Page 12 of Wild Stars

We’re supposed to be old and grumpy and judgey together!

“Twenties?That’s barely out of fucking high school, Hailee.”

“You know, I think living in the fucking mountains doing all that yoga rotted your brain,” she teases, tucking some dark curls behind her ear.

“It wasn’tyoga, it wastantra,” I correct her.

“Whatever.Depriving yourself of happiness and pleasure is only going to make you fucking miserable, clearly.Maybeyoucould learn a thing or two from thekids,” she nips, adding in a sarcastic, “Or perhaps you just need to get fucked.”

I make the final adjustment on my guitar as Helena calls over the loud speaker, cutting me off from spewing venom at my pain in the ass sister.

What isherproblem today?

“All right, guys, show me what ya got,” Howler calls out, popping her bubblegum.

“With pleasure, Howler.”I strum the first few notes ofSatellites.

Despite our room being mostly soundproof, I can stillhearnoise carrying from down the hall on the other side of us.Noise that sounds a lot like electric guitars and heavy drums.

“What the fuck is that?”I snap.

“What?”Hailee asks as Helena presses the button again.

“Don’t tell me you can’t hear that shit.”I huff as Helena narrows her gaze at me.I gesture to the door before I open it slightly.

“What are you talking about?”she asks.

“I can feel the fucking bass from down the hall.”

Hailee groans.“It’s probably justHeart Killerwarming up.No big.The studio is bound to be packed today, since we’re all here rehearsing.Play your shit and drown it out.”

I shoot her a glare.If only it were that simple, but Hailee of all people knows I can’t play if I can’tconcentrate.And I can’t concentrate withHeart Killerwailing down the hall like a bunch of dying cats.

I need order in my life; without it things are utter chaos.And I can’t handle chaos.

Attempting to heed her advice, I try to block out the faint sounds ofHeart Killerdown the hall, but just as I strum my guitar once more, I hear the clash of cymbals and a loud wail of guitar.Again.

I glare at Hailee, who throws her hands up in the air.

I slide my guitar off of myself as I head for the door.

“Mateo...come on...”my sister whines as Howler tries to call me back in, but I flip both of them off.

This is what I mean about stupid kids.They don’t have any respect for anyone but themselves, and even that is in poor amount.

I can handle Dare being a stupid ass at a party, but it’s another thing to come into my job and cause me chaos where I absolutely don’t fucking need it.

As I traverse down the hall, the music gets louder; wailing electric guitars and heavy drums are accompanied by Dare’s sultry voice.

It’s an odd combination of dark and operatic tinged with an almost eighties metal sound.

I have to admit, I’ve never heard anything like it.But I don’t have time to focus on the talents of Dare and his band.

I throw open the door to their room, to see Penny and Palo turn around in surprise.

Dare keeps playing and singing, his head bent over so his dark black hair falls in his face.

Combined with his thick, tattooed arms and his frayed jeans, he looks every bit like the grunge high school rock kid.

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