Page 9 of Hard Rock Love

I placed a hand on my belly to calm it. I had to stop reacting this way to every little touch.

Seth cleared his throat.

“I can handle it,” he said. “I’ll start reading them tonight.”

Appeased, I opened my notebook, ready to get started.

“After all, how long could it take?” he continued. “They’re just kids’ books.”

I coughed to suppress an outraged screech.

“They’re notjust kids’ books,” I said through gritted teeth.

Seth’s eyes widened as he noticed my red face, for once not because of something sexy he’d done or said.

“I didn’t mean to insult you,” he said, sounding apologetic. “I’m sorry. I know they’re your favorite books.”

I let out a slow sigh.

“It’s okay,” I said. “We’ll start slow for this session. You do know the twelve different parts of the classical hero’s journey?”

He ran his hand through his hair, looking sheepish.

“Seth!” I groaned and thumped my head against the table.

“Why don’t you go through them with me?” he asked. “What’s part one?”

“Look it up,” I told him. “You’ve got your class textbooks, at the absolute very least.”

“You’re really going to make me work for this, huh?”

“Yes.”

“Well…” he said thoughtfully, tapping his pen against his hand. “In the movies, Harry Potter is at his terrible relative’s house, right?”

I nodded.

“So does the hero's journey start with the hero in a shit situation or something?” he asked.

I put a hand to my eyes and rubbed them. This was going to be a lot more work than I’d thought.

“Why don’t we take a break?” Seth suggested.

“We barely started!”

“Yeah, but my head already hurts. Besides, I could use something to eat, couldn’t you?”

Seth flashed me his most winning smile. I tried to steel myself against it but the girlish fourteen year old girl inside me swooned.

“We did say we were going to start off slow,” I replied. “I suppose a break for a snack isn’t a bad idea. Maybe some food will fuel your brain.”

We packed up our bags — which didn’t take long because Seth hadn’t brought much — and headed across the quad to the closest canteen. My anxiety spiked as I saw a group of students on the grass, but I didn’t recognize any of them, and none of them turned to look at me.

“Are you going to be okay just walking around?” I asked, a sudden thought occurring to me. “You’re a famous rock star. Won’t people recognize you?”

“Some do,” Seth said. “I’ve had people stop me and ask for my autograph, or thrust their phone in my face to get my photo so they can post it on social media and brag.” He shrugged. “I’ve never been attacked by groups of screaming fans or anything. Cerise is the face of Cherry Lips. Everyone knows her. The rest of us kind of just do our own thing. Aside from Nate,” Seth added. “He almost has stalkers. It’s ‘cause he’s got a million followers online. He’s always posting shirtless pics.”

“So there’s no chance of you getting mobbed by crazy fans,” I said. “Good to know.”