a bucket of salty fries from Louie’s, Katy and I walked out to our favorite hangout spot.

The park square was an acre of land in the town center, full of lush trees, spring flowers, and a small pond in the center with tiny ducks that Katy loved to feed.

She even carried a little pouch of bird food, knowing we would somehow always end up here.

After hanging out with the ducks to her heart’s content, we walked over to our little spot between two oak trees that had a soft patch of grass.

We sat side by side, my angel’s head on my shoulder as she happily slurped her shake. I couldn’t help but steal some for myself, which always made her adorably angry. I still didn’t like sugar but I loved to play with her.

Never knew I’d find peace in Bellevue. Maybe I found peace with her.

“Lan?” she asked in a pensive tone minutes later.

“Yes, angel?”

“I’m not an angel. It makes me feel like a convent nun or something,” she muttered under her breath. “Stop calling me that.”

“You can’t tell me what to call you,” I said in a light tone. “I can call you anything I want.”

“Really?” She arched a brow. “Who gave you such permission? My mother named me Katy Evans.”

“I think angel suits you better.”

“Fine, whatever. I’m tired to argue with you today,” she huffed, smoothing the skirt of her pale blue sundress. “What I was trying to ask you was have you decided? If you’re going to stay with the band or pursue classical?”

“I thought it’s already been decided I’m staying with the band. I love playing with the boys, and it’s not much different. I still get to play music.” And see you. “I’m a part of the Four Foxes now, and there’s no going back.” I grinned.

“Oh God,” she groaned. “Don’t even get me started on that.

Emmie is still arguing with Mikey about that name.

But…” Her worried blue-green eyes met mine.

“You’re sure, right? I know you only joined because I asked you to.

I don’t want you to feel like it’s something you have to do at the expense of your dreams.”

“Katy.” I took both her hands in mine and held them tight. “I’m sure. It’s my own decision. Like I said, I’m still playing my keys, only it’s a different stage and I don’t give a fuck about it.”

She flushed. “Okay, but you shouldn’t say the f-word.”

She was so adorable when she got all prim and proper on me. “I’m going to be a fucking rock star, I should curse some, angel.”

“Lan, we’re only fifteen. We can’t be seen cursing. What would the elders say?” Her eyes darted around the empty park, almost like people were watching us.

“Okay, so we shouldn’t curse.” I leaned closer, almost touching her nose as I studied the light green specks in her eyes. “But can we do other things?”

The red flush on her cheeks turned deeper. “No,” she blurted, jumping back. “We can’t.”

I chuckled. I loved watching her squirm when I teased her.

We went back to staring at the ducks while she finished off the last of her fries and shake. “So Lan?”

“Hmm?”

“The dance this weekend?” Her fingers picked the loose thread in her cardigan over and over again.

“What about it?”

“Do you umm…” A lingering fear laced her tone. “Do you perhaps want to go with me?” she asked so quietly that I almost didn’t hear it.

I had to school my face to contain my grin. I was going to ask her anyway.

I waited because we were still young.

I waited because I wanted her to choose me.

I waited because there was a tiny fear that she would say no.

But right here, right now, I didn’t care. I wanted this.

“Not officially, like a fake date. More like an arrangement,” she said before I could say anything.

I stilled, frowning as my eyes slid to her. “Why does it have to be fake?”

Her expression looked like she was a deer caught in the headlights. “Because… because I just didn’t want to go alone. I heard everyone in our class had a date, even that stupid Sabrina has a date. And I asked because you’re my best friend….my only friend, and I thought you would help me.”

Sabrina was a sour topic for Katy. She and Katy had some beef and were always butting heads. Sabrina tried her hardest at the start of the school year to be chummy with me, but I ignored her till she finally left me alone.

“Katy.” I hooked a finger under her chin and brought her gaze to me. “Do you want me as your date because you want me there with you, or do you just want to want to rub it in Sabrina’s face that you have a date?”

She blinked. “Maybe both.”

“Pick one.” My voice cracked with emotion. “Pick the one you want more,” I whispered.

Pick me.

Pick me

Pick me.

She swallowed, fear gleaming in her eyes. Her small, soft hand slowly cupped my cheeks as she inched closer. “You,” she muttered, her voice trembling. “I want you as my date more.”

And right at that moment, I felt my heart beating for the first time in my life.

I smiled, and her eyes filled with awe. I didn’t even think as I pressed my lips to hers. I breathed in her tiny gasp as her arms wrapped around me like I was her lifeline.

She tasted like sweet roses and chocolate.

She tasted like my forever.