Out of Tune

Chapter Eleven

Lennon had lost track now of how many little arguments they'd gotten into. It was nothing major but it was enough that Lennon actively tried to avoid her mother where possible. Her mother was constantly scolding her for not having college applications in, even though Lennon had informed her that she was taking a year off before deciding what it was she wanted to do with her life.

When they weren't arguing about school, they were arguing about music. Lennon hadn't tried to keep it a secret that she was helping out with Spencer and his band. She didn't view it as a bad thing so she didn't see the reason it had to be kept quiet. Yet her mother and Brad had different feelings about the matter. It hadn't devolved yet into a full-fledged fight but Lennon had heard their snide comments and hushed conversations about how she was wasting her time working within such a frivolous and unimportant job field.

The only person in her family Lennon currently liked was Colby, which wasn't saying much. Lennon had quickly learned what her mother and step-father clearly didn't or simply refused to see. The reason Colby acted like such a spoiled rotten brat was not because he was one but rather because he wanted the attention of his parents – of anybody really – and screaming was the only way they paid him any mind.

When he wasn't at school, he was with the babysitter who came to the house every day to watch over him. Jenny was nice and Colby adored her but the moment she was gone, he wanted his parents. Perhaps it was a lawyer thing that they were always so busy and so unwilling to give him the attention he so clearly wanted. But what Lennon knew was that she'd never had to resort to such behaviour with her dad because he'd always been around and often knew what she needed and wanted before she knew herself.

Without planning it or really wanting it, Lennon found herself trying to do the same for Colby. They went for walks to the playground that Lennon had found on her first weekend in town and sometimes, if he was good, she'd stop for ice cream on the way home.

Once he stopped screaming for attention, Lennon had to admit that he was actually a pretty cool kid. He was in a dinosaur phase and everything was new and exciting to him. Sometimes, he came to her with really cool facts like how the hadrosaurs had over one thousand teeth and could continually grow new ones.

It was a piece of information she really hope came up in trivia at some point in her life because Lennon had absolutely no other use for that kind of knowledge.

Lennon was halfway through her chemistry homework, munching through a slice of cold leftover pizza when her cellphone rang. She glanced at the screen, expecting to see Bryce or Taylor's name flash but instead saw that it was Miles calling.

She accepted it. "Hey, Miles. What's up?"

"We've got a situation."

Lennon set her pencil down on the desk, giving Miles her full attention. "What's going on? Is everything okay?"

"Spencer got hurt riding his bike home from school today. Swerved to avoid a squirrel and hit a pothole and then flipped right over the handlebars."

"Is he okay?" Lennon asked quickly.

"Nothing is broken but he's got a few bad cuts and bruises and he sprained his wrist. Badly. I just saw him and it's purple and swollen. Spencer is adamant that he'll be fine to sing tomorrow but there's no way he's going to be able to play his guitar for our set. I know it's a lot to ask, but you're the only person who knows our music and plays the guitar. Is there any chance you'd be willing to stand in on the guitar?"