Virtually in Love Read Free

Kaz protested.
    Any response was interrupted by the waitress, rushing over with our coffee and onion rings. “Resta yer order’ll be out in a sec,” she mumbled, dropping the onion rings platter and extra plates in front of us and sloshing half the coffee out as she slammed down the mug.
    â€œThanks,” Kaz called to her departing back.
    Meanwhile, I grabbed the biggest onion ring in one hand and my phone in the other.
    â€œWhat are you doing?” Vanessa asked, dabbing at the spilled coffee with a napkin.
    I snapped a photo of myself chomping on the deep-fried goodness. Then I inhaled the rest of the ring, wiped my fingers on my napkin, and texted the picture to Trevor. “I like to give Trev a taste of my daily life,” I explained as I hit send.
    â€œThen you should send him a picture of you loading the dishwasher,” Kaz suggested.
    Vanessa giggled. “True. Or maybe one of you snoring in history class.”
    â€œYou two are a laugh riot.” I stuck my phone into my pocket. “But back to party planning.”
    Kaz helped himself to an onion ring. “Seriously, my birthday doesn’t have to be a big deal,” he said. “It’ll be cool with me if Chloe just promises not to spend half of it texting Mr. Big-Time Rock Star.”
    As if on cue, my phone buzzed. Grabbing it out of my pocket, I smiled. “Speak of the devil,” I said. “It’s Trevor calling. Better take this—be right back.”
    I grabbed another onion ring and slid out of the booth, hitting the button to answer the call at the same time.
    â€œHi,” I said as I hurried down the hallway leading to the restrooms, where I’d have a little privacy. “I thought you were practicing all afternoon?”
    â€œI thought so too.” Trevor has the best voice—soft and sweet but sort of gravelly and gruff, too. Totally rock star. “Zach forgot he had a dentist appointment, so we had to reschedule.”
    â€œBummer.”
    â€œSort of,” he agreed. “At least there’s a silver lining—now I get to talk to the cutest and most talented girl I know.”
    â€œThat is a bonus,” I agreed, trying not to let on how much his compliments always made me melt.
    â€œCute picture, by the way,” he said. “Makes me wish I were there.”
    â€œMe too,” I said with a smile. “Unfortunately, I can’t talk long right now, though. My friends and I are just at the diner, fueling up for our S&D meeting—it starts in, like, ten minutes.”
    â€œS&D?”
    â€œSong & Dance?” I prompted. “It’s that volunteer group I’ve told you about.”
    â€œOh yeah.” He sounded a little uncertain. “Something about poor kids and music, right?”
    â€œUh-huh.” Thinking about the group made me smile. “Our whole pep club volunteers with them—we’re even doing a fund-raiser for them soon. Didn’t I tell you about that?”
    â€œMaybe,” he replied. “Is that what your meeting’s about?”
    â€œNo, this is just the regular monthly meeting.” I leaned against the wall, twirling a stray curl around my finger. “Some people from the group’s main office in the city gather up a bunch of kids and bring them out to our community center, and—”
    â€œOh right. And you guys teach them music. You did tell me about that. Sorry, guess I’m so distracted by this drummer thing, I can’t keep anything else in my head.” He gave a little self-deprecating laugh. “I remember now, though. It always sounded pretty cool.”
    â€œIt is.” I stepped to the end of the hallway, peering across the diner to see if my friends had polished off all the food yet. “Anyway, I should probably go, I guess. Sorry. Maybe we can talk later?”
    â€œSure. Have fun, Chloe. Later.”
    â€œBye.”
    As I hung up, I suddenly remembered his