Page 55 of Off The Rush
“Let’s just get started,” I suggest, trying to keep my frustration in check.
“Fine,” Kenny agrees, taking his place at the piano as I pull out my sheet music. We begin rehearsing our duet, and despite the tension between us, our voices blend together almost effortlessly.
As we continue practicing, I can’t help but feel trapped, my thoughts drifting back to the comfort of Alec’s arms and JD’s playful smile. If only I didn’t have this project hanging over my head.
During our water break, I take a moment to stretch my tense muscles. The stress from Kenny’s controlling attitude is beginning to weigh on me, and I can’t help but miss the carefree moments with Alec and JD.
“Hey,” Kenny says, breaking the silence between us. “Who was that guy you were having coffee with the other day?” He raises an eyebrow, clearly fishing for information about Luka.
“Does it matter?” I retort before taking a sip of my water, trying to avoid discussing my personal life with him.
Kenny smirks, obviously not deterred by my evasion. “I heard a rumor that you’re dating Alec Campbell. Is that true?”
I hesitate for a second, considering whether or not to confirm the rumor. It’s no longer fake, so I shouldn’t feel guilty, right?
“Yes, I am,” I finally admit, meeting his gaze defiantly.
“Interesting,” he muses, eyeing me carefully. “And yet you seemed so cozy with his best friend. People on campus talk.”
“My personal life isn’t something we need to talk about. Let’s get back to singing.”
Before either of us can sing more than a few notes, the practice room door swings open, revealing Rachel Sanders in all her competitive glory. A smug smile graces her lips as she surveys the scene before her.
“Wow,” she says, feigning concern. “You two don’t sound very good together. I mean, my duet partner and I are practically perfect. Kenny sounds wonderful but Emma you’re messing it up.”
“Thanks for the vote of confidence, Rachel,” I mutter sarcastically, rolling my eyes at her blatant attempt to rattle me.
Rachel ignores my comment, continuing her barrage. “Oh, and I heard you telling Kenny about dating Alec. How… convenient.”
“Mind your own business, Rachel,” I snap before taking a calming breath. Why does she always have to be so insufferable?
I force myself to ignore Rachel’s taunting and focus on the music. Kenny seems to sense my frustration and comes to our defense, his expression determined.
“Our duet is excellent,” he insists, wrapping an arm around me as if to emphasize our unity.
I stiffen at his touch, but he doesn’t seem to notice. “Our singing is perfect,” he adds with a proud smile. I can’t help but roll my eyes at his confidence.
“Alright, let’s get back to work,” I say, gently disentangling myself from Kenny’s grasp.
“Anyway,” she says, flicking her sleek black hair over her shoulder. “Good luck.” With that, she saunters out of the room, leaving me fuming.
“Can you believe her?” I say to Kenny, my anger momentarily overpowering my resentment towards him.
“Let’s just focus on our duet,” he responds, his tone dismissive as he moves back toward the piano.
I sigh, realizing that there’s no point in dwelling on Rachel’s comments or Kenny’s irritating behavior. The only thing I can do is pour all my energy into making our performance the best it can be then try to avoid ever partnering with Kenny again.
We resume practicing, but my mind keeps wandering back to Rachel’s smug face and her insinuations about Alec. I can’t shake the feeling that she’s trying to get under my skin, and it’s working. What did she mean when she said Alec and I dating is convenient?
“Let’s take a break,” I suggest after another run-through of our song leaves me feeling drained and irritable. Kenny frowns but nods, sensing my growing agitation. As soon as he steps away, I decide that I’ve had enough for today.
“I think I’m done here,” I announce, grabbing my bag and heading for the door. Kenny calls after me, but I ignore him. I just need some space to breathe and clear my head.
Once outside, I find a secluded spot beneath a tree and take a seat, my thoughts racing. Part of me wants to talk to the guys about what happened, but I’m not sure if I should involve them. They have their own problems to deal with, after all. But then again, we did just start a relationship together, so maybe it’s okay to lean on them once in a while.
With a deep breath, I pull out my phone, hesitating for a moment before I start typing out messages to each of them. I’m too nervous to send a group message, so I opt for individual ones instead.
“Hey,” I write, my fingers trembling slightly. “Had a rough rehearsal today.”
