Page 11 of Wylder & the Rising Rockstar
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The frigid air burned Wylder’s lungs as she ran from where her dad dropped her off to the dorms, trying not to slip on the slick path. She needed to vent. Now. She’d never been able to unload on her parents. They were too good to her to deserve that, and she’d put them through enough.
But unload about them? Absolutely. That was a teen’s prerogative.
Marching through the girls’ wing to the back stairs, she headed for the boys’ part of the building. Killian was her usual venting partner. His family was wonderful, his mom a special kind of great, but he’d had some tough shakes in life, so the two of them allowed each other to say what they needed to without judgment.
Everyone should have a friend like that.
It was only six so Killian might have been down in the dining hall, but she was taking her chances.
Pushing into his common room, she didn’t find anyone, so she threw open his bedroom door and froze.
“Wylder!” Killian yelled.
He and Diego were shirtless wrestling on the bed. Yes, definitely wrestling. She couldn’t help staring as a grin spread across her face. “Who knew our favorite nerd was hiding such goods under those t-shirts.”
Diego flushed crimson.
Killian threw a pillow at her. “I really need to start locking my door.” He groaned and hid his face in Diego’s neck.
“So.” Wylder cleared her throat. “Date night started early, did it?” She wiggled her eyebrows.
“Logan!” Killian yelled. “Come take custody of Wylder.”
Logan appeared a moment later, an instant grin coming to his face when he found what Wylder was staring at. “Dude, you’re friends withtheWylder Anderson. You need to lock your door.”
“In my defense, I thought you’d be in the dining hall, Killer. I was just doing my due diligence checking here before my head exploded with annoyance.”
“Wylds, I love you.” Killian sighed. “And I will talk you down from whatever cliff you’re on. But please don’t ask me to leave my boyfriend on date night.” He would. She knew it. If she asked, if she said she needed him, Killian would come. Diego probably would too. And that made her smile.
She backed out of the room slowly, flashing them one final grin. “Carry on.”
When she shut the door, a laugh burst out of her.
“Come on.” Logan slid his hand into hers and tugged her toward his room, far away from his roommate.
A plate sat on his bed next to his calculus book, and the smells coming from it were heavenly. “What are you eating?”
“Stir fry. Sebastian made me a bunch of stuff for my fridge.”
She waited for the weird feeling to hit her at the mention of Sebastian, but it didn’t come. Instead, she focused on the food.
“I’m done if you want the rest.”
“Oh, I definitely do.” Wylder snatched the plate and shoved a forkful of rice and water chestnuts in her mouth. “So good.”
Logan lounged on his bed. “Didn’t you just eat dinner at your house?”
She sighed and sat next to him, leaning her back against the wall. “Sort of. We went to the diner, but I could barely eat anything.”
“Who died?”
“What?”
“That’s the only thing I know of that could take your appetite away. Is the world ending? Is this goodbye?”
“No.” She took another bite and elbowed him. “But my family is keeping something from me.”
