Page 101 of Fame & Rhythm

Yep… that tone.

I press my lips together, trying not to laugh even as my heart races. This is either going to go very, very badly… or surprisingly well.

“Sit. The fuck. Down!” Mum says even more forcefully, and I smile, knowing she’s taking charge, which is something Dad hates. I hear the chair scrape along the floor, so I’m pretty sure he’s just sat down.

“How is this a good thing?” Dad demands.

“Because, babe, Annie is talking to me about it. As long as she keeps talking to me, I know where they’re at—”

“A relationship?” he cuts in. “It’s a fucking crush, that’s all this is.”

I frown, my stomach dipping slightly.

A crush?

“Colt,” Mum says calmly. “It’s not a crush. You’ve seen them grow up together. We both knew, even when they were five, this was coming.”

“Well, I don’t like it.”

“You don’t have to like it,” she replies evenly. “But you do have to let them figure it out.”

“They’re kids—”

“They’re not,” she interrupts.

“Bullshit. He’s a teenage boy. He’s going to try something because she’s young and naïve and—”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Mum snaps. “You’ve known Aston his entire life. Do you really think he’d throw away their friendship, and the band, just to get his end in?”

I bite back a smile.

Go Mum.

Dad exhales sharply.

“Now listen,” she continues, softer but firm. “If you try to keep them apart, they’ll just sneak around. Then Annie won’t tell me anything, and we’ll have no idea what’s going on. They should be together where we can see them.”

Silence.

Then…

“What do you mean, ‘sneak around’?” Dad asks cautiously.

Oh God…

“If you push them, they’ll push back,” Mum says. “They’ll rush things. Make decisions too quickly. Is that what you want?”

I wince.

“No,” Dad mutters. “There’s no way they’re doing anything like that. I’ll—”

“Colt.” He stops. “Wouldn’t you rather she be with someone she knows and trusts?” Mum presses. “Someone who actually cares about her?”

I smirk.

Checkmate.

There’s a long pause.