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Chapter Thirty

“Hi Trevor. It’s Brooke. I’m not sure if you’re back yet, but call me when you are if you still want to, y’know, come over.”

I hung up. My face was red. I had sounded like an absolute idiot.

“Hey Brooke?”

I looked up. Peyton was hovering at the door.

“What’s up?”

She held up a hairbrush.

“Can you braid my hair?”

I smiled. “Sure thing.”

She sat down beside my bed and held up the brush. I loved playing with hair. I figured if the whole ‘pop star’ thing didn’t work out, I’d probably go to school to be a hairdresser.

“So what’s the occasion?” I asked.

“Nothing. I’m going surfing and I don’t want hair in my face.”

I smiled. “That’s a good reason. Who’s taking you surfing?” “Logan said I could tag along with him and Noah.”

“That sounds fun.”

“You wanna come?”

“No, you know I don’t like the ocean.”

Peyton snuggled back against my legs.

“Were you calling Trevor?”

“Yup.”

“He didn’t pick up?”

“Nope.”

“Do you only like him because he beat up Garrett?”

I had to stop and think about that. I had talked to Kay last night and she had teased me about developing a ‘hero crush.’

“I judged him without knowing him,” I said honestly. “So before I can answer your question, I at least want to learn more about him.”

“He sings good,” Peyton said.

I tugged on her hair playfully.

“Oh so my sister’s a Grenadine fan?”

Pey laughed. “Don’t tell dad.” She looked up at me. “I think Kyle is kind of cute.”

Kyle was one of the other Grenadine guys. I think dad referred to him as the AJ knock-off.

I smiled. “Your secret’s safe with m--”

My phone rang. I smiled.

“It’s Trevor,” Peyton guessed.

I held onto the last section of hair I was working with, pressed Talk, and tucked the phone under my chin.

“Hello?”

“Hey Brooke.”

“Hey.”

“I got back last night.”

I heard scuffling in the background and then a bang.

“Do you want to come over?”

“Sure. How about tonight?” he asked. He sounded hopeful. I heard what sounded like a couple little kids screaming.

“That’s fine. If you come over around four you can stay for dinner.”

“Oh, no that’s--” “I insist.”

I heard what sounded like his dad cursing.

“Okay, I’ll be there at four.” He hung up without saying goodbye. The phone slipped from my chin.

“Is he coming?” Peyton asked.

“Yup.”

I finished securing the last piece of her hair. She held up a band and I wrapped it around until I was sure her thick hair wasn’t going to budge.

“You’re all set.”

She hopped up. “Thanks!”

“Have fun!”

“I will. See you at dinner!”

I heard her sneakers hit the stairs loudly.

I picked up my phone and looked at it thoughtfully. I knew that sometimes it sounded hectic in my house when I was trying to talk, but things at Trevor’s sounded a lot worse than hectic.

------------------------------

“You look nice.”

“This old thing?” I asked. I leaned against the counter. Mom gave me a knowing smile. Landon was perched on the counter sprinkling raisins in a bowl of cake batter.

“Can you pway with me?” Landon asked.

“Sorry buddy, I’ve got a friend coming over.”

“BOOBIES!”

“What?”

Mom sighed. “He heard your father say it.”

I really didn’t want to know why my dad was saying the word boobies. Luckily, I was saved from the moment by the doorbell ringing.

Trevor was standing there looking back at his car. He turned when he heard the door open. He smiled.

“Hey.”

“Hey.”

I stepped back.

“Come on in.”

Trevor followed me inside. He spotted my mom right away.

“Hi, Mrs. Carter.”

Mom smiled. “Hi Trevor. How are you?”

He hesitated. “Fine, thanks.”

“Do you like spice cake?”

“I’ve...never had it. I don’t think.”

“You’ll love it,” I said.

“BOOBIES!” Landon squealed. I blushed.

“I’ve got the album on my laptop upstairs,” I said.

Trevor followed me up the stairs. I headed into my room. For once in my life, I had actually cleaned.

“Nice room.”

“Thanks.”

He sat down on the beanbag chair in the corner. I hit play on my laptop and sat down on the floor.

We listened to the whole thing all the way through. As the very last notes faded away Trevor looked at me.

“That’s better than your first.”

I smiled. “You think so?”

“I do. Good choice on Chaotic by the way.”

“It’s catchy.”

“It’s a good summer song. We’re going with a ballad for our new single.”

Trevor wrinkled his nose. I smiled.

“I bet it’s good.”

“Eh.”

“Well what do your mom and dad say?”

Trevor smiled. He reached down and fixed the laces on his sneakers.

“They don’t say much as long as the the money’s coming in.”

I frowned. “They don’t care?”

Trevor studied me. “Brooke, if you didn’t realize from seeing my dad at the police station or from the phone call, I don’t have the same life you do.”

I slapped my flip-flop against my foot.

“Do you have any brothers and sisters?”

“Five.”

“Five?”

Trevor gave me a tense smile.

“Dad likes to make up almost as much as he likes to beat down.”

“Why doesn’t your mom leave?”

“Probably for the same reason it took so long for all those other girls to come forward about Garrett.”

I sighed. I knew what he meant.

“I’ve told myself since I was little that I was never going to be like my dad. That’s why I had to get involved when I saw you out there in the park. I’m sick of seeing women hurt.”

He spoke so frankly about everything. I studied his face.

“I’m sorry. I don’t usually talk to so much.”

I smiled. “No, it’s okay. I like to listen.”

He looked at me and grinned.

------------------------------------------------

“I want tatoes!”

“Landon, say please pass the potatoes.”

“Peas pass the tatoes!”

Trevor and I had spent a couple hours in my room just talking. I explained about the whole ‘red dress’ incident and Trevor told me a little bit about how he ended up in Grenadine. It turned out that a music scout found him on a tour of school choirs. The rest was history. His dad was his manager and he really didn’t know the other guys that well, but he figured it was just the first step towards something bigger.

I liked that attitude.

“Do you play any sports?” Peyton asked. She gave me a look. I guess she was screening for any more potential scumbag basketball players.

“No, not really. I like to watch football.”

“Who’s your team?” dad asked.

“I was born in raised here in Tampa, so it’s always been the Bucs.”

Dad’s eyes lit up. “Really?”

I could have been invisible. Dad, Noah, and Trevor started talking about the upcoming season.

By the time everyone was ready for dessert, I had to admit that the dinner had gone off much better than I had thought. Trevor seemed to ‘pass’ all the little questions everyone threw at him.

“Who’s ready for cake?”

“ME!” Landon squealed.

Mom got up and grabbed the cake off of the bar. She cut pieces and we passed them around the table.

“This is delicious!” Trevor said. Mom smiled.

“We think so.” “I call it Livvy’s Sugar and Spice cake,” dad said. “Nothing but sweet.”

Mom beamed. Landon took his plastic fork, grabbed a huge hunk and stuffed it in his mouth. I’m pretty sure he didn’t even chew. A second later his face turned red and his hands were flailing in the air.

“LANDON’S CHOKING!” Peyton yelled.

Mom was out of her chair in a split second. She hovered over him.

A second later regurgitated cake was all over Trevor’s face. Landon burst into hysterical tears. Noah farted. Peyton spilled her soda. Dad yelled at Noah. I handed Trevor a napkin.

So much for the perfect dinner.

Trevor wiped his face. His shoulders were shaking.

“This was fun,” he said happily.

I stared at him in amazement.

I knew it would take someone almost superhuman to get through a meal with my family. Trevor had not only survived, but he was laughing.

It seemed like he just might be in that elite group. And maybe, just maybe, my luck was turning around.