Page 2 of Spark

“No worries, I finished all my chem homework on the train,” Ruby chirps brightly as she and her brother enter the basement.

“Shit. That’s due tomorrow?”

Ruby chuckles, and her cute little freckled nose scrunches up. “No, on Friday. I was working ahead.”

“Of course you were,” Titus says playfully.

“You might want to try it sometime,” Ruby quips. “You know, in case football doesn’t work out as a career. ”

Man, she’s so freaking cute. Besides her freckled, button nose, she’s got huge, dark eyes framed by dark lashes, plush lips that pull my attention like a goddamned magnet every time she’s within ten feet of me, and a personality that instantly draws me in.

And it’s not just me. Everyone loves Ruby.

I figured that out on day one at my new school.

Ruby’s not my usual type, based on the kinds of girls I’ve been kissing since sixth grade.

I mean, yes, personality-wise, she’s everything I always go for: smart, sweet, funny, confident.

But I guess with me playing football all these years, I’ve always gravitated toward …

well, cheerleader types, for lack of a better description.

No one edgy and cool like Ruby. Not girls who don’t give a flying fuck that I’m good at football.

But I guess that’s what makes my crush on Ruby stick, even when she doesn’t seem interested: the fact that I’m feeling all these crazy butterflies for someone who’s a first for me. A total departure.

Kai’s not talking. Rather, he’s glaring at me as I lead Ruby and Titus into the room. So, I quickly fill the awkward silence as best I can.

“Savage, this is Ruby Connolly and, apparently, her big brother, Titus.”

“We’re twins, actually,” Ruby says.

“I’m still her big brother, though.”

“Shut up, T.”

Titus snickers. “I was born three minutes before her.”

“And he thinks that entitles him to boss me around for the rest of our lives.” Ruby adds an eye roll for emphasis.

“Titus and I play football together.”

“And we’re lab partners in chem,” Ruby adds, motioning between herself and me.

Savage welcomes our guests with enthusiasm, while Kai continues to hang back, not even trying to hide his disdain .

“Savage lives down the hall from Kai and me,” I explain to the Connolly twins. “Kai’s my big brother.”

“Who plays what?” Ruby asks.

Kai finally deigns to speak. “I play bass. But I can also play guitar in a pinch. And Savage sings lead vocals and plays guitar.”

“Very cool.”

“Kai’s also amazing with production and sound stuff, too. He’s the one who sets up our sound system for practices.”

“A man of many talents.” With that, Ruby flashes my big brother a beaming smile I’ve never witnessed before—one that would have turned me into a goddamned puddle on the floor, if only she’d directed it at me.

When Kai only shrugs like he doesn’t give a shit what Ruby thinks, or how beaming her smile might be, she blushes, droops, and shifts her attention to Savage. “Is Savage your actual name?”

“Yeah, my last name. My first name is Adrian, but everyone calls me Savage.”

Ruby smiles brightly again, her blush still lingering. “Savage, it is.”

Savage motions to Ruby and Titus. “I wouldn’t have guessed you two are twins.”

“People always say that,” Ruby agrees with a chuckle. “But I don’t understand why.”

Everyone laughs. Everyone, except Kai. And it’s totally noticeable.

Titus says, “Our mom always says I must have stolen most of Ruby’s nutrients in the womb.”

“Although we were in totally different amniotic sacs,” Ruby chimes in, “so that’s not possible.”

Awkard silence ensues for a beat.

“So, yeah,” Ruby adds, fidgeting. My god, she’s adorable.

I’ve never seen her nervous before. Normally, she’s a queen bee.

The most confident person in any room. We have to wear uniforms to school, but with her purple hair, and even more so with her uniquely sparkling personality, Ruby always comes off like she doesn’t give a flying fuck what anyone thinks about her.

And yet, apparently, she’s acutely aware she’s not winning over Kai for some reason, and the effect on her is obvious: she desperately wants to. Fuck my life.

“Hey, can I talk to you in the stairwell for a minute?” Kai says, breaking the awkward silence. Unfortunately, he’s talking to me.

“It’s a school night,” I reply lamely. “And they came all the way from Evanston, so let’s not waste any valuable time.

” I jerk my chin toward the long, keyboard-shaped duffel bag in Ruby’s hand.

“There’s an amp for you right there, Ruby.

” I point to the space between Kai’s bass and my drumkit. “Do you need any help setting up?”

“Nope, I’m good. Thanks for the amp. I have one, but it was nice not to have to lug it on the train.

” She flashes my brother another beaming smile—yet another that would have melted me, if aimed my way.

“Did you set up the amp for me, Kai?” When Kai grunts, she thanks him. But he’s already walking away.

