Skyville Boys Page 7

  “Mom, it’s okay. Don’t stress about it.”

  “Do you hear yourself? It’s not your job to take care of me. I need to take care of you.”

  “Someone needs to take care of you, too. If he refuses to be a man and take responsibility for the five kids he brought into this world and the woman he chose to marry, then—” My mouth snaps shut when fresh tears pool in her eyes. “What hold does the jerk have on you? Why do you still love him?”

  She grabs a tissue and dabs her eyes. “He wasn’t always like that. He used to be such a good man. I wish you remembered him the way he was, Carter. You would have loved him.”

  I scowl. “I don’t know him any other way.”

  Which is a lie. I remember how good of a father he was when I was little. He meant the world to me. My hero and all that. But he’s a bum now. All because he lost his job and then his way.

  “He’ll send us some money as soon as he can.”

  I jump out of my seat, knocking the chair to the floor. “No, he won’t! He hasn’t sent us a dime since you got divorced.”

  “He hasn’t had a chance—”

  “Stop making excuses for him. I know it’s hard to let go of the person he was, but he’s no longer that person. You have four little kids to worry about. Kids who basically eat one decent meal a day. You know, screw this.” I march out of the kitchen.

  “Carter?”

  It takes everything I have to turn around.

  “I’m trying.”

  Tears prick my eyes. “I know. I’m sorry.”

  I head to my room and nearly run over Peyton. “Pey, what are you doing up?”

  “You think we’re deaf? We all heard you yelling.”

  “Oh.”

  “Don’t quit your job at the club. You need to play piano.”

  “It’s fine. I’ll play enough during rehearsals.”

  “No, you need to keep playing at the club.”

  I search her eyes. “Why are you so adamant about it?”

  She throws her hands up. “Because I don’t want you to lose yourself while taking care of us. I’ve asked around town and already have a few babysitting jobs lined up. Hannah promised she’d look after Kevin and Mackenzie.”

  “She’s nine years old.”

  “But she acts like she’s twelve.”

  “True.” I rub my forehead. “Are you sure?”

  “Yes, I’m sure. It’ll be okay.” She gives me a brave smile.

  I hug her. “Thanks for believing in me.”

  “Don’t mention it. And don’t worry so much. By the time you’re off to college or some fancy music school, Mom will have her life together. You’ll see.”

  I don’t want to tell her that I probably won’t go to college or a music school. I’ll probably settle for some minimum wage job here in Skyville and continue taking care of my sibs. Because I don’t think Mom will ever get her life together. She’s too damaged by my jerk of a father.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Kara

  “She wants to meet you tonight,” Grandma tells me as she bites into her toast. I made breakfast this morning.

  I play around with my scrambled eggs. “I don’t know…”

  “I told you it’s important to keep your voice up to par. You’ll never know what kind of opportunity will knock on your door. Janice coached many stars. She was over the moon when I called her.”

  “I’ll have enough voice training for the musical,” I say. “I mean, if I get a major part.”

  “Of course you will. But you still need voice lessons. Trust me, you’ll thank me one day.”

  I groan.

  “Kara.” She leans forward with an intense look in her eyes. “You’re a girl of many talents. Partly due to my amazing genes.” She grins, and I laugh despite myself. “Your voice, though? That’s out of this world. I’m not just saying that because you’re my granddaughter. You have such an amazing gift, kiddo. Don’t take it for granted.”

  I hold up my hands. “Okay, okay, I’ll go.”

  “You miss singing. I know you do.”

  I sigh. Of course she’s right. I grab my backpack and swing it over my shoulder. “Thanks, Darla. I appreciate it.”

  “Have a good day at school. And good luck with the cast list, though I’m sure you’re Belle.” She blows me a kiss.

  I wave and leave to the bus stop. I’m really nervous for the cast list. It’s in my nature to want the principal role, but I’ll be happy with whatever I get. The prospect of being on stage again makes every part of me beat with excitement. But it also fills me with dread.

