Off the Record

Chapter 26

K A I

"Yo, Kai, over here!" Ethan's voice rings out from across the crowded dining hall, waving me over to our usual table nestled in a corner near the windows. I make my way through the colossal of students, weaving between tables and trays until I reach the guys.

"What's up?" I greet them, sliding into a seat beside Jayden.

"You're just in time. We were just debating the merits of pineapple on pizza," Lab says, a mischievous twinkle in his eyes.

I laugh, shaking my head. "Ah, the age-old debate. Personally, I'm all for it."

"Finally, someone who gets it!" Jayden exclaims, throwing an arm around my shoulder in mock celebration.

Ethan shoots me a skeptical look. "Damn, I always thought you had better taste than that."

"Hey, don't knock it 'til you try it." I roll my eyes. "And my taste is inquisitive."

I glance over at Seth, who's slumped in his seat, head resting on his hand as he absentmindedly pokes at his food. "What's up with you, Sethlin?"

"Huh?" Seth looks up, clearly distracted.

"He's stressing because he's meeting Lourdes' dad tomorrow." Lab explains.

"Haven't you guys been dating for like nearly a year?" I ask, raising an eyebrow.

"Her dad is a marine biologist and travels a lot. He finally made time this weekend." Seth sighs. "He's taking me golfing. I've never golfed in my life!"

Jayden jumps in with, "Can he talk to dolphins and stuff?" The table bursts into laughter.

"Dude, he's not Ace Ventura." Ethan rolls his eyes at Jayden before looking at Seth. "Why don't you ask Kai for advice? He had dinner with Grier's 'rents last week."

"You had dinner with Matt and Nara?" Lab asks, his eyebrows shooting up in surprise.

I glance up from my burger and sigh internally. Ethan and his big mouth. I knew I should've lied when he asked what I had planned for that night.

I nod, taking a sip of my soda. "Long fucking story, dude."

Ethan leans in, his eyes alight with curiosity. "C'mon Kai, spill the beans. We're dying to know what happened."

"No shot. You guys are nosey as shit."

Jayden clears his throat, frowning. "Wait Seth, if you're busy this weekend, you still have time to come to my gig tonight, right?"

Seth looks genuinely sorry. "Sorry buddy, we're leaving for Blue Ridge straight after school. It's like a four-hour drive."

Ethan jumps in, noticing Jayden's dejected look. "The rest of us are gonna be there," he says encouragingly.

I frown, realizing I had almost forgotten about the gig. "Where's it happening again?"

"At The Rooster's Nest," Jayden replies, his usual excitement perking back up. "It's gonna be one for the books."

Ethan nods in agreement. "Yeah, I heard they've got a killer lineup tonight. You guys are gonna kill it."

Lab grins, leaning back in his chair. "We'll be there, front and center. Wouldn't miss it for the world."

I raise an eyebrow, intrigued. "So, what's the setlist looking like? Any new tracks?"

Jayden's eyes light up. "Oh, you know it. We've got a couple of new ones we're trying out. Should be fun. You'll have to let us know what you think."