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Then, as we moved toward the food court, Elvis leaned over and asked me what I had on under my circle skirt—if it was like a Scotsman and his kilt

I was not going co black lace panties They’d become my habit in the last year, mostly to scare the hell out of my mother on the rare occasion when she was hoh when I stue with a boy It wasn’t ot uy at least

If Elvis had been a cute boy at school in years gone by and he’d asked led in embarrassment If he’d been a cute boy at school in the past year, I would have coot to me, the older he seemed I could tell from the uneven texture under the layer of makeup Ms Lottie had applied that his tan skin eathered His black hair was thinning on top, with not quite enough to fill out his pompadour

My feet ached froh throbbed, and I was in no mood to be toyed with I told Elvis that under my circle skirt, there was a Glock (There wasn’t I was just a skinny girl with a punky screw-you haircut and no balls at all)

Elvis was not dissuaded As we chose our place with our backs to a blank wall between Baskin-Robbins and McDonald’s, he murmured, “Pull up your skirt and let me see it”

My first thought was for Mr Crabtree, who stood close enough to us that he should have overheard what Elvis said He would think it was un in randdad at the next poker garanddad would tellto pay my tuition to Vanderbilt That was their deal with me for the rest of the summer If I wanted them to fork over tuition and room and board as they’d always pro that would embarrass Julie

I wasn’t supposed to draw attention tofiddle with a group But I hoped I was safe fro It had been randdad’s idea, not ry and swore to withhold my tuition, and to help me convince them to let me keep the job for the whole summer I’d been pretty mopey yesterday—Memorial Day Toby and his friends had spent the holiday at the lake while I uredbecause, after one day with uitar shop and his privacy back in the afternoons

I guess he didn’t buy s, and neither did I Julie’s record company was afraid of a public relations disaster if the tabloids found out she’d been signed to the label while the older sister she’d always played with had been locked out That wasn’t the shining success story girls wanted to read about in Seventeen Personally, I didn’t think the press would care what Julie’s loser sister did with her afternoons For Julie’s future fans, I would never rise to the level of importance of Julie’s boyfriends or Julie’s clothes or Julie’s hairdo

But as Elvis sneered at me, I realized this was a situation ripe for a tabloid sensation and a major eranddad as happening here,onThe potential story of Julie Mayfield’s older sister dressing up like aElvis with a Glockthat h to cut me off They were dead serious about Julie’s success Mine was expendable

As I turned around to sneak a peek at Mr Crabtree, though, I realized I’d panicked for nothing Judging from his facial expression, he hadn’t heard a word that had passed between Elvis and me In his tacky trousers and shirt and tie—which could have been his original clothes froazed out at the crowd, half s for his master to throw a ball

ReadingI want to you”

I felt e The food court wasn’t crowded, but the few patrons close by would overhear if I laid into hilared at hi you want to me I’m a professional musician, and I won’t put up with it”

Elvis straightened to his full height, reer than me he was His nostrils flared as he spat, “Oh, you’re the talent now? Let , toots I’m the talent here You’re in a band with Elvis I’m not in a band withI don’t even knoho the fk you’re supposed to be Can’t help falling in love”

I was used to boys who seeh to put their hands all over irlfriend with them like they wanted It had happened all year It had happened with Toby

I was not used to a ed man who asked as under irlfriend, then declared his love for me

Soon enough, I was glad I’d stood there with my hands on my hips, bow in one hand and fiddle in the other, rather than responding to him in a way that would have e his love forour next tune He repeated very loudly to Mr Crabtree, “?‘Can’t Help Falling in Love’ in D” Mr Crabtree obediently stru the rhythuitar As far as he was concerned, er didn’t matter I was dismissed

I joined in, too, doingthe lush melody in the key of D-sharp instead of D It took a lot of concentration for me to sound this bad, because I had a sensitive ear I made sure my fiddle line was the loveliest tune the crowd had ever heard My instrus created a wide vibrato that only seemed easy It just so happened that every note I played was a half step up fro in