Titus asks, “So, is it cool if I sit on the couch and watch, or should I step outside?”

“Sit,” I say quickly, cutting off whatever Kai might be inclined to say. “We’re just having fun here.” I look at Ruby. “It’s more of a jam session than an audition. Just have fun with it, okay?”

“Okay,” she squeaks out. But it’s easy to see she’s a ball of nerves.

“Do you sing, Ruby?” Savage asks. “We could use some backing vocals, if you?—”

“I love singing back-ups!” Ruby gushes enthusiastically.

“Awesome.” Savage looks at Kai. “Set her up with your extra mic. ”

Kai frowns. “It’s upstairs.”

“That’s okay,” Ruby chirps. “I brought one, just in case.”

It’s the final straw for Kai—a bridge too far. “KC,” he snaps sharply, his hard gaze cutting into me. “Stairwell. Now. ”

“A keyboardist named Rufus who’s a linebacker on your football team?” Kai hisses at me the second the metal door to the basement closes behind us and we’re alone in the cold stairwell. “That was an awfully specific series of lies, Kendrick.”

I throw up my hands. “You wouldn’t give Ruby a chance otherwise.”

Kai doesn’t have a thing against women, generally speaking.

How could he, when we were raised by a kickass, widowed mother and her kickass, widowed mother?

But in the context of our fledgling band, Kai’s been adamant: no girls allowed.

Why? So we never repeat what recently happened when his ex-girlfriend, Courtney, broke up with him and took their entire band with her.

“Are you into this chick?” Kai asks, his dark eyes laser-focused. “Is that why you asked her to come here—to try to get into her pants?”

I gasp like that’s the craziest, most insulting thing I’ve heard.

“Don’t be an asshole,” I spit back piously.

“I asked Ruby to come here because she’s insanely talented.

Because I’m trying to give my best friend in the world, who’s also the most talented person in our band—sorry, Kai, but it’s true—everything he wants.

And fuck you for suggesting otherwise.” I don’t know when I suddenly became such a convincing liar, but I guess it’s true what they say: necessity is the mother of invention.

“Sorry,” Kai mutters. Apparently, my passionate speech has convinced him.

At least it’s dispelled the notion that I invited Ruby here because I’ve got a crush on her.

Which I do. And I did. “But, come on,” Kai continues.

“We all agreed no girls in the band for good reason. Why risk a Fleetwood Mac situation?”

I roll my eyes. “First of all, you decided no girls in the band, like a fucking dictator. Savage and I had nothing to do with that. And second of all, if you mention Fleetwood Mac as a cautionary tale one more time, I’m gonna grab your amp cord and strangle you with it.

For fuck’s sake, they’re one of the most successful bands of all time, Kai. ”

“Yeah, they’ve sold a shit-ton of records, but being in the band was messy and toxic.

That’s my point. They had to break up because of the personal chaos, and we don’t want that.

” When I laugh in my big brother’s face, simply because he’s being over the top about this, he takes a deep breath and assumes a fake-calm tone.

“It’s a good thing she’s not even remotely close to your type,” he says slowly, “or I’d never believe you’re not crushing on her. ”

“This again? Kai, for fuck’s sake?—”

“Calm down. I believe you. I know you never go for girls like her. Actually, she’s much more my type than yours.” He snickers. “Frankly, if anyone needs to remember the cautionary tale of Fleetwood Mac here, it’s probably me.”

Fuck.

Fuck.

FUCK.

How did I not see this coming, when it’s now so clear to me I was playing with fire by inviting Ruby here?

Other than her age, Ruby’s exactly my big brother’s type.

And I overlooked that fact because I was so tunnel-visioned on my own feelings for her.

In my defense, though, personality-wise, Ruby is way too nice and bubbly for Kai.

A total miss. And thanks to our mother, Kai knows better than to even think about messing with someone Ruby’s age.

“Are you trying to get strangled? I warned you about saying the name of that band again. Also, she’s sixteen, remember?”

“I know that, dumbass. I’m not saying I’d actually go for her. Just saying I believe you.”

“Thank you.” I think?

Kai bites his lip. “I guess it doesn’t hurt that Ruby’s super pretty. Music is a visual medium these days. The more eye candy in a band, the better.”

Super pretty? Eye candy?

Hearing Kai, a notorious ladies’ man, describing my secret crush like that definitely isn’t my favorite thing. In fact, those words have set my teeth on edge.

“Okay, I’ll give her a chance,” Kai declares on an exhale. “But if she sucks, I’m sending her packing after one song. I don’t care how far she lugged her gear?—"

“Fine. One song. As long as you give her a fair shake.”

“I said I would. Stop nagging me about it.”