Page 25 of The Only Thing That's Real
Hesitantly, I chance a glance in his direction to find him shamelessly watching me once again. I try to tamp down the smile tugging at my lips with no luck. Mask firmly in place, he doesn’t smile back. Instead, after several heartbeats, he gestures back to his phone with a tilt of his head and bubblesreappear on my screen. While I wait, I save his number to my phone and try not to melt into the floor from my red-hot embarrassment. Why couldn’t I keep my smile to myself?
Knox
Sean didn’t need help with school, but we took care of him in other ways. Things weren’t great for him at home, but he had my family and Matt’s. We’ve always taken care of each other. Always will.
Knox
Oh, and Jay... we helped him with girls. Trevor... well he’s been the same since middle school. Always ran the show.
Okay… As long as I ignore the giddiness that takes flight every time I see the bubbles from his impending messages appear on my phone, this might work. If texting is more comfortable for him and he continues to share, I’m all for it. It may be unconventional, but with the way my body reacts to him, it may be the smart way to move forward.
Knox McKinnon has always had the “it factor”. There’s no denying it. Even when performing a single song for a studio audience, the man is captivating. He delivers his vocals and oozes charisma as though he’s performing in front of a packed arena. It’s a combination of sex appeal, magnetic personality,and raw talent that the world has fallen in love with over the years.
In the limited time I’ve spent with him, I’ve witnessed the side of him that people fall in love with. I may not have experienced his charm personally, but I’ve seen it aimed at others plenty. Regardless, prickly exterior or not, I get it. He makes you feel like a little kid who wants his attention, even if it’s not the right kind. Negative attention from Knox still makes me feel a certain kind of way. So much so I have to force myself not to look in his direction whenever he’s in the vicinity. Heck, until his text an hour ago, I thought our one sit down might be the extent of our communication.
His texts have me fluttering around like a butterfly just released from its cocoon. Did he know what he was doing by messaging me moments before going on live TV? Knowing he would drop the information and then be busy for the next hour?
And what was with all the staring?
If I didn’t have the texts to prove it, I might think I made that two-minutes up in my mind.
Marie, Kristen, Jennifer, and I watched the band’s performance and interview from the greenroom. Now, we’re hanging out while we wait for them to finish up. The girls are chatting and snacking on the awesome spread the show provided, while I pace the room, typing in my notes app with ideas about the article. I’m too nervous to sit and chat. Too busy wondering if the texts will continue. If the lingering stares will persist. If he’ll actually start speaking to me?
We hear the band bullshitting in the hallway before we see them. I push myself as deep into the corner of the room as I can, my face buried in my phone, pretending not to noticethe additional ten people entering the room. I’m not sure if I’m trying to avoid another mortifying smile crossing my face or if I’m worried that God forbid he’ll go back to ignoring me.
“Hey, Ryan!” Jay yells from across the room.
Chatter halts and my hiding comes to a screeching halt when everyone’s attention fixates on me. Except for Knox. He’s staring at Jay like he wants to murder him.
“Hey, Jay,” I say back, skeptical, wondering where this is going.
“Question for the Question Queen.”
Is that what they call me?
“Shoot.”
“Do you actually like our music, or is this just an assignment?”
Sean and Matt praise him for his inquiry and there areoh, shitsandaw, damnsbouncing off the walls of the small space. The only person not reacting is Knox. But he is watching and waiting for my answer.
“Your music has always been a part of my life.”
“I call bullshit!” Sean yells from the couch he and Marie are lounging on. “That’s not an answer.”
“Well, it’s the truth. Yes, they assigned me this project, but it’s also true that your music was always present in my house. It’s also true that I know every word to every song.”
Sean eyes me suspiciously. Knox stays silent, but I don’t have to shift my eyes to know he’s still watching me. His gaze is heating my skin. Even in this room of fifteen people, he’s like a magnet pulling my attention to him.
“Clarification, please,” Matt presses. “Do you know the words because our music was used as some sort of twisted torture? Or because you chose to listen to it?”
As I open my mouth to answer, Trevor rushes in like a dad gathering up the kids to load into the family station wagon for a road trip. “Okay, assholes. The caravan is here. Let’s move your asses and get out of here. We’ve got the back room at Nobu, and we’ll enter through the kitchen as usual. We should go undetected if we time it right, so, get going now, fuckers.”
I’ve never loved Trevor more. If Knox hadn’t been staring at me, I wouldn’t have had any problem answering Matt, but admitting I like the Hollow Knocks in front of the biggest ego in the room? No, thank you.
Chapter Thirteen
Knox
