Page 177 of Before We're More Than Friends
Dallas
If I’d known that Battle of the Bands would be one of the biggest events in town, I wouldn’t have been on the verge of passing out right now.
We’d come here this morning for a sound check, and everything had gone well. But hearing the commotion from outside now worked up my nerves. I’d look like a sweaty pig before we even got on stage.
“You’ll be fine,” Kami said as I paced backstage. “Does that ‘imagine people in their underwear’ trick work?”
“I already tried that,” I said, tangling my fingers through my curls. Was I making my hair look better, or was I making myself look like a wild animal? I checked myself in the mirror. Yeah, it was the latter. I groaned and adjusted my open button-down.
“Are you sure I look good?” I asked Kami, my blood roaring in my ears.
I could see Kami rolling her eyes in the reflection. “You don’t need my validation.”
“It’s just nice to hear.”
“Fine.” She smiled. “You’re going to crush it, Dallas.”
“Hey.” Hayden leaned over to glance at himself in themirror, running a hand through his neat braids. “I spent all of yesterday at the barber. I almost brought a suitcase.”
I chuckled. “Your hair looks as good as always.”
“Just making sure.” He gritted his teeth to check for food. “I don’t want a single thing to be out of place.”
“Gosh, are you two going to obsess over your appearances the entire time?” Sienna asked, randomly appearing from behind us. It was strange to see her without a cup of coffee. Someone probably had to surgically remove it from her right hand.
“That’s what I’m wondering,” Kami said at the same time Hayden said, “Why wouldn’t we?”
Sienna shook her head with a smile. “Caleb will make fun of you guys the whole night.”
“Okay, and how long did you girls spend on your makeup?” Hayden asked, facing her with pursed lips.
She held up her hands. “It’s not a competition.”
“Where are Raina and Arielle?” I asked Hayden. “They’re the only ones who aren’t here.” It wasn’t unusual for them to be the last ones to show up, but I couldn’t contain my excitement to see how beautiful Raina would look tonight.
“They should be here any minute,” Hayden said, checking his watch. His gaze went over to Joker Avenue, who were laughing about something. If they were nervous, they didn’t show it at all.
Eddie caught his eye for a moment. His lips tilted into a smirk.
Hayden looked away and grumbled to himself.
“We’ll crush it,” I said, rubbing my hand along his jacket sleeve. “Whether we win or not.”
“I know. I just don’t want them to win.” He crossed his arms. “And I especially don’t want to lose.”
“Who would want to lose?” Caleb said as he fluffed Oliver’sfloppy hair from a few feet over. Oliver had let his honey-blond hair grow out the past month, and it suited him. He’d definitely win over a lot of girls.
Meanwhile, I was still waiting for mine.
“Only two things matter tonight,” Oliver said as he looked at himself on his phone screen. “That we look hot while performing and have fun looking hot while performing.”
“Oh, gosh,” Sienna said, rolling her eyes to the highest heaven. “Of course that’s the only thing on your mind.”
“Why so surprised?”
We spent another minute talking about our looks when the girl I’d been waiting for finally came. Raina strutted backstage like royalty in purple wedges, her silver earrings dangling like raindrops. Her rhinestone bra sparkled underneath her sheer black top, and my cheeks flushed as I thought about Penrose’s “gift.” A dark purple skirt and black fishnets completed her look. My stomach fluttered at the sight of her beauty, every curve reminding me of how blessed I was to have someone as stunning as her in my life.
Black and purple are so her colors.