  The other kids are already waiting at the stop. I recognize a face or two from my classes, but everyone is glued to their phones. I would be glued, too, if I wasn’t avoiding social media. It hurts to see my friends and old life.

  The bus finally pulls up and we pile on. The only available seat is the one right next to Ezra.

  Earbuds are lodged in his ears and he’s reading something on his phone. His head snaps up when I drop down near him, and a strange expression passes over his face.

  “Hi,” I say.

  He pulls out his earbuds. “Hi.”

  Total silence.

  “So…the cast list will be posted today,” I say.

  “Yeah.”

  Quiet again.

  I’m about to say another stupid thing when he places his earbuds back in his ears and turns toward the window. He remains like that until we arrive at school.

  Classes pass at an agonizingly slow pace. I hurry to the bulletin board between every period, but it’s not until lunch where I find a crowd at the bulletin board, including Jax and Carter. My heart skips a beat. It’s the same feeling I have every time I get a call from my agent when I’m waiting for a callback.

  Jax sees me and waves. He doesn’t seem as over-enthusiastic as usual.

  I gently push through the crowd and scan the list. Right there on the top is my name, next to Belle. And below is Ezra, cast as the Beast.

  Carter grins. “No surprise there.”

  His smile is wide, but there’s something off about him. Maybe his eyes? They’re not their beautiful green shade but darker, like they’re haunted. And his face is slightly gaunt, as though he hasn’t eaten in a while.

  “Where’s Ezra?” Jax cranes his neck to look over the crowd. “I want to tell him the good news.”

  “He probably knows already.” Carter rolls his eyes. “He basically had it in the bag.”

  “Yeah,” Jax agrees. He turns to me. “And now that you’re Belle, we’re sure to sell—” He snaps his mouth shut and lowers his gaze to the floor. “Sorry. I’ve got to go.” He hurries off.

  Carter stares after him with furrowed brows. “What’s gotten into him?” he mutters to himself. Then he flashes me a smile. “Congrats, Kara. You’ll be an amazing Belle. I’m excited to work with you.”

  “Thanks. Me, too.”

  I scan the list to see who are playing the other roles. Kelsey is cast as Mrs. Potts. Jax is Lefou.

  Ezra marches into the hallway and strides straight for the poster. His shoulders sag in relief, and then he turns around and looks at me. I can’t read the expression in his eyes, whether he’s pissed or happy I’m Belle. He disappears out of the hallway before I could try to decipher it. Carter chases after him.

  I stop at the bathroom on my way to the cafeteria. While washing my hands, the door springs open and Kelsey waltzes in, followed by her friend and two other girls. She’s about to head into one of the stalls when she catches me at the sinks. Fury takes over her features and she storms over.

  “You think you can just come here and steal our roles? Who the hell do you think you are?”

  I grab a paper towel and wipe my hands. “I didn’t steal anything. Miss Lewis weighed me equally against everyone else.”

  Her snort is so loud it echoes through the bathroom. “Are you that retarded? You only got the role because of your stupid name. You’re not even the best candidate for the role. Belle
is beautiful and you?” She wrinkles her nose. “You have a face only a mother can love.”

  “Wow, Kelsey,” I say. “That really hit below the belt. And don’t you know it’s offensive to use the word ‘retarded?’”

  Her nostrils flare. “You think you’re all high and mighty because you’ve been in a Broadway show.”

  “Actually, I’ve been in several.”

  Her face puffs up like it’s about to explode. “The only reason you’ve had that kind of success is because of your grandmother. She has talent, but you and your mom?’ She sneers. “Just wannabees. Actually, your mom is a has-been.”

  “Actually, didn’t you hear she’s now starring as Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady?”

  Her fists clench at her sides. “I don’t care what the hell you do back in New York. But this is my school and my stage. You have no right barging in here and stealing a role I’ve been dreaming for all my life. Now I’m stuck playing a teapot!”

  Is she serious? Doesn’t she know how coveted that role is? She has a point, though. This musical is very important to her and the theater club. I really had no right snatching it from them. I didn’t even want to be in the musical.

