Page 21 of Palm South University: Season 3
WHERE THE CROWD IS,everything is perfect.
We more than doubled our ticket sales once Grayson was announced as the headliner, which called for a last-minute relocation to the park near the Student Union. The stage is set up right in front of the large fountain, lights bright enough and speakers loud enough to make it feel like a summertime festival. And in front of the stage are more than seven-thousand students, alumni, and local residents with their hands in the air, screaming as Titanium Rush starts their set.
But backstage, everything is a mess.
“Where the fuck is Grayson?!” I scream into my headset, flipping through the documents on my tablet until I find the one that confirms we asked him to be here before the openers went on. His contact information isn’t listed, only a number for his “agent.”
Tool.
“No one’s seen him,” Jeremy’s voice crackles through the headphone piece as two brothers zip past me with the banner backdrop for Grayson. “We tried calling the number for his agent but it’s going straight to voicemail.”
“How many songs does Titanium Rush have in their set list?”
“Six.”
I curse, jogging down the stairs backstage and veering toward the auction booth. “I’ll work on getting ahold of him, you guys come up with a plan to stall. We still have a few auctions to go up for bidding but after that we’re screwed.”
“We’re on it.”
My feet are quick as I make my way to where Cassie is working the auction table, taking the money from the bidders and explaining how to claim the prizes. It was her idea, and though I didn’t want her help or to be around her more than what was absolutely necessary, I couldn’t turn down an opportunity to rack up a larger donation for our philanthropy.
The sky is clear, still casting a soft blue and purple haze as dusk settles in, but it’s hotter than hell. I use the small towel around my shoulder to wipe my face just as I reach Cassie’s table.
“We’re up to four-thousand dollars with that last set of bidding!” she says excitedly, the red mess of curls on top of her head bouncing a little. Her cheeks are bright red, too, freckles more pronounced in the heat as she blots at her own face with a spare event t-shirt. “I think we’ll crack at least five-thousand with the last set.”
“Awesome. Now if only we knew where your diva of a boyfriend was, we’d be cruising on Easy Street,” I spit back.
Cassie’s face falls, her big green eyes softening under bent brows.
I sigh, pinching the bridge of my nose and holding out a hand toward her. “I’m sorry. I think the auction is amazing, Cassie. I do. I’m just a little worried because Grayson still isn’t here and Titanium Rush has five songs left after this first one. Is there any way you can try to get ahold of him?”
“It’s okay,” she says, voice timid. She places a hand on my wrist and squeezes it, not knowing that squeeze is still tied to my heart, too. “I know you’re stressed out. Let me try calling him, okay? Can you watch the table for a second?”
I nod and she offers a soft smile before pulling out her phone and walking away from the table.
Leave it to Cassie McBee to still be sweet as sugar when I’m being a complete dick. I don’t think that girl has a mean bone in her body, and if she does, I hope I never get to see it. It’s one of the things I love most about her, that wide-eyed innocence and kindness.
She’s gone longer than I expect, and Titanium Rush finishes their set to a roar from the crowd before half of it disperses to get more booze and the final auction girls take the stage. Skyler is emceeing, which is a perfect job for her since she’s quite possibly the most charismatic girl on campus, not to mention one of the hottest. She’s wearing tiny, ripped-up jean shorts and one of Grayson’s t-shirts tied just under her ribs. I hate seeing her in his shirt, but damn if she doesn’t look incredible in it.
“Give it up one more time for Titanium Rush!” she screams into the mic and the crowd goes crazy, cheering and waving their drinks in the air. She continues talking, explaining how the last set of auction items will work, as Jeremy freaks out in my ear.
“WHERE THE FUCK IS HE?!”
“Calm down,” I answer, trying to appear unfazed. Someone has to appear calm and collected, even if I feel like throwing up. “Cassie is trying to get ahold of him now. Just gather up how much we’ve raised so far and be prepared to go on stage with some facts about our philanthropy and the donation they’re all helping make tonight if he’s not here by the time the auction is over, okay?”
“And if he doesn’t show at all?”
My stomach turns. “He’ll show.”
The last three auctions take a while, since they’re the most expensive prizes, but when we finally have winners for all three and Jeremy takes the stage with clipboard in shaking hands, I panic.
This motherfucker really isn’t going to show.
I know we don’t exactly get along — AKA, he’s the lucky bastard who managed to land the girl neither one of us deserves — but even for him, this is low. To wreck an entire concert and put the reputation of Alpha Sigma at stake like this? It’s a completely different level of disrespect, one I won’t let him forget.
Blowing out a long, hot breath, I push the button on my headset. “Just keep talking. I’m on my way up there to break the bad news.”
Jeremy pauses mid-sentence on stage, his eyes jetting to mine through the crowd, and I shrug. Nothing to do now but apologize and hope there isn’t a riot.