Page 9 of Wild Stars

I furrow my eyebrows.“How did you?—”

“He called us a car last night,insistedI make sure you got home safe.Even made me fucking text him like he was my dad or some shit.”

I blink as I try to remember the events of last night clearly, but I didn’t remember Mateo doing anything like that.

All I can remember is me throwing up and him yelling at me and pushing me around.

“Yeah, well, I’m sure he would have done the same for anyone else.”I shrug.

Richie purses his lips, returning his gaze to the road.“You ever just...wish you could go back in time and do shit over?”he asks.

“Yeah, kinda feel that way right about now,” I whine as I rub my temples.“You think Penn has any Advil at the studio?My brain hurts.”

Richie shakes his head.“That’s why I stick to fucking weed, man.The natural shit.Never leaves me feeling like garbage.”

I bang my head against the window, nonchalantly flipping him off.

“Fuck you,” I bite as I close my eyes and let the motion of the drive lull me into a half sleep.

When we finally arrive at the studio, I feel a little better, and my headache has started to subside, but I’m still dragging ass.Thankfully, the studio is posh as shit and they have, like, the best break room I’ve ever seen.

Seriously, their collection of K-Cups and super fancy drinks is a huge motivator.

Richie takes off for the rehearsal studio, but I keep walking.

“Where are you?—”

“Caffeine and sustenance, man.If I don’t eat something or get some fucking coffee in my system, I think Iwillperish,” I tell him.

Richie only rolls his eyes, but waves me off.“Fine.But that caramel cappuccino shitisn’tactually coffee, you know!”he yells as I make a beeline for the break room, running headfirst into something large and solid.

No, not something,someone.

“Jesus Christ, Dare, are you still drunk?”a bitter voice beckons.

I look up with wide, surprised eyes.

“Oh shit, Matty, I’m sorry, I?—”

“Don’t fucking call me that,” he nips as he shifts his stance in the doorway.

I look around him to see the spread of pastries and muffins on the counter, and my stomach growls.

“I’m sorry, just a little hungry, and—” I bumble like a fucking idiot, then blurt, “Felix calls you Matty.”

Mateo scowls.“Felix is annoying at best.I don’t pay any attention to what that asshole does.”

I swallow harshly as I reply, “Noted.”

Just as he moves to leave, I stop him.

“Hey, um...Richie told me you, uh...what I mean is, uh...”

Matty raises a sharp eyebrow, his expression a blend of stoic and annoyed.“English, please, Dare.”

The way he says my name makes a shiver run up my fucking spine.

It’s smooth and warm, like caramel cappuccino.

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