Page 47 of Wylder and the Secret Rockstar
She could go to one of her teacher’s townhomes, even when that teacher was Sebastian. She could act like it didn’t bother her, like the minute she set foot in that door, she wouldn’t feel like she was a creepy stalker who’d been spurned by someone she shouldn’t even want.
Someone she wasn’t sure she still wanted.
Past the lake, up a giant hill surrounded by gardens blooming behind wrought iron fences was a long row of two-story brick structures that looked out of place on campus. Wylder had never ventured over here, preferring to keep her life separate from that of her teachers’.
Not all the teachers lived on campus, but the elite and exclusive school gave them that option rather than driving in from the more expensive Riverpass every day.
Glancing up at the number five, Wylder considered turning back. She considered telling Logan what she should have last night—that working on their project at Sebastian’s place was a bad idea, like really really bad. But she couldn’t have voiced her concerns without raising his curiosity.
“You just going to stand there?” Logan’s voice came from behind her as he trudged up the path. They’d managed to get back on campus with no one knowing he’d left. Well, no one except Sebastian. She could have sworn she saw him watching as Logan pulled himself from the trunk of Nicky’s car.
“This is weird, you know.” She looked up at the door again. “Going to a teacher’s place.”
He only shrugged and opened the door without knocking. Reluctantly, Wylder followed him in. She didn’t know what she’d been expecting but hardwood floors and airy yellow walls were not it.
The foyer led into a living room where long cherrywood bookshelves spanned the back wall—just like in his office. Each shelf was crammed full of books. Like, real novels, not the kind of stuff one displays so others think they’re smart. How had Wylder never learned Sebastian was this much of a reader?
There was so much they didn’t know about each other.
Logan dropped his bag on the couch. “Bash?”
“Be down in a sec!” Sebastian called back.
Wylder busied herself studying his every possession. A keyboard sat in the corner of the room, and she remembered Logan mentioning it. “This is yours?”
Logan nodded. “I don’t play it much, and I’m not very good, but I figured it might help us.”
Before she could respond, Sebastian appeared and oh, heck. He’d just gotten out of the shower. A thin white t-shirt clung to his damp skin, showing off every muscle. His wet hair sat messy on top of his head in that “I’m too hot for a brush” kind of way.
“Hey, bro.” He fist bumped Logan before nodding to her. “Wylder.”
“Don’t be freaked out hanging around a teacher outside of class.” Logan said as Sebastian left them to walk into the kitchen. “Sebastian isn’t so bad when he’s not grading us.”
Oh, she knew. Tearing her eyes from the door Sebastian had disappeared through, she sat on the long bench behind the keyboard and pulled out her notebook before dropping her bag to the floor. “Let’s get started.”
“Sure.” He sat beside her, his fingers skimming over the keys, but he didn’t play anything. Instead, he curled his hands and turned to her. “I never thanked you.”
“For what?” She tapped her pen against the notebook, staring down at the third verse she hadn’t been able to get right.
“For last night.” He sucked in a breath. “Look, I know you and I have had our issues, but I’d kind of like to be friends with you. And not just because of this project.”
She’d never had anyone be so open with her about what they wanted, and it made her lift her eyes to his. “You want to be friends with me?” It didn’t make sense. From what Sebastian implied, Logan was the good Cook brother, the one who wasn’t drawn to trouble. And few people who didn’t look for a bit of trouble wanted anything to do with Wylder. It just didn’t happen.
“That shouldn’t surprise you.” His brow creased in confusion. “Everyone here wants to be friends with you.”
“Sure, okay,” she scoffed.
“I’m serious.”
“Logan, you haven’t been here long. Most people are scared of me.”
“Not Killian and Diego.” He didn’t take his eyes from hers. “They’re a bit obsessed with you.”
“Hey!”
“I didn’t say it was a bad thing. And Nicky… I can see why he’s your friend. I’ll be honest, I never liked him or Beckett. Luke hates them. But last night he seemed kind of cool, and he loves you. That much was obvious.”
“Yeah, well, Nicky and I were the ones left behind once upon a time. Before he started dating my brother, we were all each other had in terms of friends. At least, friends in town since everyone left us.”