  I’m about to leave and ask Miss Lewis for a minor role, but I stop in my place and slowly turn to Kelsey. “You know something? It’s obvious you don’t know what it means to be an actor. In this industry, you’re thankful for every role you get, because every single role is important. A show wouldn’t be a show without all the participants.” I take a step closer. “If you’re cast as a teapot, you try your damn hardest to be the best teapot in the world. That’s a true star.”

  I march out of the bathroom.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Ezra

  “Aren’t you, like, crazy excited, Ezra?” Jax asks as he stabs his fork into his meatloaf. More like a block of wood. He tries stabbing it a few times, until his plastic fork snaps in half. He frowns. “Seriously, are they trying to poison us?”

  Carter scarfs down his meatloaf in one bite, then gobbles down his mashed potatoes in less than thirty seconds. Jeez. It’s like he hasn’t eaten in days.

  Jax stabs his elbow into me. “Dude. You’re the Beast.”

  I shrug as I take a bite of my mashed potatoes. Bland like always, and a bit watery. I don’t know how Carter eats this crap.

  “Fine, continue with your brooding.” Jax nibbles at the corner of his meatloaf, makes a face and drops it back on his plate. “How about we go out and celebrate after school?”

  I shrug again. “Whatever you want. I just need time to learn my lines.”

  “You know the whole musical by heart,” he points out.

  “Just want to make sure.”

  “Ezra, ever the perfectionist.” Carter swallows the last of his muffin and points to Jax’s discarded food. “Are you gonna eat that?”

  With a wrinkle of his nose, he slides his tray over to Carter. “Dude, what’s with the binging?”

  “Slept late and missed breakfast,” Carter says with a mouthful of that nasty meatloaf. “And I didn’t eat much last night.” He swallows hard. “Maybe we should invite Kara. She always sits alone by lunch. I don’t think she has any friends.”

  She tried to have a conversation with me this morning on the bus and I totally blew her off. I felt like crap, but trying to be friends with me would only hurt her in the long run. I’m not a happy person. I don’t want to drag anyone down with me.

  Jax’s face lights up at the mention of Kara, like it always does, but then his shoulders droop and he frowns. “Nah. It might not be a good idea.”

  Carter gapes at him. He blinks a few times and shakes his head. “Wait, what? Did you just reject an opportunity to hang out with the love of your life?”

  “Quit that.”

  Carter puts his fork down. “Okay, what’s up with you? You’ve been in a mood all morning.”

  He shrugs, pursing his lips. But Jax’s never been the type to keep his mouth shut. He leans forward and says, “I’ve given up. Kara hates me. All I’m doing is hurting myself.”

  “Who says she hates you?” Carter picks up his fork and shovels the nasty mashed potatoes into his mouth.

  Jax rolls his eyes. “She runs like I’m the devil whenever I’m around.”

  “You do come off a bit strongly,” I say. “You don’t know anything about her. What her experiences with guys are. Maybe she’s never had a boyfriend—”

  “She hasn’t. Just small crushes in middle school.”

  “Okay, I see you’ve done your research.”

  Carter chuckles. “Is there anything about Kara you don’t know?”

  “Yeah, the real Kara. I’ve been in love with a fantasy version of her.”

  I’ve been telling him that for years.

  “So what’s the problem?” Carter asks. “Get to know her.”

  “I blew my chance. I was too forward and she probably thinks I’m a creep. You know that once a girl finds you creepy, it’s over. Over before it even began.”

  Carter is about to say something, when our math teacher, Mr. Kaplan, stops at our table. “Hello, boys. Carter, can I speak to you for a minute?”

  He sits with him at an empty table. My eyes trek to Kara, who’s perched at a table, alone, playing with her mashed potatoes and studying the script.

  Carter returns to our table with a scowl.

  “What happened?” Jax asks.

  “I’m flunking math.”

  “Seriously?” I ask.

  “I’m so busy helping my siblings with their homework that I hardly have time for mine.”

  “Is that why you look like crap?” Jax asks.

