Free Romance: Teen Romance: Game On (A Nerd and a Bad Boy Romance) (New Adult High School Sports Romance) by Stella White

such a thin skin?''
    ''No.''
    It was going nowhere, Cara thought. ''Tell me about your music Shifty.''
    His face suddenly lit up. ''Do you like music?''
    ''Yes. I used to play violin.''
    Shifty pulled a face. ''I write my own stuff.''
    ''What kind of stuff ?'' Cara hated the word stuff . It was a lazy word used when people couldn't be bothered to speak properly .
    ''Rock, ballads mostly. Love, pain, death, betrayal, that sort of thing.''
    Cara leaned on the table with her elbows and set about reappraising him. She added driven to the list. ''Will you play for me sometime?'' she asked. What are you doing Cara, she asked herself? No guys until after college remember?
    ''Are you sure you'd like that?''
    That was the opportunity for Cara to change her mind, get back on track, but she didn't take it. ''I'm sure I would.''
     
    *****
    Cara had made an effort to look the part, but she didn't possess the kind of clothes Shifty wore. She managed a pair of jeans, a red blouse and a pair of sneakers. She also let her hair down for the occasion.
    ''Did you find it okay?'' he asked.
    ''It was a bit tricky, to be honest. The cab driver didn't know where it was, neither did the controller.''
    Shifty was sitting on a disused loading dock in a broken down industrial estate. Cara had never been to such a rough place. Even the cab driver had asked her if she was sure she wanted to get out there.
    ''Come inside,'' he said.
    Cara followed him into the disused building. It had been some kind of warehouse in a former life. Now there was a stage made of wood against the back wall and a few seats littered around the place.
    ''Sorry, it's a bit basic, but I can't afford anywhere else. I even have to pinch the electric from the next building,'' he said. He pointed to a cable that came from behind the stage, ran up the wall and through a window.
    ''No, it's fine. I'm looking forward to hearing you play.'' She cringed as her imagination took over. He was standing on the stage, guitar in hand, making the most awful noise she'd ever heard. That was her worst fear. She would feel so sorry for him if he was no good. He would be living a lie, and she didn't think she could take it if that were the case. She already cared for him too much to think he was wasting his life pursuing a dream that had absolutely no chance of ever being fulfilled .
    ''Sit here,'' he said pulling a grubby looking chair toward the stage. ''Right, now give me a few minutes, I need to tune up.''
    Cara sat patiently and watched a few pigeons nesting in the rafters high above them. He sat on the edge of the stage and tuned an electric guitar. When he was ready, he stood up and bowed to her.
    ''Lady, no gentlemen, welcome to this mini concert. The first song is called , ''Why I Fell For You.'' Cara applauded and sat on the edge of her seat, fingers crossed he wasn't' going to make a real fool of himself.
    When he started to play and sing, Cara almost fell from her chair. His voice had such power and despite being ignorant of guitar playing ability, she knew he was very good indeed. She looked at his face and noticed how completely engrossed in the song he was. The lyrics were beautiful, about a woman he'd fallen in love with but who'd jilted him for a man with more money. She felt a lump in her throat. She felt like one of the judges on a talent contest, one who had just found the talent of the century.
    When he stopped, she just stared at him. ''You can applaud if you want,'' he said.
    ''Oh. Sorry.'' She woke from her daze and clapped.
    ''Didn't you like it?'' he asked, not realizing her silence was caused by awe, not by disinterest.
    ''Oh Shifty, you are wonderfully gifted. When I came here, I feared you wouldn't be any good. But you’re are amazing. You've got to keep going at this.''
    Shifty smiled at her appraisal. ''Thanks. I intend to keep going until someone takes notice of me.''
    As Shifty packed up his guitar, Cara was already thinking what sort of father he would be and what