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“And a singer,” I add, trying to be helpful.
A sheepish grin pulls at the corners of Ezra’s lips. “Well, I uhhh . . . I kinda sing.”
“No shit,” Axel says, his brow arching with curiosity. “Well, go on then. Let’s see what you’ve got.”
Ezra glances toward me as I wait on bated breath, and there’s no denying the flash of nervousness in his eyes. I can’t blame him, the thought of standing in front of my class and having to deliver a speech sends me into a blind panic. I can only imagine that singing in front of people you’ve only just met might feel something like that.
I give him a small nod of encouragement, and he indicates to my makeshift drum, silently asking me to pick up the beat again, and I do just that. “Little slower,” he asks.
I slow my pace and keep my eyes on him until he nods, letting me know I’ve got it right, and with that, he grips his guitar and slowly strums it. A moment passes as he plays the intro into the song, and the second the first few words sail out of his mouth, my hands pause on the drums, unable to continue.
I quickly recognize the song as “Never Tear Us Apart” by INXS, and as my chest rises and falls with heavy breaths, listening as his deep, raspy tone fills the garage, I become intoxicated by everything that he is. There’s no longer a single doubt in my mind that with Ezra by Axel’s side, their dream of dominating the world with their music isn’t as out of reach as I thought.
Everything they want is right there for the taking.
Axel is just as mesmerized, and when Ezra sings the final notes of the song, he starts to clap. “Holy fuck,” Axel breathes, shaking his head in disbelief. “That was fucking amazing.”
“Yeah?” Ezra asks before glancing at me, but all I can do is stare at him with my mouth hanging open.
“No question about it, you’re our front man,” Axel says, still shaking his head. He grips the back of his neck. “Fuck me. That was . . . shit. Okay, so it’s settled. You’re lead singer and guitar. I’ll be lead guitar and backup vocals. Rae wants to be manager, and so we just need a drummer and a bassist.”
Their conversation pulls me out of my head, and I snap into action. “Ummm, Maxton Huxley at school has an older brother who plays the drums. I think his name is Rock, but he goes to the private school just outside of town.”
“Yeah, alright,” Axel says. “Have you got Maxton’s number?”
I shrug my shoulders. “No, but I can get it.”
“Okay, do that. As for a bass guy, I think I know someone. Dylan Pope. He’s the grade under us, a bit quiet, but I think he’s good.”
“So, it’s settled?” Ezra questions. “We’re doing this?”
A wide grin stretches across Axel’s face. “We’re fucking doing this.”
6
Raleigh
The door flies open and Madds barges into my bedroom with tears streaking down her face. “Rae,” she cries, flipping on the light and blinding me before racing to my bedside.
“Mmmmm. What the hell, Madds?” I groan, positive that it’s got to be at least two or three in the morning. I rub my hand over my eyes and peer up at her to find tears streaming down her face, her phone clutched in her hand as her whole body shakes.
“I . . . I . . . I—”
“Madds,” I rush out, sitting up with her as a strange unease fills my veins. “What’s going on? What’s wrong?”
She visibly swallows, but the longer she looks at me, the harder her tears flow, and within seconds, she’s uncontrollably sobbing.
“Madds, I swear—”
She holds her phone out to me, and the pity and sadness in her eyes destroy me. “I’m . . . I’m so sorry,” she’s finally able to croak out.
Sorry? What the hell? Why’s she sorry?
My brows furrow, and I avert my gaze to her outstretched hand where her phone lingers between us, and as I take it from her, the unease morphs into dread. It’s the boys. It has to be. Why else would she be handing me her phone?
Dropping my gaze to the phone, I swipe my thumb across the screen, unlocking it to find it already open to a video of a news anchor. I immediately recognize her face. She’s one of the main anchors on the biggest news outlet across the country—the one everyone watches to confirm if the bullshit story they’ve just heard on social media is actually true.
The words BREAKING NEWS are across the bottom, and as I play the video, my hands begin to shake.
