Page 35 of My Rock Star Neighbor
“You’ll get it,” she says.“You still look like you’re concentrating too hard in the first half, but we’ll practice it enough that you’ll feel more comfortable.”
She shows me the steps again.
“Remember, in this part, you’re singing that she’s turned away, so you hunch your shoulders, you feel rejected.But then you straighten up when you decide you’re going after her.Right?Isn’t that what the song says?”
I nod.
“Feel that emotion and put it into your body as well as your singing,” she says.
Feel the emotion as if I were pursuing Maddie.
“It all makes sense.Like you said, I need to keep practicing.”I’m used to putting all my emotion into my singing.Adding choreography is not easy.But I can’t admit that.I have to believe her when she reassures me that it will become muscle memory.I should be able to put the emotion into my body as well as my voice.
“It’s good you’re in such good shape already,” she says.
We spend the next half hour working on the second half, and I think I’ve got it.
“Yes!”She high-fives me.“This routine is going to drive your fans crazy.”
“I have a girlfriend,” I say.Who knows if this conversation will be reported anywhere?
“Your girlfriend is a lucky woman.”
If only Maddie agreed.
“That’s it for today,” the choreographer says.“Keep at it tonight, and then we’ll learn the next one in a few days.”
As if I’ve got any more energy to practice at home tonight.I don’tfeellike I’m in good shape.Every muscle aches.
I rush out the studio door.I don’t want to be late for my babysitting gig.Three times a week, I’m responsible for picking up ten-year-old Dylan from school.I teach him guitar for an hour and then supervise his homework or playdates until his mom comes home at five.It isn’t a huge deal, especially since he lives in the same apartment building as Maddie and me.I don’t charge much, but it makes me feel good to help a single mom out.I know how hard my own mom worked.
I make it to the schoolyard in time, and soon, Dylan is sitting at my table doing homework while I set up a security camera on the balcony.As much as I hope that the Cara-wannabe woman will move on, I don’t trust hernotto try to get access to our fire escape to photograph us in our apartments.Who knows what story she next wants to feature on her YouTube channel.
There.Done.I confirm the video stream is working and watch a pigeon poop.Lovely.We need to install a fake owl.And maybe some sort of noise deterrent.
My phone rings.It’s Luca, one of my best friends.Perfect timing.He works in security.
“Are you and Maddie still coming over for takeout?”he asks.He lives in SoHo, about a mile away from us, so it’s about a twenty-minute walk via Grand Street.
“We are,” I say.“She should be home soon, and then we’ll come over.”I offered to pick up Maddie from work because of that one work rival, but Maddie seemed horrified at my suggestion.She wants to keep work and her “dating” life separate.
“Home soon.You guys are already basically living together,” Luca says.
I snort.“Except that we’re very muchnot.”
I don’t even have permission tokissMaddie.And in the cab, when Maddie was looking up at me with those big brown eyes and her hair felt feathery soft, boy, did I want to taste her lips.I think I distracted her from clocking my feelings by asking if we were being followed.
The no-kissing clause seems to be driving my mind crazy.I don’t think I felt desire this deeply before we signed that contract.
I shake my head.I’ve missed whatever Luca said, so I ask him to repeat it.And then I wish I hadn’t because he suggests we date for real.
“Yeah, that’s not happening,” I say.Especially after Maddie’s wholesome suggestion of how we got together.I change the topic by asking him my questions about setting up the camera.He confirms that it’s done correctly.
A knock sounds at the door, and Dylan runs over.It’s his mom, Stacy.She thanks me as Dylan tells her about how I let him play my electric guitar.His mom and I smile at each other over his head.
“Are you going on tour soon?”she asks.
“Yes.They’re lining up the dates now,” I say.“But I’ve found a replacement for you.You know the family who owns the bar down the street?One of his daughters says her co-worker is looking for work after her morning shift at the day care, so she could pick up Dylan and look after him until you come home from work.If you trust her when you meet her.”
