Page 133 of Fame & Rhythm

“Okay, I just thought I would ask.”

“I know it’s hard, but if you feel so badly about it, then maybe—”

“Mum, don’t!” I interrupt, and she gestures to zip her mouth shut as Dad walks over to us.

“Great show, Annie. You did good, considering,” he says and pulls me into a hug. “You’re stronger than you know. Not many people could handle a breakup and then go on stage and perform with their ex. I’m proud of you, honey, and I know that with time, you’ll get your excitement back. I know it feels terrible right now, but it will get easier. If not, we’ll kick Aston out of the band—”

“Colt, stop it!” Mum berates, and I smile slightly at my Dad’s overprotective behavior once again.

“He doesn’t have to leave the band, Dad. I can work through it. Plus, we’re starting to get a fan base. People love Staked the way we are. We can’t go changing just because I broke up with the bassist.”

“I knew I shouldn’t have let it get this far. I’m still not sure what Aston did, but if I find out and I don’t like it, I won’t hold back, Annie.”

“Colt, enough! She doesn’t need your overprotective bullshit right now. And you need to get in the zone, so stop getting worked up and start getting fired up,” Mum says, and Dad smiles.

“I like that, they would be good lyrics,” he says and then starts singing. “Stop getting worked up and start getting fired up,” to a new tune I haven’t heard before. I smile at him and rush forward, hugging him tightly. “What’s this for?” he says, leaning down and kissing my head.

“For always taking care of me, even if sometimes it’s over the top.”

“Colt, you ready to go?” Dingo asks, and Dad lets me go, then leans down and kisses my forehead.

“Be strong, Annie,” Dad says, and I nod. He smiles, leans in, kisses Mum quickly, then walks over to strap on his guitar.

“I’m gonna head back to the room now,” I say to Mum, and she raises an eyebrow.

“You don’t want to watch your dad?”

“Just kinda want to sit down and relax,” I reply, and she looks back toward Dad, then back at me like she’s conflicted.

“Okay, well, I’ll just wait here until your father goes on stage and then I’ll come and find you?”

“You can stay and watch Dad if you want. I’ll be fine.”

“Sweetheart, I think you need me more than your father does. Plus, I have seen so many of his shows, I’m sure he won’t mind if I miss one.”

I nod. “I’ll be in the green room,” I say, and she smiles as I walk off. I wrap my arms around myself for comfort, feeling alone right now, even though I’m in a stadium packed with thousands of people. I walk past some backstage workers, and they all smile at me. I smile back to be nice, but I don’t mean it. I walk into the green room to see Ella and Caleb talking in the corner, but other than them, the room is empty. I step over to the sofa and sit down at the back. I’m kind of out of the way and hidden behind a partition, so people walking in won’t be able to see me. And to be honest, I really like that idea. It lets me be alone longer to think about things.

Ella and Caleb start laughing, and it pulls me out of my daze to look over at them. They are watching some YouTube video on his phone. I wish I had the energy to laugh. I hear some more laughing, and I look toward the door to see Aston walk in with Amber from Red Velvet hanging off his arm.

What the fuck?

I sit up straighter so I can see better, and I watch as they walk in and sit on the sofa next to each other.

“Hey Amber, what are you doing here?” Caleb asks, and I bite my bottom lip, wondering the exact same thing.

“Red Velvet are taking a little break right now, so I thought I would follow you guys on tour. You and 12GAUGE-Slayed that is,” she says, and I raise my eyebrow, wondering why she would do that.

She’s still wearing those trashy leopard-print pants, and her hair is still dyed that flaming red color. I look at her pale face, and I cringe slightly at how flawless and beautiful she really is. She rests her hand on Aston’s knee, and I tense up immediately. He doesn’t react. He doesn’t even seem to notice. It’s like he’s in his own world.

“Well, it will be nice to have another girl around. There’s not a lot of us on tour, especially as 12GAUGE-Slayed and Recoil are all males,” Ella says, and I huff.

Traitor!

They all start talking and seem to be having a good time, completely oblivious to the fact that I’m even here in the shadows. Aston eventually joins the conversation, and I sit, cradling myself into a ball, wondering how I let this happen. Why did I give in to Aston in the first place? If I didn’t do that, I wouldn’t be in this mess right now.

Mum walks in and looks around the room. “Where’s Annie?” she asks, and Ella shrugs.

I stand up and step out from behind the partition and look over at her.