  He gives him a face.

  “What? You’re skinny as hell and you’ve got dark circles under your eyes. Is something going on?”

  “Nothing’s going on.” He stands and sweeps his tray with empty plates off the table. “See you guys later.”

  He leaves the room, chucking his tray into the bin.

  “He always gets so nervous by a musical,” Jax says. “I don’t get why. He always kills it.”

  “He basically carries the entire musical, Jax,” I say. “Talented or not, that’s a load. And the weird part? He loves it. The harder it is, the better he performs. I just wish he wasn’t so moody.”

  “I can say the same to you.”

  I sit back and fold my arms. “Don’t start with me. Not in the mood.”

  “Fine. I just wish you weren’t so…sad.”

  “Not sad.”

  “You are,” he insists. “What can I do to help?”

  I stand and lift my tray. “Nothing. No one can do anything.”

  Chapter Sixteen

  Kara

  Mom’s face appears on the screen, and my heart bursts. I know it’s only been a few days since I’ve video chatted with her, but I miss her so, so much. I knew moving here would be hard, but I didn’t know it’d be this hard.

  “How’s my Kara doing?” She presses her fingers to her lips and taps the screen. “Smooches and smooches.”

  “I had my first voice lesson today.”

  She looks intrigued. “You’re taking voice lessons?”

  “Grandma said it’s important to keep my voice up to bar. The woman was actually pretty cool. She definitely knows her stuff.”

  “I’m glad you’re still singing, Kara. I’d hate for you to give up something you love.”

  “Speaking of which…guess who got the lead role in Beauty and The Beast?”

  Her eyes light up. “That’s wonderful! Rob?” She calls. “Robert, you have to hear this!”

  I sink a little in my seat. Ugh, why does this news make her so happy?

  “You’re video chatting with Kara?” he asks in the distance. “Why didn’t you call me?” Dad’s face appears in the screen. “Hey, Kara Bear.”

  “Hi, Dad. Is Kitty home?”

  “She’s at a friend’s house,” Mom says. “Rob, Kara’s been cast as Belle in Beauty and the Beast!”


  Dad grins. “How befitting. Because you are the most beautiful young woman on the planet.”

  I roll my eyes. “Dad.”

  “What? That’s my unbiased opinion.”

  “But why are you in the musical?” Mom asks. “I thought…” She closes her mouth and worry lines appear on her forehead.

  “It’s okay,” I say. “You can say it.”

  “I’m just confused, honey.”

  I puff out my cheeks. “I don’t even know why I joined. One kid told me I was being selfish and this other kid wanted to use my name to sell tickets, which really pissed me off, but then I realized…”

  “That you miss performing,” Mom finishes for me. “That you love it.”

  I bang my head against my desk. “I don’t know. And then this girl gave me crap for stealing a role she’s wanted for years—”

  “Screw her,” Mom says. “If the director feels you’re perfect for the role, that’s that. Forget what anyone else thinks.”

  “But I don’t even know if I want to do it. The thought of going up there…I don’t think I can.”

  “Kara,” Dad says softly. “You’re safe in Skyville. And I don’t understand why being part of a high school production would remind you of…”

  “It all reminds me of it,” I say. “Anything that has to do with performing does. Because when I was playing Chava and he was harassing me, all I could think about was, what if was out there in the audience watching me?” A shiver crawls down my spine.

  “I understand, sweetie,” Mom says, her voice just as soft as Dad’s. “These things can be triggering. But are you going to let a stupid stalker control your life?”

  “Mom, he was more than a stupid stalker!”

  “I know. I’m sorry.” She rubs her forehead. “If I could get my hands on him…” Her hands ball into fists.

  Dad flattens her hands. “Let’s not bring this up. Kara is in Skyville now and moving on.” He turns to the screen. “Listen, sweetheart. What your mother meant to say is that this will always follow you. It sucks, but that’s the way it is. I know it’s hard, but you need to be strong and push past your fear. Or else you’ll miss out on all kinds of opportunities.”